My family line includes several soldiers who didn't come home, and odds are good that we will never know where they died or were buried. It could be that while I'm helping someone discover something about their ancestor, we may just stumble across some new information about my 'lost sheep.' I'm not holding my breath, but you never know!

In this case, some well-meaning person gave you bad information. The Battle of Brice's Crossroads, June 10, 1864, was won by Confederate cavalry under command of General N. B. Forrest. At the time the 37th Mississippi was serving in north Georgia, and your ancestor had been dead almost two years. The hospital mentioned on the Mississippi board was in temporary use during the Battle of Iuka MS, Sept. 19, 1862. Neither item has much bearing on your search.

In your case, you must know 37th Mississippi history, chapter and verse. Then you'll know when information really fits your regiment. You'll know another Mississippi regiment had the same number for some time and fought in the Battle of Perryville. You'll know no connection existed between General Forrest's command and the 37th Mississippi. You'll close those topics just like pop-up windows.

Please bear with me while I describe myself in a similar position. A long time ago, a local historical society named me projects director for their three antebellum homes. That just meant I was a young single man with lots of free time and energy and interest. Even though I was dumb as a box of rocks on the subject, the ladies asked me to attend their landscape committee meetings.

As requested, I came and sat quietly in the back. One lady felt the homes should be planted one way, others preferred something else. Finally I asked if anyone knew what plants, shrubs and trees might have been there in antebellum times. One lady reacted as if I had just questioned her virtue. During the next few months I read several books on antebellum landscaping and studied planting at similar homes. When I presented a landscape plan during a later meeting, the lady who had been shocked left in a huff and never returned. Perhaps she already knew as much as she wanted to know, and didn't care to waste time being lectured by a boy barely out of college.

My point is, if you don't know much, you'll get 'help' from others who may know less than you. The only way to really learn about any subject is study, study and more study. You'll quickly reach the point of distinguishing items that will really advance your search from others that are false leads. You have probaly seen this, but if not, start here --
http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/37th_MS_Inf.htm

Why not become 'the' expert on this regiment? Countless people will benefit from what you learn!