See "The Story of the 26th Louisiana Infantry in the Service of the Confederate States" (Butternut Press, 1984) by Colonel Winchester Hall [with introduction by Edwin C. Bearss]. Colonel Hall commanded the regiment throughout the war. None of the muster rolls presented by Colonel Hall for Company G include "Steve" or "Stephen/Steven" EDWARDS.
The appendix contains several roster lists for Company G. Mitchell EDWARDS and Wood EDWARDS are named in the original organization muster roll dated April 3, 1862, the September/October 1862 muster roll, the March/April 1863 muster roll, and a re-organization roll in the Trans-Mississippi dated January 1864 which predates a formal declaration of exchange by several months.
The 26th Louisiana Infantry regiment in Thomas' Brigade was formally disbanded on May 19, 1865 near Mansfield, Louisiana and the men disbursed to their homes. The official surrender of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi Department is dated May 26, 1865 at New Orleans, but was not formally accepted and signed by Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith until June 3, 1865 at Galveston, Texas. The troops covered by this surrender agreement were nowhere near New Orleans and most had disbanded and gone home days and weeks before hand.
A part of the final agreement was a requirement that all former members of the Confederate army in the Trans-Mississippi, not otherwise legally discharged or on parole, were to report into a Federal parole center nearest their homes to be accounted for and released on parole. This requirement applied not only to the disbanded Trans-Mississippi soldiers, but also to former Confederate soldiers then at home who had not been accounted for and released on parole under any of the three earlier surrender agreements covering units serving east of the Mississippi.
Jamie presented information from Booth's "Records" which shows that a Stephen EDWARDS reported into the parole center at Alexandria, Louisiana and was released on parole on June 8, 1865. He told the Federal authorities that he was a Private in Company G, 26th Louisiana Infantry and a resident of Rapides Parish. Booth's contains an additional service record under the name "Stephen EDWARDS" for a man who was a Private in Company I, 6th Louisiana Cavalry on February 19, 1864 at Alexandria, Louisiana. The muster roll is dated February 20th and states that Stephen had been absent sick since February 15th. This record perhaps belongs to the Stephen EDWARDS who reported into the Federal parole center at Alexandria in June 1865 stating that he was a Private in Company G, 26th Louisiana Infantry. Although not impossible, two men named Stephen EDWARDS in Alexandria, Louisiana in 1864/1865 seems unlikely.
As Jamie has indicated, Mitchell EDWARDS, Sr. and Mitchell EDWARDS, Jr. reported into the Federal parole center at Alexandria, Louisiana to be accounted for and released on parole. Both reported being privates in Company G, 26th Louisiana Infantry and both stated that their place of residence was Alexandria, Louisiana. They were released on parole June 13, 1865.
In addition to these single entry final paroles for Mitchell EDWARDS Sr. and Jr., Booth's "Records" presents a separate collection of service highlights under the name Mitchell EDWARDS (Sr. or Jr. not stated). This shows enrollment in Company G, 26th Louisiana Infantry on May 1, 1862 at Camp Moore, Louisiana. He was present for duty until captured on July 4, 1863 at Vicksburg and released on parole. These men generally went home to Louisiana to await a formal declaration of exchange which would allow them to return to duty. There is no indication in Booth's "Records" that Mitchell reported into parole camp to be available for exchange. However, Colonel Hall's list for January 1864 includes Mitchell's name, as well as the name of Wood EDWARDS.
Booth's "Records" carries a W. EDWARDS [Woods EDWARDS as named in Colonel Hall's rosters] who enrolled as a Private in Company G, 26th Louisiana Infantry on May 1, 1862 at Camp Moore, Louisiana. He was present for duty until captured and released on parole at Vicksburg under the July 4th surrender agreement. There is no record that he reported into parole camp in Louisiana to be available for exchange. He did report into the Federal parole center at Natchitoches, Louisiana after the war was over and was released on parole on June 20, 1865. He gave his place of residence as Sabine Parish, Louisiana.
My interpretation is that Stephen and Mitchell, Jr. did not become subject to Confederate conscription until sometime in 1864. Confederate muster rolls for most Trans-Mississippi units covering the last year of the war were either lost or detroyed prior to the surrender. The only record of service remaining is the Federal final parole record created when the men reported into a Federal parole center. In a few cases, a company or regimental officer showed up with a muster roll and the men listed were declared paroled based upon his word as their commanding officer. This often resulted in two final parole records for a given soldier who reported into a different parole center. I don't think that is the case here.
I hope all of this is of some help.
Hugh