Deborah: If you have a picture, letters, diaries, or family/oral tradition concerning R.C. Johnson, please let me know, as we are desperate for info on the 43rd and its members! Thanks! I have H. Grady Howell's "For Dixie Land, I'll Take My Stand," the best-ever index to MS Confederate Patriots. In it, I cannot find any listing for John Franklin Thomas Johnson or Johnsons with similar initials. I also cannot find a Capt. Kelson or any other name approximating same. I find two sergeants named Caldwell in the 2nd MS Cavalry -- A.J. in Co. B and B.F. in Co. G. I find a corporal P.L. Wright (Co. K) and a corporal Abran Lindsay (Co. K) in the 2nd MS Cavalry, but no lieutenants by these names. I find a John J. Johnson in Co. F of the 2nd MS Cavalry. Late in the war, as companies and commands shrank, these corporals may have been breveted to lieutenants. Likewise, John J. Johnson of Co. F could have been placed in Co. K. So, maybe this John J. Johnson is your ancestor. There's no way to tell, especially with scores of Wrights, LIndsays, and Caldwells in the index (which runs to 149,000 names!). And, bear in mind that I just visually scanned these dozens of pages looking for any similar names, ranks, and regiments, so there may be other regiments that also have officers/sergeants named Wright, Lindsay, and Caldwell! Wish I would have been of more help! Please send any help you can on the 43rd! And please accept warmest, best wishes to you and yours from me and mine! -- Jim Huffman