James M Rooks:

Enlisted by Capt. Lea, Newton County, Sept 13, 1862 into Co. A, 3rd Regt Missouri Cav, Shelby's Brigade. He entered as a private and was promoted to 2nd Sargent on Sept 14, 1862 likely by election. He was promoted to 3rd Lt. on Dec 3, 1863. At that point the unit was being referred to as Co. A, Smith's Regt Missouri Cav. An entry on a muster card indicates that he was sent on Scout to Missouri from Yellville (Arkansas I believe) Feb 1863 listed as Co A, Thmopson's Regt Cav. He was paroled at end of war Shreveport La 15 June 1865 as 1st Lt., Co A Hooper's Regt MO Cav. On his parole he is listed as being a resident of Dade County.

All these different but the same units were referred to in Confederate War Dept Records post war as the 6th MO Cav.

From NPS Battle Unit details:
6th Cavalry Regiment [also called Southwest Cavalry] was formed during the late spring of 1862. Many of its members were form the counties of Barry, Newton, McDonald, Jasper, and Lawrence. The unit skirmished in the Indian Territory and Missouri, then was assigned to General Shelby's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department. It went on to take part in Shelby's raid in Arkansas and Missouri, Marmaduke's Expedition into Missouri, and again saw action in Arkansas. The unit reported 30 casualties with Marmaduke and 19 at Helena. During the winter of 1863-1864 new men joined the command, and it was redesignated the 11th Missouri Cavalry. The field officers were Colonel John T. Coffee and G.W. Thompson, Lieutenant Colonel James C. Hooper, and Majors George W. Nichols amd Moses W. Smith.

The Southwest Cavalry was a core group that belonged to Shelby and can be followed through John N Edward's book "Shelby and his men; or The war in the West."

Follow Coffee, Marmaduke, and Thompson and you will have a good idea of what and where they fought.

Rooks filed for a confederate pension while living in Shackleford TX on Aug 30, 1913. It was approved Sept 1, 1913 and payment was effective from Dec 1, 1913. On the application he states he was born Dade County Missouri on April 1st 1844. He also states that he had lived in Texas since the close of the war which leads me to believe he went there directly from Shreveport. He lists his service as starting July 1861 serving in Co A, 3rd Regt, Coffee's Regt Missouri Volunteer Cav. Lewis Renfro signed the service affidavit stating he had served with Lt. Rooks for the duration of his service. 2nd witness was K.L. Poindexter.

Hope this helps in your hunt. John R.