What county is he found in the 1860 census?
Are you sure about the 15th Confederate Cav as unit he was in? In regards to that unit I find this on the Flordia boartd --
http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/flcwmb/arch_config.pl?noframes;read=1263
The 15th Confederate Cavalry was the proper designation after it was formed but was also for a time referred to as 1st Regiment of Alabama and Florida Cavalry. (It also had some SE Mississippi men in it's ranks) Some of the companies that were incorportated into the 15th was Barlow's Company of Ala. Cavalary, 3rd Battalion Florida Cavalry - Simpson Mounted Rangers, Capt. Arrington's City Troop, Mobile, Ala.,and Murphy's Battalion Alabama Cavalry. Colonel Henry "Harry" Maury was in command of the 15th. Muster rolls for the regiment appeared for September and October, 1863. Most seem to begin on Sept. 12, 1863. The affair at Tunica Bend, La. was around the 2nd of Nov. 1863. They were back at Camp Halls Mill near Mobile by Nov. 15. My book "Southern Boots and Saddles - the 15th Confederate Cavalry" is available from Heritage Books, Inc. and can be ordered at heritagebooks.com
Alos I find these men in the CWS&S at http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm
22
Kirk, J.W.
Confederate
Cavalry
12th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
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23
Kirk, J.W.
Confederate
Infantry
2nd Battalion, Mississippi Infantry (State Troops)
25
Kirk, James
Confederate
Infantry
24th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
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26
Kirk, James
Confederate
Infantry
29th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
The James kirk in the 29th looks promising as sincce the unit was raised inthe area in which you state he lived. However this man did not die in the war.
29th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
29th Infantry Regiment, organized at Corinth, Mississippi, in April, 1862, contained men from Grenada, Lafayette, Panola, Yalobusha, Washington, and De Soto counties. The unit served in Mississippi, then moved to Kentucky where it saw action in Munfordville. Later it joined the Army of Tennessee and was placed in General Walthall's and Brantly's Brigade where it participated in many battles from Murfreesboro to Bentonville. The 29th lost 5 killed and 36 wounded at Munfordville, had 34 killed and 202 wounded at Murfreesboro, and suffered fifty-three percent disabled of the 364 engaged at Chickamauga. It reported 191 casualties at Chattanooga and in December, 1863 was consolidated with the 30th and 34th Regiment and totalled 554 men and 339 arms. This unit reported 5 killed and 22 wounded at Resaca, and in the fight at Ezra Church the 29th/30th lost 8 killed and 20 wounded. Very few surrendered in North Carolina in April, 1865. The field officers were Colonels William F. Brantly and Edward C. Walthall, Lieutenant Colonel James B. Morgan, and Majors Newton A. Isom and George W. Reynolds.
GP