The Blount County report of Confederate veterans taken in 1907 includes many deserters. For that matter a substantial number of Roddey's command were AWOL from other regiments. Just because a soldier deserted doesn't mean that he wouldn't be well regarded after the war.

My wife's ancestor James Witt Abercrombie deserted in late 1863 and took the oath of allegiance to the U S to remain north of the Ohio River. Using the name James Witt, in February 1865 he enlisted in an Indiana Cavalry Regiment then serving in Mississippi and Alabama. After the war he applied for pensions from both the U S and the State of Alabama.

We've found no indication that he wasn't well regarded in St Clair County. He probably belonged to a local SCV camp and told stories about being captured at the Battle of Nashville. Since Roddey's men were scattered about the Tennessee Valley, your ancestor was free to invent a cover story that no one in Blount County could refute.