Son of James C. Farmer and Ann Runyon/Runion

54th. Virginia Infantry
Company F
Captain William J. Jordan's Company enlisted on September 9, 1861, from Pulaski County men, for one year. Jordan and 82 other men cast their fate with the Confederacy at Newbern at the regiment's formation. A total of 217 men eventually served in this company, making it the largest in the regiment. This company retained a high level of esprit de corps, evidenced by 33 men remaining in ranks as late as February 28, 1865.
Rosters for this company are the most complete of any in the regiment. The first roster covers the period from enlistment to January 1, 1862, when the 54th was in camp near Paintsville in Johnson County, Kentucky. The second roster covers the period from July 9, 1863, through October 31, 1863, when camped near Chattanooga, Tennessee. The third roster covers the period from July 9, 1863, through December 31, 1863, when camped at Dalton, Georgia. The fourth muster roll was taken for January and February 1864, again at "near Dalton". The February 1864 roster notes that one "of our brave and patriotic boys" was killed at Stony Side Mountain, and that two others had since died of wounds received there. The fifth muster roll covered the period of July - August 1864.
The activities noted on this roster indicate that seven members of the company were wounded at Resaca; one was wounded at Cassville; three were killed, four wounded and two were missing after Mount Zion Church; and "three men straggled on 3rd July & were captured by the enemy & two deserted and Fountain Wise was captured on 2d July near Atlanta while on picket." The sixth and last extant roster was for the period January and February 1865, dated February 28, 1865, when the company was stationed at Chesterville, South Carolina.
Captain William Jasper Jordan served in what would become the largest company in the 54th from its organization until it was reorganized, when he was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection. Jordan was succeeded by William F. Eaton, who served in the captaincy until disabled and retired to the Invalid Corps. Jacob Henry Anderson was then promoted to captain and served until the end of the war.

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Farmer family. Letters, 1862-1864.Accession 50303. 50 pages.
Letters, 1862-1864, of the Farmer family of Pulaski County, Virginia, consisting of letters between Diadama Farmer in Pulaski County and her husband James Henry Farmer of Company F, 54th Virginia Infantry.
Letters from Diadama provide news from home, state that she misses him, and that she hopes he will be able to come home.
Letters from James comment on camp life, states that he wishes he were home, and state that he can't find a substitute for him so that he can take a furlough home. 14 September 1862 letter from Diadama includes a note from Farmer's sister Mina Brown.