I purchased the following letters on eBay some time back. I have transcribed it here with spelling and punctuation errors in place.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C.,
Oct. 9, 1906.
Mrs. Nannie Simpson Lawson,
115 Franklin Avenue,
Des Moines, Iowa.
Madam:
In response to your communiction of the 18th ultime, addressed to Hon. J. A. T. Hull, and by him refered to this Bureau for reply, having been recieved yesterday, answer to which has been witheld pending search of the Bureau records, you are advised that if the death of your father was due to a disability incurred while serving as an officer or duly enlisted man in the army or navy of the United States and in the line of duty at any time since March 4, 1861, his children under sixteen years of age at the date of his death may be entitled to a pension under provisions of the acts of July 14, 1862 and March 3, 1873, if he left no widow surviving him, or a surviving widow who died or remarried before the children attained the age of sixteen years.
A blank declaration for pension under the said acts is herewith enclosed, which may be executed before any officer duly authorized to administer oaths for general purposes, a notary public, justice of the peace or clerk of a court of record being such an officer.
(page 2)
For manifest reasons it would be improper for this Bureau to designate the name of any attorney as suitable to aid claiments in the prosecution of any claims they may faile in this Bureau. It is optional with claiments as to whether they employ an attorney, and if none is so employed they will be fully advised as to the requirements in their claims after the filing of the same.
It will not be necessary for you to forward this to this Bureau the discharge of your father unless called upon to do so.
Applications for back pay, extra pay, and bounty in money for military service, and all inquiries relating thereto should be addressed to the Auditor for the War Department, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C., who is exclusively charged by law with the settlement of claims of this character.
Very respectfully,
V. Warren
Commissioner
(Handwritten letter)
(stamped on all three pages)
Office of the Auditor for War Department
Oct 26, 19006
Records Division
Oct 21st 1906
Honorable Sir, Auditor for thew War Department, treasury Department, Washington, D. C.
I have bin advised through Honorable J. C. T. Hull to rite to you in regard to a back pension or bounty which we are anxous to know something of. My father James D. Simpson, served as a 2nd Seargeant of Captain Thomas H Butler, Company (3), 76 Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. he was enrolled the 19th of july 1862 to serve thirty days. he was discharged August 20th, 1862, at
(page 2)
Indianapolis Indiana by reason of Expiration of enlistment. He agan enlisted (or was called) to servise when they were giting the second discharge they were so buisy giving discharges he with many others were disbanded subject to recall and was never called. So he never got his last discharge, when he went into the servise he gave them the best horse he had worth $1.00 and baught his own clothes and never received any pay for any thing not even his servise. James D. Simpson was born in Hamilton Co Ohio was 45 years old when he enlisted, he was 6 feet high
(page 3)
Dark complexion Gray eyes Black hair and by ocupation when enrolled an farmer. he Died January 3rd 1878, leaving a wife who servived him ten years. We have bin advised inquire into this matter there is certainly something comeing to his children. Kindly advise me what to do respectfully
Mrs. Nannie Simpson Lawson
115 Franklin Ave
Des Moines Iowa
N B I have his discharge
Mrs N S B