To the Commissioner of Pensions

Washington D.C.

            I can add my testimony to that of Surgeon General Moore, in the Matter of Claim of Mrs Virginia. M. Ewing for a Pension due her husband General Charles Ewing who died in Washington in 1883, leaving a widow and six children all young & dependent. 

            Charles Ewing, my brother in law was a young lawyer in St Louis Mo of fair practice when the Civil War broke out in 1861 — I was appointed Colonel of the 13th U.S. Infantry in May of that year and he was Commissioned as a Captain in the Same Regiment — He was then in perfect health and condition. He served continuously during the whole war 1861-5. Always under me, and near my person — as Captain till about May 1864 I detailed him as Inspector General in which Capacity he served throughout the Atlanta Campaign — and thence to the End of the war as a Brigadier General of Volunteers. 

            At Vicksburg that Battalion was Specially Exposed to the swamps and Malaria of the Mississippi, Yazoo and Big Black, which told materially on his health — Our losses by fever were fearful but we concealed the fact as much as possible because of the last issue at stake. Ewing as Captain, Col and Brigadier General often shew signs of the Malaria of the Yazoo, but stood fast manfully to his duty, always “present for duty” marched always with his Company till he was fairly promoted and Entitled to a horse — That his vital form was much exhausted by his service as described by Surgeon General Moore, who was with me much of the time, was demonstrated by his sudden death in Washington — He resigned his Commission of Captain at Washington in 1867, and resumed the practice of the Law — and died in Washington in midsummer of 1883 of pneumonia, leaving a large family of small children tenderly reared — I hope a Pension will at this late day be awarded them— 

W. T. Sherman

General

New York, June 24, 1889,