Bruce, thanks very much for your message. I have been looking at pension applications filed by soldiers from the Wayne/Bollinger County area, who claim for service in the 79 EMM, Cochran's EMM and Montgomery's EMM. It's very interesting, as unless they had service in another unit, their applications were usually rejected. Their names were not found on the Union rosters by the Pension Office.

Some of them wrote letters to the Board of Pensions, indignantly protesting that they can't understand why they aren't on the rolls, and giving some details of their service. They say things like "we were in three states and never were at home during X stretch of time", "I was only home once, when my wife died", "Please check the pay rolls, I was paid for my service", and so on.

I am beginning to get the idea....seems to me that they served in a very loosely organized, almost "unofficial" capacity. There's no doubt in my mind that they (at least some of them) weren't at home, but there are not many details of what they actually DID while they were serving.

Best Regards,
Cynthia Benua