Civil War Pension Application of Augustin A. Couvillion, Avoyelles Parish, LA Submitted by: Cathy (Lemoine) Sturgell Date: 2/26/2005 Source: Civil War Pension Application ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ NOTE: This is a transcription of Augustin A. Couvillion's Application for a Civil War Pension. Augustin was my g-g-grandfather. His first marriage was to Florence Couvillion, my g-g-grandmother. He later married Celise Mayeux and Aimee Rose Bordelon. http://www.geocities.com/chatty1.geo/ Source: Louisiana Soldier's Application for Pension, # 451 for Augustin A. Couvillion, Filed December 3, 1898 ********************************************************************** Avoyelles No. 451 SOLDIER'S APPLICATION FOR PENSION The Board reserves the right to call for additional testimony. Voorhies, LA Augustin A. Couvillion Filed: Dec. 3rd, 1898 Co. E, 18th LA Inf. Allowed: Quarterly Allowance: Pension Allowed from: Rejected: (Signature unreadable) President (Signature unreadable) Secretary Board of Pension Commissioners *********************************************************************** SOLDIER"S APPLICATION FOR PENSION I, Augustin A. Couvillion, a native of Louisiana and now a citizen of Louisiana, resident at Voorhies in the Parish of Avoyelles in said State of Louisiana, and who was a soldier from the State of Louisiana in the Confederate States army in the war between the United States and the Confederate States, do hereby apply for aid under Act 125 of the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana 1898; and I do solemnly swear that I served the Confederate States honorably from the date of my enlistment until the close of the civil war, as shown by my answers below, and that I remained true to the Confederate cause until the surrender, and that I am now in indigent circumstances, and unable to earn a livelihood by my own labor or skill, and that I am not salaried or otherwise provided for by the State of Louisiana or by any other State or government, and am entitled to receive the benefits of said Act No. 125 of 1898, as further shown by my answers to the questions below, which I swear to be true and correct: 1. In what town, county, State, country and year were you born? Answer: Borodino, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana 2. When and where did you enlist, and in what command? Answer: I enlisted at Camp Pratt in 1862 in the command Mouton's Brigade. Co E, 18t Regt LA 3. Give the names of the regimental and company officers under whom you enlisted, and under whom you were serving the date of your parole. Answer: Alfred Mouton Brigadier Genl. Capt Story Commanding Co. E, 18th Regt LA. After the death of Genl Mouton, Genl. B_______ took command of the Brigade and commanded until the close of the war. 4. Were you wounded? If so, in what battles, and if not, state under what circumstances during the war you received injury or injuries. Answer: No 5. What was the precise nature of your wound or wounds, if any? Answer: None 6. If you have lost a limb or an eye, state when, where and how. Answer: None 7. Were you discharged from the army by reason of wound, wounds, or from the effects of service? Answer: I was discharged from effecto(?) service at the close of the war. 8. If discharged or paroled from the army, where were you and what did you do until the close of the war? Answer: I was discharged at Natchitoches, LA at the close of the war. 9. What was the name of the surgeon who attended you when discharged? Answer: Drs. McClous (?) and Bunson (?) was Surgeons of my co______. 10. Where were you at the surrender? Answer: At Natchitoches. 11. If a prisioner, in what camp, and when were you released, and to where sent? Answer: No. 12. Did you take the oath of allegiance to the United States Government at any time during the war? Answer: No 13. If so, when, where and under what circumstances? Answer: -------------------- 14. How long have you been a resident of the State of Louisiana next preceeding the date of this application? Where have you resided during that period? Answer: I was born in Louisiana and lived therein to this date. 15. Are you married or have you been married? Answer: I am. 16. If so, what is the size of your family? Answer: Myself, my wife and ten children, two of whom are married. 17. What are the respective ages of your wife and children? Answer: My present wife being of this marriage is now 31 years of age and my children are respectively 27, 29, 17, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 4 and 2 years 18. How many children have you, and how many of each sex? Answer: Ten in all, three boys and seven girls. 