Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-04-03
A NOBLE DEED.
Col. J. N. Brown, Of Anderson, Secures q
Pension for Comrades Widow.
News and Courier.l

Il
[Nows and Courior.]
It is sad to think how fast the Con-
! federate veterans are passing away and
how careless 80 many people are about
keeping records. Day by day the neces-
sity and value of keeping records in
creases and here to-day with thousands
of living participants in the bloody-six-
ties poor woman in Anderson county
is almost unable to prove that her brave
husband sacrificed his life in the call to
duty by his State. 1t is such instances
as these that ought to show how neces-
sary it is for some one to perfect tho
Confederate rolls and records.
For a long time the pension law was
abused-badly abused. People who had
no possible right to pensions secured
them, 1t was thought that q safeguard
would bo to require one or more soldiers
to certify that they knew that tho appli-
cant, or in case of widow that hor hus-
band was actually in the Confederate
service. 1t was found that applicants
often had boys and girls to cort.fy to
their service in tho war, and undor the
new rule a certificate has to be attached
to each application showing that one or
moro soldiers personally knew of tho
service on which tho pension was asked
1t was folt that the old soldiers would
not countenanco any fraud or allow any
ono not entitled to q pension to got it on
their certificate.
In the batch of applications that came
in from Anderson county was ono from
Mrs. Amanda Rochester,. 1t was re-
turned because tho two witnesses stated
that thoy wero citizens of South Caro-
lima, but did not give tho company or
regimont in which they served, and it
was evident that the witnesses had not
been soldiers.
When Cho papors wore returned to
Anderson for correction, rs it was neces-
sary that thoy should DO, Col. Joseph N.
Brown Interested himself in the case
sion papers arc now in good shape and
tho poor woman will secure her stipend.
One of tho papers that was returned
with the pension application was worn
and faded sheet, which had boon sont
direct from tho battlcflelds of Virginia
to tho heart broken woman. 1t reads as
follows:
Trenches, 25th S. G. ", IIagood's 8
Brigade, near Petersburg, Va, June 90,
1864.
Mrs. Amanda Rochestor-M adam p:
Your favor of the Goth just at hand. /
am truly sorry to inform you that the
account of your husbands death is cor
rect. Ho fell, shot through the body, in
charging upon the cnomys lines at Swift
Creek, near Petersburg, Va, whore he
is now buried. 1t affords mo pleasure
to say to you that he was good soldier.
l never knew him to shrink in tho time
of danger. Our company has lost many
good and bravo men, but mono better
than he. / regret his loss very much.
He died in a glorious cause and his
name will be handed down to postcrity
as ono of those martyrs who foil in the
cause of freedom and all that man holds
dear on earth. Worry respectfully.
w. II. Bartlcss, Jr.,
Co. II, 25th S. G. V.
p. S.-Corporal Rochester is due pay
from October II, 1868, to May II, 1864,
and some little money for commutation
of lost things. Tho exact amount can
not now send, as my company papors arc
away; will, however, do SO as soon as
practicable. Ho had nothing with him
when he was killed. his keepsake and
other things having been previously lost.
Col. Brown first wrote to Col. Simon
ton sending him the original paper and
explaining tho case, and the following
was Judge Simonton's reply:
State of South Carolina, Charleston
county: Before mo personally appeared
Charles II. Simonton, who being duly
sworn, says: That hc was the colonel
commanding 25th regiment, S. c. ", G.
S. A., from 1868 TO the cnd of tho war;
That he know William A. Rochester,
who was private in Co. II of his rcgi-
mcnt That William a. Rochester was
killed in battle whilst serving with his
company in n charge at Swift Creek,
near Petersburg, Va. That tho letter
attached to the petition of Mrs. Amanda
Rochester, signed by w. II. Bartloss,
Jr., lieutenant commanding Co. II, is a
genuine letter, as he well knows tho
hand writing of Mr.. Bartlcss. That tho
said w. II. Bartlcss, Jr., was at tho date
of said letter in command of said COM
pany, it's captain, w. II. Scabrook, hav-
ing been killed. That Rochester and
his comrades in that company wcrc gal
liant mon, the company having been
almost annihiatcd by casualties in ac-
ton during tho war. That he docs not
know Mrs. Amanda Rochester, hut that
he believes her to bo the widow of his
dead comrade. Charles II. Simonton.
State of South Carolina, County Of
Anderson: Personally appeared B. A.
McAlster, who, being duly sworn, says
That he has known Mrs. Amanda
Rochester ever since her childhood, ho
being almost her age. That she was n
Miss Howard before her marriage. That
she married William A. Rochester, who,
ii is said by affidavit Of Judge Simonton
and his lieutenant, was killed near
Petersburg, Va, in 1864, and that she
has remained a widow over since and
has continued resident of tho State all
tho time. That tho petition signed by
her is true, and, though poor, she is a
lady OF high character and has had to
struggle for a living ever since tho war.
B, A, MCAliStcr.