Terry, I spent considerable time trying to track down McCray for "More Generals in Gray."
He wasn't formally promoted to general. He was given brigade command and, as such, was referred to as Brigadier or acting Brigadier in NE Arkansas in 1864--same as Charles W. Adams. There was an earlier attempt to promote McCray to general that got botched up in War Department paperwork, with ANOTHER "McCray" (Dandridge McRae) promoted instead. McCray's resentment over this, as much as the consolidation, led to his transfer to the TMD.