This letter was written by George Parks Faw (b. 1824 Ashe Co., NC - 1901 Sullivan Co. TN, son of Jonathan & Sarah Parks Faw) to his brother Thomas Ambrose Faw during the Civil War.  George Parks Faw was a Captain of Co. G in the 29th Tennessee Infantry, C.S.A. which regiment was commanded by Col. S.F. Powell of Rogersville, TN.

    This is Sunday evening and from the general or external appearance of things around me it would seem to be any thing else, with the exception that we are not under arms and in the march it is the first day that we have not moved in the last eighteen we marched seven days from Knoxville to this point and the next day after our arrival we were ordered to take up our line of march into the interior of the State and after marching four days we arrived in vicinity of the enemys fortification called Wild Cat in the rock Castle hils near Rock Castle River on last Sunday the 5th day of our march our skirmishers came in contact with their pickets and killed one man four others escaped into their stronghold in the hills.  Our Collumns continued to advance very cautiously and found that the road was blockaded by cuting timber across it and tearing up a bridge across a small creek at a place that was difficult to crss but a road was soon cut round and we continued the march very slowly untill after midnight when we filed up the side of a very steep ridge and rested untill day we were then about one mile from the Kentucky and Tennessee Yankees.  Our forces consisted of Col. Raines, Battles, Newmans, Powells and a Mississippi Regiment, amounting in all, (that is the fighting men) to about 3,000, we advanced to within a few hundred yards of their fort when we found the road Blockaded again, men were immediately detailed, to open it, the report was then run along the lines they were flanking on our right, the next thing was the report of musketry Col. Raines had fired upon them and a smart Skirmish ensued without any damage to our forces, except one man wounded in the leg above the kneww slightly.  Col. Battles & Powell then fell back a few hundred yards.  Our Regiment was ordered to return to its former position when it was divided into three divisions, Capt. McClelens, Hancock and mine formed the first and was ordered to support one division of Col. Newmans Regiment and formed on the point of aridge on the right of the rad that led past or near the fort with Col. Newmans division between, other divisions were formed on the left of the road and near or into it.  The order was then given to move on to the attack when all was put in motion an advanced.  Col. Newmans divisions and ours marching up to the Strongest part of their encampment without knowing it.  Newmans men advanced and fired and received a heavy volley that they fell back from with Eleven men killed and about 25 wounded some of them very slightly others seriously, with the above exception we lost no men in the engagment.  Our Division was very much confused at this time by a portion of Col. Newmans men passing through them as they fell back from the breast works of the enemy, we however rallied them together and they were then commanded to charge the battery and on we went right over Newmans killed and wounded charging* with loud yells amidst the whizing of Balls falling of limbs and the ghastly Dead, untill the formost of our Division came in view of them when one of our men mounted a log, waived hishat and they responded in a like maner, and with a volley that brought forth from our commander [pg 2 starts] an order to retreat which was obeyed with such alacrity thta those in the advance of us rushed back upon some of our boys knocking down and running over them causing the loss of one or two guns and several caps and one fellow I saw with one shoe gone, well I am in advance of my narrative when I looked around for the Boons Creek boys and others of the Division that went up at his point they were nearly all gone there were however a few brave hearts that beat in unison with mine stood round me and we fired some of our pieces in to their works and fell back.  This was in the fore part of the day and after some other skirmishing our whole force was withdrawn and we fell back about two miles and encamped for the night, since that time we have moved leasurely back to this place.  I have no Idea what the program of opperations will be from this time forward there are six Regiments encamped here with two battallions of Cavalry and one Company of Artillery consisting of six peices.  There are about two Regiments at the gap and the probabilities are that a goodly number of the troops at this place will be ordered to the Tennessee side at an early day, the reason that I give for the movement is that the gap is the easiest to fortify and the second place we can provision our selves or the Confederacy can easier than where we are and in third place, our chances of success is much better there than here, we find it a very difficult matter to provide bread in sufficient quantitiies for our forces here and impossible to procure meat from the gap and consequently live principally upon beef, which seems to be nearly exausted on this [pg. 3 starts ] provender for our hourses particularly hay isout of the question, corn we have to go for about seven or eight miles, to haul these articles from beyond the gap over four mountains (for there is that many between here and the foot of Cumberland Mountain on the other side) is out of the question, consequently I am of the opinion that we'll be ordered from here in a few days, if we are not, I shall allways think that we should be.  There are other reasons that I could give but have not timenow as there is other things demands my attention, and I have not yet mention what I wanted to and that is we are likely to suffer before long for shoes and socks & something make us comfortable during nights.  This morning considering what plan I should fall upon to procure the above necessities and concluded to address you knowing that there were shoe makers around in the vicinity of your place and thinking you might be able to furnish us with shoes, socks and maybe blankets.  Col. Powell says that if you will furnish anything of the kind that he will make the quarter master pay us for them, see Swadly, Hart, Eams and Davault at Elizabeth and try and have us as many pairs of shoes made as you can and send them out to us as winter is approaching, and we need them.  I have very good health except cold.  My men are complining of bad colds but we have no case of serious sickness.  I shall have no opportunity to come home soon as it is generally understood that the enemy is coming in large force to make their way into our valleys in East Tennessee and our business is to keep them out.

This letter is on file at the TN State Library and Archives, 403 Seventh Ave. North, Nashville, TN 37243-0312, filed with FAW PAPERS in the Manuscript File #281.