I know a little about John J. Ratliff, but there are more than one John and William Ratliff (at least two more each) in the county and information is scarce on each. With the information I have, primarily only a name and an organization, it is hard to determine which would be relatives of your John J. without more information. About the 1907 Confederate Census: On it, men were not judged on whether or not they changed sides at the end of the war. If John J. Ratliff was skipped, he most likely was merely overlooked. I can cite at least two other men who specifically mentioned service to the Union as a part of their 1907 declaration. However, going AWOL or enlisting in the service of the Union was certainly a determining factor in getting a Confederate pension. Having said that, there are a few examples of men in Blount County who nevertheless collected a pension for a while until the State Board with help from the War Department in Washington investigated all the claims. Once the State figured it out, those men were summarily dropped from the pension rolls. Many soldiers who fought valiantly for the Confederacy had life and death decisions to make after they were captured and imprisoned in the North. When faced with the choice of almost certain death in a squalid prison and freedom North of the Ohio for taking the Oath, many men chose the latter in an effort of self-preservation, which trumped their former patriotism and service to the "Lost Cause." Others crossed over enemy lines and surrendered to keep from starving or freezing to death. Ironically, some pickets were captured, having no thought of deserting, and spent much of their pension time trying to convince the State Board they didn't desert since sometimes Federal and Confederate records were not all that clear or complete. John J. Ratliff first married Matilda Scott 1 Oct 1866, Blount County (Blount County Marriage Records 1861-1866, page 568); he second married Nancy A. Thompson 28 Aug 1879, Blount County. John J. Ratliff claimed he enlisted in Company F of the 48th Alabama Infantry in May 1862 at Montgomery; honorably discharged May 1865; complained of rheumatism and claimed to have been almost helpless most of the time for the last 20 years or more; the County Board reported in 1907: We find this applicant badly deformed with rheumatism, can't walk without crutches & totally unable (to) do any kind of labor & recommend that he be placed on the roll; application witnesses included D.H. Brasseale and A.O. Dickson, both of Blount County; pension was approved. Ratliff's pension was approved, but he died the next Spring on 8 Mar 1908. He's buried in the Hood Cemetery. (I understand Dean acquired for him a proper CSA monument recently). The Southern Democrat, 19 Mar 1908: John Ratliff, a good old citizen, died near Clarence, March 8th, aged about 60 years. His wife, Nancy, received a widow's pension until 1913 when the State, in conjunction with the War Department, reviewed all the pension rolls. The State Pension Bureau found in 1913: The records show that John ___ Ratliff (Name not found as John J. Ratliff), private, Company F, 48th Alabama Infantry, Confederate States Army, was enrolled April 10, 1862. On the company roll dated October 31, 1864, (last on file) shows him "Absent without leave since April 18, 1864." No later record of him has been found. Since the State had nothing else to go on Nancy's widow's pension was revoked. The 1900 Blount County Federal Census recorded John Ratliff was born Apr 1845 in Alabama; Nancy A.E. Ratliff was born Apr 1843 in Alabama. Monuments in the Hood Cemetery recorded John Ratliff was born 1845 and died 1908; Matildie C. Ratliff was born 10 Sep 1847 and died 19 Jun 1879. No monument was located in Blount County for Nancy Ratliff. The other Ratliffs: John Ratliff enlisted 10 May 1864 in Company C of the 12th Alabama Cavalry in Blountsville; William Ratliff enlisted in the same outfit on 1 Nov 1864. John Ratliff enlisted in Company C of the 29th Alabama Infantry at Blountsville on 23 Sep 1861; discharged "on account of affliction by fits" by recommendation of the surgeon 26 Nov 1861; John H. Ratliff enlisted in Company C of the 29th Alabama Infantry at Mobile on 1 Apr 1864. William B. Ratliff, Sr. enlisted in Company C of the 29th Alabama at Blountsville on 23 Sep 1861; William J. Ratliff enlisted in Company C of the 29th Alabama Infantry at Blountsville on 23 Sep 1861. John W. Ratliff enlisted in Company C of the 19th Alabama Infantry at Mt. Pinson (Jefferson County) on 12 Aug 1861. William N. Ratliff enlisted in Company C of the 28th Alabama Infantry at Murphree's Crossroads on 6 Feb 1862. Some of the Johns and Williams above are probably the same men since it was not uncommon for Blount County men to serve in more than one organization. As you might see, with the multiplicity of John and William Ratliff's, it's difficult to figure out which is which. It will take an authority on the Ratliff line to help sort it all out. I certainly don't qualify! >You might be able to help me. My g grandfather John J. Ratliff served with >the 48th Ala. Inf. from May 1862 to April 1864 fighting in major battles >including Gettysburg. He was listed as AWOL in April 1865 and therefore >did not receive a pension and is not on your 1907 Vet. list. A John >Ratliff joined the 12th Ala. Cav. in May 1864 a month after the AWOL and >served till near the end of the war. A William Ratliff joined with him. I >think this is John's brother who previously served with the 29th Cav. > >Can anyone identify this John and William Ratliff. Many men left one unit >to serve with another, particularly towards the end of the war. > >Dean Ratliff