Alexander
Alford and his Confederate Army Pension Application
Alexander Marshall Alford was
granted a pension in the late 1800s for his service as a Confederate in the
Civil War. However, when the pension rolls were re-examined around 1913, Alexander
was dropped from the rolls because his service was with a Georgia State Militia
organization instead of the regular Confederate Army. This prompted many years
effort on the part of Alexander and various legal authorities to get his pension
reinstated. The following is a collection of correspondence related to the matter.
Brackets [ ] are the author's.
July 28, 1913
Hon. John S. Curtis, Judge of Probate,
Double Springs, Alabama
Dear Judge:
Hon. H.Y. Brooke, Examiner of Public Accounts,
is in Washington examining the pension rolls pursuant to the Governor's instructions.
I enclose a copy of a report mailed by him on our county. Please examine this
carefully at once and investigate same.
These reports will be submitted to the State Board
of Examiners who meet here in August. I officially have nothing to do with this
as it will come before the Sate Board who will either authorize the retention
or rejection of pensioners. I merely forward this to you in order that no worthy
confederate veteran may be dropped from the pension roll and shall ask you to
report to this office as early as possible that I may submit same to the State
Board of Pension Examiners.
Yours Truly,
C.B. Smith, State Auditor
[on same sheet]
July 24, 1913
Dear Sir:
I am sending you a copy of
the Examiner's Report on your pension. You will also find a copy of the Auditor's
letter to me. You must at once furnish explanations of the Report or your name
will be dropped from the pension rolls. You can file same with me of the State
Auditor.
John S. Curtis, Probate Judge
September 18, 1915
The State of Alabama
Pension Bureau
Montgomery
To: A.M. Alford
You are hereby notified that a charge has been
duly preferred against you to the effect that you are ineligible to a pension
under the laws of this State, because, the name A.L.[?]
Alford has not been found on the rolls on file of Company Dm 29th, Alabama Infantry,
C.S.A. and no record has been found of the capture or parole of a man of that
name and organization.
Within TWENTY DAYS from this date you can appear
before me, at my office in the State Capitol, in person or by counsel, and offer
testimony by witnesses or the affidavits of witnesses in explanation or refutation
of said charges. In case you make your defense by the affidavits of witnesses,
those affidavits must be made and signed and sworn to before the Probate Judge
of your county, and duly attested by his official signature.
In the event that you fail within twenty days
to make answer or defense to said charge, the charge will be taken as confessed,
and your default will be duly reported to the State Board of Pension Examiners
for final determination.
Witness my official signature, this the 18th day of September 1913.
F.S. Ferguson, Committee of State Board of Pension Examiners
November 8, 1915
Double Springs, Alabama
A.M. Alford
Under section 36 of late pension law all applications
for pensions or reinstatement must have the certificate of the tax assessor
that you do not own $2,000 worth of property.
Your application for reinstatement has been returned
to me and Mr. John B. Weaver has this day made the proper certificate and I
return the same to the Auditor for action by the Pension Board.
So you need not do any thing until same is acted
upon then I will notify you and if the action is against you, in three months
from said action you can again apply before me and I will transmit to State
Board who acts on all applications under the new law.
Very truly,
John S. Curtis
[on separate scrap of paper]
A.M. Alford
A search of all records of Co. D. 29th Alabama
Infantry fails to show this man's name on the roll. His own statement as to
time of his enlistment in the present application varies from his sworn statement
as furnished old pension board. [The number 292 follows on
this line.]
March 3, 1920
Soldier's or Sailor's Application for Confederate Pension
The State of Alabama,
Winston County
To the State Board of Confederate Pension Examiners:
The following answers to the queries propounded
are respectfully submitted in support of my application for a Confederate pension
under Act of the Legislature of Alabama, approved Sept. 23rd, 1919.
