Jim Martin
Thanks for the response!
Thu Mar 29 09:47:59 2001


Alan,

Thanks for the list of possible units. I'm familiar with most of them and a few more who recruited/conscripted in Jackson County. Regarding the cavalry units, the thing that always sticks out in the bio of Volney Willoughby's youngest son is that "he remembered riding on the back of his father's horse when he enlisted in the Southern Army." and something I did not include "he (the seven year-old) then rode the horse back home." This little tidbit leads me to believe three things: 1) Volney enlisted in the Confederate Army 2) he was probably not in the cavalry as he enlisted without his own horse which, as I understand, was the norm for Confederate cavalry and 3) that the distance from his home to the point of enlistment was not very far, as a seven year-old would be too young to travel any great distance to return home.

Do you think these deductions are accurate or plausible?

I guess, my real reason for posting this message is to ask that our researchers make a note of my search for Volney Willoughby and if they come across some reference from an unpublished or little-known source, that they contact me.

Jim