Thought you all would like to have my latest update: After 5 hours on Ancestry between last nite and today, I think at last I have answer to my question. I found our Wm. McNeal/McNeil on Civil War records and in the Remarks column on this sheet, it says very clearly "Released April 21, 1864". There are others on this list and some their Remarks are Released on Oath , Enlisted in U.S. Navy sent to Naval Rendezvous Camp Douglas. It interesting McNeal was released in Apr. 1864 and the others say 1865....

Wm. McNeal's son was born May 1864 but he never went back to his wife or child. The family story is he came home, found out she had remarried and left but this is not true. It seems, he just never went back to them. Did he go find his parents?? I cannot find any of them in the 1870 census or at least be able to identify which William McNeal or his parents? But I keep searching......

Ancestry is putting some great Civil War records online.....actual images. I also found some other records of his. Moral - never say never. Thank you all for your help.