Steve, I have no problem discussing the 4th miss. and my family on this site but much exchange would not be interesting too other readers. You have my email, please contact me at my address, I have info and many questions that others might find boring. As you know, the 4th doesn't seem interesting to very many people.
My Mother's grandfather and my father's grandfather were in the 4th, along with brothers and cousins.
One G-grandfathers brother died going up the river after the surrender of Fort Donelson and buried at Jefferson's Barracks, St. Louis and a brother of another G-grandfather was killed and buried at Soldiers Rest in Vicksburg. The 4th miss. was a Snake Bit Regiment in many ways, but they fought to the very end. Thank you for giving then some of the credit that they so richly deserve. Steve, I believe that while the Army of Northern Virginia was winning the war, it was lost in the West in late 1861 by the infamous Gen Leonidas Polk when he violated the Kentucky neutrality at Columbus, Ky. You related in one of your books that the Union already had a plan to divide the South with the rivers in Tennessee. It was the beginning of the end when Fort Donelson fell, 13,000 Confederates that should have been at Shiloh.
Talk to me son.