1. What is your full name? A.M. Alford
2. What is your present post office address? Houston
3. What is your exact age? 71 years, 3 days
4. How long have you lived in this state? 35 years
5. Did you actually serve as a soldier or sailor? Yes
6. What date did you enlist in the service of the Confederate States? March
29, 1864
Where did you enlist? West Point, Georgia
7. What branch of the service were you in? Stationed at
West Point
8. What was your rank? Private
9. Company? Co. D.
10. Who was captain? Frost
11. Regiment? Can't remember regiment or battalion
12. Who was colonel? W.W. Cato
13. How long did you see actual service? To March 1, 1865
14. Were you ever wounded? No
15. In what engagements?
16. When?
17. In what way?
18. Were you ever taken prisoner? No
19. If so, under what circumstances?
20. Where were you captured?
21. Where were you confined as a prisoner?
22. Under what circumstances were you released?
23. Were you paroled? Was furloughed home
24. When? March 1, 1865
25. Where? West Point, Georgia
26. Why? To go home
27. If not attached hereto, where is your parole? Same
was burned up when dwelling was burned
28. If you were not paroled, when and where, and under what circumstances did
you leave the service of the Confederacy? As above, they
captured town before returned to duty
29. Did you take the oath of allegiance to any other government than the Confederate
States before April 9th, 1865? No
30. Were you transferred from the company in which you first enlisted? No
31. Give Company, Regiment, to which transferred, when and where?
32. Have you resided in any other State than Alabama? Yes
If so, give state and counties and years of residence? State
of Georgia, Troup County until coming to Alabama
33. What is the actual value of the property of yourself? $982
34. Of your wife? None
35. Have you any income such as salary, or any other whatever? No
36. If so, what does it amount to annually?
37. Are you married? Yes
38. When were you married? Nov. 1874
39. What is the age of your present wife? 66
40. If you have any living children, what are their ages, names, and what is
each doing?
Name: Dessa Wilson; Age: 40; Occupation: Farmer
Name: Dayse Blake; Age 37; Occupation: Farmer
Name: Jno. W. Alford; Age 35; Occupation: Farmer
41. Was your name taken as a Confederate soldier in the last census made by
the State? Yes
42. If not, why?
43. Do you belong to a Camp of United Confederate Veterans? No
44. If so, which?
45. Have you ever made application for a pension before, in this State, and
been rejected?
Yes, drew and was taken off books
46. When? About 1914
47. Why, and by whom? Can't tell by State Examiner
48. Have you ever made an application for a pension in any other state and been
rejected? No
49. If so, give name of state, and reason assigned for rejection?
50. Where are you registered as a voter? Winston County,
Alabama
51. With whom are you living at the present time? Keeping
house on my son's place
52. Have you ever been on the pension roll of this State before? Yes
If so, give years when you drew pension, when dropped, and reason for being
stricken from roll? Several years to about 1914
I hereby solemnly swear that I have answered the
foregoing questions truthfully and fully to the best of my knowledge and recollection.
A.M. Alford
Sworn and subscribed before me this Third day
of February 1920, Jno. S. Curtis, A Probate Judge in and for said State and
County.
Affidavit of Two Citizens of the Precinct Where Applicant Resides
We, Lee F. Dodd and Jas. W.
Curtis our post office addresses being Double Springs and Double Springs, Ala.,
respectively, do solemnly swear that we have known A.M. Alford whose name is
signed to the foregoing application 10 years and 15 years respectively, that
we consider him to be a truthful and reliable person and do not believe that
he would make a false statement for the purpose of securing a pension.
Lee F. Dodd
Jas. W. Curtis
Sworn and subscribed before me this Third day
of February 1920, Jno. S. Curtis, A Probate Judge in and for said State and
County.
Certificate of Tax Assessor as to Value of Applicant's Property
I, Jno. B. Weaver, the Tax
Assessor of Winston County, hereby certify that I have examined the assessment
books of Winston County and that I find that the assessed value of the property
of applicant and his wife including exempt property, to be $610.
John B. Weaver, Tax Assessor, Winston County
[Notes scribbled in pencil on back of Pension Application]
Records show Cato was Colonel of 37th District Georgia Militia. Pension Law
of 1919 prohibits State Pension Board from placing in pension roll names of
[men?] whose service only was with State Troops, State
Militia, or Home Guards.
April 5, 1920
John S. Curtis
Judge of Probate, Winston County
Double Springs, Alabama
Dear Sir,
You [two words missing]
you was in state organization and they will not allow you no pension.
Thanks,
Jno.. S. Curtis
June 5, 1925
Soldier's or Sailor's Application for Confederate Pension
The State of Alabama,
Chambers County
To the State Board of Confederate Pension Examiners:
The following answers to the queries propounded
are respectfully submitted in support of my application for a Confederate pension
under Act of the Legislature of Alabama, approved Sept. 14, 1923.
