Hey, Kenneth, George, Bryan, and Mike. Thanks a lot! All input was very helpful.
This soldier has been a mystery. I’ve got him in Jackson Parish, LA, in 1850, can’t find him in 1860, and then he’s in Claiborne Parish in 1870. The only clue I had that placed him in Arkansas came from the 1870 census, which reveals he had two children, both born in Arkansas, one in 1859 and the other in 1861. I was hoping that Texas records would show he served in Company A, 26th AR INF.

Bryan, you mentioned that you did not know what became of Sgt. Ponder after the war, so perhaps the following will be helpful.

Amos Amzie Ponder, b. 9 FEB 1834 in GA, d. 5 MAR 1884, buried Dean Baptist Cemetery, Smith County, TX. The grave is marked, but no regimental information was inscribed.

In addition to census information given above, he also appeared in the 1880 Census in Smith County, TX (Amos Ponder household, 1880 U.S. Census, Smith County, Texas population schedule, Enumeration District 98, page 7, stamped page 199, lines 10-19, dwelling 58, family 61, National Archives micropublication T9, roll 1326, Ancestry.com image 7)

Have you found him in 1860?