Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-04-10
BY X. P. WALTON.
FROM WASHINGTON.
TUESDAY, March 81.
Pay and bounty Of Soldiers.

is now engaged upon claims for balances Of
pay and bounty due in cases Of soldiers who
died in March and April, 1862. These cases
are taken up in their order, and in no instance
will case be made special" OF course
claims occurring since the above date will
not be reached until all preceding shall have
been disposed Of. For instance, cases grow
ing out Of deaths in November last will not be
reached until October ncxt--other dates pro-
portionally. Claimants must therefore culti-
vats the virtue Of patience. But is not the
Department diiatoryl Is it not bamable
think not. The letters received measure
three bushels per day; letters written from
the Department average one thousand per
day; aud the claims fled for pay and bounty
alone Saying nothing about the ordinary bu-
siness Of the Office, these claims being extra
ordnary,) number on an average seven thou
sand per month. These claims all have to
be registered and acknowledged, and, when
examined, many have to be returned for cor
reotion Of errors or perfection Of proof One
advantage grows out Of the necessary delay
in the settlement of these claims-to wit, the
correction Of mistakes. Cases have occurred
where claims for deceased soldiers have been
fully proven and passed for allowance at the
Department, in which the supposed dead sol
dier has appeared alive In one case. the
supposed widow was claimant, and she was
all ready TO take her bounty and new hus-
band. The Department has determined not
T.,
have been discharged on account Of mounds re-
oeived IN battle. The reasons are that no APP
preparation made by Congress to pay
these claims and as Congress has still to
act on the matter, changes in the law are aniic-
ipated. think ii quite probable that the boun-
ty will be extended to all cases Of discharge
for disability incurred in the service, whether
wounds or disease In the mean time those
who intend to claim on account of rounds
oeived IN battle, ought to procure the proof Of
such wound at once, from the surgeon Of
their regiment or otherwise. The discharges
Of soldiers for disability declare that fact
generally, and do not spesify ,oourds. For
that reason, the certificate Of discharge for
disability will not be proof Of a claim for a
wound. although in fact the wound may have
been the cause of disability. There must be
proof Of the wound, and that it incurred
in battle. again refer those interested to
the act published in the Journal recently.
The Negro Regiments.
General Sa1ton has officially reported that
the regiments OF South Carolins negroes, now
on the expedition in Florida, have behaved
well. But the report is worth printing in
full. Here it is
By.rroHr. s. c.. March "a isss-Hon Edwin NJ
Stanton Secretary Of War sir. have the honor 10
report that the eHpedoa which sent up the st. Johns
river, Florida consisting Of ihe First regiment South
Carolina volunteers Colonel T. W HggnsOn command
ing, and portion OF the Second South Carolina Yolun
toers, under Colonel Montgomery captured and took
ION inst
As stated my repor, you, the object Of this
expedition 70 occupy jacksonville and make Il the
base Of operations for the arming Of negroes and
this way possession Of the entire state Of Florida
IL gives much pleasure TO report that far the OBJ
ecs Of the expedition have been fly accomplished -
Tue town completely m our possession aud many prison
There has been constant skrmishng going on for
several days, and IN every action the negro troops have
behaved With the utmost bravery never ia single in-
stance can | learn that they have hnuhed.
Its my belief that scarcely incident IN this war
has caused greater panic throughout the whole South
than this raid uf the colorcd troops n Florida,
The negroes are collecting al Jacksonville from all guar
tiers
] am sir with great respect
X SAXON. Brgadier General Vols.
Appropos to the negro experiment. The
British government has had no hesitancy and no
scrupes about employing negroes soldiers /;
but has done it for years, and side by side
with white regiments. This in the British
West India Islands; andat the ssme time it hs =
employed and still employs, the copper color
ed natives in the Fast Indies, in its armies.
An official report made in S3s and embrao-
ing period Of twenty years. proves not only
that the negro troops were more healthy and
efficient than the whites, but also much more
orderly and obedient to military regulations.
OF whites, the deaths were 94.7 for every
1000 troops, while of blacks the deaths were
only 3s.3; and of the whites fifty in every
thousand we're punished for offenses, while of
the blacks the number was only thirty eight
in every thousand. Humanity, economy and
efficiency all demand the employment of the
Africans in this war, especially in the South
ern States Why should the Government
subject our Northern boys to the fatal dis
eases Of tropical regions, when it can find
men on the spot who are both adapted to the
climate and easily fitted for military service
Why should the eopper-heads insist upon
sacrificing white-Golks? Whether it be pre-
jndice or partzanshp, it is not good reason.
Army Matters.
The weather this morning is very unfavora-
ble--R very smart snow storm. OF course
there must be mud for awhile. cavalry
force OF fifteen regiments is now concentrated
at Fairfax Station. the scene Of Stoughton's
capture. The Vermont cavalry was ordered
there yesterday.
WEDNESDAY,, April |, 1863