fore an officer who is concerned in prosecuting the claim, or has a manifest interest therein.

The subjoined forms, marked respectively A, B, C, D, and E, will guide applicants for pensions of the navy branch in the several classes. The forms should be exactly followed in every instance. No attorney will be regarded as having filed the necessary declaration and affidavits as contemplated by the sixth section of the act, unless the forms as well as the instructions given in the pamphlet are strictly complied with.

In support of the allegations made in the claimant's declaration, testimony will be required in accordance with the following rules:

1st. The claimant's identity must be proved by two witnesses, certified by a judicial officer to be respectable and credible, who are present and witness the signature of the declarant, and who state upon oath or affirmation their belief, either from personal acquaintance or for other reasons given, that he or she is the identical person he or she repre

sents himself or herself to be.

2d. Every applicant for an invalid pension must, if in his power, produce the certificate of some commissioned officer under whom he has served, distinctly stating the time and place of the said applicant's having been wounded or otherwise disabled, and the nature of the disability, and that the said disability arose while he was in the service of the United States, and in the line of his duty.

3d. If it be impracticable to obtain such certificate, by reason of the death or removal of said officers, it must be so stated under oath by the applicant, and his averment of the fact proved by persons of known respectability, who must state particularly all the knowledge they possess in relation to such death or removal; then secondary evidence can be received. In such case the applicant must produce the testimony of at least two credible witnesses (who were in a condition to know the facts about which they testify), whose

good character must be vouched for by a judicial officer, or by some one known to the department. The witnesses must give a minute narrative of the facts in relation to the matter, and must show how they obtained a knowledge of the facts to which they testify.

4th. The surgeon's certificate for discharge should show the character and degree of the claimant's disability, but where that is wanting, and when the certificate of a navy surgeon or of a board of survey is not obtainable, that fact must be satisfactorily explained, and the certificate of two respectable civil surgeons will be received. These surgeons must give in their certificates a particular description of the wound, injury, or disease, and specify how and in what manner his present condition and disability are connected therewith. The degree of disability for obtaining subsist ence by manual labor must also be stated.

5th. The habits of the applicant, and his occupation since he left the service, must be shown by at least two credible witnesses.

If the applicant claims a pension as the widow of a deceased officer or seaman, she must prove the legality of her marriage, the death of her husband, and that she is still a widow. She must also furnish the names and ages of her children under sixteen years of age at her husband's de cease, and the place of their residence. On a subsequent marriage her pension will cease, and the minor child or children of the deceased officer or soldier, if any be living under the age of sixteen years, will be entitled to the same in her stead from the date of such marriage.

Proof of the marriage of the parents and of the age of claimants will, in like manner, be required in all applications in behalf of minor children. The legality of the marriage may be ascertained by the certificate of the clergyman who joined them in wedlock, or by the testimony of respectable persons having knowledge of the fact, in default of record evidence. The ages and number of children may be as

certained by the deposition of the mother, accompanied by the testimony of respectable persons having knowledge of them, or by transcript from the parish or town registers, duly authenticated. Similar proof will be required of the marriage of the claimant, if the mother of a deceased officer or seaman, and that she remains a widow. If the claimant be a dependent sister, like proof will be required of the marriage of her parents and of her relationship to the deceased.

Guardians of minor claimants must in all cases produce evidence of their authority as such, under the seal of the court from which the appointment is obtained.

Applicants of the four last classes above given, who have in any manner aided or abetted the rebellion against the United States Government, are not entitled to the benefits of this act.

Attorneys for claimants must have proper authority from those in whose behalf they appear. Powers of attorney must be signed in the presence of two witnesses, and acknowledged before a duly qualified officer, whose official character must be certified under seal. In all cases, the post-office address of the claimant must be distinctly stated. Applications under this act will be numbered and acknowledged before a duly qualified officer, whose official character must be certified under seal.

In all cases, the post-office address of the claimant must be distinctly stated. Applications under this act will be numbered and acknowledged, to be acted upon in their In filing additional evidence, correspondents should always give the number of the claim, as well as the name of the claimant.

JOSEPH H. BARRETT, Commissioner.

PENSION OFFICE, July 21st, 1862.

*Obsolete, see page 111.

ARMY FORMS.

A.

Form of Declaration for an Invalid Pension.

State (District, or Territory) of

On this

County of

hundred and

day of

}

88.

, A. D. one thousand eight

personally appeared before me

[here state the official character of the person admin

istering the oath], within and for the county and State afore

said, A B, aged State of

in the

who, being duly sworn according to law

declares that he is the identical

years, a resident of

on the day of in company —, com

in the

regiment of

in the

manded by war of 1861, and was honorably discharged on the day of in the year -; that while in the service aforesaid, and in the line of his duty, he received the following wound [or other disability, as the case may be]: [Here give a particular and minute account of the wound or other injury, and state how, when, and where it occurred, where the applicant has resided since leaving the service, and what has been his occupation.]

Also personally appeared

(Signature of claimant.)

and

residents

of [county, city, or town], persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who, being by me duly sworn, say that they were present and saw sign his name [or make his mark] to the foregoing declaration, and they further swear that they have every reason to believe, from the appearance of the applicant and their acquaintance with him, that he is the identical person he represents him

self to be; and they further state that they have no interest

in the prosecution of this claim.

Applicant's post-office address.

(Signature of witnesses.)

B.

Form of Declaration for obtaining a Widow's Army Pension.

State (Territory, or District) of
County of

On this day of hundred and sixty

of the

}

88.

in the

A. D. one thousand eight personally appeared before me, A B, a resident of county of and State (Territory, or District) of aged years, who, being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress approved July 14th, 1862: that she is the wid ow of who was in company regiment of

in the

commanded by in the war of

1861 [here specify the time, place, and cause of death]; she further declares that she was married to the said

day of

the
band, the aforesaid

on

in the year; that her husdied on the day above mentioned, and that she has remained a widow ever since that period-[or if she has remarried, and again become a wid ow, the fact must be stated]—as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed. She also declares that she has not in any manner been engaged in, or aided or abetted, the rebellion in the United States.

Also personally appeared

of [county, city, or town], persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who, being by me