The Rest of the Story - Part 2 of Charles Pratt Judd's Civil War Pension File

March 15, 2017

The second and final part of Charles Pratt Judd's Civil War pension file, received from the National Archives. The file contains a wealth of family history information found nowhere else. When he wrote the letter below to the US Pension Office, Charles was only 43 years old. "Washington DC - March 5th 1883 I enlisted Apr 22nd 1861, was healthy strong and robust; had chronic-diarrhea nearly all the time I was in the army so that my intestine canal was ulcerated from teeth to rectum as a consequence. I have had piles ever since 1862, constantly getting worse. I had inflammatory-rheumatism in August 1861, and slightly ever since; had black-measles in Feb/62, and for want of proper quarters was turned out in a raw snow storm early in Mar/62, causing pneumonia, which nearly killed me then and injured my lungs, a very little, ever since; I also think it causes neuralgia. I was able in 1855-6 to do nearly two hands work on a farm. Have not been able since discharge to do a quarter of one days work. Was on several very hard marches; in several hospitals and 3 battles; was wounded in left hand, left-knee, right thigh and right leg at Pittsburg landing [Battle of Shiloh] from Apr 6 & 7 1862, lay out on the battle field until the 10th in the afternoon, when my broken limbs were so badly inflamed that amputation was pronounced dangerous by Dr. Kellogg, Walker, Black and others, else I should have lost both legs. The wound in my right leg is occasionally a running sore yet. I am unable, most of the time, to bear my weight (now nearly 190) on my left leg; and in extremely hot or cold weather (or wet weather) I am either laid up with rheumatism, or with running sore on leg. My wife is nearly 60 years old and has been an almost helpless invalid for over 5 years. Respectfully Submitted Charles P. Judd late of Co. K, 17th Regt. Ills. Vol. Inft." A great-grandson of Charles', reached separately, shared that he greatly appreciated getting these files and that it helped answer questions and fill in details of Charles' life. Charles Pratt Judd was a first cousin of the brothers William McCord Hamilton and Supplina P. Hamilton, and a nephew of Altha (Judd) Hamilton.

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