Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1864-10-21

he tctal amount OF men furnlShed by the
State since the commencement Of the war is
tbrty-two thousand seven hundred and ten
men-as follows:
For three months service, 7S2
For nine months service, 1888
For one years service, 1853
For two years service,
For three years service, 25'336
32710
The total number in service on the lst of
October as near as can he ascertained from the
latest returns, is about l2.250.
The total number raised since Oct. l, 1868,
including the 18th regiment and Sd battery,
and credits not heretofore allowed, is l4,020.
The State has thus furnished during the past
year more men than in any previous year since
the commencement Of the war. And the
promptitude with which they have been fur
nished, indicates in most unmistakable Ian
2uage the determination of her people TO vim
dicate the power of the government in this
great struggle, and to favor vigorous prose.
cution of the war as the only sure means OF
establishing peace that shall be alike honora-
hle and enduring.
AMENDMENT OF ENROLMENT.
Previous to the call of the President for 50O,-
600 men in July last, orders had been issued
by the War Department TO The Acting Assls-
,ant Provost Marshal General of Vermont to
have the enrolment lists i'm the several towns
in the State properly revised and corrected up
TO July 1st, 1864. Notices were accordingly
published in several newspapers in the State
calling upon the seectmen to zee that the en-
rollmnnt lists were properly corrected. Upon
the returns thus made the quotas Of the seve-
raj towns were assessed. Owing, however, Ell
ther to the fact that the notices did not reach
all the towns, or 10 misunderstanding and
neglect on their part, great discrepancies were
found to exist when the quotas were announc-
ed, and numerous applications were made to
the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General
for the correction of these errors and the re-
duclion Of quotas. A careful examination into
these complaints satisfied that officer that there
were Just grounds for them, and that further
opportunity should he given for correcting the
lists. Accordingly on the oath day OF August
notice was given to the towns to correct the
lists, and upon returns being made it was as
certained that the former enrolment was to-
large by nearly five thousand, and that conse-
quently the State had been assessed nearly SOC
men too many. A new assessment of quotas
was therefore ordered. The Acting Assistant
Provost Marshal General. however, did not fee
authorized to make any alteration or reduction
of the general quota assessed to the State at
large, or 10 the several Congressional Districts
Consequently the new assessment to towns was
made upon the amended enrolment, still re-
tanning the basis of the ole assignment of quo
tas to the State and Congressional Districts
| This mode of assessment although afordlng re-
| lief to some towns only increased the burder
to others without relieving the real point o.
| difficulty. 1t became necessary, therefore, tc
apply TO the War Department for the necessar,
| I 10
succeeded in obtaining not only the proper re
duclon of the enrolment, but also the CORES
| ponding reduction of the quota of the State
and authority to appnrlion this to the severa
towns entitled to the same, so as to equaIlze I'M
several Congressional Districts. The numbe
| thus credited was 767 men, which have beer
| properly distributed to the towns. thus giving
to many towns who had already promptly fur
nished their full quotas, a large excess ant
credit to apply on future calls, while at the sam
time those towns which were unjusty burdene'
by too excessive an assessment have been prop
rrly and Justly relieved.
RECRUITS OF 1862.
The question of the expiration of the term o
service of the recruits who enlisted into varl
Gus regiments from this State in the summe
| and fall OF 1862 has been an exceedingly deli
cate and troublesome one, both to the State au
thorities and to the general government; and
while have labored earnestly both by frequen
correspondence with the War Department am
by personal interviews, to secure for them wha
seemed to me but an act of justice, am ye
compelled to report my inability to accompiis
any favorable result.
A simple narration of the facts will bette
convey to your minds the true position of o.
fairs, and enable you TO judge of your dutie
to these men under the peculiar circumstance
in which they are placed.
In 1862 the Governor Of Massachusetts, ot
tanned from the War Department special oil
der for that State to the effect that the term {
service of all volunteers enlisting in regiment
| then in the field, would expire with that of th
regiment to which they might attach then
selves, which order was promulgated in III
usual form by publication in the papers of II
day At the same time efforts were being mad
to recruit for the Vermont regiments, and Ii
order from Massachusetts being published
the form of general order, and in papers thI
were extensively read in this State. inquiry wa
male Of the State authorities, both by Officer
recruiting and by the recruits themselye
whether the term of service of such as migl
enlist in tie Vermont regiments would expi'
with that of the regiment into which enlis
ments might be made. To this inquiry, repl
, as am Informed, was uniformly made, that
would, and assurances were freely given in q
cases where the question was raised till it b
came the general unde, standing throughout Il
State. Upon the strength of these. comm
thus auhorilatively, recruits enlisted freely at
joined the regiments Of their preference
, My attention was first called TO the subje
by a memorial, signed by several OF these r
e cruits, who had heen informed unoihcially tn
. they were to he held for the full three yea
service. The enlistment contracts and must