Stephen White enlisted in the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry, survived the war and settled in Grace, Mississippi only to drown in the Mississippi River flood of 1882. This soldier’s pension application is one of the thinnest I’ve come across — four documents. We may find that comrades-in-arms mentioned him in their applications or that he vouched for a fellow soldier.
Minor — 1,063,611 / — , Winnie W. Terrill
Original Pension of [Guardian of] Minor Children in Order to Obtain Army Pension, Winnie White Terrill, March 23, 1916
“State of Missiissippi, County of Washington … Winnie Terrill … resident of Grace, in the county of Issaquena, and State of Mississippi, aged 34 (born March 1, 1882) … [declares she is the child of] Stephen White and Charlotte White … [of 1st USCC] commanded by Colonel Seip … died at Grace, Issaquena Co., Mississippi … on March 1882 .. that his death was caused by drownding [sic] in the overflow of the Mississippi River; that the mother of the child aforesaid died on the 3rd day of December 1889 and that the date of birth of said ward as follows: Winnie W. Terrill, born 31st of March 1882 … She further declares that her parents were married in 1870 … the name and age of the child of Stephen White was Winnie White Terrill … ”
[This document was witnessed by Adam Jenkins and A. Wells, Sr. residents of Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi and notarized by Arthur Wells, Jr. — Leslie]
Original Pension of Minor Children, Winnie W. Terrill, 6 June 1916
[born] 1 March 1882
[sears old] February 28, 1898
[soldier’s rank] Teamster
“Claimant does not write.”
War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, Commissioner of Pensions,18 May 1916
[soldier’s birthplace] Norfolk, Virginia
Letter from Commissioner, Civil War Division to Winnie Terrill, Grace, Mississippi, 6 June 1916
“Madam,
You are advised that your above cited claim for pension under the general law filed March 27, 1916, is rejected on the ground that the soldier’s death from drowning in 1882 was not due to his military service.
Very Respectfully,
G.M. Saltgarner“
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 
I have a letter written by a white officer of the 50th US Colored in which he praised his men as mighty fine soldiers.
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Good to know! What’s the officer’s name? Can you share an image or an excerpt? Thanks.
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One of the white officers in the 1st USCC described his experience at an event in Ohio. His paper’s on Internet Archives at this link: My Service in the U.S. Colored Cavalry: A Paper Read Before the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion, March 4, 1908 by Frederick W. Browne, Second Lieut., 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry
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