Don't miss a chance at Civil War pension files

I had seven children by Mr. Smathers, six of whom were living when he died, only four of whom were under 16 years at that time…. I have no family record of the dates, but I have carried them in my mind all the time. I don't think I could possibly be mistaken as to the date of the birth of any of my children.

Terry Snyder at Desktop Genealogist shows why you really want those Civil War pension files for any ancestor or relative that has one. It's not necessarily about the military part -- it's a glimpse of lives that weren't recorded or remembered in any other way.