Case of George W Culp Ctf, No. 323,057
On this
15
day of
June
, 1891, at
Fawn
, County of
Montgomery
State of Kansas
, before me,
AJ Hunter
Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared
George W. Culp
the claimant
, who, being by me 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 64 years, a blacksmith.
residence P.O. address Fawn,
Montgomery
County, Kansas
I am the identical George W Culp who served
under that name as a Rvt in Co 'D' 14th
Iowa Inf Vols. I enlisted under name
George
Culp, another W was omitted by some mistake.
I never served in any other service.
I am drawing a pension of $10 a month on
disease of eyes, and claim increase for
sabre wound and rheumatism.
I received the sabre wound to right leg between
the knee and ankle joint and in front of leg
and the wound was received on the morning of
the 19 of January 1865 in Cahaba, Ala., prison
and almost 3 oclock in th emorning and
while trying to escape from prison.
About sixty of no. prisoners
were in the conspiracy
and under a Capt Hanchette of a Tenn Regt I
think.
I think he belonged to a Tenn Regt on
account
of him surcaring in 100 men to rush out and
capture the Cannon, and I think nearly all
these 100 men belonged to the 3d Tenn Cav.
We were to make the assult on
the prison guards
at three o'clock of the morning named, and
I was to assist another prisoner by name
of Martin Becker of a Wisc Reg but the
no of the Regt I do not know. We captured
our two guards then Becker and I went to the
door of the prison and then the others were
to
make the general assault. We disarmed
the
two rebel guards and put them into the privy.
The 100 men failed to get out
and do their duty
and while the Capt was begging the men to
go forward the rebel guards re-inforced and
came to the door and drove us back. The
drove us back from the prison door and
while driving us back a rebel Maj punched
a saber into my leg. We knew he was the
Maj because he was a little bit of a man
and all the prisoners knew him. I do
not
know his name. I did know it but
I have forgotten it.
Three of my company
were in the prison with
me but they knew nothing of the break and
they do not know anything of me being
wounded either. Their names were John
Rutter, Hiram Rogers, and Thurman Ellerton.
I have not seen either of these comrades since
I left the prison.
From Cahaba we were
removed to a four
mile srip of land two miles
square which
was neutral ground, and four mile from
Visckburg. We left Cahaba about the
13 of March 1865. We remained a while
at Vicksburg, Miss. thence to Jefferson
and Benton Barracks, St Louis Mo.
After remaining at
those barracks till
1st of May we were sent furloughed
for 30 days. I went direct to Davenport,
Iowa and was mustered out and never
used my furlough. I was mustered
out 8 day of May 1865.
I did not see my three
comrades I have
named after I left the prison at Cahaba
Ala. They may have been sent off from
the prison before I left it.
Martin Becker and
myself are the only persons
wounded that I knew of. He was wounded
in palm of right hand with bayonet.
The last I heard of
Becker was that he
died up in Colorado somewhere 12 or 13
years ago. I think Dr Jesse Hall,
Hawes,
of Greeley Colo wrote me about Becker
Dr Hawes wrote a history
of the prison. I had not heard of Becker
before
that since discharge. I saw a man
of
the 8th Wisc at Topeka Kan at a re-union
two years ago and he said he knew Becker
before the war and that he died in Colo.
I never asked
this 8th Ohio man for his
name nor where he lived.
Becker is the only
man who knew I was
wounded. I was afraid to tell any of
my
prison comrades I was wounded for fear
the rebels would have got in to it and then
I would have been shot.
A comrade Robb at
Coffeyville, Kans
knows that a sabre was stuck into
some one there, but he did not know
it was me until I told him about
a year & a half ago. At this time
I found
he was in that prison with me. I was
not personally acquainted with Robb
here until the time I mention.
He did not see my wound
nor did
I tell him in prison that I had been
wounded because I did not know
him in prison.
After leaving the prison
I never saw a
single man of my Company or Regt
until I met Adam Beaty near Coffeyville,
Ks and that was almost four years
ago. I was not with any of my Company
after I left prison that I remember.
