For an interesting treatments of desertion and pardons http://www.civilwarhome.com/desertion.htm http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/winter_1998_union_court_martials.html http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ncwoodpile/war-records/civil-war/jjsummerlin.html http://civilwarstudies.org/features/lowry.htm Mike > Taken up from desertion Ap. 27th, '65. Absent sick. The charges of > desertion of May 30 and June 1 '64 against this man are removed under > the provisions of section 2 of the act of Congress, approved Mch. 2nd, > '89. He was absent withoug leave from May 30, '64 to June 8th, '64.