The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-08-22
The New Volunteer Act Passed by
Congress.

The New Volunteer Act Passed by
Congress.
an act to authorize lie employment of Vol
teers to aid in enforcing Tile laws anc
projecting public property.
WHEREAS certain of the forts, arsenals
custom houses, navy yards, and othe
property Of the United States, have beer
seized. and other violations Of law have
been committed and are threatened by Or
ganized bodies OF men in several of The
States, and conspiracy has been entered
into to overthrow the Government of thu
United States; therefore,
BE Il enocted by Tie Senate and House Of
Representatives Of tie United States o.
America in Congress assembled, That the
President be, and he is hereby authoriz
ed to accept the services Of volunteers. Ell
thor as cavalry, infantry. or artillery, in
such numbers, not exceeding five hundred
thousand, as he may deem necessity, fol
the purpose of ofrcpelling INVASION suppress
sing Instruction, enforcing the laws, and
preserving and protecting tie public
property: Providca, That the services o
the volunteers shall be for such time a'
the President may direct, not exceeding
three years nor less than six months, ,anC
they shall be dsbanded at the end Of the
war, and all provisions of law applicab 4
to three years volunteers shall apply tc
two years volunteers, and to all volun
teers who may have been or may be nc
cepted into the service of the United
States for period not less than six
months, in the same manner as if sucl
volunteers were specially named. Before
receiving into service any number of vol
unteers exceeding those now called for
and accepted, the President shall from
time 10 time, issue his proclamation sta
ting the number desired, either as caval.
ry, infantry, or artillery and the States
from which they are TO be furnished, bsv-
ing reference, In any such requsition, to
tie number then in service from the
several States and to the exigcncies of,hc
service at the time, and equalizing, as ial
as practicable, the number furnished by
the several States according to Fedora
population.
Sec. 2, And be ii further enacted. Tha
the said volunteers shall bc subject to the
rules and regulations governing the army
of the United States, and that they shall
be formed by the President into regi
ments of infantry, with the exception Of
such numbers for cavalry and artillery as
he may direct, not to exceed the proper
tioE of one company of each of those arms
to every regiment Of infantry, and TO be
organized as in the regular service. Eacl
regiment OF infantry shall have one Col
onel. one Lieutenant Colonel, one Major
one Adjutant, "a lieutenant,) one Quar-
tcrnasler, IA lieutenant one Surgeon
and one I ssistant Surgeon, one Sergean
Major, one rcgimental Quartermaster Ser
geant, one rcgimen'al Commissary Ser
geant, one hospital Steward, two Irincipa
musicians, and twenty ourmusicians 70,
a band and shall be composed of ter
companies, each company 10 consist o
one Captain, one First Lieutenant, ont
Second Lieutenant, one First Sergeant
four aergeants, eight corporals, two musi
clans, one wagner and from sixty.fou'
10 eighty.two privat1s.
Sec. 3. Aad be il turther enacted, Tha
these forces, when accepted as herciI
authorized, shall be organized into divi
sions of three or more brigades each; an(
each division shall have Major Genera
three Aides-decan p, and one Assistan
Adjutant General with the rank Of Major
Each brigade shall be composed of fou
or more regiments, and shall have on
Brigadior General, two Aidesde camp
one Assistant Adjutant General with tn
rank of Captain, one Surgeon, one Assis
tant Quartermaster, and one Commissar
of Subsistence.
Sec 4. Aad be HJurther enacted, Tha
the President shall be authorized to ap
point by and with the advice and sousep
Of the Senate, for the command of til
forces provided for in this act, mum
Der of major generals, hot exceeding siA
and a number of brigadier generals, nc
exceeding eighteen, and the other div
sion and brigade officers required for th
organization of these forces, except th
aides de camp, who shall be selected b
their respective generals from the officer
of tie army or volunteer corps: Procidec
That the President may select the majc
generals and bTigadier generals provide
for in that act from the line or staff of til
regular army, and the officers SO seIecte
shall be permitted to retain their ran
therein. The governors Of the State
furnishing volunteers under this act sha
commission The field. staff, and compau
officers requisi; for the said volunteer
but in cases where the State authorize
refuse or omit 10 furnish volunteers at II
call or on the proclamation Of the Pres
dent. and volunteers from such States o
fer theil services under such call or pro-
amation, The President shall have pow'
to accept sucll services, aud to commits
ion the proper field, staff, and compan
officers ,y,.r,t. Inn,
Sec, 5. And be Il further enacted, Th
the officers and privates, organized
above set forth. shall, in all respects
placed on the footing, as to pay and a
lowauces, Of similar corps of the regul
army; Provided, That the allowances
non commissioned officers and privat
for clothing, when not furnished in kin
shall be three dollars and fifty cents P