Michelle,

Frances Blackledge was requesting the pay still owed to Joseph Blackledge and John Steelman at the time of their deaths for their service in the army. She was not requesting a pension. The state of Mississippi did not begin granting pensions until the year 1888.

Francis Blackledge stated in her affidavits that Joseph Blackledge and John Steelman both died of disease at Mobile, Alabama. She did not specifiy the disease of either.

Philip Napier wrote to John McRae, a former governor of Mississippi, and at the time the letter was written, a member of the Confederate Congress in Richmond. The captain's duplicate affidavits he is referring to in the letter is a document entitled, Certificate to be given a soldier at the time of his discharge. A certificate was filled out and signed by Captain Matt Calvert for both Blackledge and Steelman and you can find a copy of each certificate in their respective CMSRs. The date of discharge is their date of death and each certificate states exactly how much was owed to them on that day. If you carefully read the certificate you will see that it states for Blackledge "Given in duplicate at Mobile, Alabama on this 29th day of August, 1862" and for Steelman "Given in duplicate at Mobile, Alabama on this 16th day of February, 1863". The certificate was given in duplicate. On each certificate John McRae wrote the following note: "The signature of Captain Calvert is genuine. His hand work is known to me."

If you live near Mobile go to the library there and see what you can dig up regarding the burial records of Magnolia Cemetery and the history of Mobile during the Civil War.

Best regards--