George W. Douglas mustered into Company G of the 8th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry on June 30, 1863 and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on the same day. This coincidence indicates that Douglas probably transferred in from another unit in order to accept this promotion, but this unit cannot be identified. The 8th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Nelson, Kentucky on June 30, 1863. Their service in 1864 began with Dandridge (January 16-17, 1864) and Strawberry Plains (January 22). They then saw duty in East Tennessee until April, when they were assigned to the Atlanta (Georgia) Campaign (May to September, 1864). Douglas was wounded late in this campaign at Utoy Creek (Georgia) on August 6, 1864. He was subsequently transferred to the Officers' Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he wrote this letter.

The only Colonel Cross listed in the National Park Civil War Soldier and Sailor System website at www.itd.nps.gov online in December 2004 is William Cross who enlisted as a Major and eventually became a Colonel in the 3rd Tennessee Infantry on the 25th of June 1863. Colonel James W. Reilly, also mentioned in Douglas's letter, was promoted from the 104th Ohio Infantry Regiment on July 30, 1864 to become a Brigadier General.