Below is the known Confederate Military history of John R. and Rufus Lewis.
One should be cautious in casting aspersions regarding the AWOL's. It was 
quite commonplace for a soldier to leave his station in order to go home and
see to crops or other neccesities on the homefront. While reading through Mr.
O'Neils book, I found few soldiers that were without an AWOL on their record.
The important part was they eventually returned to their assignments.
                                                                                          Larry Hall


Lewis, John - Private, Co. "F" 5th Tennessee Calvary. 35 years old.
	              Enrolled by Captain Lemuel A. Mims on Feb. 20, 1863,
                              at Newport for three years of "War" Aug. 31, '62 - 
	              Feb. 28, '63 (as Co. "F" 5th Regt.) Muster ("Knoxville")
                              Present - Mounted 8 days. Mar./Apr. '63 (as Co. "F" 5th
	              Regt.) Muster ("Elk Fork, Tennessee") Present. Mar. 12, 
	              '64 (as Co. "F', 5th Regt.) Muster ("Tunnel Hill, GA")
	              36 years old. Absent W/O Permission. No further records.


Lewis, Rufus H. - (1st enrollment) Pvt. to 2nd Cpl. Co."F" 5th Tennessee
	              Calvary (previously Co. "E" 1st Calvary -"Rogers") then, 
                              Co. "E" 2nd Calvary (McLin's), then, (Co. "F" 2nd Calvary
                              Battln.) No age listed. Jan./Feb. '62 (as Co. "E" 1st. Regt.)
                              muster ("Kingston, Tennessee") Present Feb. 28th - Jun. 
                              30th, '62. as Co. "E" 2nd Regt. muster ("Wallace's Cross-
                              roads, Anderson County, Tenn.") Present. Appointed 2nd 
                              Cpl., May 24, '62.  Jul./Aug. '62 (as Co. "F" 2nd Battln.)
                              muster (as Co. "F," 2nd battln.) Abs. w/o leave Jul.15, '62
                              from Wallace's Crossroads. Sept./Oct. '62 ( as Co. "F" 2nd
                              battl'n.) muster (Camp War Creek, Hancock County, Tenn.)
                              Absent. Left at Tazewell, Tenn. w/o leave. Oct 23, '62
                              Nov/Dec. '62 (as Co. "F" 5th Regt.) muster (Camp Pine Knot
                              Campbell County, Tenn.) Present (abs. from Oct. 23, to Nov. 
                              22, '63) Mar. 12, '64 (as Co. "F", 5th Regt.) muster ("Tunnel
                              Hill, GA.") 24 years old. transferred. Nothing further in this 
                              file.
          
                              (2nd enrollment;) Private Co. "C" 26th Tenn. Infantry. 23 years
                              old Mar/Apr. '63 muster ("Camp near Fairfield Tenn.") Present-
                              exchanged from Co. "F" 5th Battl'n, by consent of Captains.
                              Exchanged for B. Sample Mar.4, '63. Jul./Aug. '63 muster 
                              ("Charleston, Tenn.") Present Jan.22, '64 muster summary 
                              ("Dalton, GA") Deserted Nov. '63. Nothing further in this file.
                                
                              



                               
                              Rufus was wounded at the Battle of Chickmauga in 1863 while
                              serving with the 26th Infantry Division. He spent four weeks
                              in the hospital recuperating. According to David P. Click,
                              in testimony given for a pension hearing, Rufus was wounded by 
                              a "bursting bomb", and suffered an injury which broke his 
                              sternum and most of the ribs on his left side. The injury left
                              the right side of his chest depressed and deformed. He suffered
                              from the affliction for the remainder of his life.

                              Rufus almost gave his life in defense of his country
                              while fighting against the ruthless Northern aggressors. 
                              Chickamagua was one of the the bloodiest and most costly 
                              battles of the war. Over 17,000 Confederates gave their lives 
                              driving the Yankee army away. Rufus paid dearly and fought 
                              bravely in defense of his beloved Tennessee and country. 
                              Rest in peace, Rufe.
                                                                                                    Larry Hall
				
                             "There was no more splendid fighting in '61, when the flower of 
                              the Southern youth was in the field, than was displayed in those 
                              bloody days of September '63". 

                                                                                    General D. H. Hill
                                                                                    Confederate Division 
                                                                                    Commander at Chickamagua