The service record shows that he enlisted in Walker County on April 28, 1862. Most of the papers filed after his death show the date as July 18, 1862; one said July 28th and a small number used July 8th. Registers filed under Fairgrounds Hsp. #1 list military clothing worth $10 and give the date of death as July 18, 1862. The regiment was being moved by rail through Atlanta to Knoxville at the time.

Court papers filed in behalf of the widow give his birthplace as Coosa County and her name as Francis M. A. Morris. One dated March 12, 1863 stated her residence as Autauga County. Perhaps she had taken the family there to live with relatives.

Marion Morris does not appear. However, I noted one M. W. Morris registered on the 1860 census of Coosa County who lived near L. J. Morris. Checking the census always helps, although it seems that L. J. Morris moved just afterwards.

There was a service record for M. W. Morris, a conscript picked up by an enrolling officer working out of the camp at Notasulga, Ala. The date of enlistment was given as Aug. 15, 1862, Marble Valley, Ala., and Sept. 11, 1862, which may be the date he arrived in camp. He was assigned to duty as a teamster and spent much of his first year in and out of hospitals. For instance, he was sent home on furlough from Richmond Va. on June 20, 1863.

I'd have to check the regimental history to see what else there was to know about this man. The service record shows that he died of a gunshot wound on May 18, 1864 in a hospital at Gordonsville Va. It's possible the date you gave is correct, but only if you change the month to May, since the battle of the Wilderness took place on May 5-6, 1864.

Please let me know if I can help further.