Thanks for the further response. That is what I figured too, i.e. that they would join another unit nearer to their homes. One of the men is William W. Lyell. One card in his CMSR file on Footnote says on the muster roll for Oct/Nov 1862, "Deserter. In Wheeler's Cavalry". And then on a later muster roll for the 42nd in 1863 it says, "Escaped at Fort Donelson & is in Blackburn's Cavalry". Lyell also has cards for later being in Co. I, 9th (Wards) Cavalry. But I could find no cards for entries of his being in Wheeler's Cavalry.

I wonder how many records are missing overall for Confederate units that frequently got reorganized, and also whether there was another Cpt. Blackburn out there who is lost to history.