In late 1863 William L. Hunter was commissioned colonel of a projected new regiment, the "1st Chickasaw" Infantry. The regt. was never completely organized.

Does anyone know, or have an opinion on, why Hunter was so chosen, and why Choctaw leaders (see the "Papers of Jefferson Davis" vol. 9 p. 186) petitioned for Hunter to be the colonel? I've done research on him and his family and can find no evidence he had any connection with any Indian tribe before 1863.