George Martin just helped me confirm the worst possible news about my gg-grandfather on the TN Message Board. He did indeed desert about 20 Dec. 1862 and did not appear on any muster rolls thereafter. Whether he hid out, took the Oath, or became a partisan will be much, much harder to discover. May take the rest of my life. I do not believe any family members are angry at me, but we held a large family reunion at the site of his grave 7 years ago and honored him for his service because family lore indicates he continued to fight. At the end, a cousin asked if Paw Paw was a deserter and got the affirmative answer. Unforgettable silence.