The collection consists of the autobiographical memoirs of James Anderson Terrell, a Confederate soldier, settler, cowboy, and politician. Written when Terrell was in his late seventies, the bulk of the material centers on his experiences during the American Civil War and his later time spent pioneering in Kansas. Additional topics include his beginnings in Georgia, life during Reconstruction, and his return to Georgia at the end of his life.

This collection consists of a single photograph of Fort Phantom Hill, Texas, likely taken during the 1940s. The image shows multiple stone structures with chimney ruins in the background.