Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation:
Lewis Bowers, of lawful age, a white man, but a citizen of the Cherokee Nation by marriage; he is well known to me to be a creditable person, and after being by me duly sworn, deposes as follows, viz:
I enlisted in Company E, Second Regiment of Indian Home Guards, in the month of November, 1862; I was promoted to the rank of sergeant major of said regiment, and served until the close of the war, and was honorably discharged and mustered out of the service in the month of May, 1865. In the fall of 1865 I gave my discharge and a power of attorney to James G. Blount for collection of my bounty.
General Blount was at my house some six months afterwards, and informed me that all the Indian soldier claims had been turned over to John W. Wright. I did not see Wright until about one year ago; he was here paying off soldiers. He told me then that he did not have my money, and could not tell when he could pay it. About two months ago Wright was here, and told me that the money was in Washington, ready for me, but that I would have to give him another power of attorney, and he would have my money here as soon as the mail could go to Washington and back. He left his son, John Brown Wright, here to attend to his business, as I understood. I have called on him about every week since, and he puts me off from week to week, offering to pay me in goods from Nash’s store, and today he tells me that I must wait about one month longer, unless I take it in goods; that he could not pay me in money. After Wright returned to Washington last, John Brown Wright was at my house, and told me I did not come up to get my bounty; that his father had taken back to Washington $25,000 that should have been paid at Fort Gibson.
LEWIS BOWERS,
Late Sergeant Major, Second Indian Regiment.
Sworn to and subscribed in my presence this 19th day of September 1867.
J. F. MUNSON,
First Lieutenant and Adjutant, Sixth Infantry.
