Hi Bret, I'm a native and life-long resident of east Tennessee and also had relatives on both sides. The father of my maternal great-grandmother, began the war as a Confederate in the 3rd Maryland Light Artillery. He joined them in Knoxville after they were attached to Reynolds Brigade and ended up at Vicksburg. He went through the siege and was paroled back to east Tennessee. He was declared "deserted" in October, 1863, and joined Co.F 3rd Tennessee Mounted Infantry on July 4, 1864, no doubt during an uncontrolled rush of patriotism. LOL !!!

He was involved in a law suit following the war and temporally had his Federal pension stopped. Even former Unionists that testified referred to the 3rd as "make-believe Federals." and company F as a "well-organized outlaw band".

Glenn