18-year-old Walter Middleton was a slave of Sally McPherson in Charles County, Maryland. He enlisted in the 19th Regiment at Camp Stanton on January 6, 1864. While at Camp Stanton, Middleton contracted measles. He served with the 19th Regiment for three years, and was mustered out of the Union Army at Brownsville, Texas on January 15, 1867. A pension file affidavit by Middleton says:

I was treated for the disease of bone fever at Brownsville, Texas by the regimental doctor August 1865. For the injury of the hip and back I was treated for the same at Corpus Christi, Texas by the regimental doctor Oct 1865. For the injury of the head by explosion of a shell I was treated for the same by the regimental doctor August 1864. For the disease of the black measles I was treated for the same at Benedict, Maryland by the regimental doctor February 1864. For gun shot wound in the left shoulder I was treated for the same at Bermuda Hundred, Va. by regimental doctor Nov. 1864.

Another affidavit says:

Rheumatism and disease of the heart and by explosion of a shell over my head which knocked me senseless and was overheated by lying in the sun...Disabilities for which I receive no pension. An effect of the head and eyes and catarrh in the head and feet affected. These disabilities are the direct results from my services while in the military services of the United States in Co. F, Regt. 19th, U.S.C.T. Vols. I became overheated on July 30th, 1864 in an engagement in front of Petersburg, Virginia. Which time and place I was knocked senseless and laid in the sun for several hours and was overheated which affected my head and eyes and I also had the black measles.

And another affidavit says:

I first contracted the disease of the feet about January 1865 at Fort Harrison while in the line of my duty on picket about the first part of January 1865, being frosted in the feet, and also contracted the bone fever in Texas, July 1865 while in the line of my duty as a soldier which has continued to affect me to the present time. Also injured in my right hip and back while on a March from Edenberg to Corpus Christi, Texas 1865. Jumping across a little lake I was shot in the left shoulder November 1864 at Bermuda Hundred, Virginia and also while in battle at Petersburg Virginia July 30, 1864, I had a shell explode over my head which knocked me senseless and affected my head and became overheated by lying in the sun which affects me to the present time. And also I had the black measles at Benedict Maryland...