The Gilliland Letters consist mostly of letters written by William B. Gilliland (b. ca. 1825), of Marshall County, Alabama to his wife Martha Jane (b. ca. 1830). William served in Co. E, 22^nd Alabama Infantry and was killed at the Battle of Chickmauga on September 20, 1863. William’s brother Franklin, who served in the 58^th Alabama Infantry, also has one letter in the collection. At the time of the 1860 Census William and Martha Gilliland were living on their small farm with their four children, Sarah J. (14), Nancy J. (12), John M. (10), and James M. (1).