Both of James' parents were born in Virginia, according to the 1880 census. The census also gives his birth year as 1849. Other records I've seen indicate 1847. It's possible that he was born in 1849 and lied about his age to join the Confederate army, though that would have made him 15 years old when the war ended!

Around 1850, James and his family moved from Prince Edward County to Montgomery County, VA along with several other families via wagon train. James became the first Hudgins to be married in Montgomery County.

James was a Confederate veteran of the Civil War, serving in (1) the 54th Infantry Co. C (in and out as a private according to his general index card), (2) the 9th Infantry Regiment Co. K (in as a sergeant and out as a private according to his general index card), and (3)the 41st VA Regiment Co. E (in and out as a private according to his general index card). On April 3, 1865--just six days before Lee's surrender at Appomattox--he was captured in Petersburg, VA and held prisoner on Hart's Island in New York Harbor. He was released in Dinwiddie, VA on June 14, 1865.

A history of the 41st Virginia infantry gives the following information, which makes me wonder if the James in the 41st was a different James Hudgins:

Enlisted: 3/1/62
Born: 1843, Petersburg, VA
Marital Status: Single
Religion: Baptist
Physical: 5'9", brown eyes, black hair
Financial Info: Lower middle class -- Cabinetmaker's apprentice
Service Record: At CSH, 9/3/62 to 9/27/62 - W.I.A. the Battle of the Crater, 7/30/64; little finger; in CH #4, 8/64 - In Gen. Hosp. in Petersburg, 1/27/65 to 2/4/65 - P.O.W. Petersburg lines, 4/3/65 - at Hart's Island Prison, N.Y., Refused to take the Oath of Allegiance, 4/65 to 6/6/65.

The family story goes that soon after their marriage, James and Delilah got into a covered wagon and moved to Jackson, Ohio. This is where their first child, Laura, my great-great-grandmother, was born.