In doing some more research on William Cantrell, I came across this information.
FRENCH'S BATTALION, VIRGINIA INFANTRY
There is a 54 page booklet on French's Battalion written by Jeffrey C. Weaver. A review of it had this:
It was a short-lived Confederate unit led by Wise, County, Virginia lawyer James Milton French. He recruited mostly from the remanants of the Virginia State Line. The unit last just two months before almost being captured en masse at Pikeville, Ky, in April 1863.
They were sent to Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio, and after exchange, most joined Clarence Prentice's 7th Battalion Confederate Cavalry.
VIRGINIA STATE LINE
I'd never heard of them. They were approved by the Virginia legislature on May 15, 1862 and were to include men not available for military duty. That would mean too old, too young, or infirm. Probably why Cantrell was able to get into the military at age 16. The State Line was transferred to Confederate service March 31, 1863 and at this time Major French of the 63rd Virginia received permission to raise a regiment from the State Line.
Many of his troops came from western Virginia and eastern Kentucky.
Information from Jeffrey C. Weaver.
So, Now You Know. --B-R'er
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
