Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-01-05
The Eth Regiment.

ment is expected to 90 INFO the service at all,
some means other than those now being employ
ed must be used to fill up its ranks. 1t is now
nearly not quite four months since recruiting
for this regiment commenced, and it does not yet
number five hundred men. This slow progress
has resulted from various causes.-A very gem
eral, and quite fatal fever prevailed among the
nine months men soon after they returned to the
State, which unfayorably influenced enlistment
The bounty Of four hundred and two dollars
was only offered to veterans, while raw recruits
who chose to enlist, received but one hundred
aud two, the War Department at the same
time offering three hundred dollars to raw re-
cruts who enlisted in the old regiments and
this, of course, prevented the recruiting officers
rom obtaining anything but veterans for the
l7th.-When the call for 100000 volunteers
was made, Government bounty of three hun
bred dollars was offered to all and the towns
at once began to offer additional bounties, in most
cases as high as three hundred dollars, and in
many as high as five hundred dollars while in
only exceptional lnsances,-lke Montpelier and
Woodstock and some other towns-were these
local bounties offered to those who might enlist
IN the 18th regiment. These bountes still
made it an object for raw recruits everywhere to
enlist for the old regiments, and in most towns
made the bountes for veterans, who should enlist
for old regiments, from two to four hundred dol
lars better than il they enlisted in the 17th regi-
ment. And IN addition to this, the great majority
of towns in the State, being apparently only desir
GUS of making up their quotas under the last
call Disseminated 10 their influence as well as
their bounties against the 18th regiment, and in
favor Of volunteers who would be credited to
them under the last call for volunteers. These
facts are OF themselves an adequate cause, without
lmpeaching the patriotism of the nine months
men, for the i'll success attending recruiting for
this regiment
But while We are not Disposed to charge blame
anywhere but upon unfortunate and unforeseen
circumstances for this failure to fill the 18th
regiment, the fact still remains that the regiment
is not full, and as matters now stand, is not like.
ly to De. We have been officially informed that
after the 9th day OF January no bounies but the
one hundred dollars will be paid to any volun-
teers, and it is safe to say that volunteering after
that date for the 18th will practically cease and
between now and then, for the reasons already
given, the enlistments will be for the old regi-
ments, even among veterans, rather than in the
veteran regiment. The result will be that the
State will find ITSELF after January 9Th, with
about half regiment Of men who have enlisted
in good faith flor the 18th regiment whom it
would not be treating fairly, either to discharge,
or to disband and distribute among other regi-
ments, and yet whose ranks it will be difficult,
not to say impossible, to fill by further enlist.
ments. 1t is clear that il is the duty Of those
having the charge Of this matter to find some
remedy for this difficulty.
And to US there seems to be simple, easy,
and perfectly feasible way of avoiding any trouble,
and yet filing the regiment. 1t is simply this:
Put enough of the volunteers just enlisted under
the call for 100000 volunteers into the 18th reg.
iment to fill its ranks, after January 5th. This
must be practicable, and we cannot see how il
would in any way lessen the value to the Federal
Government of the volunteers Just raised, while
1t would make the 18th regiment Immediately
Oerviceable thus adding 500 men at once to the
army, who are drawing pay yet now, and for some
time to come, will otherwise add nothing to
the strength Of our troops in the field.
We suppose it would be necessary to get the
consent Of the War Department before this could
be arranged, but cannot comprehend why that
need be difficult matter. The ranks of the
I'd, Sd and 9th regiments were filed with the
men raised by the draft in this State, leaving the
9th, 9Th, It'll, Sh, 9th, 10th and lth regiments to
be filed by volunteers. None of these regiments,
not even the 9th, requires 800 men to fill it's
ranks. Twenty-Five hundred recruits must fill
them to the maximum, leaving surplus of some
200 or 500 volunteers-if the quota Of the State
is filed, as there is no doubt II viii b.-a portion
of whom can be put into no more seryiceabe
place than in the 18th regiment. This will give
the State an additional effective regiment in the
field, and we very much fear that no other meth
cd will accomplish that result.
Of course this is a subject for the consideration
and determination of the proper authorities, State
and National. We hope, however, that no red
tape vii prove an obstacle to a speedy organza.
ton of the veteran regiment. At last we hope
our State authorities will make an effort 10 secure
the assent of the War Department to such an ar
rangement and then il it is not accomplished the
fault will not be in this State.
Tue SUPREME CouRT. The members of the
Supreme Court are thus classified hv tho rh;oa