19. Are you engaged in any business? If so, what do you earn? Answer: I am not. 20. Have you any estate in your own right, real or personal, and what is its value? Answer: None. 21. Has your wife any estate in her own right, real of personal, and what is its value? Answer: None. 22. How have your derived support for yourself, and family if you have one, for the last five years, and what prevents you from earning a living now? Answer: What little I have derived was from from my(?) labor and my children. My condition _____ & my age is such for several years past that I can do but very little work. 23. Do you use any intoxicants to any extent? Answer: I do not. 24. Have you an attorney to look after this application? Answer: I have none. 25. Give his name, address and the compensation agreed between you. Answer: ----------------- 26. Give names of two or more of your comrades with their postoffice addresses. Answer: A. M. Gremillion, Marksville, LA one of the ______________ witnesses, H. C. Edwards and Eloi Moullard, Marksville, LA. 27. Give your postoffice address and that of the two witnesses. Answer: My Post Office address is Voorhies, LA that of my two witnesses is Marksville, LA. Witness my hand this 21st day of November, 1898. (Signature of) A. A. Couvillion Applicant Witnesses: (Signatures of) A. M. Gremillion J. A. Morrow APPLICANT MUST GO BEFORE CLERK OF COURT State of Louisiana Avoyelles Parish Personally appeared before me, Alcide M. Bordelon Clerk of the District Court of said Parish, the above named Augustin A. Couvillion, the applicant, with whom I am personally acquainted, and having the application read and fully explained to him as well as the statements and answers therein made, made oath that the statements and answers are true. Witness my hand and seal of office, this 21st day of November, 1898 (Signature of) A. M. Bordelon Clerk State of Louisiana Avoyelles Parish Personally appeared before me, Alcide M. Bordelon, Clerk of the District Court of said Parish, the above named Aristide M. Gremillion and J. Alphonse Morrow, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing application, with whom I am personally acquainted, and know to be citizens of veracity and standing in this community, and who make oath that they are personally acquainted with the foregoing applicant, and that the facts set forth and statements made in his application are correct and true, to the best of their knowledge and belief, and that they have no interest in this claim, and that said applicant's habits are good and free from dishonor. Witness my hand and seal of office, this 21st day of November, 1898 (Signature of) A. M. Bordelon Clerk *********************************************************************** (Following is the transcription of a handwritten letter from Marcelin M. Dufour to the Board of Pensions in 1900.) Moreauville, La 7/25/1900 To: The Board of Pension Comm. Baton Rouge, La Dear Sirs: In view of the fact that I am very old and totally unable to do any manual labor or anything else that will provide for the actual necessities of life, the small pension which your honorable board graciously grants me is insufficient to render the necessary assistance; hence I take this method of submitting to you for your careful consideration my application, accompanied by a Physician's certificate, for increase of pension, should you see fit to allow it. Should the result of your deliberation prove favorable to me and you decide to increase my monthly allowance, your action in the premises while performing the duties of the elevated positions your occupy, will be coupled with a charitable act as there is (if I say myself) no pensioner who is more deserving assistance, than the one who subscribes himself Yours very truly, Marcelin M. Dufour ************************************************************************ (Letter attached to the above from Dr. T. L. Lougarre, Moreauville, La) July 25, 1900 To: The Board of Pension Commissioners Baton Rouge, La. I do hereby certify that Mr. Marcelin M. Dufour, aged 69 years, a resident of Moreauville, La and my client since about twenty years is affected of a chronic disease of the heart which makes an invalid of him, unable to perform any kind of work to earn his living. Respectfully, (Signature of) T. L. Lougarre, M.D. ************************************************************************ State of Louisiana Office of Board of Pension Commissioners Baton Rouge, La__________________1901 To Chief of the Record and Pension Office War Department Washington, D.C. Dear Sir: This Board, in the discharge of its duties under Article 303 of the Constitution of 1898 of the State of Louisiana, and of Act No. 125 of its General Assembly of the same year, creating a Board of Pension