Interesting re Major Minter and the 40th Tenn. Infantry. At one time I thought he might be the final piece in solving the CSA service puzzle for my ancestor Riley Marion Byrd from Stewart Co. TN.

I have been looking for years to confirm his CSA service of ggg-uncle Riley, but have found no documentation confirming his CSA service or unit.

Supposedly his son Joseph Mentor (pronounced "Minter") Byrd was named for Riley's commanding officer in the CSA; hence my investigations into Major Minter and the 40th Tenn. Inf., but with no luck.

Cannot clearly see how Riley might have got down to Memphis TN from Stewart Co. TN; except maybe by taking a steamboat down the Tennessee River, Ohio River, then Mississippi River....???

If you ever run across a Riley Marion Byrd (or some variant spellings thereof) please let me know?

best wishes,

Kenneth Byrd