According to the company roll made for the State of Alabama, Hiram B Bice was an iron maker from Trout Creek, age 37, who enrolled at Ashville AL, Mar 1, 1862. The soldier's military service file shows that he was assigned to duty as a nurse at Camp Winder Hospital, Richmond VA, May 7, 1862. He remained on hospital duty until sent home furlough, Oct 28, 1863. At this point the state record lists him as present during the Battle of the Wilderness and many subsequent engagements. To provide further information I'll need to review the original rather than the ADAH transcript.

Being much older than most other company members, Hiram Bice probably became sick shortly after enlistment. It probably seemed that he would not be able to stand field duty, so service as a nurse seemed the best use of his abilities. By the winter of 1863-64 manpower needs obliged the Confederate government to retrieve many soldiers on detail assignment. In 1864, following an absence of nearly two years, Hiram Bice returned to his company. Copies of his extensive record are available here.