Yes Troy, Texas did have Conscript Laws in place at the time. In fact, the entire CSA had them starting in 1862, although they changed somewhat over the course of the war. You might want to check on possible birthdays of your GGGrandfather's children. In the case of my GGGrandfather, he enlisted right after the birth of my GGrandfather. I assume he was waiting for his birth before joining up. Such could be your case as well.

Also, note that Tyler was a Conscript Camp, meaning it was a collection point for draftees. I assume the draftees were training to later be picked up and assigned as needed, as was the case with Col. Ashbel Smith taking 150 men back to Vicksburg. Usually the men that enlisted, rather than waiting to be drafted, were immediately assigned to a regiment. Sometimes the regiment or company was already formed and they were recruited and enlisted en masse.

Interestingly, it appears from his service record that my GGGrandfather came back to NE Texas following the surrender at Vicksburg, waited for the exchange, and showed up again in Galveston in July 1864, probably after harvesting a crop or two. A couple of months later he's listed as deserted following the Yellow Fever epidemic.

I would think he had to have been a die-hard soldier to have travelled from NE Texas to Galveston just to re-join his unit!!

Wes