Herbert filed for his pension on June 12, 1888. At this time you had to prove you had a disability in order to receive a pension. Herbert did fall during battle and hurt his back and side. He was never listed as injured and did not spend time in the hospital when this occurred. He did spend three weeks in a regimental hospital for jaundice and liver complaint (he was yellow at this time) during the Civil War.
He may have waited so long to file for a pension because he could still work and by 1888 his injury was getting worse. Although, he stated that by February 1882 he could no longer work steadily and he had to give up farming.
Herbert had to prove that he had a disability. He submitted his back and side injury as well the disease of the liver. They rejected the disease of the liver claim and gave him a pension of $2 per month for his back and side injury. This was a 2/18 disability rating. Over the years Herbert fought hard to get increases in his pension.
The following year, 1889, he was able to get $4 per month or 4/18 rating.
The next year he tried to get another increase but he was rejected.
In 1892 he changed the wording of disease of the liver to malarial poisoning. The government considered malarial poisoning a compensable category. His pension was increased because of the malarial poisoning. Herbert suffered chills and fever for the rest of his life. This is a sympton of malaria.
Also in 1892, rheumatism and disease of the heart was added. He receives $8 per month. The rating of 4/18 is for the injury to the back and side with an addition 4/18 for the rest of his problems for a total of 8/18.
By 1900 he is recieving $16 per month. This is because of his problems with malaria. The 4/18 rating for malaria was raised to 12/18. The injury to the back and side remained at 4/18. So 4/18 plus 12/18 is 16/18 which is $16 per month.
Back in 1890, his medical exam showed no enlargement to the liver or spleen. If he had malaria these organs would be enlarged. So his increase was rejected. Then a medical exam in 1896 showed the liver and spleen enlarged. It recommended a disability rate of 17/18 but it was rejected. In 1900 Herbert took it upon himself to get this increase. He did not hire a lawyer to help him. Not only did he get an increase, he got the increase backdated to the 1896 medical exam and received a lump sum of $425.
The most one could get in a pension based on percentages was $18 per month. Herbert reached that ceiling in 1909 and he receives a third grade pension of $24 per month in January. This means he is getting a total disability. By June he is in the second grade for $30 per month after being rejected the first time he requested to move up to second grade. He never receives another increase after that one.
Just before he died in 1915, he tried to get and increase to first grade of $50 per month. However, he died before a medical examination could be held.
Civil War pension file of Herbert A. Bennett, Private, Co. B, 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Invalid certificate no. 435,627; widow's certificate no. 793,373. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington, D.C. Civil War pension file 1, Civil War pension file 2