Greetings! This is going to several lists, so please forgive the duplication
(and the repetition of things you may have heard me say before).
I am writing a history of the Washington County (NY) Poor House.

OK, I can't stand the puzzle any longer! So I'm gonna have to track this one
down.

I have become quite interested in the effect of the Civil War in Washington
County as reflected in admissions to the Poor House. This has been a verrrry
tricky one.  In 1862 & 1863 there were several mentions made; ie. father
killed in war, father away in war, husband killed in war ... even a couple
of men of whom it was said they were hurt in the war. Then, abruptly, no
more mention of the war in any admissions.

Now, I know there was a Civil War Pension program. I know lots of
generalities about it ... like it became huge over time and included even
distant relatives of men who stubbed their toe in the war. (OK, so that is
an exaggeration. No disrespect intended, but the vast expansion of the
pension program was a fact and quite a political issue.)

Here is the example I just MUST try to track down.
 David MOUNTAIN
 Male 57 White Single born Ireland/Waterford/?
Poor House Admission/Discharge
11/10/85 - 4/19/86
11/13/86 - 4/25/87
5/2/87 - 5/6/87
Comments on his certificate:
Rheumatism -- served in the War, 16th Artillery

Here's my question (obvious!)
WHY would a man whose service in the Civil War could surely be documented --
after all, they even knew which unit (sorry, guys: probably wrong term--I
don't know military terminology from Greek!)in which he served -- who would
almost certainly have been eligible for a pension -- spend TWO WINTERS in
the Poor House?!?

I need HELP!!! (2 kinds, actually)

1.  How do I track down this man's application for a pension and its
disposition? (I have avoided learning this genealogy technique because I was
more interested in the following.)

2.  Where do I find good HISTORICAL (NOT genealogical) information about the
CW Pension program? (When it started, how it worked, a chronological
timeline for its implementation, relevant laws, etc.)

I am a little bit desperate here. I will be in Albany and Washington County
for about two weeks -- I leave in a week (takes 4 days to drive there from
Texas). I could spend lots of time looking in the libraries & archives there
but I don't know the system. Any help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED. Feel free
to e-mail me privately if you don't think your info would be of interest to
the whole list.

BTW, anybody out there have info about this David Mountain?
Thanks, Linda