1. What is your full name? Alexander Marshall Alford
2. What is your present post office address? Houston,
Alabama
3. What is your exact age? 76 years, 2 months, 28 days
4. How long have you lived in this state? about 40 years
5. Did you actually serve as a soldier or sailor? Yes
6. What date did you enlist in the service of the Confederate States? Spring
of year, 1864
Where did you enlist? West Point, Georgia
7. What branch of the service were you in? Infantry
8. What was your rank? Private
9. Company? B
10. Who was captain? Captain Cooper
11. Regiment? 37
12. Who was colonel? Colonel Cato
13. How long did you see actual service? About 1 year
14. Were you ever wounded? No
15. In what engagements? Not wounded
16. When?
17. In what way?
18. Were you ever taken prisoner? No
19. If so, under what circumstances? Not taken
20. Where were you captured?
21. Where were you confined as a prisoner? No where
22. Under what circumstances were you released? Furloughed,
war ended
23. Were you paroled? No
24. When? Not paroled
25. Where?
26. Why?
27. If not attached hereto, where is your parole?
28. If you were not paroled, when and where, and under what circumstances did
you leave the service of the Confederacy? Furloughed and
war ended during that time
29. Did you take the oath of allegiance to any other government than the Confederate
States before April 9th, 1865? No
30. Were you transferred from the company in which you first enlisted? No
31. Give Company, Regiment, to which transferred, when and where?
32. Have you resided in any other State than Alabama? Yes
If so, give state and counties and years of residence? Born
in Georgia - Troup County
33. What was your post office address in the county and State where you last
lived before coming to Alabama? West Point, Troup County,
Georgia
34. With whom did you live in such State? My own house
35. What was the exact year and month you came to Alabama? January
1880
36. Are you married? Yes
37. When were you married? November 1st, 1874
38. What is the age of your present wife? 70 years
39. If you have any living children, what are their ages, names, and what is
each doing?
Name: Odessa Wilson; Age: 49; Occupation:
Name: Daisy Blake; Age 45; Occupation:
Name: John Alford; Age 40; Occupation: Farming
40. Was your name taken as a Confederate soldier in the last census made by
the State? Yes
41. If not, why?
42. Do you belong to a Camp of United Confederate Veterans? Yes
43. If so, which? Lawpkins
44. Have you ever made application for a pension before, in this State, and
been rejected? Yes
45. When? 1911
46. Why, and by whom? State Board
47. Have you ever made an application for a pension in any other state and been
rejected? No
48. If so, give name of state, and reason assigned for rejection? Never
applied
49. Were you ever on the pension roll of any other state that this? No
If so, give county none, and state none.
50. Where are you registered as a voter? Houston, Winston
County
51. With whom are you living at the present time? my home
52. Have you ever been on the pension roll of this State before? Yes
If so, give years when you drew pension, when dropped, and reason for being
stricken from roll? Prior to Governor O'Neal's administration.
Don't know reason
I hereby solemnly swear that I have answered the
foregoing questions truthfully and fully to the best of my knowledge and recollection.
Alexander M. Alford
Sworn and subscribed before me this Fifth day
of June 1925, Elbert K. Tidwell, A Notary Public in and for said State and County.
Certificate as to Service by a Confederate Veteran
53. Do you know of your own personal knowledge that the above
applicant performed actual service as a soldier or sailor of the State of Alabama
or Confederate States, and that his command was not an organization only of
Home Guards or State Militia? Yes
54. Do you know positively that the above applicant concluded his service as
states? Yes
55. Who was his captain? Captain Cooper
56. Who was his colonel? Colonel Cato
57. What branch of service was he in? Infantry
58. What was your Company and Regiment? Co. B, 37 Regiment
59. Who was your Captain? Captain Cooper
Colonel? Colonel Cato
60. Do you draw a pension from this State? No
Do you draw a pension from any other state? No
61. Do you belong to a Camp of Confederate Veterans? No
62. If so, give name and location?
63. What is your post office address? Welsh, Ala.
64. State in detail what you know of the service, capture or parole of this
applicant.
J.H. Burkes
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30th day
of May, 1925, H.D. Lee, a Notary Public in and for State of Alabama, County
of Chambers.
