In the past, I've posted about Wiley Moseley from Sullivan County in east Tennessee :

Wiley fought on both sides in the Civil War. He is listed as "mulatto" in the 1860 census. He is shown as a 15 year-old "farmhand " on a large commercial farm owned by a William Perry. Wiley is mentioned on page 102 of the book "Mountaineers in Gray." Author John Fowler says when the number of white volunteers began to diminish, especially in east Tennessee, the Confederate authorities began to conscript (or draft) "free-persons of color." Wiley is shown enlisting (or reporting) at Knoxville, April 8, 1863, into Co.B 19th Tennessee Infantry. He is present & on the roll till Nov. 12, 1863, when he is "sent to the hospital." He may have been slightly wounded at Chickamauga, Sept.19-20, 1863. He is shown being paid $44.00 on Jan.25, 1864. I don't recall seeing any "description" in his Confederate record.

He next appears back in east Tennessee at Bulls Gap. There on Feb.1, 1864 he enlists in the UNION 4th Tennessee Infantry, Company C. Described as 5' 8," dark hair, dark complexion, brown eyes. He is present & on the roll till he deserts on Aug.31, at Kingston, Tennessee. He has returned by Nov-Dec. 1864. The charge of desertion is dropped from his record, and he musters out at Nashville, August 25, 1865. Wiley drew a Federal pension for his service.

In later census records, he's described as "white," which is also on his death certificate. I was recently told, after the Civil War, it was considered more derogatory (especially in the south) to be labeled as "mixed race" as opposed to "Negro" (African -American today) or "Indian" (Native-American today)