My book “McCabe’s Luck” references a land grant program for Civil War veterans. That program actually existed for about two years in the state of Texas, giving a land grant of 1,280 acres to disabled veterans. The Texas Legislature passed an act on April 9, 1881 to create the program. The act specifically stated:
“to persons who have been permanently disabled by reason of wounds received while in the service of this State, or of the Confederate States, a land certificate for twelve hundred and eighty acres of land.”
Widows of veterans killed in service could also received the grant. All applicants were required to be residents of the state of Texas.
About 2,000 veterans took advantage of this program between 1881 and 1883, when the act was repealed. For purposes of my book, I “moved” the program to a time about ten years earlier so I could fit it into my story.
