2. Hugh Plymale
Hughy, age 18, was listed with his family on the 1850 Pike County, Kentucky., census.
Hughy Plymale enlisted at Piketon (now Pikeville) on October 1, 1862 for three years at age 31. He mustered into service on November 18, 1862, and was appointed 1st Sergeant at the organization of Co D of the 39th Kentucky Infantry, USA, on February 16, 1863. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on March 23, 1865, and was raised to 1st Lieutenant on May 5, 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky. He was dis- charged on September 15, 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky.
One of his most unpleasant duties was that of signing the death certificate for his brother William, who was also assigned to Company D. William was captured while on scouting duty on August 24, 1863. He eventually was transferred to Andersonville and died on July 29, 1864. Hughy had to write his parents as required by Army regulations.
Hughy applied for a Civil War military pension on June 27, 1890. He stated in his pension application that rheumatism and disease of the kidneys, contracted during the war, made earning a livelihood as a farmer difficult. An official medical exam confirmed these two conditions, as well as a heart problem and a fatty tumor (the size of a hen's egg) over the upper border of the left scapula. The rheumatism was located predominately over the left shoulder and arm, which made raising the arms over the head painful. Hughy also states that he suffered from an enlarged prostate, which he first noticed in the Fall of 1887. He attributed this condition to advancing age and hard manual labor on his farm. Hughy's pension application was approved and he was granted a financial stipend of $8.00 per month. Hughy's pension Application Number was 793.075
On November 4, 1892 Hughy applied for an increase of his invalid pension. At this time he was about 61 years old and resided in Watalula, Arkansas (In Franklin County). He later lived in Barnes, Arkansas. The pension level was increased to $10.00 per month. On July 7, 1904 it was again raised to $12.00 per month. On March 4, 1907 Hughy was given $20.00 per month. Finally, on May 25, 1912 Hughy was awarded $30.00 per month.
The Government was notified of Hughy's death on June 19, 1915, by his son James H. Plymale of Barnes, Arkansas.