Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1910-12-28
CHAPTER IN LIFE OF
49,, VETERAN REVEALED

Ordinarily the granting Of a pen.
sion TO deserving veteran Of tho
Civil War carries but a passing in.
terest. 50 far rs the general public
Is concerned, but in the telegram
published yesterday morning in the
Journal Miner. wherein Mrs. Sarah
hickman Is mentioned rs having re.
eeived this recognition through being
the widow Of the late Y. j. Buchanan,
an interesting chapter in the early
life Of the dead soldier 10 revealed.
Mrs Buchanan, knowing full we'll
that her husband was q veteran Of
the Civil War, and furthermore, that
he was entitled to the same reward
As Others were enjoying on the pen.
sion rolls, with womanly devotion,
during his life, implored him time
and again to make application to
Washington for what vas due him
and which the government was only
too willing "a extend.
In her sffectionsie entreaty. how.
ever. she failed repeatedly, and final.
ly Mr. Buchanan passed away. with
added interest In the cause, aud an.
precisting the fact that she should
be rewarded as the widow OF the
dead soldier, renewed action was In.
itisted TO make her wants known.
and with buoyant hopes she made
oficial application for the pension
that was due her. This was In 1900,
just ten years ago, and ten years
after her husband had passed.
From Washington war records came
back the astounding news, 20 her, nj
least, that the name Of J. ]. Buck.
man, late Of Company !, Sixth Kan.
sss Volunteer Cavalry, was not on
the muster sheet, and never had
been. This sad news was a shock
10 this aged woman, and IL was also
singing rebuke 10 the past life Of
her husband, in entering the service
and valiantly fighting to uphold the
good cause. Knowing that she was
rignf, and with a determined perse.
veranee TO unrsvcl the mystery Of his
soldier record, the matter was en-.
trusted two years ago, 10 Delegate
Ralph Cameron, At Washington, and
with whom Hon. Robt Y. Morrison,
attorney, Of Prescott, t,as associated.
The tvo got TO work and lively cor.
respcndenee resulted. The fabric OF
the mans career was unrsvcled,
thread by thread, and less than two
months ago the curtain dropped on
the pension play, and the secret was
unveiled.
Mr.. Buchanan entered the service
as "Ccok" Buckman. from the fact
that he WAS more generally known
by the nickname than by his own.
He was carried on the rolls Of the
army record and received his pay rcg.
ularIy under that name. II was
proven SO when the old rolls were
placed before Delegate Cameron, and
could not be changed by anyone, and
especially 40 by his widow. The
pension officers were obdurate and
remained 40 until Il was proven, .
short time ago, that the veteran wss
given the sobriquet on account Of
his vocation - . cook. During his
lifetime, Mr.. Buchanan never mention.
ed the incident, because hs had no
occasion 90 TO DO. Corsespsndenes
vss necessarily volsmissus 10 the -.
ssblishiss 81 the msAr iasstity, sas
after the living veterans q Company
] had been made acquainted with The
facts, one eomrade Of the deed col.
der furnished the missing link In
the long chain that wss desired, ana
fas Iosg sisse before the Psssios .Je.
psrtment wss terminstsd In . clear
ease Of identity being established. :
Mrs. Buchanan 10 nov on the pen.
Sion rolls Of the govsrnmeat % .
widow Of . veteran, No. 7ls,s07. In
few days she win receive . nice
Christmas present Of t1,i0o and Q
quarterly pension Of sis per month,
the former sum from accrued back
pension OF the past ten years, or
since she made application. She IL
residing In Thompson Valley, near
Hillside, In this eourty. and Is 70.
eeiying the congratulations Of many
friends. She IL an es,imsbic woman,
and has been a resident Of this coun.
~ for over forty -four years. She
vas married 10 the late J. =. Buck.
man In Kansas City, Mo-, on Deeem.
Der %, 1880.
--------- $780,.
IHfpO3fAHT MINING Mfaas0sr