Rapier,
I am glad your 4gg made it to Appomatox, it was the same way with the 14th VA calv....out of co c....my gg grandfather's bro was the only man to make it. My GG was imprisoned in Point Lookout until the war was over. The other 2 brothers died durin the war.
My other gg & his brothers on my moms side all made it.
They say the brothers that did make it was as crazy as a junebug when they finally returned home. Hence, the whiskey.
Funny thing, family stories say they made more of it than drank it lol ...and that went on fer many many years after. Contrary to polular belief...moonshinin is as popular today as it was then. The mtns are full of them ole ridgerunners. My folks made it through the great depression makin it & made dern good money durin prohibition LOL