Bryan,
I'm pasting this from your email in case there are others interested in this:

"I'm sorry, I don't have any additional information on Isaac P. Howell. He enlisted in Co. I, 4th Arkansas Infantry, at Fort Smith, Arkansas, on October 26, 1861. He was reported absent, left west of the Mississippi River, on June 30, 1862, and was dropped from the rolls. He doesn't appear in any other Arkansas regiments. Also, he isn't listed in the Arkansas or Oklahoma pension records."

Isaac's brother-in-law, Moses Crittenden, along with Caleb Cox (1st Lt., 4th AR), and Franklin Latta (4th AR), all from Dallas Twshp Polk County show up in the 13th KS Inf in 1864. They enrolled in Van Buren AR. If my memory serves me, all three deserted a few months later. I believe these three men were all in their late 30's at least. Moses Crittenden (my gg grandfather) was 37 yrs old.

Isaac lived near Texanna CN after the war as did others from Polk Co. who were Cherokee by blood or intermarried -- Quintons and Wintons. Also related in Polk Co. are Whisenhunts. Moses Crittenden's first wife, Eda Quinton Woods, died in the early 1860s and he married Margaret Howell (our gg grandmother) in Mena in 1863. In her Dawes Enrollment hearing, Thomas Buffington, testified that he was among numerous Cherokee refugees in Mena during the war. Apparently there were/are a number of Cherokee families living in Polk County.