The Finley Papers at the Library of Virginia in Richmond contain his war record. Finley initially served in the 14th Virginia. He resigned for a period and returned as a First Lieutenant in Company K, 56th Virginia. He was one of the few to cross the wall in Pickett's Charge with BGen. Lewis Armistead. Captured, he was first sent to Johnson's Island, where he met "Capt. Ben Griffin, of Texas, I think, who, while illiterate, possessed and manifested such good sense, tact and earnest christian spirit as to yield a most powerful influence for good." Griffin organized and conducted prayer meetings and bible classes, "securing regular preaching in many, if not most of the buildings within the prison enclosure." Finley was sent, ostensibly for exchange, to Point Lookout, including time spent in Hammond Hospital and afterwards in the officer's prison there. He was next sent to Fort Delaware, where he came "under the influence" of Rev. I. W. K. Handy, D.D., a Presbyterian minister from Portsmouth, Virginia, who was "held as a political prisoner without specific charges or trial." From there, Finley was sent to Charleston as one of the "immortal 600." He describes his journey in a side wheeler steamer, where his bunk was under the shaft and adjacent to the engine room and boiler. The clearance was small above his bunk and the partition above him was too hot to touch. Only the intercession of a colleague, who was of the Masonic order, and had convinced a Federal Masonic brother to bring Finley above decks, saved him. He was put under fire, under the charge of black soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts, with meager fare to eat. From there he spent time in a casemate at Fort Pulaski, and thence went to Hilton Head. Finley describes his experiences in considerable detail, an amazing testament to his survival of many ordeals. He became a minister after the war.