Hugh
All I can say is wow! Thanks for the detailed analysis. I agree with you that the CSR (lableled William P. Argabright) supports what you say a long as W.D. and W.P Argabright were the same man. They were not. This is suggested by the CSR that shows a receipt for bounty paid on 17 or 27 March (numeral is not clear) 1862 to two men of B/42Va: William P. Argabright and William D. Argabright. That there were two such men in B/42nd Va is confirmed by muster rolls for that company through December 1862 in the Saunders Papers at Univ. of Va., which were not available to the CSR compilers.

For William D. [David] Argabright the muster rolls show him captured on the retreat from Harper's Ferry [30May-7 June 1862]. That capture is supported by Union POW records in the CSR showing William Argabright captured 2 June 1862 at Strasburg and his exchange on 5 Aug 1862 at Aiken's landing after arrival from Ft. Delaware. Those muster rolls show him present in B/42Va on 31 Oct 1862 and 31 Dec 1862. There are no muster rolls for B/42Va for 1863, which might have clarified his fate. The next CSR record is the clothing receipt roll for the 1st Qtr 1863 that indicates W.D. Argabright was dead. I don't have the original of the 1st Qtr 63 B/42 clothing receipt roll, but I do have the original of the 4th Qtr 63 B/42Va clothing receipt roll and it lists men who signed for clothing and those who did not. For those who did not, there is a short explanation for the reason the man did not sign. For example, Samuel V. Argabrignt did not sign and it was noted that he was "In Division Pioneer Corps." Interestingly, neither William D. nor William P. are listed on the 4th Qtr 63 clothing receipt roll. The next CSR document, a register from the CS Office of the Adjutant and Inspector General shows William D. Arobright died 18 March 186_, disease, in prison. Finally, the CSR shows a claim for deceased soldiers was filed on behalf of William D. Argabright by his attorney on 16 Jan 1864 with the Auditor in the CS War Dept. I can find no William D. Argabright listed in the 1870 through 1900 Census data. In my mind, this set of primary source records establishes that William D. Argabright died of disease in prison on 18 March 1863. How he got to prison and what prison remain the questions to be answered.

As for Wiliam P. Argabright, here is what I have on him, based both on the B/42Va muster rolls through 31 Dec 1862, his CSR and other records.

ARGABRIGHT, WILLIAM PEYTON: Pvt., Co. B. 1860 cen., age 18, hired hand, Copper Hill P.O., Floyd County. Enl. 3/9/62 at Floyd C.H., age 19. Present in unit 7/17-21/62. Hospitalized, sick, Lynchburg by 10/31/62 when absent from unit. Remained absent, sick, through 12/31/62. AWOL 3/1/63 to 9/25/64. During AWOL served in H/5th Va. State Line prior to 4/1/63 and in B/21st Va. Cav. from 4/1/63 through 6/30/63, deserting that unit by 8/31/64. Apparently court-martialed. Sentenced to forfeit all pay and allowances for AWOL period. Rejoined 42nd Va. by 10/19/64 when he was captured Cedar Creek. Point Lookout, Md., 10/28/64 to 3/28/65 when paroled and sent to Aiken's Landing for exchange. Received for exchange Boulware's Wharf 3/30/65. Applied for pension 5/18/1900, age 60, in Roanoke Co. Reapplied there, age 62, 7/1/1902 and again on 2/22/1907. Died, paralysis, Alleghany Springs, Montgomery Co., 1920. Buried Shilling family cemetery, Roanoke Co.

As for the Jamison entry showing the unit as 5 Ala Legion, the unit was likely the 5th Battalion (Cavalry), Hilliard's Alabama Legion. CSR and other rosters show no one with a name close to that in the Jamison entry, except for David Arington, who was AWOL from 1 Jan 62 through June 1862. Probably not the same man I am looking for. By the way, can you more fully identify Tape 47 of the National Archive that Jamison referenced?