This letter was written by James Watson Staten (1824-1892) of Statenville (formerly “Statesville”), Echols County, Georgia. Staten was elected Georgia State Representative from Clinch County in April, 1850 and he served two terms. He was elected Georgia State Senator from Clinch County in 1857 and he introduced the bill creating Echols County during the 1858 session of the legislature. He was elected captain of the militia from District 1052 and was commissioned 30 May 1861. On 20 November 1861 he enlisted in Company K, 29th Georgia Volunteer Regiment, C.S.A and immediately became 1st lieutenant. After his six-month enlistment ended on 7 May 1862, he raised a company of volunteer militia and was elected its captain and was commissioned on 4 August 1863. This militia became part of the 11th Regiment of the Georgia State Guards.
Staten wrote to Maj. Archibald Thompson McIntyre (1822-1900) of Thomasville, Georgia. Archibald was a lawyer and a member of the Georgia State Legislature in 1849. He was elected to the 42nd Congress as a Democrat. During the Civil War, he served as Major (later Colonel) of the 11th Infantry of the Georgia Guards.
Yours [of] 14 August [was] received. You will accept the Echols Volunteers in your Battery. I have sent on the election returns with a list of the company but have not been mustered yet. Would like to have seen you before making out the muster roll so that my muster roll would have compared with the others of the Battery. However that may not make any difference.
Mr. Staten wrote me several days ago to which I replied to the above in answer to my reply. — A.T.M.