Allan...that was the purpose for my original post, all the inconsistencies in the statements, and the fact There is no Records of him ever being a soldier, period. I read his and his wife's later Widows claim in it's entirety, before I ever posted, back checked and searched, and it made no sense to me either.
The 1st Cav and the 12th kept pretty good muster rolls and records, if he had ever been in either unit he would have something there. You were swayed by the wife's statement made in 1920 that mentions his CO being Clabe Wilhite, and you placed him with Roddy'd 4th, but that was the first mention, after 21 years from original claim and after his death, he never said who his officers were.
It seems you have been re-reading the entire thread and doing some checking, and now your beginning to smell something fishy as well.
He was a teenager during the War, I imagine he had regrets. I imagine he became a nice old fella in his later years, and was a pillar of the community. But free money can make nice people lie and commit Fraud.