Ken,

It seems Deneale was active for some time prior to January 1862.

Some info taken from the Richmond Daily Dispatch 16 December 1861.

A regiment of Choctaw Indians tendered Gen. Floyd.

The following correspondence, which we copy from the Rockingham Register, of the 12th inst., explains itself. Of course the War Department will accept the offer of the services of this regiment of warriors, who are the very boys to assist in chasing the Yankees from the sacred soil of this proud old Commonwealth. The regiment was raised mainly through the agency of Col. George E. Deneale, of Rockingham, Va., who spent six weeks in the Choctaw nation, haranguing the people until their blood was fired:

Doaksville, (Capitol of the Choctaw Nation,) October 11th, 1861.
Brigadier General J. B. Floyd--Dear Sir:
Having been informed by Col. Deneale that you are ready and willing to receive one or more companies of Choctaws as a part of your brigade in the Confederate service, it is with pride and patriotic pleasure that I tender to you, through him, the services of my command of Choctaw warriors to vindicate our common flag, and to aid in driving the Northern vandals from our sacred and consecrated soil.
In tendering this command to the Confederate States, I am only imitating the glorious character of my warrior father, Pushinatahaw, who now sleeps upon the once honored soil of the South, but now lies beneath the iron heel of the despot, Abraham Lincoln. By patriots he was entombed in Washington city--by patriotic legions I hope to regain his ashes.
My command shall be ready for active service and ready to march by the 1st of December next. And I further request that orders may be sent by you through Col. Deneale to convey us to the field of battle, which we will make the field of glory, or fall in the attempt.
Yours, affectionately,
Johnson Pushmatahaw.

Headquarters on the Kanawha, Cantonement Verina, Nov. 27, 1861.
Col. Geo. E. Deneale--Dear Sir:
Your note relative to the Indian Regiment, received this morning, was extremely welcome to me I will gladly accept the services of these warriors if the War Department consent; and for this I have written to-day. I have urged the measure upon the Secretary, and hope for a favorable reply. I will inform you of it at once.
In the meantime please write and express my high appreciation of the offer to the gallant Chief Pushmatahaw. And by the way, my father was a friend of the old Chief; and being a member of Congress when Pushmatahaw died, was often to see him in his illness, and officiated in some measure at his funeral. I should like to stand by the side of his funeral I should like to stand by the side of his son on the battle-field in this struggle for liberty.
Yours, very truly,
John B. Floyd,
Brig. Gen., Commanding Army of Ka.
By H. B. Davidson, Maj. & A. A. G.