I sincerely appreciate your time and effort to provide information and resource about my G-grandfather, CSA PVT. Joseph R. (J.R.) Chastain, Co. L, GA 36th Inf., Pickens County, GA. I BELIEVE J. R. Chastain WAS INAPPROPRIATELY DECLARED A DESERTER. My study of J.R. Chastain's 1910 Application for Soldier's Pension Under Act 1910, State of Georgia, finds that both J. R. and fellow CSA soldier, Pvt. Benson Mullinax, provided testimony about J. R.'s honorable service including participation in several CSA battles against USA Union forces. In November 1863 J.R. was captured in battle and then imprisoned by the Union Army. Approximately 6 months after imprisonment (April 1864) the seriously ill J.R. Chastain, now in poor health and , was released from prisoner-of-war status and was sent home to Georgia. As was the war procedure of the USA at that time, J.R. had to sign an Oath of Allegiance for his release from war prison. Then in 1910, Pvt. J.R. Chastain was denied his application requesting a Soldier's Pension based on the record that he signed an USA Oath of Allegiance in advance of the CSA's 1865 surrender at Appomattox, VA. Truly the extenuating circumstances of war should have justified Pvt. J.R. Chastain.