Black Seminole Scout Pompey Factor served in the Indian Wars in the late 1800s. Trying to prove to the Pension Office that he had served, Factor’s lawyer finally resorted to sending in indisputable proof--Factor’s Medal of Honor. 5/24/1926
Series: Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Veterans Who Served in the Army and Navy Mainly in the Civil War and The War With Spain ("Civil War and Later Survivors' Certificates"): Nos. SC 9,487 - 999,999, 1861 - 1934
Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 - 2007
Transcription:
CARL KARTES
County and District Court
Kinney County
Bracketville, Texas
May 24, 1926
Mr. Edgar T. Gaddis
Attorney at Law
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
I have a letter before me addressed to Pompey Facton, from the Bureau of Pensions of date April 22nd, last, advising that his claim for pension as survivor of the Indian Wars in rejected on the grounds that "No new elements has been brought into the case."
Factor--Facton a he is known by in the Army came to me some time in March, last, and requested that I file his application for pension, stating to me that he had never filed before and therefore, I knew nothing of his claim having been previously rejected.
This old gentleman is an illiterate and has no recollection of dates of any information that would assist in the prosecution of his claim, and has to depend on his friends who served in the Scouts with him to assist him with this information. Parties that know him state that he was in the service during the years 1874-75, and that he did fight Indians during that period. He has a medal of Honor that was awarded him, he states, for saving the life of then Liet. Bullis his Commander from an attack of Indians at a place known as Painted Cave on Devils' River (Texas), and which he thinks happened in the year of 1875. He states that Lt. Bullis, John Ward, Isaac Payne and himself, while enroute to some village, the name of which I do not recall, were overtaken by a band of Indians at the place called Painted Cave, that the Indians were in great numbers, and I believe during the fight the horse of Lt. Bullis was killed. That the Indians were about to surround them and that John Ward taken Lt. Bullis off with him of his (sic)Ward's horse, while Payne and Factor fought off the Indians, and that in this way they escaped. This medal the old gentleman guarded all these years and would not part with it for anything, but he has consented that I send it to you in hope that it may be of help in the prosecution of his claim. The old man is now feeble, in need and deserving, and if his story as relate to me is
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CARL KARTES
County and District Court
Kinney County
Bracketville, Texas
true, which I have reasons to believe is true, for the two witnesses to his application for pension, related to me that they had occasion to stop at the place where this fight with the Indians occured(sic) and looked over the grounds shortly after the fight, and that it was during the yer 1875, I cannot see why he is not entitled to a pension.
I have prepared affidavits for him signed by the two witnesses to his petition for pension, which affidavits are now on file in the Bureau of Pensions, to the effect that Pompey Factor and Pompey Facton is one and the same person, and the same party who now holds this medal, and why and when the medal was awarded to him. Should you find that anything can be done in this case, and should need other affidavits I think that we can procure them for parties here that served with Facton at that time.. We are unable to furnish affidavits by any of the parties that were with Facton in this fight with Indians as he is the only survivor, the other three named having died.
I am mailing you the medal under separate cover, and enclosing you herewith return postage, and will ask that after you have completed your investigation that you return same to me, as I have assumed the responsibility of returning the medal safely to this old gentleman.
Thanking you for any information concerning this claim, I am,
Yours very truly,
(Signature) Carl Kartes
(Handwritten note)
[6/5/06] Returned bronze medal inscribed " The Congress to Priv. Pompey Factor Indian [Scout]"
Carl Kartes (3 initials, cannot read)
