Year: 1862

From the report of the Commissioner Of
Pensions we quote the following, which is
Of interest to all contemplating an appli-
cation for q pension:


ain this connection it seems proper to
refer to certain erroneous impressions
which have prevailed in some quarters, as
to the existence of serious obstacles, and
the interposition of needless and burden
some formalities, in the prosecution Of a
just claim for pension. So far are all
such representations from being correct,
that l do not hesitate 70 say that any
claimant Of ordinary intelligence and edu-
cation can, on applying directly TO this
office for forms and instructions suited to
the particular case establish his claim,
and secure its prompt admission, without
any other aid than that which will readily
be given him by the magistrate before
whom his declaration is to be executed.
NethiDg is required of the claimant which
is not necessary, and, in most instances,
conveniently attainable.


{" The applicant for an invalid pension,
for example, II a private soldier, must ~
state, under oath, the company and regi-
nent in which he served, and the time,
place and manner in which he incurred
the disability on account of which he
claims a pension; also furnishing proof,
By two Witnesses, that the claimant is the
identical person he represents himself to
be. If the papers for his discharge have
been made out as required by the army
regulations, this, in most cases, is all that
will be needed on his part to secure the
allowance of well-founded claim. The
certificate Of his commanding officer and
that of the Surgeon, who attended him,
furnishing together the best evidence as to
the nature, origin and degree of his diss-
bllity, are transmitted to this Office by the
Adjutant-General, without any interven-
ton of the applicant. But If, for any rea-
son, these certificates are wanting or not
satisfactory, then on a call from this Office,
the applicant must ~ furnish the certif-
cate Of some commissioned officer of his
company, if possible, and if not, the afida-
Wit Of his non-commissioned officers or pri-
Yates who were in service with him, con-
frming hisaown allegations in regard to
the time, place and msnner Of incurriDg
his disability, showing the same to have
been in the service of the United States,
and in the line of duty and he must also
be examined by a surgeon authorized 70
make such examination, as to the nature
and degree Of the disability, whose certif-
cate will be transmitted to this Office.
Without this amount Of proof it is clear
that no claim can be properly admitted.
Nor is there any difficulty in procuring
such proof, in exact accordance with pre-
scribed forms, if the case is a Just and hon
est one


"so, too, of a widows application fOrpen-
sion. A declaration setting forth the ser
vice Of her deceased husband, and other
requisite facts within her own immediate
knowledge, as specified in the printed
instructions, has only to be accompanied
by proof Of her identity, of her marriage
and of the death of her husband by reason
Of some injury or disease resulting from
his service, and incurred in the line Of
duty, to secure q favorable consideration Of
her claim. The time, place, and cause Of
the husband 8 death is usually shown by the
record Of the Adjutsnt-GeneraTs Office,
land obtained without any instrumentality
Of the applicant leaving for her to prove
merely, that she is the person she repre-
sents herself to be, and the fact of her
marriage to the deceased"