I believe this is the Robert Alexander Garrison who married Mary Frances KEYS, widow of his brother George W. Garrison, who was killed in the battle at Brandy Station. Robert Garrison of Shacklett, Stafford County, Virginia, applied for a pension as a Confederate veteran in 1904. He stated that he was then 64 years old. He was born in Stafford County and had lived there all his life. He was a farmer, and had been a farmer all his life. For the past 2 years, however, he had been unable to work, and he had earned no income. His disability was due to rheumatism, from which he had suffered for 10 years. However, he claimed only partial disability. Robert stated that he had served in Scotts Batallion, entering the army in Warrenton and serving for 12 months. He then left the service because he was wounded. Dr. Smoot attended him. He was unable to provide the names of 2 men who had served with him, as they were "all dead." He knew of no one who could testify to his disability. His signature -- "Robt A Garrison" -- was witnessed by William B. Robey, Justice of the Peace in Stafford County, on 1 April 1904. William Stephens[on] and Carrol [sic] Humphrey signed as resident witnesses, saying that they knew him to be a resident of Stafford County with a "reputation for truth and honesty," and that they believed his disability was genuine. William Stephenson signed his name, and Carroll Humphrey made his mark. The same 2 men signed as "witnesses, not comrades," stating that they knew, of their personal knowledge, that Robert A. Garrison had served as a "loyal and true" soldier, who was "faithful in the discharge of his duty."! Physician Wm. H. Tate testified that Robert Garrison did indeed suffer from rheumatism. In addition, he had suffered a wound through the foot, inflicted during the war, which adds to his disability. There is also something about a wound on the back of his head, which I cannot quite decipher. There apparently was no Camp of Confederate Veterans in Stafford County, so the statements of 2 ex-soldiers are provided. George W. Embry and L. A. Cooper stated that they were formerly soldiers in the Confederate Army, and they believe Robert's claim to be justified. Commissioner of the Revenue Wesley Knight stated that county records showed that Robert owned $352.50 in real and personal property. The Circuit County of Stafford County approved Robert's pension application on 9 May 1904. As he had applied as partially disabled, he received a partial pension, $15 a year. Summary by Laura Keyes Perry keyesperry@msn.com Pension applications can be accessed from the Library of Virginia site http://eagle.vsla.edu/conpen/virtua-basic.html * * * * The past isn't dead. It isn't even past. -- William Faulkner