You're right about the wrong date being cited. For Mississippi soldiers who happened to be with Lee at Appomattox, Apr 9, 1865, is correct, of course. But for those who surrendered under Johnston in North Carolina, Apr 26, 1865, is the date of Johnston's surrender agreement. The actual date and place of parole varies from one regiment to another.

That's also true of those surrendered by Richard Taylor in the Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana. Most people give the date of surrender as Citronelle AL, May 4, 1865. In reality only four Confederates were present at Citronelle: General Taylor, a staff officer and two slaves.

Soldiers learned of the surrender after Taylor returned to headquarters at Meridian MS. After announcing the surrender, he then issued orders for his troops to assemble at specific places for parole. The earliest date given for paroles is May 9, 1865, paroles being issued under the Citronelle agreement for some time afterward. As clearly stated in each soldier's service file, actual date of discharge is the date and place of parole.