Ken,
This is all pretty much new info that has come to light for us only since yesterday. I'm still looking and will continue to look for more information here. Right now I am going off 1..the gravestone 2.. the roster that lists him as Color Sgt.

Please note that at no time have I said he was color bearer, only color Sgt...while the two are sometimes one and the same, that is not always the case. So it is possible (though not exactly likely) for Clark to bear the colors while Oates was in charge of the guard. It's also possible that he only happened to pick up the colors after Clark was wounded, is himself killed, and someone noted that and thought since he was already a Sgt. that he must have been color Sgt. Can't say for sure what happened, but something had to be found to justify the listing in that roster or on the gravestone...the question is what did they know that we didn't.

I'm not surprised that the compiled service record doesn't say anything since I have seen a number of examples where information is simply missed and not recorded into those files (both North and South). The only indication from the roster is that he was somehow on that duty post-Gettysburg and only until Sept. 19 when he is kia. So if he was in fact assigned it would be for not very long. His brother William would not be near him at all within that time frame since as I mentioned, and George stated with his roster info, William died in June...before Nathan supposedly changed assignment. Perhaps the person that knows the most about him would be the one that first posted to you through Ancestry.com more than 10 years ago. Did you ever get in touch with him Ken, and see if he had any other information to offer?

I think this will all boil down to what info was used to compile that roster (I'm still trying to find the source), and what information was used to justify the claim on the gravestone (was it official, someone noted it in a diary, a letter home with the body?)...until more of that info comes to light there may not be an answer. One this that might also help would be a good account of the 5th Texas at Chickamuaga...I am nowhere near as familiar with that battle as I am with ones out here in the east. Maybe someone knows of an account that might mention any fights over the colors, or progression of men hit at the battle to give us a better idea.

Josh Bucchioni