James J. Ronen to Richard Yates

May 9th 1865 Jacksonville Illinois Hon Richard Yates [illegible] Dear Sir Mrs Julia A Gibbons has informed me that she requested you to use your influence in obtaining a pension for her and that you desired me to write a statement of the facts in the case. Her husbands name was William [illegible] Gibbons he was a private in Co "K" in the 2nd regt of Illinois [illegible] vols and died at Paw Paw Island in the Mississippi River on the 20th day of May 1863. The papers have been properly made out and forwarded to the pension commissioner but he refuses to allow a pension becase he says the official evidence of the death of the soldier is

not comple. about a week ago he forwarded to me a circular to be sent by me to be signed by some surgeon or other commissioned officer having the [legitimate] knowledge of the death of the soldier aforesaid. there is no commissioned officer in the army who knows of his own personal knowledge of the death of Gibbons, so that it will be useless for me to attempt to get the circular signed. the statements of his company officers have been forwarded in which he gave all the knowledge they possess of the death. there was a german soldier of his company with him on the island when he died and who saw him die his affidavit has been twice forwarded but they still ask for positive proof from a commissioned officer and that

cant be obtained. the man Gibbons was shipped from Memphis to Vicksburg. he was sick when first on the boat and during the passage he was taken worse and was put off the boat on Paw Paw island where he died with no one near him who knew him save the soldier which affidavit has been twice forwarded. on the island named sick soldiers were frequently put who had contagious disease though I believe Gibbons sickness was not of that nature. the sum of the pension claim is 36,316-I believe I have now stated all the facts appertaining to the case. respectfully yours James J Ronen claimants atty

Wm Gibbons