Ms Campbell,

I am assuming that you have identified your man ( C.L.Shafer) on the National Park Service Soldiers and Sailors System. Is that correct? If not, you need to go there and you will find that his service records will be listed on film M 227, roll # 33. If he died in 1879 , as you suspect, he would not have applied for a Confederate Pension. So, I'd start with his service record . Hope this helps . Regards, Craig