William Howell, Private, Co. C, 39th Mississippi Infantry, enlisted April 1, 1862 at Jackson, Miss. for 3 years or the war, this information appears on the April 1, 1862 company muster roll, there are no further records for William

Isaac E. Howell enlisted at the same time. The next bi-annual company muster roll was that for the period March & April, 1863 in which William is not present. There were 6 intervening bi-monthly musters held in which William must have been dropped from the rolls. This could have been for any number of reasons, discharge, death, desertion, transfer, etc. With no records we have no way of knowing his disposition.

M269: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi

There were 12 other William Howell's in Mississippi units, 6 with no middle initial. None in the 20th.