The National tribune., 1882-11-02
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
WASHINGTON d. G.. October u, 1852.
The Commissioner Of Pensions.

SIR:
The claims have been rejected by your Office
ION the ground that the records fail to show,
and the applicant is unable to prove, the fact,
date, or cause of the soldiers DEATH" The roll
Of the company TO which the soldier belonged
shows that he was wounded in action on the
9th of October. 1864, and sent to hospital, and
was not again with the company, which con-
tinued in the service until the Goth of Septem-
Der, 1860
The official records in the Office of the Surgeon
General show that he was admitted to hospital
at Point of Rocks, Virginia, October %, 1864,
with gunshot wound of the shoulder, and also
wound OF the right leg, and was transferred
where not stated-NOvember9 9, 1864.
There is no further account of him upon the
official records. The evidence presented to
prove his death is as follows:
John b. TUNA tostifes that Dangcrfeld was
carried off the fed at Fair Oaks, Va on the
eth Of October, 1864, by squad of men under
his charge as sergeant, dangerously wounded in
the shoulder and arm, and that on or about the
9th Of May, 1869 his death was announced to
the regiment by the adiutant as having occurred
at the Point Of Rocks hospital. lie states cir
cumstances which lead him to fix the date of
death as about May /, 1863.
Daniel Turner testifcs that he was at the
hospital at Point of Rocks for some time about
the 1st of May, 1S65; that he knew Beverly
Dangeriicld, who was in the hospital suffering
from wound that about the 1st of May, 1860,
he was informed that Dangertjeld had died, and
that he saw a body carried to the dead house
which he was informed was the body of Dan
gerfield.
Harry NJ. Turner, who was chaplain of the
First regiment u. S. c. T., testifcs that he well
remembers that Beverly Dangcrfcld was Sc
riOusly wounded at the battle of Fair Oaks, Va,
about the 9th or 2Sth of October, 1864; that he
Z. I - -. i. Il l.
about tie last of April or the 1st Of May, 1865,
q report Of his death came to the regiment
Charles W. Goodrich, who was a corporal,
company X, First u. S. c. T., testifes that he
saw Dangcrficld after he was wounded; that
the wound was severe, and that a report came
ta the regiment that he died about the last of
April, 1868.
The testimony of Henry Thomas, who was
private, company X, First L. :. c. T., IS to the
same effect as that Of Charles W. Goodrich.
There are some discrepancies in the evidence,
but in view Of all the circumstances of the case
it is thought by this Department that it should
be accepted as showing thai the soldier died
about the first of May, 1865, from causes con-
neCtcd with his military service.
You viii please adjudcate the claim of his
widow and children on this view.
Referring to the case cited in your report, in
which it was held by the Secretary of the Into
rior that the death of a soldier cannot be pre-
sumcd, but must be proved, to entite his widow
to pension, ! have to state that cases arise in
which ii is impossible to obtain positive proof
Of the soldiers death, but the presumption Of
his death from causes connected with his service
Is so strong as to justify the allowance Of a
claim for pension, made on behalf OF his widow.
children, or dependent relatives. When a sol
der is reported missing in action under cir
cumstancos which lead to the belief that he
was killed in the bgftip q claim for DcnSiOD