His name does not appear in the Compiled Service Records for the 6th Mississippi.

The last surviving muster roll for this company is that for the period July/August, 1864. It would thus appear that
he enlisted sometime after that date. I would assume that he was a Conscript, either age 17 or between 45-50 as he
does appear on unofficial rolls.

Here is some informtion on the regiment.

Company I -- Rankin Greys (raised in Rankin County, MS)
Organized in Rankin County; mustered into State service at Brandon on May 4, 1861. Mustered into Confederate Service at Grenada on August 24, 1861
Bruce, Joseph C., Private

http://sixthmsinf.tripod.com/coi.htm
http://sixthmsinf.tripod.com/history.htm

………

The Sixth was ordered to Rome, Ga., May 14, 1864. Adams' Brigade arrived at Resaca, Ga., May 11, and on the 13th intrenched a line of battle against the advance of McPherson, which was held, with considerable loss from sharpshooters and artillery, until the evacuation, May 16th.

The brigade served with credit during the severe fighting on the New Hope Church line. It was selected for a reconnaissance toward the Federal lines May 31, a movement gallantly made, at a brigade loss of 24 killed, 98 wounded, 4 missing. In the Sixth 12 wounded. They were on the Kenesaw Mountain line during weeks of battle, early in which General Polk was killed. June 27, the Sixth, Colonel Lowry commanding, was the skirmish line of the brigade, and aided in repelling the Federal attack at eight in the morning, and about 10 o'clock, General Featherston reported, "the enemy made a charge on Colonel Lowry with a heavy, close line of skirmishers, supported by a strong reserve immediately in the rear. They charged rapidly with shouting, and were permitted to get in about 150 paces, when a heavy fire was opened upon them and kept up until they got in some seventy yards of the skirmish line, when they wavered, broke, and fled in much confusion." When Johnston's army crossed the Chattahoochee, Adams' Brigade was detached from Loring’s Division for picket duty on the river. At Moore's Mill, on the line of Peachtree Creek, July 19, the evening before the main battle of that name, two companies of the Sixth with the Fifteenth joined in a charge with Reynold's Brigade. About sixty prisoners were taken. The brigade was in the battle of Lickskillet road, July 28, in the trenches during siege of Atlanta until the evacuation, September 1. In the October, 1864, campaign on the Chattanooga and Atlanta Railroad Loring's Division, including Adams' Brigade, captured the garrison at Acworth, October 4, marched as far north as Dalton, thence through the mountains to Gadsden, made a demonstration against Decatur, moved to Tuscumbia and with Stewart's Corps crossed the Tennessee November 20, moved toward the Federal position at Columbia, and marched toward Spring Hill on the 29th. November 30 they pressed closely after Schofield's command, retreating to Franklin and began an attack on the intrenched position about four in the evening. The advanced line was carried, and the men pushed on against the second line of works. The ground over which most of Loring's Division advanced was obstructed by a deep railroad cut and an abatis and hedge of Osage orange, along which obstructions there was a constant and destructive artillery fire, effectually preventing an advance beyond. "With these exceptions," said General Stewart, "the space in front of the enemy's position was perfectly open and swept by a terribly destructive cross fire of artillery from the works and the opposite bank of the Harpeth." "Over this space," wrote Brig.-Gen. J. D. Cox, the Federal commander, "the enemy advanced rapidly and in good order, though suffering very severely, up to the breastworks and made desperate efforts to carry them. Their officers showed the most heroic example and self-sacrifice, riding up to our lines in advance of the men, cheering them on. One general officer (Adams) was shot down upon the parapet itself, his horse falling across the breastwork." "The casualties of the corps," reported Lieut.-Gen. Stewart, "were something over 2,000 in killed, wounded and missing. Among them were many of our best officers and bravest men. Brig.-Gen. John Adams was killed, his horse being found lying across the inner line of the enemy's works." The casualties of Adams' Brigade were the heaviest of the division -- 10 officers and 34 men killed; 39 officers and 232 men wounded, 23 missing. Col. Robert Lowry took command of the brigade, which, on December 9, reported an aggregate present 1,769, effective 1,047, prisoners of war 50. It was the strongest brigade of Stewart's Corps, the old Army of Mississippi. Lieut.-Col. Borden was in command of the Sixth during the operations in front of Nashville. Loring's Division, from December 2, was in position on the front of the corps occupying a front of one mile across the Granny White pike. General Thomas carried this position December 15, Loring's Division gallantly holding a new line and checking a further Federal advance. Next day the corps held its ground until the Confederate line was broken on their left. They recrossed the Tennessee River in the latter part of December and marched to the vicinity of Tupelo.

About the first of February, 1865, the remnant of Loring's Division began the movement to the Carolinas. February 25, they were ordered forward from Augusta, Ga., to Newberry, S.C. In the campaign under Gen. J. E. Johnston against General Sherman, they took part in the battles of Kinston, March 10, and Bentonville, March 19-21. In the latter battle the division was distinguished by a gallant and successful charge. In the reorganization of April 9 a brigade, including an Alabama and a Louisiana regiment, was assigned to Brig.-Gen. Robert Lowry, including the Sixth, Fifteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-third Regiments consolidated as the Fifteenth Mississippi, Lieut.-Col. Thomas B. Graham commanding.

Hostilities were suspended April 18, the army was surrendered April 26 at Durham Station and paroled at Greensboro.
http://www.mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/6th_MS_INF.htm

……

Company I was in camp near Atlanta when mustered at the end of the period July/August, 1864