The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

two deserters in Texas from Missouri

I may have identified two deserters who served in Missouri Confederate military units. Please contact me if you recognize these men.
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1) James W. Coflt, listed as "James Coflt", MO 1st Cavalry, Company D. Coflt enlisted Sep 1, 1863 in Cedar County MO by Col. Tracy. Then he was AWOL from May 7th-Jul 15, 1863. "James W. Coflt" is found in the 1860 Henry Co MO census p890, with his wife, Sarah A.R.
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One "Jas. W. Cofflt" was arrested on April 3, 1865 in Wise County, Texas. To see the record found in THE BOURALND PAPERS, click on the yellow arrow on my web page that lists 107 prisoners.
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http://www.bourlandcivilwar.com/107Prisoners.htm
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2) one "H.H. Byrd, Missouri 1st Infantry" voluntarily enlisted, along with 495 other deserters, on Nov 6, 1863 in the Confederate Brush Battalion at Oxford Lake, Collin County, Texas. This Henry H. Byrd gave his residence as New Madrid County, Missouri when he enlisted in June 1861. Please help identify this Henry H. Byrd.
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One "Henry H. Byrd, b-1831 SC; 1860 Upshur Co TX cen p438" may be this gent since many deserters languishing in the Collin-Denton Co TX area were from the Upshur County TX area.
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Confederate Brush Battalion vs. the brush battalion. I seem to be the first to study this batch of deserters who were commonly called the "men in the bush" or the "brush battalion" who Quantrill was hired to "flush out". It is unfortunate that several books have been written about Quantrill in North Texas without mentioning the 2,000+ men in the brush battalion, Diamond, Bourland, nor THE BOURALND PAPERS.
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I welcome questions.
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Patti, prochette@Juno.com
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Messages In This Thread

two deserters in Texas from Missouri
Henry H. Byrd .. James W. Coflt, Cofflt