Miles Price was my 3rd great grandfather, shown
here. For many years I have looked for
his parents and I was hopeful that his pension file would give me clues. Well, I didn’t find any well-documented pages
of full genealogies, but in going through the depositions, I found many clues
to his life pre-Civil War and many other things that were just plain
interesting. Here are some of the things you might find in a Civil War pension file for your ancestors.
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| Emmaline (Markham) Price and Miles Price |
Deposition
A
Case
of Miles Price, No. 450953
On
this 28th day of March, 1890, at Zero, County of Lucas, State of Iowa, before
me, __ E Burman, a Special Examiner of
the Pension Office, personally appeared Miles Price, the claimant, who being by
me first duty sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him
during this Special Examination of afore-said pension claim deposes and says:
I
am 52 years old, a farmer and always have been. Zero, Lucas Co., IA is my post office
address. I am the identical Miles Price
who enlisted in Co. A 16th Ill Inft, April 18th, 1861 (sworn in in May 1861)
and was transferred to Co G 1st US Vet Vol Engineers, and was finally
discharged at Nashille, Tenn Sept 26, 1865, since which date I have never been
in the US military or naval service. I
lived near Bushnell, McDonough Co., IL for three years previous to my
enlistment.
My
claim for invalid pension is based on disease of throat and lungs result of
measles contract at Hannibal, MO. in the month of Jun 1861. I had a severe attack of the measles and had
the flu at the same time. Watson was the
name of the surgeon who treated me.
After I was taken down with the measles I with others was taken to
Palmyra, about sixteen miles north of Hannibal and placed in a small house that
had been deserted and it was here that Surgeon Watson treated me. He treated me up to the 3rd of July, 1861
when he gave me a thirty days sick furlough and I returned to Bushnell, Ill. This furlough was extended two weeks by or
through Sergeant CC Morris now living in Springfield, Ill. Richard Speake was home on sick furlough too
and his furlough was also extended by Morris.
My furlough was not extended on what is called Medical Certificate. Morris was at home recruiting when my furlough
was extended. At the time I enlisted and
when I was on furlough in July 1861, I was making my home with Mr. Asa B.
Markham of Bushnell, IL but whose post office address is now Bardolph,
McDonough Co, Il. After having the
measles, I took cold which settled on my lungs and I have had a trouble of
throat and lungs ever since. I had not
fully recovered from the measles while I was home in July 1861 and don't think
my lungs were effected then. I took cold
while down with the measles, but I don't think it had effected my lungs so that
it was noticeable until after I had returned to the command from furlough.
When
were your lungs and throat first affected?
I
think it was the first winter I was out- the winter of 1861and 1862. I had soreness through the lungs and throat
and after a tightness. I went to
Sergeant Watson and he gave me a cough syrup.
I had a cough and this medicine was given to me for it. I think it was at St. Joseph, MO in the
winter of '61 and '62 that Watson gave me the cough syrup.
In
the winter of 1862 and 1963 at both Nashville and Stone River, I got medicine,
but I am not sure whether it was for my lungs or not.
I
know I had a cold and that is why I think it was for my lungs. Whenever I would get a cold it would settle on
my lungs and cause me to cough and have severe pains in and soreness on the
lungs. I don't remember of any sergeant
of the regiment other than Watson ever giving me medicine for my lungs.
Abut
two days after the Stone River fight (Jan 1863) I was detailed to the Pioneer
Corps and didn't see much of the boys of the company after that.
In
December 1863 I returned to Company A 16th Ill lnft and veteranized. I remained with the command until sometime in
July 1865 when I was transferred to the Engineers. after which I saw no more of
the company I first went out with. Two
men from each company were transferred to the Engineers and a man name Adams
(Full name and address unknown) and I went from Co. A 16th Ill Vols.
I
did not require any treatment for my lungs and throat after I joined the
Engineers. Whenever I would strike a
town, I would purchase cough syrup and carry it with me particularly during the
winter months. We had surgeons connected
with the Engineers but none of them was treating me. The companies would be sent here and there on
work that would arise, so that we hardly ever had enough men together to make a
battalion- each battalion usually had a surgeon.
While
at Chattanooga., TN in Sept 1865 I was taken sick and was put on a train and
taken to Nashville and placed in a hospital.
I don't know what ailed me and couldn’t give the name of the
hospital. I was there just two days and
left the hospital and joined the regiment at Nashville. No Sir. I did not come over from Chattanooga
to Nashville with my regiment but came over in a hospital train ahead of the
regiment. This is all the hospital
treatment I received.
By
whom can you prove that you contracted measles and resulting disease of throat
and lungs?
Surgeon
Louis Watson, Ellis, Ellis Co, Kansas
Capt.
B. F. Pinckly, Girard, Crawford Co, Kansas
Clark
C. Morris or Morse. Springfield, Co, Ill.
Henry
H. Gash (ditto)
What
persons will probably know of your physical condition while you were with the
Engineers?
William
Shields, Ripley, Adams Co. Il
I
cannot refer you to any one else unless it is Adams and his address is unknown
to me.
As
soon as I was discharged I returned to Bushnell, Ill where I lived until about
1876 when I came to this vicinity here. I have since resided.
The
first winter after I came home, Dr. Markham treated me for throat and lung
trouble and after this I didn't receive treatment until I came to this
state. While in Ill, I used Hall's Balsam
purchased from a druggist named Frisbee, then doing business in Bushnell.
Dr. Markham is dead. I can prove
my physical condition from discharge to 1876 by
Asa
B. Markham, Bardolph. McDonough Co, IL (2 mi NW)
Druggist
Frisbie Bushnell (ditto)
Henry
McElvin Sr. (ditto)
I
cannot think of others at present but perhaps Markham can refer Special
Examiner to some one, if deemed necessary.
Since
I came to this State, I have been treated by Dr. CB Powell of Albia,. Monroe
Co., IA (formerly of Russell, IA). Dr. Trowbridge
and Dr. Hawk. Dr. Trowbridge is some
place in Arkansas, but I have not been able to ascertain his address. Dr. Hawk now resides in Denver, CO. I refer you to Dr. Powell, Jno C Davis, Joel
Whittlesey and Thomas S. Crozier, as to my health since I came here. I have never had any hemorrhages of the
lungs. My trouble manifests itself by
pain and soreness through the chest and a great deal of cough. No, there is never any blood mixed with my
expectorations. In damp weather my
throat troubles me a great deal. It
seems to get raw and I can then scarcely swallow. I never had any throat or lung afflictions
prior to enlistment. I wasn't very much
disabled for four or five years immediately following the war, except when I
would take cold. I consider now that I
am 3/4 disabled any way. I fully
understand and comprehend the questions that have been preponded and my answers
are correctly recorded.
It is signed by Miles Price.
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