Affidavit of Two Citizens of the Precinct Where Applicant Resides
We, F.G. Scogin and M.D. Cooper
our post office addresses being Houston and Houston, Ala., respectively, do
solemnly swear that we have known Alexander M. Alford whose name is signed to
the foregoing application 17 years and 35 years respectively, that we consider
him to be a truthful and reliable person and do not believe that he would make
a false statement for the purpose of securing a pension.
F.G. Scogin
M.D. Cooper
Sworn and subscribed before me this Fifth day
of June 1925, Elbert K. Tidwell, A Notary Public in and for said State and County.
Certificate of Tax Assessor as to Value of Applicant's Property
I, Jno.. B. Weaver, the Tax
Assessor of Winston County, hereby certify that I have examined the assessment
books of Winston County and that I find that the assessed value of the property
of applicant and his wife including exempt property, to be $610.
John B. Weaver, Tax Assessor, Winston County
June 23, 1925
Winston County
Alexander M. Alford
This applicant states that he was a private in
Co. B., of Captain Cooper's Company, Colonel Cato's 37th Alabama Regiment and
that he enlisted at West Point, Georgia in the Spring of 1864. It is shown by
the age given on June 5th, 1925 as seventy-six years, two months, and twenty-eight
days that he was fifteen-years-old at the time of his enlistment. These facts
were submitted to the War Department at Washington and from them we have a report
that W.W. Cato was Lieutenant Colonel of the 37th District Georgia Militia,
but that the name of Alexander Marshall Alford cannot be found on any of the
rolls of that company or regiment. It being shown that the organization to which
this applicant claims to have belonged was a State Militia organization. This
Commission would be without any authority to place his name on the pension rolls
of this State for the pension laws absolutely prohibit the Pension Commission
from placing the name of any person or the widow of such person on the pension
roll of Alabama, whose only service is shown to be that of State Troops, Home
Guards, or State Militia. Witness to the application is J.H. Burkes of Welsh,
Alabama who states that he belonged to the same organization, but he is not
on the pension roll. The application is rejected.
January 24, 1928
John W. Clark
Commissioner of Pensions
State of Georgia, Pension Department
Hon. John B. Weaver,
Double Springs, Ala.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of January 21, requesting that a blank
be mailed to Mr. A.M. Alford, Houston, Ala., on which he might make application
for a pension in Georgia, has been received.
The State of Georgia only pays pensions to those
Confederate veterans or their widows who are bona fide residents of the State,
and, therefore, it will not be possible to accept an application from a veteran
who is a resident of the State of Alabama.
With kind regards,
Very truly yours,
John W. Clark
Commissioner of Pensions
By Margaret W. Arnold, Clerk
[Note in pencil at bottom of letter]
Mr. John Alford will you please give this letter
to your father. It seems that we will not be able to ever get your father on
the Pension Roll.
Yours Truly,
John B. Weaver
August 15, 1929
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
W.B. Bankhead
10th District Alabama
Jasper, Alabama
Mr. A.M. Alford,
Houston, Alabama.
Dear Sir:
I am enclosing you herein letter from the Secretary
of the Alabama Pension Board which I am sending you for your information and
guidance.
If you can furnish them the information requested
in this letter I suggest that you have some one write them direct at Montgomery.
It seems that it will also be necessary for you
to fill out another application, blanks for which are enclosed.
I am sure that Judge Weaver at Double Springs
will be glad to assist you.
With best wishes,
Yours truly,
W.B. Bankhead
[W.B. Bankhead is the man for which the Bankhead Forest is
named. He is also the father of Hollywood actress, Tallulah Bankhead].
May 9th, 1929
General Headquarters
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Law Building
Richmond, Virginia
Walter L. Hopkins
Adjutant-in-Chief
Richmond, Va.
My dear [first paragraph of letter missing]
Since the dues from camps are payable in January
of each year, and it is now May, more than four months, your camp, as above
stated, is now delinquent and on July 1st it is subject to suspension.
Please let this office have remittance for your
camp dues at once, as the Reunion, which will be held in Charlotte, N.C., June
4th-7th, is now less than thirty (30) days off, and in order for your camp to
have representation at the Convention and its members admitted to the social
functions of the Reunion, the dues must be paid ten (10) days before the Reunion,
which will be May 24th, 1929.
I sincerely trust that I may have the pleasure of receiving your remittance
by return mail.
