Laura --

That makes it understandable. It was confusing not to find anyone by his name or something similiar in Blount County.

Lewis Cannon was a family man with small children, so we can see his attempt to remain close to home during the war. When the State of Alabama called for a draft in March 1862, he volunteered in Capt Gantt's 90-day company. When members of that company were conscripted by the Confederate government a short time later, he must have gotten a discharge, being over the age of 35. When the government raised the age limit to 40, he enrolled in a cavalry command recruited to protect the Florida border (6th Alabama Cavalry), probably in late 1863. He ended the war serving in Capt Brown's independent cavalry which operated on the Alabama side of the Florida border in the Mobile area.

Although the 6th Alabama Cavalry service card says he was admitted to a hospital in Jackson MS, this is incorrect. The 1st Mississippi hospital relocated from Jackson to Shelby Springs AL in May 1863. Lewis Cannon was discharged from Shelby Springs hospital on June 7th, and readmitted to a hospital in Macon GA on June 17th, 1864. During June the 6th Alabama Cavalry tried to join the Army of Tennessee north of Atlanta. General Johnston did not want General Clanton or his 6th Alabama Cavalry, so he sent both back to Alabama. On July 10, 1864, the 6th Alabama Cavalry was routed at Ten Islands Ford on the Coosa River.

Shelby Springs Confederate Hospital marker
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=24212