Interesting..especially about the camels. Do I remember correctly that Jefferson Davis, as Secretary of War, was the instigator of organizing a "Camel Corps" in the southwest and actually ordered the importation of s ship load of camels which were assigned as pack animals to army posts in the SW? I believe they proved be be fairly successful as pack animals, the main problems being that the mule skinners were unable to adjust to the contrary animals and wouldn't work with them.