Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-05-11

recruit. The regiment arrived in Harris
burg, fennsylyania, on the early part Of
FEBRUARY, 1861. In few DAYS after the
the arrival OF the regiment, and rs soon
as burroughs could be furnished, the rank
and hie we're permitted TO depart for their
respective homes, with orders to report at
HARRISBURG on the day fixed in their fur
loughs. The testimony of some of the
men examined shows that before LEAVING
Sonth Carolina every species ofsubterluge
was resorted 10 10y the CAPTAINS of some of
the companies, with the knowledge Of the
Colonel, IN order to make up the requis-
its numlier 10 enable the regiment to re-
turn. TO effect This object a number Of
men, who were unfit for duty IN the field
for long time prior TO the date Of the
departure oftbe regiment from South Car
ollna, some OF whom had not done days
duty Tor mouths, bat who were in hospi-
tails, permanent iuYalds smuggled on
board OF vessel and brought home in
defiance of the order OF the War Depart-
ment, and against the orders of the Com
manding General and the examining Sur
geon, in order to swell the ranks Of the
regiment. Three of those men belong to
company A. commanded by Captain Da-
vld Fox, named respectively William Raj
ney, Robert MKeim and William J,
Hammond.
The men above named, with Others.
were induced to sign the oath of allegi-
ance, on re-enlistment, but did not sign
the declaration that they were physically
capable to perform military duty, on the
assurance of Captain Fox, that as soon as
they arrived at Harrisburg thev should be
discharged. Rainey had lost three fingers
OF the right hand, Hammond was totally
/ disabled by debilitation from the effects
+ OF typhoid fever, and N Kim was subject
to epileptic fits. These men, with the
rest of company A, were furloughed, went
home, remained some time, when they re-
turned and reported again at Harrisburg.
Both before they left Harrisburg and on
their return, they called upon Captain Fox
to make ont their papers for their dis
charge, according to his promise made
them before leaving South Carolina, but
he perslstently refused TO furnish tEem
with the necessary papers, alleging that
it YVES necessary that they should 20 back
to South Carolina, in order to have their
discharges signed by the commanding
General Of the corps 10 which they were
attached; and when pressed for q dis
charge, Captain Fox, few days previous
to leaving for South Carolina, declared
they never should be discharged till their
time was up; and these three men were
actually put ON board the cars TO return
with the regiment, 10y direction Of the
Colonel, who was also fully cognizant Of
the facts in their cases, and would have
been taken back to South Carolina. had
it not been for the interference of your
committee, who requested that the pro-
Vost-Marshal General at Harrisburg would
order them before a medical board of ex-
animation. The result which was. that
they were severally pronounced unfit for
duty, and they are now ia hospitals; two,
namely: Hammond and M'Kim. at
York, Pennsylvania, and Rainey at Camp
Curtin, near Harrisburg
1t appears that when the men Of the
Fiity-tlth regiment re-enlisteG, they vera
not credited to any particular locality
and Col. White, finding that Uy order of
the War Department his men could be
credited to any locality in PENNSYLVANIA
they might select, set himself TO work to
make arrangements for that purpose with
view to make money ont Of the transac-
ton. In order that there should be no
failure in his purpose, lie selected, as his
coadjutors in the business, his own broth
er, Alexander NJ. White, who is a resident
of Baltimore, Md, man by the name of
A. B. Farquhar, a resident Of York. Pa,
and Capt. David Fox, of company A, FiG
ty-ffh regiment Pennsylvania volun-
teers.
Through the agency of Farqahor, Col.
White and his brother, Alexander NJ.
White, were put in communication with
a Mr.. Reuben BERNARD, of Chester coAnty,
Pa, who was disbursing agent of the com
mlssoners OF Chester county, Pa. and
who was authorized, as appears by his
own testimony, to procure large number .
of recruits 20 fill the quota of Chester
county, and to pay local bounty for
each man amounting TO such sums rs he .
might agree upon, not to exceed limit
ed amount per man. From the evidence
of Representative Mcclellan, of Chester
county, We learn all the particulars Of
this interview, which we will give in his I
own words, as follows: "My connection I
with this business, was at the request of .
our county commissioners, TO assist Mr., ,
Bernard in procuring recruits TO fill the .
quota Of our county. 1t was proposed by
Mr., Iarquhar that he coulG gel over three
hundred men of Col. Whites regiment. .-
l objected TO that, inasmuch as they
were veterans, because it was doubtful
whether they would be credited to our
county. | had an interview with Colonel
Bomford, through letter of introduction
of Mr. Smith, of Chester, and in that in
teTvieT | was not yet satisfied that we
would get the credit. had an inlroduc-
tion TO Col. White, either in Col Bonn
lord's office OF in the street Col. White
stated that be was satisfied we could get
the credit. 1t was proposed to send a
telegraph 10 the Secretary Of war making
inquiries. Mr.. Farquhar sent a telegraph
and received an answer which satisfied me
that they wonld be credited. Mr.. Far
quhar told me either then and there, or
previous to that, that these men could be
had for two hundred and seventy five dol.
lars per man. This think was on the