Bill:
Thanks for sharing your information about John Mangus. Clearly in the postwar era the surviving members of the Dixie Greys, E/42Va., came to believe he held a special status among the survivors. Just what status he held at Appomattox is not clear from the records. From the Appomattox surrender rolls, the regimental commander indicated that just 1 officer and 12 enlisted men "were present, actually armed and in the line of battle...on the 9th instant, the day of the surrender..." The roster the regimental commander signed had 45 names on it and did not identify those armed men specifically. In total, I have been able to identify 3 officers and 52 enlisted men of the 42nd Va. who were paroled at Appomattox. John Mangus' Compiled Service Record in the National Archives indicates that he, like the other Co. E man to be paroled at Appomattox, William O. Garnand, was a teamster. Mangus held the rank of Cpl. Don't know why a teamster would hold the rank of Cpl., but that is what the record says. Even if John Mangus was not the only member of E/42Va to surrender at Appomattox, his war record was notable. Beyond what you might find in his National Arhives file, I have collected the following:

Mangus, John E/42Va
862/08/09 Postwar accounting by E/42Va members indicated that John Mangess was present, one of only eight men in E/42Va not killed or wounded, at Cedar Run [42Va: 49-2]. Source [42Va: 49-1] listed him, probably erroneously, as being wounded at Cedar Run.

862/09/17 Wd., "slightly in hand," Antietam, Md. [42Va: 62, 862/10/11]

863/05/02-863/05/03 J. Mangos, wd., "slightly in shoulder," Chancellorsville [42Va: 44, 863/05/20] [42Va: 49-7]

865/04/09 Paroled, cpl. and teamster, Appomattox C.H. [42Va: 4, J Mangus]. However SHSP Appomattox roster [42Va: 39a, 229] listed him only as cpl.

1900/00/00 Postwar roster prepared about this date by member E/42Va indicated Mangus lived in Ladoga, Indiana. [42Va: 49-4]

999/99/95 According to undated postwar roster, "Only member of this company [E/42Va] at the surrender." Postwar roster noted: "Every effort has been made to locate his grave, as it appears from the record itself that Private Mangus' record is above the ordinary and should be commended for his faithful service, by a marker to his memory." [42Va:33]

By the way, the 1850 and 1860 censuses for Roanoke Co. list William Mangus as John's older brother. A postwar roster, prepared about 1900, indicates that William was living in Holmesville, Gage Co., Neb.

I would certainly welcome any more information you might have on John or William, especially their pre- and postwar lives.