Commissioners, respectfully apply for information for your records, relative to: M. M. Dufour of Company: G, 1st La Cavalry How is he reported on the rolls of his Company? He claims parole at Alexandria, La in 1865. Very respectfully, (Signature of) J. A. Chalaron ************************************************************************ (Transcription of handwritten letter from Marcelin M. Dufour to the Board of Pension Commissioners in 1903.) Moreauville, Sept. 3, 1903 To the Board of Pension Commissioners Baton Rouge, La Again for the second time, I appeal to your for assistance for to raise my Pension from $2.50 a month to $5 or 6 a month then it would be doing me some good. I am down with the worse heart disease you have never (seen?). I am confine me and my wife in a negro cabin and suffering for the lise of provisions and clothing. Cannot do no kind of work on account of that miserable disease. And no assistance worth anything except once & awhile when get little a little plate of from some ones. I am left destituted and with no revenue whatsoever. Three Doctor's have passes on me have give up curing me. If you should need some references in in my case. I can give you certificate from all three of them or you can have all references you would need by writing direct to them: Here is their names: Dr. T. L. Lougarre Moreauville P.O. Avoyelles La Dr. John H. Boyder " " " Dr. G. R. Fox " " " hoping you will study my position and take my care at heart and not let me died in misery. as a soldier I done my duty from the start to the end. Yours respectfully, (over) Marcelin M. Dufour Moreauville P.O. Avoyelles Parish La *********************************************************************** (Typed record from the War Department) (Stamp says ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, FEB 27 1908, WAR DEPARTMENT, 1346203) Baton Rouge, La. M. M. Dufour Co. G. 1st La. Cavy. La. Board of Pension Commissioners, J. A. Chalaron, President Desires record of above named. (Handwritten 468/7009) WAR DEPARTMENT The Adjutant General's Office Washington February 28, 1908 Respectfully returned to the President, Louisiana Board of Pension Commissioners, Baton Rouge. The records of tis office show that one M. M. Dufour, private, Company G, 1st Louisiana Cavalry, C. S. A., was enrolled October 4, 1861, at Baton Rouge, for the war. On a muster roll of the company for January and February, 1864, the last roll on file, his is reported "absent on sick furlough given at Chattanooga July 4, 1862". No later record of him has been found. (Signature of ??) The Adjutant General *************************************************************** The following Company Muster Roll records are included in the pension file I obtained from the State Archives in Baton Rouge: 1. Private, Capt. Fenelon Cannon's Company, Mounted Reg't Louisiana Vols, Company Muster-In Roll Age 29 years Roll dated: Baton Rouge Barracks, Oct 31, 1861 Muster-in to date: Oct. (4?), 1861 Joined for duty and enrolled: When: Oct. (4?), 186(?) Where: Baton Rouge By whom: Capt W. W. (???) Period: During the war 2. Pvt., Co G, 1 Reg't Louisiana Cavalry Company Muster Roll of the organization named above. for May - ??? 31, 1862 (Enlisted info is repeated) Last paid: By whom: (?) Claiborne To what time: Apl 30, 1862 Presnet or absent: Present 3. Pvt., Co G, 1 Reg't Louisiana Cavalry Company Muster Roll of the organization named above. for Sept 1 to Dec 31, 1962 (Enlisted info is repeated) Last paid: By whom: Capt Herndon (??) To what time: Aug 31, 1862 Present or absent: Absent Remarks: Absent on sick furlough 4. Pvt., Co G, 1 Reg't Louisiana Cavalry Company Muster Roll of the organization named above. for Jan & Feb 1863 (Enlisted info is repeated) Last paid: By whom: Capt Herndon (??) To what time: Dec 31 1862 Present or absent: Absent Remarks: Absent on sick furlough given at Chattanooga on July 4, 1862 5. Pvt., Co G, 1 Reg't Louisiana Cavalry Company Muster Roll of the organization named above. for Feb 28 to June 30 1863 (Enlisted info is repeated) Last paid: By whom: Capt Herndon (??) To what time: Feb 28 1863 Present or absent: Absent Remarks: Absent on sick furlough since July 4, 1862 6. Pvt., Co G, 1 Reg't Louisiana Cavalry Company Muster Roll of the organization named above. for Nov & Dec 1863 (Enlisted info is repeated) Last paid: By whom: To what time: Present or absent: Absent Remarks: Absent on sick furlough given at Chattanooga July 4, 1962 7. Pvt., Co G, 1 Reg't Louisiana Cavalry Company Muster Roll of the organization named above. for Jan & Feb 1864 (Enlisted info is repeated) Last paid: By whom: To what time: Present or absent: Absent Remarks: Absent on sick furlough given at Chattanooga July 4, 1962