Hello! My gggrandfather SAMUEL E BYRD, was a private in Co. "C", 25th Regiment, LA. Infantry. He served under his brother-in-law, Capt. JOHN MCBRIDE CLAYTON. SAMUEL was killed in action at MURFREESBORO, TN. and Capt. Clayton brought him back to LA to be buried. In 1870, I found SAMUELS widow (John's sister) HARRIET, living in New Orleans with their oldest chid, a girl, Laura. They also had two sons, George and James, who would have been 14 and 11. She did not draw a pension as far as I can find. She was not remarried. If times were so hard that she had to give away their two youngest children, how could she make a living? Were times that hard in New Orleans afer the war? What was New Orleans like after the CW? I have my family history from Samuel backwards to 1022. But from Samuel down to my dad I don't have anything so I am just curious. Their son George was my great grandfather and my grandfather died when my dad was a small boy. So I guess I am trying to figure out what the widow did wih her small children and why she went to New Orleans to live. Thank you! gweninbayfield@webtv.net