Thanks Hugh. Great info. You and Bryan have me convinced that the reference to the "3rd Ark" was deliberate or accidental misinformation.

The below from Fold3.com threw me a curve...

http://www.fold3.com/image/20/201581843/?terms=thomas bell#20/258534737/
http://www.fold3.com/image/20/201581843/?terms=thomas bell#20/258536189/

Which shows a Whit Thomas and a W.L. Thomas (22nd Regt, Ark) in the hospital in Shreveport, admitted March 17, 1865 and returned to duty March 31, 1865.

This may be a different person though I can find no one with a similar name in the 35th/22nd Ark Inf. Perhaps the dates or the unit are wrong as it seems impossible he could have made it to Shreveport by March 17th -- Confederate Air Force? ;-)

Family lore says it took him a month to walk from Virginia to Arkansas. Co. G of the 35th/22nd took 16-18 days to march from Marshall TX to Ft Smith AR where they were paroled.