William E. "Bill" Gilmer (1848-1914) joined Col. A.V. Brumby's 14th Georgia Infantry in Jasper County. He enlisted when he was 12 year old as a Drummer Boy. He served with the 14th Georgia Infantry at the battles of 2nd Manassas, Seven Pines and Cold Harbor. The final action Bill Gilmer was in was the seige of Petersburg and managed to get back to Jasper County after Gen. Lee surrendered at Appamatox. He moved to Texas when he was 24 year old at the invitation of Pink Higgins.

In 1874, my great grandparents William E. and Parmelia (Wyatt) Gilmer were married in Gatesville in Coryell County Texas when Parmelia was only 15 years old and William was 26 years old. My grandfather Walter E. Gilmer was born in a old cabin on the Lampasas River. Pearl, my grandfahter's 18 month old sister died of typhoid fever from drinking river water. Curiously, my grandfather Walter Gilmer became the mechanic for the first City of Brownwood Texas water treatment plant.

I noticed where some of the descendants of Col. A.V. Brumby from Atlanta were recently killed in a plane crash in Africa.