In case No. 11312 of the Southern Claims Commission filed by Jeremiah Files, he states the following:

"From April 1862 until June 1865, I spent my time between Fayette Co., Ala. and the Union lines, and also in the Union lines... My business was a portion of the time recruiting for the Union Army. I crossed quite a number of times between April 1862 and March 1864 for the purpose of gettin Union men out of the rebel lines and getting them into the Union lines. I then joined the Union Army at Glendale, Miss., I joined the First Reg. Ala. Cav. Vol. commanded by Col. Geor. E. Spencer and remained with the army until Nov. Folowing on the 24th day of November 1863, I left camp at Camp Davies, Miss. with two other soldiers and came back to Fayette Co., Ala. and got about fifty Union men and reached camp at Camp Davies taking the above mentioned number of Union men with me and reached there on the 13th day of December 1863. I then remained in the Union lines until the summer of 1864, I then taken up the same occupation gathering Union men for the Union Army and was so employed until the surrender. In the summer of 1865, I came back to my farm where I now reside.

I was threatened by every rebel that knew me with damage to my person and property. I was threatened to be hanged, shot, and even burned, all on account of my Union sentiments. I influenced about five hundred men to go into the Army...

I did not have any relatives in the rebel army except cousins. I had two nephews, also two brothers-in-law and quite a number of cousins in the Union Army..."

Buried:
Files Cemetery, Walker Co., AL