Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-04-24
House OF REPRESENTATIVES,

House OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
March 20, 1884.
DEAR SIR: We respectfully beg leave to
call your attention, and through you that
Iof the committee of Claims, to the propo-
sltlon now before your committee, for set
Ting claims for property aud horses lost in
the late Indian war, on the frontier of Hi
nols and Michigan. You know an act was
passed by the last Congress, designed to
provide for paying those claims; but, ow-
ing to detect in the law, or in the con-
struction it has received, the objects of
Congress have not been met. as it has fall
en- tar short of satisfying the just claims of
those who were so unfortunate as to have
lost property on that occasion; most of the
horses were lost in consequence of forced
marches in pursuit of the enemy. 1t will
be seen by the official, and all accounts of
that campaign, that it was one of most I'M
usual length and hardship, during no part
OF which period was there one ounce of
provender furnished 10 the largest portion
of the horses in service. After GLIDING the
vigilance of the commanding general and
the officers and army with him, for many
weeks, the enemy made desperate effort
to escape our forces, by retreating very far
to the north. and we're pursued by forced
marches, by our troops, for many days, in-
to an unknown and uninhabiled wilder.
ness. During this forced march many of
the horses, from fatigue and want of for
age. gave out, and were abandoned, by or
der of the commanding officers, and were
wholly lost to their owners, who left them,
with their baggage, and pursued the In
found in the front rank, when the enemy
was overtaken aud conquered. The law
of The last session was designed to pay
those ust claims, for losses sustained ex-
clusiveIy in the service of the country, and
under circumstances entirely beyond their
control. We enclose two letters, one from
governor Reynolds and one from general
Atkinson, who commanded the army, and
who are fully acquainted with the justice
of those claims. as they were present, and
knew all the circumstances. We also beg
leave to submit printed bill, introduced
into the senate by general Robinson, with
three amendments, which are interlined in
it. and which we think will be necessary,
to do justice to those claimants.
With great respect.
Your obedient servants,
JOSEPH DUNCAN.
ZADOK CASEY.
CHS SLADE.
Hon. Z. WHITTLEsEY,
Chairman of the Committee Of Claims.
A BILL
To provide for the payment Of claims
forproperty lost, captured, or destroy
ed by the enemy, while in the militia
ry service OF the United States, du'
ring the late war with Great Britain
and the Indian wars subsequent
thereto, and for other purposes.
| Sec. 10. find be ii further enacted
That any officer, field or staff, volunteer
ranger, cavalry, or other persons, enga
ged in the campaign OF eighteen hun
dred and eighteen, against the Seminal.
Indians, or against any other Indions in I
time of war since, who have sustained
damage without any fault or negligenc.
on their part, respectively, by the los
, of horse or necessary equippage i,
battle, or by the loss of a horse that wa
wounded in battle, and afterwards die,
!. Of said wound while in the service; o
who has sustained damage by reason Q
the loss Of any horse which, in conse
quence Of the United States failing te
supply sufficient forage while engage
in said service, died. or was unavoidabl
. abandoned and lost; or who has sustain
ed damage by reason Of the loss Of tn
: loss Of any horse, because the rider Wa
e dismounted and separated from his hors
10 and ordered to do military duty on foo