FINE Pension Archive CIVIL WAR Vet PETER HANYAN Badly Burned MOH Winner J. BLACK - Offered here is a large lot of (18) documents/ ALS's/and TLS's [some 35pp. total] pertaining to the pension case of Civil War veteran Peter Hanyan, who served in Co "B" Battalion Engineers, United States Army. Hanyan enlisted Feb. 1864 and was discharged Feb. 1867. Prior to his discharge, Hanyan was severely injured when a lamp in the Post billiard room exploded , setting fire to his clothes, Nov. 1866. He inhaled the flames and was in poor health until he died in 1873. The pension case instituted by his widow was handled by attorney Darwin W. Esmond of Newburgh, NY. These documents range in date from 1882 to 1890, with sizes varying from 5 3/4" x 3" to 8" x 12 1/2", with many either from Esmond or directed to him. Some highlights of this lot include: (1) an 1882 LS on Department of the Interior Pension Office stationery from Commissioner Wm. W. Dudley, notifying Esmond "... medical evidence is required showing the physical condition of the soldier from his discharge until his death..."; (2) an 1882 Memorandum to Judge Avery (1821-1899) from Esmond, asking "... Can you not hurry up the affidavit which I sent you some time ago, in the 'Estella Hanyan' case..." [with Avery's reply written on the verso of the Memorandum: "...I have tried hard to obtain what you want. I think Doct. Monroe of this place attended to ( ? ) some but for the life of me I cant get him to look up his case..."]; (3) TWO letters from General John Charles Black, Civil War Medal of Honor winner, as Department of Interior Commissioner, one with an ink signature and dated 1886, sent to Lewis Beach [a member of the House of Representatives], informing Beach that "... I have caused the evidence in the claim No. 282,766, of the Guardian of the Minor child of Peter Hanyan, late of Co. 'B', U.S. Engr. Battn. to be carefully examined and have personally directed that the claim be disallowed on the ground that the soldier was not in the line of duty when he incurred the injuries alleged to have resulted in his death..." and another lengthy 8pp. review [after another appeal], dated Feb. 14, 1887, with a STAMPED signature of Black, sent to Esmond and ruling again against the appeal: "... It appears that the soldier on whose account pension is claimed, enlisted on the 24th day of Feb. 1864, and was assigned to Co. B, Battalion United States Engineers, and discharged Feb. 24, 1867, an artificer... The rolls of the above named company show this soldier sick from Nov. 4, 1866, to date of his discharge, Feb. 24, 1867... The present company commander... reports as follows: 'enlisted men now present with the company and who knew Hanyan at the time he was a member, state that on the evening of Nov. 3, 1866, when he was in the Post billiard room, a lamp under which he was sitting exploded, setting fire to his clothing, from which he sustained injuries sufficient to disqualify him from performing duty... The claim was rejected Jany. 21, 1886, on the grounds that the soldier was not in line of duty when he received the injuries alleged to have resulted in his death..."; and (4) a 2pp.ALS, dated 1889, sent to Esmond by Estella Hanyan [Peter's wife], stating: "... I have been waiting for the last two years and I have not heard anything from you yet about them [pension papers]. I would like to have my Papers. I have a friend who is going to send Washington to a lawyer for me..." And in a typed, retained copy reply dated Aug. 25, 1890, Esmond wrote to Estella: "... I am still using every means to get your claim granted and shall never give it up as long as I live..." So sad, that 17 years after the soldier's death, the widow's lawyer was still trying to obtain a few dollars in pension claim-- being denied because the death was not the result from LINE OF DUTY. JOHN CHARLES BLACK (January 27, 1839 _ August 17, 1915) was a Democratic U.S. Congressman and received the Medal of Honor for his actions as a Union Army lieutenant colonel and regimental commander at the Battle of Prairie Grove during the American Civil War. On April 14, 1861, Black (along with his brother, William P. Black) entered the Union Army as a private in the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment on April 14, 1861. He became sergeant major on April 25, 1861. After three months of service, the brothers were mustered out of the volunteers and organized Company "K" of the 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. John Black became major of the regiment on September 5, 1861 He was wounded in the right arm at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, on March 7, 1862. In July 12, 1862, John Black was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and became commander of the 37th Illinois Infantry. Black led his regiment against a fortified Confederate position during the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas on December 7, 1862. The unit suffered heavy casualties and was eventually forced to retreat. Black himself was seriously wounded. An 1896 review of numerous actions during the war resulted in John Black being awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Prairie Grove. Black's brother William also received the medal, making them the first of five pairs of brothers to both receive the Medal of Honor as of 2005. On December 31, 1862, Black was promoted to colonel of the 37th Illinois Infantry Regiment. He was given temporary command of Brigade 1, Division 2, XIII Corps, Department of the Gulf, between November 11, 1863 and February 11, 1864, of Brigade 3, Division 2, Reserve Corps of the Department of the Gulf between February 3, 1865 and February 18, 1865. and of Brigade 3 Division 2, XIII Corps, Department of the Gulf, between February 18, 1865 and March 5, 1865. Black resigned his commission in the volunteer service on August 15, 1865. On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Black for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from April 9, 1865, for gallant services in the assault on Fort Blakeley, Alabama on that date, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866. WILLIAM WADE DUDLEY (1842_1909), born in Weathersfield Bow, Vermont, started life as a soldier in the American Civil War, then became a lawyer, a government official and a Republican campaigner. After studying at Phillips Academy, Danville in Vermont, and at Russell Military Academy in New Haven, Connecticut, he joined the army as captain of the Richmond City Greys in the 19th Indiana Volunteers of the famed Iron Brigade. After losing 79 percent of his men at the Battle of Gettysburg, and having his right leg amputated on the field, he served as an army inspector and judge advocate. Following the end of the war he became a civilian lawyer in 1870, then the U.S. marshal for Indiana in 1879, commissioner of pensions under appointment of Presidents James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur in 1881. In 1888 he was appointed Treasurer of the Republican National Committee. He returned to practicing law in 1887. The documents here are in overall excellent condition, with the expected folds, some minor edge wear/ occasional bent corner, light toning issues..