Most of the time, you are correct, but as you see from the correct William T. Bennett record, many times a person was reported killed when they actually were not, but took the opportunity to desert or were captured. If her William T. Bennett had not been captured, but instead deserted we wouldn't have him listed on the Federal Prisoner of War records, just that he was killed. I have seen that is the case a few times and that is why some of these men were denied pensions later in life.

Service records are very decieving. The worst case I have ran across is a Louisiana soldier arrested and prosecuted for the rape of a very young girl but his service record simply shows that he was discharged "on account of age". It doesn't show that he fought later in the war. Years later, he appears as a witness on several other people applying for a pension and even gets a pension approved for himself.