With kindest regards and best wishes, I am
Fraternally yours,
Walter L. Hopkins,
Adjutant-in-Chief, S.C.V.
August 20, 1929
Soldier's or Sailor's Application for Confederate Pension
The State of Alabama,
Winston County
To the State Board of Confederate Pension Examiners:
The following answers to the queries propounded
are respectfully submitted in support of my application for a Confederate pension
under Act of the Legislature of Alabama, approved Sept. 14, 1923.
1. What is your full name? A.M. Alford
2. What is your present post office address? Houston,
Alabama
3. What is your exact age? 80 years, 5 months, 19 days
4. How long have you lived in this state? 45 years
5. Did you actually serve as a soldier or sailor? Yes
6. What date did you enlist in the service of the Confederate States? Some
time during 1864
Where did you enlist? West Point, Georgia
7. What branch of the service were you in? Infantry
8. What was your rank? Private and Orderly Sergeant
9. Company? Co. D.
10. Who was captain? Cooper
11. Regiment? 37th Ga.
12. Who was colonel? Kato
13. How long did you see actual service? 1 year and over
14. Were you ever wounded? No
15. In what engagements?
16. When?
17. In what way?
18. Were you ever taken prisoner? No
19. If so, under what circumstances?
20. Where were you captured? No
21. Where were you confined as a prisoner?
22. Under what circumstances were you released?
23. Were you paroled? No
24. When?
25. Where?
26. Why?
27. If not attached hereto, where is your parole?
28. If you were not paroled, when and where, and under what circumstances did
you leave the service of the Confederacy? Furlough home
in 1864. Started to West Point, Ga. and bridge was burned and could not get
there
29. Did you take the oath of allegiance to any other government than the Confederate
States before April 9th, 1865? No
30. Were you transferred from the company in which you first enlisted? No
31. Give Company, Regiment, to which transferred, when and where?
32. Have you resided in any other State than Alabama? Yes
If so, give state and counties and years of residence? In
Troup Co., Ga., from [unreadable] to 45 years ago
33. What was your post office address in the county and State where you last
lived before coming to Alabama? West Point, Georgia
34. With whom did you live in such State? With my Grandfather
Cotton
35. What was the exact year and month you came to Alabama? 1884
36. Are you married? Yes
37. When were you married? 1875
38. What is the age of your present wife? 75
39. If you have any living children, what are their ages, names, and what is
each doing?
Name: Odessa Wilson; Age: 52; Occupation: Farmer
Name: Dazye Blake; Age 48; Occupation:
Name: J.W. Alford; Age 45; Occupation:
40. Was your name taken as a Confederate soldier in the last census made by
the State? Yes
41. If not, why?
42. Do you belong to a Camp of United Confederate Veterans? Yes
43. If so, which? Camp Hunter [Hilton?]
Jasper, Alabama
44. Have you ever made application for a pension before, in this State, and
been rejected? Yes
45. When? Can't remember year
46. Why, and by whom?
47. Have you ever made an application for a pension in any other state and been
rejected? No
48. If so, give name of state, and reason assigned for rejection? Never
applied
49. Were you ever on the pension roll of any other state that this? No
If so, give county ____, and state ____.
50. Where are you registered as a voter? Beat C., Winston
County
51. With whom are you living at the present time? On own
farm
52. Have you ever been on the pension roll of this State before? Yes
If so, give years when you drew pension, when dropped, and reason for being
stricken from roll? 1899 to 1913. Claimed they found no
record of my service
I hereby solemnly swear that I have answered the foregoing questions truthfully
and fully to the best of my knowledge and recollection.
A.M. [his mark] Alford
Witnesses: J.B. Weaver, Asa A. Rose
Sworn and subscribed before me this 20th day of August 1929, John B. Weaver,
A Judge of Probate in and for said State and County.
Affidavit of Two Citizens of the Precinct Where Applicant Resides
We, T.M. Blake and M.D. Wolf
our post office addresses being Double Springs and Double Springs, Ala., respectively,
do solemnly swear that we have known A.M. Alford whose name is signed to the
foregoing application 40 years and 30 years respectively, that we consider him
to be a truthful and reliable person and do not believe that he would make a
false statement for the purpose of securing a pension.
T.M. Blake, MD
M.D. Wolf
Sworn and subscribed before me this 20th day of
August 1929, John B. Weaver, A Probate Judge in and for said State and County.
