What can a primary source document tell us about the past? Objective The student will abstract material from a Revolutionary War pension application. The student will list and categorize facts on the Battle of Cowpens gleaned from the abstract. The student will analyze the pension for questions addressed, testimonies or other information leading to approval. Background Many Revolutionary War soldiers, both militia and regular, filed pensions for their service in the Revolution. Today, these pensions can be obtained from the National Archives, Washington, D.C., and, sometimes, from state archiv Duration: 60 Minutes.