Doyle, I agree this has not been easy confirming information about James from government documentation. In a copy of a letter from James to his father dated Oct 10, 1863 James mentions that he is only 60 miles from his home and would like his father to come and see him and to bring some socks. He goes into detail of his camp location. In the book, Serving with Honor by Michale Banasik on the daily diary of Captain Eathan Allen Pinnell of the 8th Mo Infantry, his record on Oct 10th 1863 matches perfectly with James letter. The Captain notes his location on the 10th as exactly stated in James letter to his father.

I also have a muster roll list that has James Jackson Patterson in Captain C.K. Holmans company Pettus Battalion Arkansas State Troops during May and June of 1864. I assume James changed from the 8th MO back to the Pettus Battalion sometime after he sent the letter in 1863. I also have James listed in Colonel Robert C Newton's First Battalion 10th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment Company C with an enlistment sometime after Oct 3rd 1863. It looks as if James may have left the 8th MO and moved to Newton's 10th and then into the Pettus Battalion. Confusing to say the least.

Bryan had given me some info September 14, 2005 stating that Mary J Patterson (records prove this to be James wife)applied for a Confederate pension from Little River County in 1906 pension file No 6795 citing her husbands service in Co C Ogden's Arkansas Battalion. Bryan noted that Ogden was actually a commander of a company of Trader/Pettus's Battalion for a time.

Logic would have it that Mary recalled James talking of Ogden as his leader and she assumed he was a Battalion commander. Bryan suggested that James must have been conscripted (the same time as Alex Bishop his cousin) in Dawsons 19th or the 24th since James was from Sevier county.

My research is only to solidify James enlistment acknowledged by some type of official record in order to satisfy my membership in the Sons of Confederate veterans organization. Having a copy of more than one letter indicating James service is proof enough for me but It would be good to find some type of record. I'm puzzled by the pension file number 6795 provided by Bryan. It would indicate that some record is out there.

Regardless, thanks very much for your efforts.

Marty