Hal: That very well could be a reference to the cavalry command of Capt. John Hanson McNeil who served in Virginia. McNeil and his son, Jesse, were members of the Missouri State Guard from Boone County. They were eventually captured and imprisonerd. However, they escaped, and afterwards went to Virginia, the state of John's nativity, and commanded partisan rangers (McNeil's Rangers). They were very successful and supposedly many Missourians served under them. Just a possibility that you might want to pursue a little.