I have been doing genealogy for sometime now. Alot of my research has been around my Great Great grandfather James Lowry Montgomery. I have found his civil war records and they state the following.

James Lowry Montgomery a farmer described as 5’7” Dark hair Dark complexion, from Washington county enlisted in the Confederate Army 6/20/1861 into the 48th Virginia Infantry.
7/9/1861 Muster in Abingdon
8/31/1861 Pres in unit
10/15/1861 Pres in unit
2/8/1862-3/31/1862 BTD hosp. sick and furloughed sick leave 3/31/1862
7/8/1864 Taken as POW near Harpers ferry
7/17/1864-7/23/1864 POW old capital prison Wash. D.C.
7/23/1864-7/3/1865- POW in Elmira Prison
7/3/1965 released from Elmira Prison on oath
Now here is where my confusion begins. I found an old newspaper article from April 11 1940 about a Daughters of the Confederacy meeting. The article states that James's widow spoke and told the story of her husbands service. The article reads as following ; "Luella Montgomery states that her husband Lieutenant James L Montgomery first served with the 1st Virginia Volunteers. As the war progressed and he moved forward in the ranks. He served as a 1st Lieutenant under Stonewall Jackson."
I know for a fact I have the right people.
The questions I have start with, Would it be normal for a 21-22 yr old to volunteer as a drummer boy? Also would there be any millitary records of that volunteer somewhere that I'm not seeing? Was it normal that an enlisted man be promoted to a lieutenant? Or maybe he just fed is wife a line of BS?? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks, Jason