Franklin County: "General Information for Soldiers and their Heirs, Entitled to Old Bounty," by , January 18, 1870
Summary: This article lists the pensions and bounties owed to Civil War veterans and their families, on the basis of their time and length of enlistment. It shows the attention that still surrounded Civil war soldiers five years after the war ended.
Soldiers who read what is here contained under head of "old bounty," should remember that this branch of the general information, is to show them what they were entitled to, at time of discharge, most of them received it.
All volunteers entering the service with their organizations after the breaking out of the war and up to Dec. 23d, 1863, inclusive, are entitled to $100.
All volunteers entering the service between April 1st and July 17th, 1864, inclusive, are entitled to $100, to be paid to the men when honorably dishcarged at expiration of their term of service, or for wounds received in the line of duty, or if discharged after two years service for disease contracted in the line of duty, they are entitled to $100 Bounty.
All the above named classes are entitled to $100 additional Bounty, except the last who are entitled to $50 only.
All men who enlisted in old organizations from October 24, 1863 to April 1, 1864, $300.
All men who enlisted in new organizations from December 24, 1863, to April 1, 1864, $300.
All men who enlisted from April 1, 1864, to July 17, 1864, are entitled to $100.
The above bounty is paid in full to any soldier discharged for wounds received in the line of duty, and to no other soldier except those who served two years-or to expiration of term-or who were discharged on account of Gov't no longer requiring their services.
All veterans who enlisted as veterans prior to April 1, 1864, were entitled to $400.
All men who enlisted after July 18, 1864, for one year, and who served full term, were entitled to $100.
All men who enlisted after July 18, 1864, for two years, and who served full term, were entitled to $200.
All men who enlisted after July 18, 1864, for three years, and who served full term, were entitled to $300.
All soldiers discharged for wounds received in battle, or skirmish, on picket, or in action, or in the line of duty, and all volunteers (excepting those enlisting after July 18, 1864,) discharged in consequence of the close of the war, are entitled to the same bounty as if they had served out their full term of service; but if dischraged for disability, other than wounds as stated above, they are entitled to the matured installment only; but if the disability existed prior to enlistment, all unpaid installments and the $25 advance, if received, are forfeited. If honorably discharged for any sense, other than enumerated, within two years, they are entitled to the matured installments only.
A bounty of $100 is given to the heirs of soldiers who enlisted for more than six months and die in the service, and to the widow, and if there be no widow, to the children of all volunteers who enlisted for less than six months and are killed in the service.
This only relates to six months men who enlisted under the call of the President in 1862 for 500,000 men.
There is no bounty for enlistment in the Veteran Reserve Corps.
All the above are paid to the heirs of deceased soldiers in the order named, namely, to widow, children, father, mother, brothers and sisters.
Under the Act of July 4, 1864 men enlisting after July 18, 1864, the Bounty is payable to the Widow's children, and mother if she be a widow, without regard to location or more properly speaking, if she be the widow of the soldier's father. No other class entitled to this bounty, and if the mother has remarried she is not entitled.
ADDITIONAL BOUNTY.
The EQUALIZATION ACT, passed July 23, 1866, provides that all enlisted after April 19, 1861, for a period of not less than three years, served the term of their enlistment and were honorably discharged, and who have received or entitled to receive, under existing laws, $100 bounty AND NO MORE; and all enlisted for not less than three years, who have been hyonorably discharged on account of wounds received in line of duty; and the widow, minor children, or parents in the order named of any soldier who died in the service, or of disease or wounds contracted while in the service shall be paid an additional bounty of $100. The second section of this act provides that men who enlisted for a period of not less than two years and who have served two years or been discharged on account of wounds, shall paid an additional bounty of $50; to be paid to the heirs in the same order as above provided in the first section.
ENTITLED TO PENSION.
1st. All soldiers, Provost Marshals, Deputy Provost Marshals and Enrolling Officers, who were disabled directly or indirectly in "Uncle Sam's" service, while in the line of duty.
2d. All widows of such.
3d. All minor children (under 16) of such, where the widow is dead or re-married.
4th. All mothers who were dependent in whole or in part upon such a son for support, where no widow or minor children are living.
5th. All fathers who were dependent in whole or in part upon such a son for support, where there is no widow, minor children or mother.
