Pension Records of John Eager Howard Rushing - Pike Co., AL ******************************************************************* USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. File Manager - Lygia D. Cutts OCT 1999 Pension Records of John Eager Howard Rushing - Pike Co., AL On the June 30, 1911, John Eager Howard Rushing, referred as J. E. H. Rushing, applied through the State of Alabama for a pension; relief of Confederate Soldiers and Sailors. On his application it appears that A. C. Edmonson, Judge of Probate of Pike Co., AL, filled in blanks. The blanks, which were filled, will be in quotation marks. At the top of the form is printed: APPLICATION FOR THE RELIEF OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS. Next is printed: THE STATE OF ALABAMA, "Pike" County. To the Honorable Board of Pension Examiners for said County: Your applicant, "J. E. H. Rushing", respectfully represents to your Honorable Board that he is now a citizen of "Pike" County, Alabama, and was a resident of Alabama on January 1, 1899, that he enlisted in the service of the State or Confederate States as a "Private" in Company "B" of the "53 Ala." Regiment on the "left blank" day of "August," 186"2" at "Montgomery," in the State of Alabama, that he was honorably discharged from such services on the "left blank" day of "April" 186"5", that he did not desert the service of the Confederate States, or of the state of Alabama, that he was wounded at the battle of "left blank" in the State of "left blank" that he is now unable to make a living by manual labor on account of "old age and disabilities," that he is at the time of the filing this application "76" years of age, and that his post office address is "Troy" Alabama; that he does not now own property, either in his own name or that of his wife, to the value of Two thousand ($2, 000) dollars [it should be noted that the form had $400 printed it but was lined out and Two thousand ($2, 000) was written in], and that he has no children upon whom he can depend for support. Your applicant files herewith a complete schedule of all property owned by himself and wife. In consideration of the foregoing facts, your applicant asks that his name be placed upon the pension rolls, in the class that Your Honorable Board may adjudge him to belong that he may participate in the division of the funds provided for the relief of Confederate and Alabama soldiers and their widows, according to Chapter 43, code, (the following is written in) amended March 5, 1901 & April 24, 1911. (The next blank has the signature of) "J. E. H. Rushing" Applicant. (This appears to be his signature because the handwriting is different than any of the other writing on the form.) The State of Alabama, "Pike" County. Before me, "A. C. Edmonson, Judge of Probate in and for said State and County, personally appeared "J. E. H. Rushing" whose name is signed to the foregoing application, is personally known to me, who, after being first duly sworn, deposes and says that each and ever statement in the foregoing applications is true and correct. (next is the John's signature) "J. E. H. Rushing" Sworn to and subscribed before me, this "30" day of "June," 191"1". "A. C. Edmonson, Judge of Probate," In and for said County. The next page of the application had a Schedule of Property filed with application for pension by J. E. H. Rushing. It was written that he owns 214 acres of land situated in Pike County, AL. Value $900.00. It was also written that he owns one horse valued at $75; two cows valued at $5; watches, clocks and jewelry valued at $20; household & kitchen furniture valued at $10; and a wagon valued at $10. Total valued $1020. John signs that the above is true. In the application there are two affidavit of witnesses who do solemnly swear that they are personally acquainted with J. E. H. Rushing, whose name is signed to the foregoing application, and that they know of their own knowledge that the said J. E. H. Rushing did serve as set forth in the application, and that he did not desert the service, but was honorably discharged therefrom. Sworn to A. C. Edmonson, Judge of Probate In and for said State and County. One was B. F. Hickman, who swore and signed the affidavit of witnesses on June 30, 1911. The other was W. A. J. Mills, who swore and signed the affidavit of witness on June 30, 1911. On his application it is written in long hand that he is 76 yeas of age - Suffers form vertigo - probably much asthma and general disabilities of age. Signed W. M. Wildon and T. J. Youngblood. (Note: T. J. Youngblood married John's wife's sister.) On 21 Aug 1911 the application was recommended for approval. His pension was #17750. J. E. H. had to later reapply for his pension, which was approved, on 8 Dec 1914. Mr. Thomas Jefferson Youngblood swore he knew who J. E. H. was.