Hi, George--Thanks for the prompt response about Private Benjamin F. Owens. You have a lot of detail that I appreciate! Regarding the "absent without leave" from March 1 through October 1864, his pension-roll form from 1921 indicates that he did not return to active service after returning home on wounded furlough. He claims (in his answers on the form) that after "about three months" at David's Island "I was paroled to Richmond, Va and from there I got a wounded furlough home." He claimed that his length of service was "From 1st of March 1863 until the end of war." When asked under what circumstances he quit the service, he wrote, "I was at home on a wounded furlough when the war closed."

So, my question to you is: Were wounded furloughs given for a specified period of time--in this case it would have been six months (end of August - end of Feb) if he had been expected back for Muster rolls on March 1, 1864. Or was it the soldier's responsibility to return to active duty when he deemed himself recovered from wounds? Also, he states on the form that he had been receiving pension warrants regularly (which I assume are pension payments). And I know his family received a burial payment in 1923. Were payments made to those who deserted?
Thanks!