The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-20
What Con. Bennett Says.

General T. w. Bennett. of Richmond, was In
the city yesterday, and In q conversation with Q
Journal reporter, gave the facts concerning the
granting of his pension, which Commissioners
Black brought before the Senate committee az
an evidence of improper favoritism and person
alism on the part of ex-Commissioner Dudley
General Bennett first applied for a pension in
1881, upon the ground of injuries received in
May, 1868. in the Vicksburg campaign, and also
in May. 1864, at the crossing of the Atchafalaya
river, on the retreat of Banks's army after the
DISASTROUS Red river campaign. After the appl-
cation had lain idle in the department for o long
time, he wrote personal letter to Commissioners
Dudley, asking him to have the case taken up
and examined; and as Dudley was a fellow-towns
man, General Bennett said, 81 probably closed the
letter by saying that the favor of prompt ex-
animation of the case would be an additional
obligation which should be glad to repay at
anytime. Any friend would write to another
one in the same strain, and have written q
number of such letters in the cases of soldiers
whose applications l asked to have examined.
Colonel Dudley took up nay case, and made i'd
special In the meantime had forwarded the
testimony of Dr. West, then and now pension
examining surgeon, at Richmond, and also OF
Dr. Davis, my family physician, in regard to
my injuries In March, 1883 was In WASH
ington on business and called at the Pension
Office, seeing Deputy Walker, and not seeing
Colonel Dudley at all. Judge Walker
told me that the reviewing medical board
had written to DR.. West for verbal
correction or addition to his testimony. and that
pending the receipt of that my case was lot
completed. But he suggested that IL would
personally appear before the reviewing board
that would do away with the necessity OF other
evidence. or of waiting for DR. Wiests response.
- - ~
a time was fixed, and / appeared before the
medical reviewers, who examined me carefully
for an hour, reported upon my disabilities, d.
rectly to the Commissioner that they were as
set forth in the application. and approved the
granting of the pension, which the Commission
or at once ordered. The whole pro-
lar. Il may Be- 's that ' sftsrward, nine
days .afterward, as Commissioner Black
says the record shows. this board took up the
evidence. and formally reviewed and approved
it, making it appear that the approval was some
days after the granting of the application But
the personal examination superseded the necess
sity Of that, and it was upon their report AFTER
such examination that the pension was granted.
Commissioners Black says, also, that at the
time claim one disability occurred, May, 1864.
was absent sick leave. This disability, re-
sulting from the sunstroke is the least OF tho
causes for which my pension was granted, as the
Commissioners very we'll knows, If he has exam
ined the case. However. thought 1t possible
that, after the lapse Of twenty years. my mem
ory might have been treacherous as to the ex-
act date but as the incident was
given OF the crossing of the Atchafalaya
river on Banks's retreat. there could have been
no bubble about 1t, had been mistaken in the
month But came up to Indianapolis TO day
purposely to see. have looked over the records
of the Adjutantgenerai, and they show that I
was In command of my regiment every day dur
ing the month OF May, 1864 ! had been on
sick-leave in New Orleans In April but Joined
my regiment on the Red river ten days before