Jamie:

Always great to hear from one of our outstanding SCV members like you, sir!

No, we don't know how Douglas came to be with the 43rd MS.

Yes, Jefferson Davis imported camels for the US Camel Corps.

However, a number of private individuals also imported camels at this time, as the US went a little camel crazy in the 1850's!

One source says that the Lt. in the 43rd who owned the camel was also a Lt. in the US Camel Corps. We have no proof of that at this time.

However, I've only just discovered the Camel Corps papers in the National Archives. I'm figuring out at this time just how to access these. May be some leads there!

Thanks for the post! -- Jim Huffman