Montgomery County AlArchives Military Records.....William L. Buthune 1894 Civilwar - Pension 15th AL Vols Company K ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Karen Tapley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007328 June 19, 2003, 4:07 am Baldwin County State of Georgia W. L. Buthune of said ST and Co. desiring to avail himself of the Pension Act approved Dec. 15, 1894, hereby submits his proof and after being duly sworn true answers to make to the following questions, deposes and answers as follows: 1. What is your name and where do you reside? William L. Bethune Milledgeville Baldwin Co. Georgia 2. How long and since when have you been a redisent of this State? Since birth about 59 years 3. When and where were you born? November 21 1846 Milledgeville, GA. 4. When and where had what company and regiment did you enlist or serve? In 1863. 15th Alabama Volunteers Company K 5. How long did you remain in such company and regiment? Until wounded at Raccoon Ridge September 15th 1863 6. For how long a period did you discharge regular military duty? Thur 1865 close of war 7. When, where and under what circumstances were you discharged from service? Released from prison on Ship Island come time after the close of the war 8. What is your present occupation? Am unable to do anything 9. How much can you earn gross per annum by your own exertions of labor? nothing 10. What has been you occupation since 1865 Bookkeeping Insurance 11. Upon which of the following ground do you base your application from pension, via first, "age and poverty, second, infirmity and property, or third, blindness and poverty? infirmity and provery 12. If upon first gound state how long you have been in such condition that you could not earn your support? If upon second give a full and complete history of the imfirmity and its extent? If upon the third state whether you are totally blind and when and where you lost your sight? Have Brights disease ?? bed until about 8 mos. Suffered for years was blind about 10 weeks ago. 13. What property effect or income do you possess and it gross value? nothing 14. What property effects or income did you possess in 1894,95,96,97 ^ and what dispositon if any did you make of same? NO property was bookkeeping and insurance agent Insurance when in my ability was able to work 15. In what county did you reside during those years, and what property did you then return for taxation? Baldwin Co. Nothing 16 How were you supported during the years 1896,1897^? Insurance claims all year later support of my wife 17 How much did your support cost for each of those years, and what portion did you contribute thereto by your own labor or income about $400 almost all ?? 18. What was your employment during 1896 and 1897^? Insurance Business Commission about $300 19. Have you a family? If so, who composes such family? Give their means of support? Have they a homestead? Yes, 1 daughter 2 sons wife Teaching bookkeeping Clerking Have NO homestead 20. Are you receiving any pension? NO Sworn 17 Day Aug 1905 he signs W. L. Bethune Next page Questions for Witness: State of Alabama Wm C. Oates of said State and County, having been presented as a witness in support of the application of W. L. Bethune for pension under the Act approved December 15, 1894 and afer being duly sworn true answer to make to the following questions, deposes and answers as follows: 1. Wm C. Oates 112 N. Ripley St. Montgomery Ala 2. I am and knew him a few 3. He resides in Baldwin Co. Georgia known him all his life, except during the war 4. He came in with the regiment with Co. K have a few personal knowledge of his enlistment *this is so small to read but a letter by Wm C. Oates is in the applicants records and this is how it is typed Montomery , Ala. 9.30.05. Messrs, D. B. & D. S. Sanford, Milledgeville, Ga. Gentlement In reply to your of the 24th ult. I enclose to you the Bethune application sworn to by me before the Judge of Probate. I am now about to state more about Bethune than this that I knew him for a short time, knew his bravery and of his being wonded. The first time I saw him he came to me just before the battle of Chickamauga and tried to enlist and engage in the battle. He was very young an small, and I declined at first, but let him go along with company K to see how he liked it. Thereafter he insisted that I accept him and I told him to see the Captain and if he was willing I would let him go into the next battle. I was in command in Lookout Valley, Tenn. and early on the morning of Octomer 23th, the yankees crossed over and attacked me. broken picket post. When I got my reserve into line Billy Bethune, a little red headed boy came and reminded me of my promise and I ordered the adjutant to get him a gun and accoutrements which was done, he got in and fought bravely through. In that battle I was severely wounded and carried back to Lookout Creek. That night the regiment was in another engagement in which young Bethune was wounded. An Irishmen brought him out. The major called to him to know who that was he was taking out, the Irishman replied "Billy Bethune sir" The major said how is he wounded, the Irishman replied "He is shot in the back, sir?. Then young Bethune's childish voice rang out on the night air, "Major he is a dam lier, I am shot across the back". I never saw Billy Bethune thereafter, but have corresponded with him. He ought to have a pension if any man in Georgia gets it is the opinon of his Colonel. Very truly yours, signed Wm C Oates 15 Sworn before subscribed before me this 30th day of Sept 1905 Mastons ? Judge of probate Montgomery County Ala. next page: Affidavit of Physicians Dr. Thomas M. Hall and Dr. Allen Chronic Brights Disease wounded in side. He is unable to do any kind of work and in a most deplorable conditon. 18th day Aug 1905 Stanborge ? Ordinary. Ordinary's certificate can not read page 1 dated on the Indigent Pension 1898///// 1905 underlined 1907 it does not say if it was approved or warrant Handed to is blank this pension was found online docuweb.gsu.edu/iisg/digiraid1/OpenCollections/CivilWar/Baldwin on March 15,2003 What a wonderful letter from Col. Wm C. Oates Montgomery County Alabama To the family of William "Little Billy" Bethune may your ancestors be proud of you! This letter sounds like a movie or out of a Civil War book? I do know Buthune's will be forever proud of this soldier. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/alfiles/ File size: 6.8 Kb