Kenneth,

You might recall that I have been conducting the same research on some of my ancestors. Andrew Jackson Gardner was in Weller's "Light" Artillery when he was captured at Ft. Henry. He took the Oath in Alton, Il. and he was discharged on March 20, 1862. He joined Napier's Batt. in Dec. 1862....soon to be consolidated into the 10th TN Cavalry.

The point I want to make is that A J Gardner had to go to neighoring Henry County to join that unit. It appears that Stewart County was locked up after the fall of Ft. Donelson and I have found no partisan units that operated nearby....just yankees and bushwhackers.

Anyway, it is quite possible that R M Byrd was acquainted with Gardner, who lived on a farm outside of Dover. Perhaps that is a lead.

Good luck.

Joe Allport