# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/9th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 15

Chap. XV.—An Act authorizing the President of the United States to accept the service of a number of volunteer companies, not exceeding thirty thousand men.
President authorized to accept of the services of volunteer corps.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized to accept of any company or companies of volunteers, either of artillery, cavalry, or infantry, who may associate and offer themselves for the service, not exceeding thirty thousand men,How to be officered, equipped, &c. who shall be clothed, and furnished with horses, at their own expense, and armed and equipped at the expense of the United States, after they shall be called into service, except such of them as may choose to furnish their own arms, and whose commissioned officers shall be appointed in the manner prescribed by law in the several states and territories to which such companies shall, respectively, belong: Provided, that where any company, battalion, regiment, brigade, or division of militia, already organized, shall tender their voluntary service to the United States, such company, battalion, regiment, brigade or division shall continue to be commanded by the officers holding commissions in the same, at the time of such tender, and any vacancy thereafter occurring shall be filled in the mode pointed out by law in the state or territory, wherein the said company, battalion, regiment, brigade, or division shall have been originally raised.
Corps offering themselves liable to be called upon to do duty, &c. How long to continue in service, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That any company, battalion, regiment, brigade, or division, thus offering itself for the service, shall be liable to be called upon to do military duty at any time the President of the United States shall judge proper, within two years after he shall accept the same, and shall be bound to continue in service for the term of twelve months after they shall have arrived at the place of rendezvous, unless sooner discharged, and when called into actual service, and whilst remaining therein, shall be under the same rules and regulations, and be entitled to the same pay,Pay, &c. rations, forage and emoluments of every kind, bounty and clothing excepted, with the regular troops of the United States.Proviso. Provided, that in lieu of clothing, every non-commissioned officer and private, in any company, who may thus offer ​themselves, shall be entitled, when called into actual service, to receive in money a sum equal to the cost of the clothing of a non-commissioned officer, or private (as the case may be) in the regular troops of the United States.
President authorized to have them organized, when called into service. In the mean time they are to perform militia duty, &c.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized to organize the companies so tendering their service, as aforesaid, into battalions, squadrons, regiments, brigades, and divisions, as soon as the number of volunteers shall render such organization, in his judgment, expedient; but until called into actual service, such companies shall be bound to do regular militia duty as is required by law in like manner as before the passage of this act.
Volunteers to be saved harmless except in cases of negligence or accidental losses and damage.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That in case any volunteer above mentioned, while in actual service, shall sustain any damage, by injury done to his horse, or such other equipment as shall have been furnished at his own expense, or by loss of the same, without any fault or negligence on his part, a reasonable sum, to be ascertained in such manner as the President of the United States may direct, shall be allowed and paid to such volunteer for each and every such damage or loss.
Specific appropriation.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the sum of five hundred thousand dollars, to be paid out of any monies in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, be, and the same hereby is appropriated towards defraying any expense incurred by virtue of the provisions of this act.
Approved, February 24, 1807.