Researching family history and managed to find relatives union civil war pension card. The card has all the usual listings of “widow, children” etc. however the card also contains an application and certificate number (meaning it was granted) for another veteran. When I researched this veteran it is a United States colored troop who served in a union Kentucky regiment.
I’m aware many black Americans served the camps and did manual labor etc. many white soldiers refused to do. However I’m having trouble seeing at that being the link as the veterans name is listed in a union Kentucky regiment I found. I’ve tried to research and see where their battles units would’ve possibly crossed each other, but this answer would still not explain to me why the USCT veteran is listed under my ancestors pension card as an “invalid” (which I’ve come to learn is an interchangeable term on civil war documents for veteran??)
Was my ancestor helping a wartime brother who otherwise would’ve had difficulty being awarded a pension post war? Is this some type of pension fraud? (As allegedly this was a common occurrence)
*clue I cannot solve- under “LAW” on the pension card for the man the abbreviation used is “J”. Perhaps someone more historically savvy will know what J means and that could be another clue?
Thank you and happy researching to all
