Garnett Andrews was born in Washington Georgia on May 15, 1837 and died in Chattanooga Tennessee on May 16, 1903. Andrews graduated from the University of Georgia and was admitted to the bar of Georgia in 1859, joining his father's law practice shortly thereafter. In 1861, he left the law practice and became the first man in Wilkes County, Georgia to enlist in the Army of the Confederate States of America, which he entered as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was quickly promoted to 1st Lieutenant. Several more promotions followed until he reached the rank of Colonel. Most of the papers in this collection were assembled from Andrews's time in service to the Army of the Confederate States of America.

When the war concluded, he moved his family to Yazoo City, Mississippi, where he resumed his law career. In 1881, the family moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Andrews once again practiced law and also served as mayor from 1891 to 1893. Andrews remained in Chattanooga until his death in 1903.