The Portland daily press., 1864-04-13
Letter from the State Capital.
AUGUSTA, April ~, 1864

AUGUSTA, April IL, 1864.
To the Editor Of the Press:
Special orders from the War Department
announce that Major James johnson, 14th
regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, is assigned
to the command Of the rendezvous for drafted
forces at Camp Berry, Portland, as the sue
cessor of Brlgadier General Rowley, and that
companies and ID, 18th regiment Veteran
Reserve Corps, are 10 take post there and
constitute the permanent garrison of the rem
devious.
The 3lst and ed regiments are hard at
work on rolls, papers &c, preparatory to
their departure for Annapolis which has been
ordered Tor this week. They are both nearly
full
The members Of the Sth regiment report
here to-day from their furloughs, and will
leave very soon for the seat of War The sth
has been transferred from the Department Of
the South to the Army of the Potomac, and
will report to General Casey at Washington.
Since the third of September last, this
State had, so far as reported up to the 7th
inst, been credited by the War Department
with six enlistments in the regular army
During the month of March we received cred
it for l404 volunteers for three years service,
not including veteran reenlistments.
First Lieutenant Frank w. Haskell, Adju.
tant of the 10Th regiment, who was some
time since honorably discharged the service
Tor disability, has been restored to his old po-
sition. Official notice from the War Depart
ment also has been received of the resigna-
ton of Capt George w. Burnham, Co. L,
9th regiment, and the dismissal for absence
without leave, of LIST Lieut.. Charles A Water
house, Co. c, 9TH Regt.
Considerable difficulty and many questions
having arisen rs to the proper construction of
the State Aid Law passed by the last Legisla-
ture, Gov. Cony submitted the matter to At
torney General Peters for his EXPLANATION
Mr.. Peters has returned the following clear
and concise reply
STATE OF MAINE.
ATTORNEY GENERALS orrIox,l
uov s,. c Augusta April A. 1854. 5
Your notice calling my attention 10 o construc-
on OF the act entitled AN act to provide support
i ior .e families Of soldier passed By the Lesa
received, and make The following reply to the
same:
The construction gwen heretofore by the diffr.n,
State departments to the previous acts upon
the same subject has been widely circulated and gen
orally understood. The act of 1854 reduces In num-
Der the different classes of persons entitled TO ro.
ceiye aid IL also makes more and certain than
heretofore the amount TO be received by those Who
entitled to aid and leaves less to the discrmina
tion of town oicer.. Certain parties entitled to
aid at all events The classification may DO made of
persons entitled to receive aid. provided they claim
1t and make application for the saine. as follows
/. The wife OF any soldier. sailor marine, &c
IL entitled TO receive five cents per week
2. Each child. under fifteen years of age, of any
soldier, &c is entitled to receive ffty cents per
week. brother or sister of q soldier &c, Ia not
now entitled to iecshe any sum whatever.
g.. An aged. infrm, and dependent father or
mother OF any soldier, &c, is entitled to receive
seventy five cents per week.
| 4. dependent widowed mother of any soldier
week w.
g. But the sums so paid shall not, In any case
exceed two and half dollars per week for all the
marine.
6. The amounts above named are payable in
money unless the recipients elect to take il In some
thing else.
Z. he amounts. rs stated above cities towns and
Plantations. are now compelled to paw upop the cred
IL of the State for reimbursement and towns &C
are subject 70 ildic'inent for any failure on their
| part. to pay the same
| T. Towns. &C., may. at their discretion. furnish
aid to the antilles Of soldiers &C. in addition "a
pers in any sense, but any additional payments must
be borne by the towns and are not to be reimbursed
by the State.
9 ANY family of q soldier Sc. must be assisted
where they inhabitants; that is where they are
actually rssid ng at the time the aid is called for,
whether the legal settlement of the soldier is in such
| place or elsewhere.
Very respectfully,
JOAN A PETRRs, Attorney Gen.
Brigadier General Charles Deyens has been