While going thru the military information I have compiled for Richmond F Hammond, I’ve found that his military records do not match up with the information in the pension file affidavits. One of those areas of ‘disagreement’ was his imprisonment at Andersonville.

Richmond Hammond’s military records indicate that he was missing in action since August 3, 1864. However, his ‘Memorandum from Prisoner of War Records’ does not list any prisons.

His military record does indicate that he was on the muster roll of detachment of Paroled Prisoners at Benton Barracks, Missouri. The muster roll for May and June 1865 indicates that Richmond Hammond was “Delivered” Feb. 25, 1865 at Goldsboro, North Carolina.

The proof for his imprisonment comes from affidavits filed as part of his pension application. The earliest affidavit containing this information is from 1868.

Declaration for Invalid Pension

State of Illinois

County of Knox

On this _____ day of ____ 1868, before me, the clerk of the circuit Court in and for the County and State above named, and by law duly authorized to administer oaths for general purposes, personally appeared Richmond F Hammond who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is aged twenty seven years, and is a resident of Ontario Township County of Knox, in the state of Illinois and that he is the identical Richmond F Hammond who was a Sergeant in Company ‘D’ commanded by Captain H. C. [Carsics] in the 14th Regiment Cavalry, Ill Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Horace Capun, in the war of 1861 and 1862. That he volunteered as above stated at Galesburg, county of Knox, in the state of Illinois on or about the twenty ninth day of September, 1862, for the term of three years or during the war, and was honorably discharged at Springfield Ill on the Sixteenth day of June, 1865.

That while in the said service and in the line of his duty at Andersonville prions in the State of Georgia on the _____ day of September 1864 he received the following wound or disability, to wit*:

that on or about 5th day of August 1864 he was taken prisoner near Atlanta State of Georgia and taken to Andersonville prison and remained a prisioner about nine months and while in said prison and in the tenure of the United States and in the line of his duty he became diseased with the scurvey which effected the left hip joint attended with the loss of power of the muscle so that he is almost wholy unable to perform manuel labor

That since leaving said service this applicant has resided at Ontario in said county of Knox and his occupation has been farming and his Post-Office address is Oneida Knox county State of Illinois

He makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the Invalid Pension Roll of the United States under the Act of Congress approved July 14, 1862, and amendments thereto, by reason of the disability above stated; and hereby constitutes and appoints Col T C smith his attorney to prosecute this claim and procure a Pension Certificate, and also to receive from the Pension Office the certificate of discharge filed herewith.

Richmond F. Hammond (signature)

Sworn to, subscribed and acknowledged before me, the day and year first above named, and on the same day personally appeared Jehial Hammond and William I Reese residents of Ontario Township County of Knox in the State of Illinois and made oath that they are personally acquainted with Richmond F Hammond who has made and subscribed the foregoing declaration in their presence, and that they have every reason to believe, from teh appearance of teh applicant, and their acquaintance with him, that he is the identical person he represents himself to be, that they reside as above stated, and are disinterested in this claim for a Pension.

That since leaving the service of the United States as aforesaid, his habits have been uniformly good, and his occupations has been a farmer

Jehial Hammond (signature)
William I Reece (signature)

Sworn to and subscribed before me; and I certify that i am not interested in this claim or concerned in its prosecution; that i believe the affiants to be respectable and credible witnesses, and that the claimant is the person he represents himself to be.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this 28th day of March A.D., 1868

Joh[? A]berdein Clerk

A General Affidavit dated 8 Mar 1898 provides further information about Richmond Hammond’s imprisonment.

General Affidavit

State of Kansas County of Ford

In the matter of Richmond F Hammond late member Co D 14″ Reg’t Ill Cav Vols

On this 8 day of March A.D. 1898, personally appeared before me Richmond F Hammond aged 17 years, a resident of Dodge City in the county of Ford and state of Kansas and well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declares in relation to aforesaid case as follows:

my chronick diarehea was contracted while I was a prisoner of War at Andersonville, Geo in the summer and Fall of 1864 and continued on me while I was at Charleston South Carolina and at Florence South Caroline wheas I cam near loosin my life with it and it has continued on me ever sinse and I farther state that the Doctor that attended me when I got home from rebel prison is dead so is the next one and that is the reason why I cannot get the evidence of them.

I did not serve in the Navel or military services of the United States prior to May 23, 1861 and no subsequent to June 16 1865

Affiant’s post office address is Dodge City Ford Co Kansas

Richmond F Hammond (signature)

stamped 18 Mar 1898

Even though the memorandum from prisoner of war records does not list Andersonville, I believe that the two affidavits supplied by Richmond Hammond are sufficient proof of his imprisonment at Andersonville.