[Note attached to application]
August 30, 1929
A.M. Alford
This applicant states that he was a private in
Co., D. 37th Georgia Infantry commanded by Colonel Cato. That he was furloughed
home in 1864 and started to West Point, Georgia and found a bridge burned and
he could not get back to his command. The War Department at Washington states
that W.W. Cato was colonel of the 37th, District Georgia Militia. Statements
in the file further show that A.M. Alford was a member of a Home Guard organization.
The Pension Commission prohibits placing on the roll the name of any person
whose only service was that of Home Guards, State Troops, or State Militia,
and under the law he is not entitled to a pension and his application is rejected.
June 2, 1931
[Form partially filled out]
Name: A.M. Alford
Address: Jasper, Ala.
War Time Command: 1st Sergeant
Attendant:
Assigned to Name: Cary [?]
Stevens
Address:
Phone No.:
Directions:
Veterans Keep This
August 12, 1931
Alabama Pension Commission
The State Capitol
Montgomery
Mr. A.M. Alford
Houston, Ala.
Dear Sir:
We are today in receipt of a letter from the firm
of St. John and St. John, Attorneys at Law, Cullman, Alabama, relative to having
your name reinstated to the pension roll.
Acting on the information you gave us when you
were in this office on June 2nd, we wrote to The Adjutant General, War Department,
Washington, and give him the information you furnished us, that you served as
a private in Co., B, or D, of the 37th, Georgia Infantry Regiment, under Capt.
Cooper and Col. W.W. Cato. We were informed by the The Adjutant General that
no record could be found of your service as a member of the above named company.
We then write Miss. Lillian Henderson, Superintendent
of the Georgia Soldier Roster Commission, Atlanta, Ga., requesting an investigation
of the rolls on file in that office of Co., B or D, of the 37th Georgia Infantry
Regiment, and of the 37th, Regiment Georgia Militia, but we have not had a reply
to this letter. We are again writing Miss. Henderson and will notify you as
soon as we hear from her.
As stated to you when you were in the office,
records on file here show that your name was placed on the pension roll of Winston
County in 1899, and you stated at that time that you served as a private in
Co., D, and that you enlisted at West Point, Georgia. In 1913 when the Pension
Board was engaged in investigating the records of all Confederate soldiers then
drawing pensions, no record of your service could be established and your name
was stricken from the pension roll.
Assuring you that it will be our pleasure to assist
you in that matter, we are,
Yours very truly,
Jno.. D. Elliott, Pension Clerk
cc - Messrs. St. John & St. John
Attorneys at Law,
Cullman, Ala.
August 18, 1931
Alabama Pension Commission
The State Capitol
Montgomery
Mr. A.M. Alford
Houston, Ala.
Dear Sir:
With further reference to our letter of August
12th, we wish to advise that we are today in receipt of a letter from Miss.
Lillian Henderson, Supt., Georgia Soldier Roster Commission, in which she states
that there are no rolls of the 37th, Georgia Militia, and that the only information
she has relative to it is that the colonel's name was W.W. Cato. She further
states that your name is not borne on any company roll of the 37th, Regiment
Georgia Infantry, and that this regiment was in no way connected with the 37th,
Regiment Georgia Militia. She further states that she knows of no soldier living
who served in the 37th, Georgia Militia.
The War Department also informs us that no record
can be found of your service as a member of Co., B, or D, of the 37th Georgia
Infantry Regiment, and that they have no rolls on file of the 37th, Regiment
Georgia Militia.
We regret that we have been unable to establish
any proof of your service such as would warrant the Pension Commission in reinstating
your name to the pension roll. In the absence of such proof the Commission would
not be warranted in rescinding the action of the old Pension Board, and we are
therefore without authority to reinstate your name to the roll.
Yours very truly,
Jno.. D. Elliott, Pension Clerk
cc - Messrs. St. John & St. John
Attorneys at Law,
Cullman, Ala.
[Scrap of paper]
A.M. Alford (War Dept. #2041360)
The name of A.M. Alford has not been found on
the rolls, on file in this office, of Co. D. 29th Ala. Inf. C.S.A., which cover
periods from February 28th to December 20th, 1862, and from March, 1st to August
31, 1863, and no record has been found of the service, capture or parole of
a man of that name and organization.
