George, Let's start with the 1850 Federal United States census. I'm using ancestry and assume you are also. If your not then that could be why your not finding them? With ancestry in the 1850 United States census enter the first name as John middle initial as W. and last name as Black and list his birth as 1844 and lived in location as Monroe County, Alabama. When you do this his name will be the first to appear. He is listed in the household of John Black, age 34 born about 1816, in North Carolina / Mary A. Black age 33 born about 1817 born in South Carolina / William J. Black, age 8 born about 1842 in Alabama / John W. Black age 6, born about 1844 born in Alabama.

According to John Black's discharge papers he was age 46 in May of 1862 putting his birth year as 1816 and the discharge papers said he was a farmer born in North Carolina. It also said he was six foot in height. I am only assuming that John Black was the father of John W. Black and will look further into the matter in a few days.

The 1860 Federal United States census, like you I did not find anything on ancestry however using family search the Mormon site I did find a Federal 1860 census. Perhaps it was a state census rather than Federal I don't know but it said Federal census. Using family search enter the name John Black and for country enter United States. For birthplace enter Alabama and for birth year put 1844 1844. When you hit enter go to the 7th entry down and you will see John Black living in the household of John Black in Monroe County, Alabama in the 1860 census. This is a little bit tricky as it does not say "John W. Black" only John Black however look at the head of household John Black, age 44, born about 1816 in North Carolina / John Black age 16, born about 1844 in Alabama / Henry Black age 8 born about 1852 in Alabama. This family was living in Monroe County, Alabama with the nearest P.O. as Burnt Corn. In my opinion this has to be the same family as the 1850 Federal census listed. Absent however was the mother and wife Mary and William J. Black.

Your first question George I'll try and answer. If you have fold 3 look at the very last CMSR of John W. Black which is really John Black's discharge on page or card #16. On the discharge papers you will see that he entered Company H 17th Regiment, Alabama Infantry on October 25th 1861. This is the same day that John W. Black entered Company H 17th Regiment, Alabama Infantry according to his CMSR's. As stated before the last two cards of John W. Black's CMSR's belong to John Black and those two cards are cards or pages 15 & 16.

If I were at the National Archives and brought up this matter I'm sure the proper people like Deanne for example would confirm the finding and put the two cards back into the proper place. However, the damage has already been done. Fold3 has already taken the photographs and put them on their pay site. In my opinion since I'm not an employee of fold 3 they can fix their own problems and there are a lot. I'll try and contact the ADAH and see if their opinions match mind in this matter. They will not change what is on a card nor would I want them too because that is changing history. But they will I believe see the error that fold 3 committed and reflect that on their site, at least I hope so.

And yes that is how I'm reading the sick leave, both were sick and had twenty days leave at the same time. I look at it this way. Corporal J.W. Black had 20 days sick leave and so did Private John Black that is according to their Confederate Compiled Military Service Records. These were two separate soldiers and I am assuming they were father and son and will let you know later if in fact I can confirm it through marriage records etc.