Summary

In Section “46 / Homecoming 1869,” Naomi mentions that President Johnson has offered pardons to all Civil War soldiers who are deserters and war criminals. Despite the pardon, men who deserted the war are still killed. Naomi notes that even though the Civil War had been over for four years, there is still a good deal of anger.

Jackson has come home from the war. When he arrived home, his mother first asked if he had left with permission. He told her the army had not held up its end of the bargain and had given them bad supplies and rations. He also said that he was not going to treat the Indians the way that the blacks had been treated.

About a month later Jackson and Josey are playing with the children in the yard when they are spotted by a soldier who had deserted...