(1) (1) All the above was gathered from the pension records at the Alabama Archives and History, Montgomery, AL by Ronald D. Bridges his Great Great Grandson. My Grandaunt Foye Rushing Black informed me, Ronald Bridges, that she remembers her father and my Great Grandfather, Joseph J. Rushing, administratively taking care of the widow's pension that his mother, Eliza Jane Jenerett, received after John's death. The pension records at the Alabama Archives and History, Montgomery, AL has Eliza's pension application, which she applied for on 21 July 1919 and later was approved. The 53rd's Company B Muster Roll pertaining to J. E. H. Rushing, which I received from the National Archives on July 17, 1997, records that he enlisted August 5th thru September 30th of 1862 in Troy (which is in Pike County), AL, by Capt. Hamner for the period of the war. He was paid the sum of fifty dollars in full for his bounty on September 30, 1862 by Capt. Dickinson. He enlisted once again October 1st thru December 31st of 1862 in Troy, AL, by Capt. Hamner for the period of the war. From October 1, 1862 thru December 31, 1862 the Company Muster Roll's documents that he was sick (no time period given) in the hospital at Montgomery, AL and that his name appears in the column of names present. He was paid December 31, 1862, by Capt. Dickinson. Then the muster roll records he was present from December 31, 1862 thru April 30, 1863, and Capt. Dickerson paid him April 30, 1863. He appears on the roll as present from May thru June of 1863 and is paid by Capt. Felder on June 30, 1863. From June 30th thru October 31st John is present and is paid on October 31, 1863. His name is on the Muster roll from November thru December of 1863 and is dated March 6, 1864 He also appears on a RECEIPT ROLL for clothing for quarter for 1864. His name is written on the roll in some places as John E. A. H. Rushing and as John E. H. Rushing in other places. I, Ronald D. Bridges, have never before seen his name written as John E. A. H. Rushing. Probably this is an error in which his middle name Eager is written as "E. A." for the first two letters instead of just an "E." for Eager. John Eager Howard Rushing b: 7 Dec 1834 in Montgomery Co., AL d: 28 Dec 1918 in Pike Co., AL +Eliza Jane Jenerett b: 8 Jan 1839 in Pike Co., AL d: 18 Jan 1927 in Pike Co., AL m: 16 Nov 1854 in Pike Co., AL. They are both buried Goodhope Baptist Church Cemetery, Pike Co., AL. 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment [Partisan Rangers] The 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment, Partisan Rangers, was organized by increasing the 1st Cavalry Battalion to regimental size at Montgomery on 5 November 1862. Recruits were from Autauga, Coffee, Coosa, Dale, Dallas, Lauderdale, Lowndes, Macon, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Tallapoosa and Wilcox counties. It proceeded in a few weeks to Mississippi. In moving from Columbus to Decatur, in Lawrence, a portion of the regiment was there equipped and proceeded to join Gen'l Earl Van Dorn. This battalion was in the fighting at Thompson's Station, and at Brentwood. The regiment was engaged in the fight with Union Gen'l Grenville Dodge at Town Creek and in the pursuit of Union Col. Abel Streight. Soon after, the 53rd joined the main army at Dalton as part of Gen'l Moses W. Hannon's Brigade, Gen'l John Kelly's Division. It operated on the right of the army as it fell back towards Atlanta and was engaged in constant duty. When Union Gen'l William T. Sherman reached Atlanta, the 53rd was the principal force engaged in the daring raid in his rear, whereby a valuable train was destroyed. It was then at the heels of Sherman as he devastated Georgia and the Carolinas, and it took part in the last operations of the war in that quarter. It surrendered a small number with Gen'l Joseph E. Johnston at Durham Station, Orange County, NC, on 26 April 1865. Field and staff officers: Col. Moses W. Hannon (Montgomery; promoted); Lt. Col. John F. Gaines (Montgomery; wounded, Waynesboro); Major Thomas F. Jenkins (Wilcox; captured, near Florence); and Adjutants R. B. Snodgrass (Montgomery; wounded three times; transferred); and John Tannehill (Montgomery). It was assigned to (1) the District of the Gulf, Dept. #2 (Dec 1862); to Armstrong's Brigade, Jackson's Division, Van Dorn's Cavalry Corps, Department of MS and East LA (Feb 63) with a total of 517 effectives; (2) to Armstrong's Brigade, Van Dorn's Division, Army of Tennessee (Feb-March 63); (3) to Armstrong's Brig, Jackson's Division, Van Dorn's Cavalry Corps, Army of TN (March 63); (4) to District of Northern AL, Dept #2 (July-Aug 63); (5) to Roddey's Brigade, Wheeler's Cavalry Corps, Army of TN (Aug 63-April 64); (6) to M. W. Hannon's Brigade, Humes' Division, Wheeler's Cavalry Corps, Army of TN (April-Nov 64); (7) to Hannon's Brigade, Humes' Division, Wheeler's Cavalry Corps, Department of SC, GA, and FL (Nov 64-Jan 65); (8) to Hannon's Brigade, Allen's Division, Wheeler's Cavalry Corps, Hampton's Cavalry Command (Feb-April 65); and (9) to Hagan's Brigade, Allen's Division, Wheeler's Cavalry Corps, Hampton's Cavalry Command, Army of TN (April 65). The regiment fought in the following battles: Cherokee Station and Little Bear Creek, AL (12 Dec 62); Thompson's Station (5 March 63); Florence, AL (25 March 63); Brentwood (25 March 63); Town Creek (April 63); Streight's Raid (April-May 63); Chickamauga (19-20 Sept 63); Atlanta Campaign (May-Sept 64); Resaca (14-15 May 64); Atlanta Siege (July-Sept 64); Jonesboro (31 Aug-1 Sept 64); Carolinas Campaign (Feb-April 65) Source: Adam Henry Whetstone / History of the Fifty-Third Alabama Volunteer Infantry (Mounted) (University, AL : Confederate Publishing Co., 1985)