Well according to Crawford, he took the chance offered through official orders given to officers of the Trans Miss area to resign and return home, which he did. He recorded he wanted to provide for his family. I would bet FAgan had something to do with it as well. The thing is Crawford evidently stayed out of service for about 6 months before being ordered to report to Hindman. Of course Fagan went to the infantry and Crawford eventually to the cavalry after his brief time as infantry battalion commander. I often wondered why he didn't get one of the conscript infantry regiments being raised, like Hawthorne/Cocke's. He got his cavalry command and was in north ARkansas by mid 1863 chasing jayhawkers and soon (after most of his conscripts except his Saline County company deserted him)took part as part of Cabell's force at Backbone Mnt. Then his regiment officially is formed in late 1863.