Civil War Pension:  Benjamin H. Downing (1875); Chester Co., PA

Contributed by: Raymond Downing <rdown3657@aol.com>


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"Declaration for Original Invalid Pension
State of Pennsylvania
Chester county
On this 18th day of May, 1875, before me, a Clerk of a Court of Record, 
personally appeared Benjamin H. Downing, a resident of Uwchland (sic) in the 
county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, aged 33 years, who being duly sworn 
according to law, declares that he is the identical Benjamin H. Downing who was 
a 1st Lieut. of Co. "E" in the 49th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers in the 
war of 1861 for the supression of the Rebellion.
That he was commissioned at Brandy Station, VA, on or about the 1st day of 
January, 1864, and was honorably discharged at Petersburg, VA, on the 1st day of 
March, 1865, and he has not been in the US Military or Naval Service since.
That while in said service in the line of his duty at Spottsylvania in the State 
of Virginia on or about the 12th day of May, 1864, he was injured in left leg 
and left side by a solid shot striking a timber thrown against him while acting 
as Adjutant in action for which he was treated at U.S. General Hospital, 
Fredericksburg, VA, and U.S. General Hospital, Washington, D.C."

Witnesses to the affidavit were Joseph G. King, Chester county, and Norris L. 
Smith, Chester county. It was signed by the clerk of the court, William Stott.

Epilogue: Benjamin was granted his pension, and lived until 1908, dying of heart 
disease. After his death, his widow, Kate E. (Dowell), applied for and received 
a widow's pension until her 1917 death.