I concur. It was something I found when I was doing my Master's thesis. It was a significant issue in north Georgia. We know that 3,000 to 4,000 deserters/absentees surrendered in Kingston in May 1865. These were men that had left their commands to go home and a very few formed quasi but illegal units. They caused more problems than help and General Wofford was actually working with the Federals in an attempt to get humanitarian relief into the region.

What would help is if anyone could find the surrender rolls for those that surrendered at Kingston, Georgia. There are many mentions in pension files but as far as many of us have found out, we cannot located those rolls at this time. It would be a valuable tool to shed light on a real problem.

Respectfully,

Gerald D. Hodge, Jr.
M.A. Military History - Civil War Concentration
War Between the States Historian
Historian: 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment