I'm stating actual NC policy. When these men enlisted in the state service, it was their understanding that they would remain in state service. So any 'transfer' violated the terms of their enlistment.Which means absolutely nothing for units raised under Confederate authorization for Confederate service.....ignore the actual apple for some disingenuous orange......I'm not pursuing your fantasy, but simply stating actual events.
Partisan rangers were authorised by Confederate Congress for Confederate service, not individual states.
Which is actually somewhat irrelevant to the OP as even if one wishes to believe otherwise....when they were transfered to the 66th they would have become Confederate regardless.....which made them Confederate deserters liable for punishment as such, by not only Confederate law, but US military code as well.
They were not confederates. Not by the terms of their enlistment. The punishment for the crime of desertion would have come under state law for state troops. And by state law, it was not a crime punishable by death. That's the relevant fact that you ignore.