The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-12
GEN. BLACKS DEFENSE.
Why and How BE Was Granted Govern
ment Pension
Disabled Him Physically and Subjected
Him to Perpetual Pain-A Reply
Which Ought to Effectually
Silence His Unfeeling
Accusers.


character. They have endeavored to show
that he obtained his pension of 500 a
month by false pretenses. General Black
has not seen fit to notice these attacks,
which have indeed been beneath notice. In
letter. however, written in reply to the re-
quest of an old Illinois friend, he makes
plain statement of facts in the case. 1t was
not intended for publication, but the Gen.
erals friends believe that it is due to him,
under the circumstances, that it should be
given to the public. General Black writes:
Il was wounded March Z, 1862, and again
on December of the same year. The bones
of both arms were affected in the joints, that
of the right arm being splintered, broken or
scraped, and that of the left broken into
many pieces. / have had six operations per-
formed in all, the first in December, 1862
when seventeen pieces of bone were taken
from one arm, and the last in that long win
ter of misery and trouble at Danville, 1877,
when an entire elbow of the right arm was
removed owing to the diseased condition of
the closed wounds prior to the final opera
ton, for during all this time they had opened
and closed at regular intervals.
81 have been sick hundred times from
blood-poisoning from my wounds. Physi-
clans may be able to tell the reasons for these
things. 1 only know the facts. The result
of the last sickness and operation was en-
forced absence of two years from all profess
sional duties from 1874 to the middle of 1876,
at which time, as you remember, took the
stump as a candidate for Congress. But
you know the condition / was in at
that time. Ny enforced absence from work
in the attempt at saving my life had wasted
fearfully the little accumulations of the few
years of peaceful life which had had. for
you know j was a handwriting, self-sup-
porting boy and college student. / had no
friend to back me financially. | entered the
army from college and studied law after my
return from the army. The doctors bills
and surgical bills ate up and ran away with
all could gather, and in the winter of 1876
az ] had very little more than when had
taken my sword in the service. 1t is painful
for me to think now of that horrible winter
with its cuttings punchings of n broken arm
and its unutterable ghastliness of surgical
operations and execution, and | have lived
through six such scenes and now carry an
arm which is anchylOsed ut the left elbow
one-half and which, ON account of the cut
ting of the nerves, is paralyzed as to the ex
tensor muscles of the left hand, and in the
other elbOwless arm carry constant, open,
suppurating wound If any man thinks
have made money ont of the Government
| by pensions, he need only remember that
| for twenty years ceaseless drain
| of my strength has been going on day and
night. to realize something of the balancing
i Il
| could start armed and barefoot, but strong,
| in the world at the age of forty-six. | would
| gladly assume all the burdens of poverty if
| / could only have health and strength and
| had my hands as other men to give to labor
| and to friendship. | can only keep one no.
sition in my bed at night, and that is fiat
| upon my back without being aroused by the
pains of the threatened nervous numbness
| which arises on account of my troubles in
| any other position, and there is scarcely one
night in ten, and lately no night, when my
| sleep is not broken by these causes. / seem
pretty strong. / do not go around grum-
| bling. / have told but few men the long
/ story of my troubles as / tell you, but feel
| them none the less.
| Il applied for pension shortly after left
| the service, which was granted me, | don't
| remember when, but upon ample testimony
| for full disability according to my rank at
the time the injury was inflicted. Subse-
fquently under the operations of the law it
| was increased the sum of $50, and up to this
time no man had been called upon TO give
| me any favor.
| II have but very indistinct recollection
| of many of the things that occurred during
| that deadly winter at Danyille, but do rec
| ollect you and Senator VOORHEES, being at my.
room and taking my testimony in the case.
| think Voorhees, then saw my condition |
| believe he thought | would die, and soon.
/ And believe it was at that time, acting
upon his or the suggestion of some other
| friend, that made application for arrears OF
| pension This application was all the appli-
| cation that / ever made / made it out in
| due time and formal manner. / filed proof
4 of my disability under it. / had regularly
| employed pension attorneys in Washington
/ looking to this interest. / never was near
/ the capital city-during all that time. | sub
/ sequently was made aware that bill was
| pending in my behalf. This bill was put be-
fore Congress in the shape in which 1t subse-
/ auently passed without my knowledge. 1t
| was advanced without my cooperation sub
stantially. / had no particular knowledge
| until on Sunday morning L received dis
| patch at home from Senator VOORHEES, or
| Davis announcing that the bill had been
passed. Subsequently the bill was certified
| to me.
81 have never had one hours doubt of the
/ correctness of the action. L have not had
| any hesitancy in believing that II pensions
| were granted on the ground of suffering, that
| | was entitled to all that had been given me.
As pensions are given for physical disability,
| need only add that, according to the same
standard set up for Others am physically to-
| tally disabled Tor labor. / am not aware of
| any manual labor which l can perform. /
| have not raised my hand to my face for eight
years. The little work which do with the
| pen causes my arm to swell, and this you
| Northumberland when tell you that half of
| its muscles are entirely cut and have never
reunited. Others have been granted as much
| pension. Hundreds are receiving under the
| name of retired very much larger support
| from the Government for their disabilities
and their honorable wounds. First and Sec
| ond Leutenants, and all of them vastly ex-
| coed me in the amount which they receive.
am glad that such of them as have been
| wrecked or torn in battle are able to receive
| the benefcence of the Government casually
mention the fact, by way of illustration i'm
regard to the falsity of the charges, that
mine is-the only instance OF the kind. More
| than that, have never received the arrears
| of pension given to private soldiers and COM
missioned soldiers alike by the general
| acts These sums have reached in many in