Actual letter by: Larken Mayse (Larkin Benjamin Mays)Source: Charles Lee Mays, Descendant of Larkin Benjamin Mays


June the 4th 1864
                 Mr. Joseph H. Barret
                            Commissioner

Dear Sir i recieved your letter the 19th of May informing

me that in order to procure pension i must prove my first

servis and honable discharge and i do not claim to be in
 
service any longer than that on account of not being able to

stand the March to canady and the taken me up Ohio near to

a settlement and thure capt Butler gave me a bill of directions

to get out now must i miss getting pension or part of pension

on account of my disability to stand the march when i was just 

as willing a man as there was
  
   i could not stay at fort massac by myself

   no i could not go along

I should not tried to procure any pension if it had not

bin for my neighburs since i have bin blind and not able 

to make my living & my children has all gone but too & 

they are not able to keep me, i have been blind nearly ten 

year and i was raised by a revolutioner, bin raised true to my 

contry & i raised my family so to.

     Ansure this if you pleas

                            Sandoval
                            Illinois
                            Larken Mayse