Hi Donna -

dunno if this helps you out or not, but there were two "Cothrans" in the 11th/17th Ark. Infantry:

Cothran, A.P. ----Co. E 11th/17th Ark. Inf. Pvt/Pvt
Cothran, J.M. ----Co. E 11th/17th Ark. Inf. Pvt/Pvt

This unit was at Pea Ridge/Elhorn Tavern (as the 17th Arkansas Infantry) and also in the Vicksburg area (as the 11th & 17th Consolidated Arkansas Infantry).

Do these two names ring a bell..?????

y.v.o.s.,

Kenneth Byrd