I believe these two items out of the archives may answer your question.

George Martin

Re: Pauls as MS Confederate Patriots-furlough of indulgence

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Posted by Tom Neely on October 13, 2000 at 20:00:46:
In Reply to: Pauls as MS Confederate Patriots posted by Jim Huffman, Sons of Confederate Veterans on October 12, 2000 at 23:26:50:

The term "furlough of indulgence" from what I can extrapolate from microfilm regimental rosters is more akin to modern day "compassionate leave" or "hardship leave"--that is, the soldier receiving the furlough was being "indulged" by the service in being granted leave. The other terms I see are "wounded furlough" and "sick furlough" and plain "furlough". Like Jim, I am speculating, and I hope someone who knows will tell us. It sounds like the kind of furlough any soldier would like.-- Tom 


Plain Folk's Fight: The Civil War and Reconstruction in Piney ... - Google Books Result by Mark V. Wetherington - 2005 - History - 368 pages

Half of these men later maintained that they were on authorized "sick furlough" or a "furlough of indulgence." Private John Randolph Dowdy was carried on ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0807829633...