I appreciate your response, Alan. In working on the Dan Ellis book, I have come across a number of such individuals. I am being moved to, I believe, the same conclusion as you, that these persons were at best irregulars, of so little significance that their activities occurred under the official radar. This goes for Ellis as well, as, following up on an earlier post of mine, I can find no official Confederate documentation of Ellis’ existence, so I’m wondering if he was strictly a local concern, with a reward for his capture or death, if indeed there was one, being authorized by relatively insignificant local "officials." Pure conjecture, at this point, but it’s where I’m leaning.

Like Duvall, another elusive Confederate named by Ellis is Captain R.C. Bozen, of Grayson County, VA (Thrilling Adventures, pages 336-340, 342-345, 347, 348, 350; Also, Scott and Angel, 334, 341, 361).

Bozen is even memorialized in song, credited by Ellis as being written by “a scouter”:

"Bozen's rogues prowl about in dark nights;
Killing and stealing they call Southern rights;
They rob our houses, they plunder and press,
And frequently take a lady's fine dress,
And it's hard times." (Thrilling Adventures 337),

and

"When Bozen and his men to the mountains did go;
For pilots they pressed Harris Whaley and Joe;
They killed Isaac Yonce, and threatened his wife,
And whipped his little boy for carrying a knife,
And it's hard times." (Thrilling Adventures 348)

Anyone ever heard such a song?

Thanks, as always,

Allen

Allen W. Ellis
Professor of Library Services
W. Frank Steely Library
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 41099-6101
859-572-5527
Fax: 859-572-5390
E-mail: ellisa@nku.edu

Captain Daniel Ellis Web Site
http://www.nku.edu/~ellisa/danielellis