JACKSON COUNTY, NC - MILITARY - Civil War Pension, John H. Mathis, 1886 ----¤¤¤---- Deposition of John H. Mathis from his Civil War Pension file in the U.S. Archives: "Deposition A, Case of John H. Mathis, No. 408.093 On this 4th day of Oct., 1886, at Tuckasiegie, County of Jackson, State of N.C., before me, U.S. Fitzhenry, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared John H. Mathis, who being by my first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this Special Examination of afore-said pension claim, deposes and says: My age is 43 years and I reside at Canada Tswp Jackson Co., N.C. P.O. Cathey Jackson Co., N.C. I am the John H. Mathis who enlisted at Nashville Tenn. in Co. M. 9th Tenn. Cav. I served in Co. M. some six or eight months & was then assigned to Co. D. when the 9th & 11th Cos. were consolidated. I enlisted May 1874 and was discharged Sept. 1865. I was conscripted with the Confederate Army in 1862 & was assigned to 62nd N.C. Regt. I do not recall the letter of the Co. A.D. Hooper was Capt. of that Co. I claim a pension on account of an injury to my breast, chronic diarrhea, liver & spleen disease and rheumatism. I contracted these disabilities under the following circumstances: I was injured in my breast by being thrown from my horse at Seven Mile Ford, Va. about Dec. 20, 1874 or rather the horse fell on me. We encamped in the evening in a field where there was no place to hitch our horses. I laid down backwards against some rail and while asleep my horse either stepped on my chest with his foot or knee. I was sleeping at the time and cannot say just how it happened but supposed the horse had stumbled over the rail in making for some hay. I bled out of my mouth but did not go to the Dr. - the horse had also cut my face in stepping on me at that time & I had some (illegible) to fix that up. I got it from our Dr. or rather the Hosp. (illegible) Wm. Mathis - since died. I had no medical treatment for the injury to breast but did not do any duty for a while. I was excused by the Company Sgt. H.M. Hooper. I contracted diarrhea while at Contentment(?) Spring, Tenn. about Jan. 1, 1865. The disease kept bothering me all along up to June 1865 when I got so bad that I had to apply for treatment. We were at Louden Tenn. Dr. Branlow Rgt. Surg. gave me some treatment for diarrhea. I took treatment for some weeks, the disease then got better. I done no duty while I had diarrhea - in fact I did but little duty after I was hurt by the horse. I had no attack of diarrhea while in service for June 1865 but have had attacks of the disease at intervals since discharge. My liver & spleen became affected when I had the diarrhea. Dr. Branlow told me that my liver & spleen were congested. I contracted rheumatism about Aug. 1865 while at Sweet Water, Tenn. Just after I had got over the diarrhea, the rheumatism affected my arms & shoulder, mostly my left arm. I could not put my coat off or on for some weeks and had the disease to some extent when I was mustered out. I was also treated by Dr. Branlow for rheumatism. He treated me in my quarters, I did not go to a Hosp. Dr. Branlow was the only Physician who treated me while in service. Dr. J.W. Deavers Asst. Surg. was present at times when Dr. Branlow gave me treatment. I was a member of Co. M. when I was injured in my breast. The other diseases were contracted after I was assigned to Co. D. I cannot really say who was present when I was injured - except Capt. Bayliss of my Co. I was on the reserve Picket Post at the time. Q.- How often do you have diarrhea? A.- I have had from three to five spells lasting from three days to a week during every year since the war - except that during the last three years I had but one severe spell which was last June. It lasted me for nearly two weeks. Q.- How do your liver & speen bother you? A.- I have pain under my right shoulder blade pain in both sides - at times in one side & then the other. Q.- How frequent have you had attacks of rheumatism since the war? A.- For some years after the war it was monthly in my arms - left worst - but in later years it has affected me all over. My left arm swells up at times & my elbow joints are somewhat affected. Q.- Have you been bedfast at any time? A.- I have not been bedfast much. I keep moving as long as possible. I have been in bed for a few days. Q.- By whom do you expect to prove your conditions while in service? A.- H.M. Hooper Sgt., Wm. L. McCall Lt., L.W. Hooper & M.R. Hooper. Q.- Please look over this list of commands & indicated whether any of them named know anything about your case. A.- I don't recollect any Capt. Cochran or Lt. Bacon, they must have been in the Co. before I joined. Lt. L.W. Hooper knew me well. I was not acquainted with Cpt. J.S. Fain & I think he had belonged to the 11th Tenn. Cav. I messed with Jos. Owensbury. The Hoopers named on that list all knew me. Q.- By whom do you expect to prove your condition since the war? A.- Rudison Crawford, E.W. Fortner, A.W. Parker, Dr. Levi Brown & Jas. N. Cathey. I will be present while you take the testamony here. I wish to correct myself about the injury to my breast. While on the reserve Picket Post some rebels came near & a party of us charged after them and in riding along my horse blundered & threw me & in the fall he fell on me & injured me. I then went back & laid on the rail as seated. While lying there Capt. Bayliss came up & tied his handkerchief over my face. The Capt. cursed the horse. My face was all bloody from the cut on my face. Q.- Was the skin broke on your breast? A.- No Sir: it was just bruised. Q.- Why did you tell me a while ago that your were lying down & that the horse had stepped on you & now say that the horse threw you & then fell on you? A.- I cannot say how I made the mistake except it arose from the fact that I did afterwards go back & lay on the rail. Q.- How did you get back to the reserve Post? A.- I got on my horse & rode back. Q.- Did your horse not run away? A.- No Sir, he got up but did not run away. Q.- How far were you from the reserve Post when you were hurt? A.- Probably three hundred yards. Q.- Can you not give the names of some who were present? A.- I can recollect but one - Geo. Cunningham but he is dead. I fully understood & comprehended your questions & you have recorded my answers honestly. Signed, John H. Mathis Sworn to and subscribed before me this 5th day of Oct., 1886 and I certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing. Signed, U.S. Fitzhenry" *John H. Mathis' entire War & Pension file contains almost 100 pages, including many personal affadavits from people in Jackson County. He was awarded a pension of $6 per month which was later increased to $15 per month.* end ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Shawna Hall ___________________________________________________________________