The name is indexed as S. R. Parsons, although a note on the parole card says a duplicate roll has the name as S. K. Parsons. It's intersting because several men by this last name enlisted in the 12th Alabama Infantry Regiment. For instance, Joel M. Parsons was also paroled at Talladega AL on the same day, June 17, 1865. It would appear that these men went to Talladega together.

Unlike Samuel K. Parsons, Joel M. Parsons has further records with the 12th Alabama. They indicate that he was enrolled at Elyton (Jefferson County) on March 24, 1863, and reported to Co. "D", 12th Alabama on April 17, 1864. Also, W. A. Parsons enrolled at Talladega on March 23, 1863, and was assigned to this company. L. J. Parsons enlisted at Tallladega on May 4, 1864, and was assigned to Co. "C", 12th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Records of all three of these men show that they served honorably with the 12th Alabama.

In contrast, Samuel K. Parsons was assigned to the Jeff Davis Artillery, an Alabama battery serving with the Army of Northern Virginia. He enlisted at Talladega AL on Nov. 9, 1863, and deserted from the JDA on the march from Frederick's Hall to Orange Court House VA on Feb. 6, 1864. His name does not appear on the Sept.-Oct. 1864 roll for the 12th Alabama (last on file), so there's little reason to believe that he was ever associated with that command.

He may have gone to Talladega AL with Joel M. Parsons and signed with him as belonging to Co. D, 12th Alabama. It made little difference to the Federal clerks involved, and perhaps he didn't recall the name of the artillery unit to which he had been assigned. After all he couldn't have been with that unit more than three or four weeks.

I see no reason to imagine that S. K. Parsons served a day in the 12th Alabama.