George G. Barrs was elected 2nd Lieutenant of Co. "A", 26^th Georgia Battalion. Being in ill health much of the time and unable to do any duty, he resigned his commission on June 2, 1864.

The history of Brooks County, Georgia, by Huxford, Folks (1948) lists both James C. and William Barrs as members of the Brooks County militia, roll dated Mar. 4, 1862. William Brooks had already been appointed by a county commission to provide for the needs of indigent families of soldiers in his district.

In the late summer of 1863 both James C. and Henry Barrs enlisted in the 11th Cavalry Battalion, Georgia State Guards, a six-months organization under command of Gov. Brown. The 1864 militia register for the State of Georgia lists James and Henry as saltmakers in Brooks County GA. William is listed as a miller. Saltmakers and millers were exempt from military service, which may explain why William Barrs has no record of enlistment.

James C. Barrs was enrolled as a senior reserve at Quitman GA, May 6, 1864. He was assigned to Co. "E", 1st Georgia (Symons') Reserves. Barr was among the defenders of Fort McAllister when it was overrun by Sherman's soldiers on Dec. 13, 1864. He survived typhoid fever at Hilton Head SC and was imprisoned at Fort Delaware DL until the end of the war.

On May 1, 1864, James H. Barrs enlisted in Co. "C", 29th Georgia Cavalry Battalion. His name appears on the register of battalion members who were paroled at Madison FL at the end of the war.

Copies of these papers are available here –