Jackson County GaArchives Military Records.....Marler, Capt. William L. May 1, 1863
Civilwar - Letters Co. E, 16th Battalion Georgia Cavalry
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Letter
On 1 May 1863, Capt. William L. Marler of Company E, 16th Georgia Cavalry Battalion
(previously 1st Partisan Rangers and subsequently 13th Georgia Cavalry) wrote the
following letter to the Southern Watchman, a newspaper in Athens, GA.  The letter
was published on 13 May 1863.

Headquarters 16th Ga. Batt.
Zollicoffer Station, Tenn., May 1st, 1863

Mr. Editor:

This being the usual day taken up by the young ladies and gentlemen in mirth, my
mind seems naturally to go back to times and places when I spent the day more
pleasantly than I now do; and were I at home, I think I should like very much to
take a trip by way of Gainesville, Mount Yonah, Hiwassee and Clayton, Gal, and
Franklin, Webster, Waynesville, Asheville and Marshall to the Warm Springs, N.C.  On
our way to Greeneville, Tenn., we travelled that route.  There is mountain scenery
in it sufficient to satisfy the ambition of a reasonable mountain gazer; at least it
so strikes me, after being in the mountains of Tenn. and Ky. for nearly a year.  

The French Broad river is itself a natural curiosity.  If I felt in a writing mood I
would like well to describe its passage through the mountain gorges and cliffs, for
the mountains shut in so closely on each side, from Asheville down to the Warm
Springs, that the river seems almost to force its way, as it goes leaping and
foaming from rock to rock.  The Warm Springs are blood-heat, and burst out of a
narrow neck of land just between the river and a creek, the name of which I know
not.  The Springs are well improved – an excellent bathing house, a large hotel one
hundred and seventy-five feet long, good outbuildings, gardens, &c.  But I will say
no more, as the speculators at home are too busy fleecing the soldiers’ families to
go, and all others cannot, because of the responsibilities they are trying to
discharge in behalf of their bleeding country, and the soldier must, of necessity,
wait until he gets home.

We have been engaged as scouts ever since we entered the State, after bushwhackers,
deserters and disloyal persons, but have seen no Yanks, although, on Saturday, the
21st ult., some three or four hours after we had got in form a scout up in Johnson
and Carter counties, we were ordered up to this Station hurriedly, expecting to find
a foe near at hand, but none came.  Gen. Jackson received information that the
enemy, in strong cavalry force, had crossed the Cumberland mountains and were
approaching the bridges again; and he, with his staff and all the troops at hand,
were quickly en route for Carters Depot and Zollicoffer Station.  At Carter’s Depot
lies, just in the edge of the water, the tender of the engine, and about the length
of it in the water lies the engine itself, on the West bank.  As to any means of
defence [sic] at either bridge it is not my business to mention, but should
Abraham’s boys come again, they will find more to do, or something to do besides
burn the bridges.

On the 22nd ult. the recruits to my company organized another company [Company G,
based on the names of the officers] by the election of the following gentlemen as
officers: F. J. Whitehead, Capt.; Wm. Thurmond, 1st Lieut.; J. M. Potts, 2d Lieut.;
J. M. Osborn, Brevet 2nd Lieut.; Wm. Simmons, 1st Serg.; L. G. Willbanks, 2d Serg.;
A. J. L. Statham, 3rd Serg.; G. W. Stanley, 4th Serg.; C. M. Brook, 1st Corp.; Wm
Woods, 2d Corp.; B. O. W. Rose, 3rd Corp.; G. M. Knight 4th Corp.

This is the second company which has been formed from my company, and I yet have
sixty-eight men, and have lost eight from sickness and one from wounds.  The 14th of
this month we have been in service one year.  On starting out, many of us had to
purchase horses and had but little to purchase with.  J. G. McLester{?}, Samuel
Watson, A. M. Park and T. P. Harrison shelled out their money liberally to us,
without note or receipt, except in one instance.  Other proposed to furnish us
horses or money.  Among them was one man in Jefferson, who subscribed two hundred
dollars or a horse, and furnished neither.  He is a man of wealth; was a warm
secessionist; did not believe there would be any war; and, I suppose, thought there
was not enough then to induce him to furnish a horse, to be paid for when the rider
drew wages enough to do so.  There are three horses on which we still owe a small
amount, which I think will soon be settled – at least, those are all except those
bought at private sale.  We are all in good health.  J. F. McElhannon is slightly
complaining.

We would like to have a few more good recruits, able and willing to do service, but
we want no other sort.  We now have permission to raise our Battalion to a Regiment,
and I may come home after a while to raise another company.  If so, you shall hear
from me.

W. L. Marler, Capt.
Co. E, 16th Georgia Battalion


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