# James Monroe Wells

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American politician, soldier and author

**James Monroe Wells** (1837–1918) was an author, Union Army officer, and politician. He wrote *The Chisolm Massacre; A picture of "home rule" in Mississippi* about the [Chisolm Massacre](/source/Chisolm_Massacre). [James Daniel Lynch](/source/James_Daniel_Lynch) responded with an account blaming [Radical Republicans](/source/Radical_Republican) titled *Kemper County Vindicated, And a Peep at Radical Rule in Mississippi*. Wells served as a state senator in Idaho.[1]

Lucinda D. Wells and Samuel Percival Wells were his parents.[2] Wells was born in [Erie County, New York](/source/Erie_County%2C_New_York) and moved to Michigan with his family at age two. He grew up on a farm.[3] He studied at [Kalamazoo College](/source/Kalamazoo_College), and became a teacher. He served in the Union Army as a cavalry officer. He was twice captured.[2] He and others escaped through a tunnel from [Libby Prison](/source/Libby_Prison).[3] He married Delphene Bartholomew in 1866.[2]

View of [Andersonville National Cemetery](/source/Andersonville_National_Cemetery) from his autobiography *With Touch of Elbow*

He came to Mississippi in 1868 for a Federal revenue position and was a Republican leader in [Kemper County, Mississippi](/source/Kemper_County%2C_Mississippi).[2] He moved to Idaho in 1884 and served as a state senator in its first legislature.[3] His autobiography titled *With Touch of Elbow* was published in 1909.[2]

## Writings

- *The Chisholm massacre : a picture of "home rule" in Mississippi.*

- *Tunneling out of Libby Prison : a Michigan lieutenant's account of his own imprisonment and daring escape*

- *With touch of elbow or, death before dishonor : a thrilling narrative of adventure on land and sea* by James M Wells; United States. Army. Michigan Cavalry Regiment, 8th (1862–1865)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Congressional Record: Containing the Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress"](https://books.google.com/books?id=tCZPhCQ7YCcC&dq=james+m.+wells+mississippi+idaho&pg=PA1177). U.S. Government Printing Office. May 4, 1892 – via Google Books.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-authors_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-authors_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-authors_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-authors_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-authors_2-4) Lloyd, James B. (1981). [*Lives of Mississippi Authors, 1817–1967*](https://books.google.com/books?id=RfXGJBB1HvoC&q=James+Monroe+Wells&pg=PA458). University of Mississippi Press. p. 458. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781617034183](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781617034183).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-lib_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-lib_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-lib_3-2) Campbell, James B. (May 4, 1894). ["Campbell's Illustrated History of the World's Columbian Exposition"](https://books.google.com/books?id=db9CAQAAMAAJ&dq=james+m.+wells+mississippi+idaho&pg=PA528). Carothers Pub. – via Google Books.

## External links

- [James Monroe Wells](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104375141) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF FAST National United States Academics CiNii Other Open Library Yale LUX

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