Archive:Civil War Pension File, Charles H. Whitney (1826-1899)
Archives > Archive:Military Records > Archive:Civil War, Pension Files > Civil War Pension File, Charles H. Whitney (1826-1899)
Civil War Pension File of Charles H. Whitney
Widow: Ann C. Whitney
Invalid Applic. # 47168 Cert. # 385769
Widow Applic. # 705126 Cert. # 494017
National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
He is identified as Charles H.8 Whitney (Humphrey7, Jonathan6, Jonathan5, Samuel4, John3, Benjamin2, John1).
This pension file was pivital in the identification of Jonathan S. Whitney of Kirkland as the Civil War soldier John Whitney of Anoka, Minnesota. John's testimony appears in this file. Jonathan S. Whitney is the only person who could be this "John" Whitney. His pension file abstract will follow.
Unassigned Company, 15th Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Engineers and Mechanics, and Company I, 15th Michigan Infantry
The Adjutant General's Office of the War Department reports that the records show that Charles H. Whitney was drafted from the 3rd District of Michigan on 15 March 1865. He was examined and held to serve 4 April 1865. He was sent to Draft Rendezvous the same day, and assigned and forwarded to the 15th Michigan Volunteers, Department South, on 12 April 1865.
Charles H. Whitney obtained a Certificate of Disability for Discharge from the Army of the United States. He served in the 1st Michigan Volunteer Regiment of Engineers and Mechanics. He was enlisted by the Provost Marshall of Jackson at Jackson, Michigan on 27 December 1863, to serve three years. He was born in Cumberland in the State of Maine. He is 38 years old, and is 5 feet nine inches tall, with a dark complexion, gray eyes and black hair. His occupation when he enlisted was carpenter. During the last two months the soldier had been unfit for duty 41 days. He entered the hospital 9 February 1864 with chronic ophthalmia and partial loss of sight in both eyes. At the present time he is not able to walk about because of blindness. His station is the post hospital at Grand Rapids, Michigan, dated 23 March 1864. He is certified incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of chronic ophthalmia and partial loss of sight of both eyes. He is not fit for service in the Army or the Invalid Corps. He is discharged 9 April 1864 at Jackson, Michigan. His address is Jackson, Jackson Co., Michigan
On 24 February 1886, in support of an application by Charles for an increase in benefits, Jeremiah Matteson of Liberty, Jackson Co., Michigan gives testimony. He is 52 years old and he has been acquainted with Charles H. Whitney since 1859. At the time of his enlistment, Charles was a sound, healthy person and had no defective eyesight. Jeremiah lived in the same neighborhood with him then, and ever since, with the exception of the summer of 1865, when he lived 5 miles south of his residence. He saw him very soon after his return from the army. He then has loss of sight of the right eye and complained of rheumatism, which was severe when he first came home. He was obliged to use crutches for a long time. He has complained of rheumatism ever since his return.
John Whitney, 70 years old and a citizen of Anoka, Anoka Co., Minnesota testifies in 1900 in support of the application of Charles' wife Ann Whitney for pension benefits. He states that he knows and was well acquainted with Charles H. Whitney from about the year 1840 to the year 1858. They were cousins. Charles was married to Martha Jane Braley about the year 1846 or 1847. She died in Hudson, Penobscot Co., Maine about the year 1850. He attended her funeral and saw her remains. Charles was not married from the time of her death until 1858, and he saw Charles almost every day during that time. If Charles had been married during that time, he would have been aware of it. From 1850 to 1854, both John and Charles resided in Hudson, Maine, and from 1854 to 1858 they both resided in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In about September of 1858 Charles left Minneapolis for Lake Superior, and he never saw or heard from him since that time.
Copyright © 2006, Kenneth L. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group.
