Thank you Bruce...that was very helpful. I was not aware of order 19. I can understand why great uncle William headed south.
It makes perfect sense. He showed up in Yellville, AR and joined the 27th Arkansas. He is recorded as having deserted in Feb., 1863...
I'm assuming that this was due to information he received regarding the birth or pending birth of his first child. Since he is noted as
having joined Schnable's Battalion later, there is no other reason that I can think of why he would desert. Somehow he made it
back to Boone County. If Jackman was recruiting in this area in, lets say, mid-late 1863, he may have re-joined and headed south again.
Hard to say, but somehow he emerges as attached to Schnable's cavalry.

What is your 1863 book?

Thereafter, he surrenders in Arkansas, with Schnable's Battalion, returns to Missouri, where he dies at the ripe, young age of 42 in 1880.
My great grandfather (with the one eye) did not go south and lived to the ripe old age of 83.

My reference to 'Thompson' refers to Philip Thompson, who posted an article with the Sons of Confederate Veterns (RE Lee Camp) Alexandria
VA. talking about his ancestor Gould B. Thompson, who rode with Schnable (http://www.leecamp.org/?p=212#comment-46)

Regards
Michael Breedlove