September 13, 1932
Senate Chamber, Montgomery
B.J. Cowart, Senator
3rd District - Blount, Cullman, and Winston
Haleyville
Mr. A.M. Alford
Houston, Alabama
Dear Sir:
I have just received your letter relative to having
you placed on the pension roll of the State. In order to get this done, it will
be necessary for your to furnish some proof as to your service in the Confederate
Army and if you will do this at one and send to me, I feel like we will have
no trouble in getting you reinstated on the pension roll.
Awaiting your reply and with best wishes, I am
Yours truly,
B.J. Cowart
December 1, 1932
Alabama Pension Commission
The State Capitol
Montgomery
Mr. Alexander M. Alford,
Houston, Ala.
Dear Mr. Alford:
With reference to your application to be placed
on the pension roll of the State of Alabama, I will state that in 1913 your
name was stricken from the pension roll by an action of the then Pension Board
of the State composed of Gen. Ferguson, Col. Webb and Dr. Woods, three Confederate
soldiers.
Your original application shows that you stated
that you served in Co., D, without giving the name of any regiment or the name
of any officers under whom you served. The law required, then as now, that in
order for a person to be entitled to receive a pension from Alabama, that such
person must show actual service as a soldier or sailor of the Confederacy, that
he was regularly enlisted in a regular Confederate States organization, that
he faithfully served and was honorably discharged from such service.
Since your name was stricken from the pension
roll you have applied to the Pension Commission to have your name again entered
on the roll, but in your application you stated more explicitly with regard
to your service by giving the letter of the company, the name of your captain,
the number of the regiment and the name of your colonel. You stated that your
colonel's name was W.W. Katro, which no doubt is intended for the name of W.W.
Cato, and that you belonged to the 37th, Georgia Infantry. Col. Cato was Lieutenant
Colonel of the 37th, Georgia Militia. This is shown by the records on file in
the War Department at Washington and in the Georgia Soldier Roster Commission,
Atlanta, Georgia.
Under the pension laws of Alabama as evidenced
in section 2970 of the Code of Alabama, found in Vol. 1, page 1318, the State
Pension Commission is expressly prohibited from placing on the pension roll
the name of any person whose only service is shown to be that of a member of
a Home Guard, State Troops or State Militia organization. The organization to
which you claimed to have belonged was a Georgia Militia organization. This
is shown, as stated above, by the records both at Washington and at Atlanta,
Georgia, and it is shown in your application that you belonged to the 37th,
Georgia organization commanded by Col. Cato.
The Pension Commission therefore would be without
any authority to place your name on the pension roll and would be acting contrary
to the provisions of the law in placing your name thereon.
In regard to your application, I wish to state
that the Senator from your District, Hon. B.J. Coward, has been sincerely interested
in endeavoring to clear up this situation for you. We have endeavored to render
full co-operation to see if there was anything additional that might be done
to change the situation as the facts confronted us, but acting on the facts
stated in your application and on the records as referred to above, you will
realize that, under the law, the Pension Commission cannot grant your application.
Yours respectfully,
Chas. E. McCall
Assistant Examiner of Accounts
cc - Hon. B.J. Cowart,
Haleyville, Ala.
December 27, 1932
Senate Chamber, Montgomery
B.J. Cowart, Senator
3rd District - Blount, Cullman, and Winston
Haleyville
Mr. J.W. Alford
Houston, Alabama
My Dear sir:
I am writing you about your Father's application
for state Pension. Your son [Owen? Marshall?] told
me the other day that he had not heard from me about the investigation I made
at Montgomery. Sorry he did not get my other letter--as I was in Montgomery
on Dec. 1st and went into this matter carefully and had Judge McCall who is
Chairman of the Pension Board to write your Father a letter [and]
tell him all about the situation. I had him give me a copy of the letter and
am enclosing this copy now to you, which will explain all the reasons why the
Pension has not been paid etc. Only wish I could do more about it but from what
the records show and the law governing such pensions I feel like there is nothing
else to be done.
Regretting the fact that my other letter and the
letter from Judge McCall did not reach you and with best wishes, I am,
Yours truly,
B.J. Cowart
[Alexander Marshall Alford died a little more
than a year after this last letter concerning his pension. He spent the last
20 years of his life trying to get his Confederate Pension reinstated. He died
March 23, 1934 without accomplishing that task.]