The 3rd Mississippi was sent to Kentucky and returned in January. It is possible that he died there or on the Mississippi coast when the regiment returned. In a January 28th 1862 letter, George S. Lea of the 7th Mississippi wrote:

“Camp Lovell
Bay St. Louis
Jan 28th 1862
Dear Father
I received [yours] of the 7th some days past and have delayed replying owing to the last move we have made. Every thing has been in a broken up condition for several days. I am tolerably well have a severe cold getting some better nothing of importance about camp We are again with the Regiment. We fared better when separate but cant help ourselves.”
“The Third Regiment has returned from Kentucky and are now occupying the place we had in Pass Christian. They seen a very hard time in Kentucky many of them dead. Some companies went off 70 or 80 men and returned with about a dozen some less the remainder sick and dead."

No way to know for sure, but it may be worth checking.
Ron Skellie
Lest We Forget--The Immortal Seventh Mississippi