Appreciate the response. This may be another case of falling through the cracks. His unit does not fall within the "raised by the Central Government" caveat of Rebel Archives/National Archives, for it wasn't -- he was not commissioned among the ten captains of the "regular" Signal Corps. I was pleasantly surprised to find it on-line recently, listed among MS units and wanted to pursue the possibility of state affiliation. I now think that this was one of perhaps four or so "signal" units that pre-dated official legislation creating the Corps (Apr-May 62) and were accepted or "grandfathered" (or just tolerated). (Best example perhaps Milligan's "Independent Signal Corps" in VA.) A "regular" signal lieutenant was assigned to him -- I have info on him, but nil on the origin or circumstances of his forming a signal unit, whether they initially used the Myer-Alexander system (or just built bonfires) and the like, nor the authority behind his commission. For a journalist, he didn't leave much of a paper trail!

This was probably the "Private" J.W. Youngblood in Mobile who said, in Sep 62, that he had raised a signal unit and applied for a commission. Perhaps the "Captain Youngblood" deemed "a superb artilleryman"(?) He may have come from TN...but a native of AL, identified with MS and LA. Perhaps enl. in Lauderdale (TN) Invincibles (Germantown, Memphis) which became Co. G, 4th TN Inf (Col. Neely) -- this would have been Joseph W., a 27-year old teacher, per 1860C, married to Mary, 34 ("insane"), first of three wives. Wartime correspondent for "Memphis Appeal" as "Juvenis." Ref in 1890 as a journalist in District of Columbia. Oh, and he was also on the "Maple Leaf" and remained true to his pledge. Interesting guy.