Adam Beaty belonged to Co H of 14 Iowa Inf.
I had resided at Hillsboror, Henry Co., Iowa
about five years at enlistment but when
discharged I went back to that place and
staid there four or five days. I had
no family and wandered around from
place to place until fall of 1865 and
then I was at Primrose, Lee Co., Iowa
until either Oct or Nov 1867 and then
went to Vernon County, Mo and made
my residence at Belvois, PO and lived
there until 1871 or 1872, and then moved
to Schell City, same county and lived
at this place till Feb 1883. Then I
went to Caktossa, Chereokee Nation, In.
Ty. and remained there till Oct that year
then to Caney, this county and came
here in Feb 1884 and been here
since. I have been blacksmithing
ever since I was grown.
I know of no others to refer to as to sabre
wound except those I have already
furnished.
I do not know of any one
I can refer
to whom I told about my wound right
away after the war.
I do not remember of telling
any one
of my wound until I spoke to Martin
Bayer in 1868 I do not remember of
George W Culp deponent
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 15th day of
June
1891, and I certify that the contents were fully makde known
to deponent before signing.
A J Hunter Special Examiner
(continued on another form)
talking to any one else
about my wound for a while after this.
I think the origination of my rhematism
was while lying in Cahaba prison
and have had rheumatism off and on
ever since. The rheumatism affects
me in the hips and back, but in the
hips worse than anywhere else. I have
not rode horseback for great many years in
acct of rheumatism.
I do not know of a single
person who would
know of my rheumatism in the service.
I talked to my prison comrades
about
my rheumatism.
I am stisfied Samuel W Robb
will know that good many of us
had rheumatism in the prison,
but I have never talked to him
about my rheumatism.
I have had no treatment
for rheuma-
tism since discharge except what
treatment I have given myself in way
of liniments.
I do not know of any are living at Primrose
Lee Co., Iowa who knew me there from fall of
1865-1867. My father-in-law Daniel
McKeehan knew me, and he is a farmer
and resides 1 1/2 miles from that place.
I knew a merchant there by the name of
Border. I knew Eli McMillin, Axly
(sp?)
McCullah there - also Isaac Myers.
but I do not know where these men would
know anything of my new disabilities or
not.
While I lived at Belvois
and Schell City,
Vernon Co., Mo from 1867 to 1883, J.H.
Maus, Fielding Childs, L. Kirkland,
Israel Roney of Schell City, knew me.
Thomas String also knew
me there, as
well Martin Bayer of Harts Mills, Chautau-
qua Co. Kansas. but I understand he is
????? that Co & state.
The reason I did not apply for sabre
wound
and rheumatism is because I never
thought of applying for pension
until I was finally persuaded to
apply on my eyes because that was
the most serious disability.
I have been wearing glasses ever
since April 1865 and never wore
them before.
In 1868 while in Vernon County, Mo.
the wound to leg broke and discharged
puss for about three months.
I went on crutches there about two
months and this was while I was living
at Belvois, said Co., I used cane
good deal in Mo on account of my
lame leg and rheumatism at back
& hips. I never had any treatment
because have no use of confidence
in a doctor.
I was in Hospl at Cahaba Ala and
for pneumonia and was treated about
three weeks. I went into the Hospl
24 of Dec 1864. It was the 25th
day of that month & year. It
was but
very few days after getting out of the
Hosp till I tried to make escape
from prison.
I think W.M. Smith & Isaac Price
of this place have heard me speak
of my rheumatism.
There is no physician anywhere that
knows of my rheumatism that I
know of. I never employ a physician.
I dont think a single one on th elist
you read
would know a thing about my disabilities
because I haven't seen a one of them
since I contracted my disabilities.
I have heard my deposition read over.
I understand the questions and my
answers are correctly recorded
herein.
George W Culp
Deponent
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 15th
June 1891 and I certify that the contents
were fully made known to deponent before
signing.
A J Hunter
Special Examiner