The Charity/Handout idea is one that I've heard before. Some of the widows filed as soon as they were widowed when there were a couple of years that their husband could have applied for a pension prior to their death.
One of my own GGGrands didn't apply himself until he was just too infirm to farm himself. The Doctor convinced him that some of his physical problems were a result of his life during the war both as a soldier and for the most part, a prisoner. Another GGGrand was convinced, by his wife and children, the Yanks owed him for the arm he lost.

When in Elba, Al. a few years ago for research, an older lady told us the Confederates burned the courthouse to keep the Yanks from finding any records that could tie any family to a Confederate soldier and possible retribution due to that.

Pam