I have found a couple CMSRs for enlisted men who left/escaped from the 42nd TN Inf Regt after its capture at Fort Donaldson, who are listed as deserted but also with a notation, "in Blackburn's Co. Wheeler's Cavalry". I realize that the unit designations for cav units are somewhat confusing and that there are duplications. And that Wheeler is associated with several units.

But I did a search of TN cav units on Footnote's index to try to find a Cpt. Blackburn or other Blackburn who might have been a junior officer to Wheeler in 1861/2 timeframe. But the only one I can find is in a unit in Claiborne Co in East TN whereas the 42nd Inf Regt was drawn from west-middle TN.

No doubt the records are not complete and perhaps this Blackburn guy died early on without record. And I cannot even find the two soldiers later in any cav unit. Would anyone be able to help with this? Also I would like to know whether it was common to desert one unit and join another?

Thanks.

Mike