Thanks for your comments Art. You always focus on the true issue not the side tracks that I know I get hung up on.

As for my ancestor, I still don't know what he looked like. I have found him in the census as Mulatto on one and Black on another ( the same for his wife). I only have pictures of several of his sons including my ggrandfather who was not "swarthy".

I recently read about the prison camp (Rock Island) and the writer mentioned the "Negroes" there who helped around the administration building. Did they recognize my ancestor? Did he speak to them? Why didn't he speak up so he could be freed by the Union? My next step is to try to read the regimental rooster for the 2nd Volunteer Infantry at Fort Leavenworth and see if color is mentioned.