6th. All orphan brothers or sisters under 16, who were dependent in whole or in part upon such soldiers where there is no widow or children.
ENTITLED TO INCREASE.
1st. All persons who have lost both hands or both eyes, or been totally disabled in the United States service, or so permanently and totally disabled as to render them utterly helpless, OR SO NEARLY, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE CONSTANT PERSONAL AID AND ATTENDANCE OF ANOTHER PERSON, are entitled to $25 per month pension.
2nd. All persons who have lost both hands or one foot and one hand, or who are totally disabled in the same, or otherwise disabled as to be incapacitated for performing any manual labor, BUT NOT SO MUCH AS TO REQUIRE CONSTANT PERSONAL AID and attention, $20 per month.
3rd. All those who have lost one foot or one hand, or been totally and permanently disabled in the same, or otherwise so disabled as to render their inability to perform manual labor equivalent to the loss of a hand or foot, $15 per month.
4th. All widows who have children by such soldier, are entitled to an increase of two dollars per month, for each minor child (under 16.) Where the widow is dead or re-married, the minor children are entitled to an increase of two dollars per month.
ENTITLED TO COMMUTATION FOR RATIONS WHILE PRISONERS OF WAR.
All who have been confined in rebel prisons are entitled to 25 cents per day for each day if they have not drawn such commutation.
Heirs of Prisoners of War are entitled to commutation for rations at twenty-five cents per pay, for the time the soldier was held prisoner. The heirs are, first the widow, if she has not re-married, next the children, next the parents, and if neither of these are living, then the brothers and sisters.
ENTITLED TO EXTRA PAY.
All officers who were in commission March 8, 1865, and who were discharged after April 9, 1865, are entitled to three months (extra) pay proper, where that have not received it.
ENTITLED TO PAY.
All who have not been paid in full.
All officers who after being commissioned actually entered on duty as such commissioned officers, and for reasons beyond their control, were not mustered as such for the 30 days or more, are entitled to full pay for the time they were so serving as such officers.
Members of the 1st Iowa Cavalry are entitled to pay from date of enrollment to date of muster, in cases where such pay was withheld.
STATE PAY.
Soldiers of the Second and Third Iowa Infantry, who were charged with gray uniform are entitled to pay certificates for the amount wrongfully charged them.
ENTITLED TO LAND WARRANTS.
All who served in any of the wars from 1790 to March 3, 1855, one minute in battle or 14 days in camp or elsewhere are entitled to a 160 acre land warrant. Where the soldier is dead, the widow, where there is no widow, those who were minor children (under 21) March 3, 1855, are entitled, providing the soldier did not receive it.
There is no law giving bounty land to soldiers of the late war, but Congress will probably pass a law for their benefit.
SOLDIERS DISCHARGED FOR WOUNDS.
There are soldiers all over the country who were discharged for wounds received in line of duty. These soldiers are entitled to the full amount of bounty, originally promised by the Government. If soldiers did not receive the full amount at the time of discharge, or have not received it since, they should employ a competent attorney or claim agent to procure it for them.
Heirs of all such soldiers are entitled to the bounty where the soldier has died since discharge.
HEIRS TAKE NOTICE
That where a soldier was discharged on account of disease contracted in service, and afterwards died of such disease, the widow, minor children, or parents, are entitled to $100 by an act of July 28, 1866, if such soldier did not receive any bounty or not, more than $100 from the United States.
SOLDIER'S WIDOWS.
There are many who have been drawing pensions who do not know that the children under 16 years of age are entitled to pension on the remarriage of the widow. All such should procure the pensions due the little ones.
LOST DISCHARGES.
Soldiers who have lost their discharges are entitled to bounty, and it can be procured for them in all cases in which they would have been entitled if the discharge had not been lost.
CONGRESS has enacted that the pension money withheld from widows on account of their children being in Orphan Homes should be paid to them.
SOLDIERS who enlisted for three months are not entitled to bounty under present laws.
BY LATE LAW, Pensions date back to time of discharge if claims were filed within five years. Those who did not receive pension from date of discharge are entitled to it now.
SOLDIERS' WIDOWS who have been so unfortunate as to marry bigamists, after the death of their husand who served in the army can have their pensions renewed.
Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, January 18, 1870
