Sally--in reading the exchanges over the past few days, you've brought up an interesting point. Hope some of our readers might clarify, or at least add their comments;

1. There were no small number of CSA soldiers who fought the good fight but through the "fortunes of war" became POWs.

2. Given the terrible conditions of the POW camps, apparently a fair number opted to become "galvanized yankees" by entering federal service. I believe most were posted to the frontier to prevent them from deserting back to the CSA. (I'd hate to think that I -- in their circumstances as POWs, seeing their buddies dying around them from the rampant camp fevers, lack of food, etc. -- might not consider service on the frontier as a reasonable, if not all together honorable, alternative for survival). This might be especially true during those periods when prisoner exchange was halted and there appeared to be no hope of any change to their situation in the foreseeable future.

3. The question is, if an individual served honorably for the CSA, then later "took the oath" and served in the federal forces---would that individual be eligible for benefits, such as the soldiers homes, pensions, etc., based on his "honorable" CSA service? Particularly, since it appears that post-WBTS "vetrans services" were left to the states, rather than today's VA services being federally based and funded.

Would like to hear other comments on this.