Thanks a million. I initially read about the paroles and this was due to Grant's realization that feeding 30,000 prisoners wasn't going to work in his favor. Pemberton was shrewd in negotiating the surrender on July 4th and getting the paroles. Grant at first refused and wanted unconditional surrender, but he felt the demoralization would spread to other confederate units as the half-starved and tattered soldiers of the South left Vicksburg. What I'm trying to find out I guess, is what happened in those seven to eight months between the surrender (July 4th) and his joining the the 6th Arkansas Cavalry (Monroe's)at Warren, Arkansas Feb. 5, 1863?

I have a report that shows he was paroled July 9,1863----but I also have a record of a sharpshooter from the same unit describing his impatience with the prisoner exchange dated Sep. 14th, 1863. I'm looking at that gap in time, that seven+month period. He might have been on a sick list but I can't find it, or should say-----haven't found it yet!