The 'Lost' Pensions

Brief Summary

"The 'Lost' Pensions" by Craig Roberts Scott is a meticulously compiled guide that serves as a vital resource for those delving into the archives of U.S. military pensions. This book provides an organized index to a series of payment records found in the series titled "Settled Accounts for Payment of the Accrued Pensions (Final Payments)" housed within the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The records cover various historical conflicts, including the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, various Indian Wars before 1860, and the Mexican War. Scott's work highlights accounts that are not typically found in common pension indexes, thus offering a unique resource for genealogists and researchers focused on these pivotal periods in American history.

Main Themes and Topics

The primary focus of "The 'Lost' Pensions" centers around uncovering and cataloging pension records that have been historically overlooked or hard to access. The book serves as a finding aid for accounts that have either been lost in the shuffle of traditional documentation or were never documented in widely recognized indexes. By doing so, Scott provides an invaluable tool for genealogists and historians, granting them access to 16,000 settled accounts of pensioners or their heirs, which offer new insights and connections to individuals who participated in significant military engagements throughout U.S. history.

Writing Style and Tone

Craig Roberts Scott approaches "The 'Lost' Pensions" with a scholarly tone, emphasizing precision and clarity to aid researchers in navigating complex archival materials. His writing style is straightforward and pragmatic, reflecting the book's purpose as a functional research tool rather than a narrative history. The language used is specific to genealogical and historical research, simplifying the process for users to cross-reference and verify the information contained within the payment records.

Criticism

While "The 'Lost' Pensions" is admired for its utility and the wealth of information it provides to genealogists, some readers may find the book's format and structure to be dense or challenging to navigate, particularly if they are new to archival research. The specialized nature of the content means that it caters to a niche audience, which may limit its appeal to casual readers. Furthermore, the book's focus on providing a factual and methodical account of pension records may lead to a perception of dryness compared to more narrative-driven historical texts.