Isham Simms Upchurch (b. ca. 1825) was a Chatham County, North Carolina farmer and served as a private in Co. G, 16th North Carolina Infantry. At the time of the 1860 Federal Census, he was living on his farm in the Cane Creek section with his wife, Delia (b. ca. 1832) and their five children. Three of the letters in the collection were written by Upchurch. The rest were written by relatives and friends serving in Co. I, 6th North Carolina Infantry; the largest number were written by his brother-in-law, G. T. Beavers. Isham Upchurch enlisted on March 18, 1863, was captured at Petersburg “on or about”April 2, 1865, and confined at Point Lookout before being released on June 21, 1865. G. T. Beavers was wounded at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863 and was discharged because of his wounds.