I've been pondering the fate of the thousands, even tens of thousands of what we generally lump in as 'deserters', both from the line of march and the battlefield.

The typical example being the veritable clouds of men left in the wake of both sides through 1813, or a notable example being the large numbers (10,000??) Prussians who did not rejoin the colours after Ligny.

As a group, what typically was their fate?

I suspect this is an area where only opinions can be given, not much in the way of evidence, so what are the learned folks opinions?

Do the bulk eventually return to the colours, or do we have anecdotal suggestions of great swarms of young men making their way home from distant lands, or disapearing from the earth altogether? 1812 would seem to me a singular case best left asside from the discusion.

I would have thought that all but a few (OK, lets say 5% for arguments sake) would eventually (weeks?) return to their regiments.

Any thoughts.

Daryl