Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-01-13
ApLrA FoR ..pEsERFERs.,

A soldier who had served faithfully
all through the late war, had passed
through many bloody battle and had
never been absent from his command
except during two weeks of sickness,
called upon US a few days ago to inquire
how he might obtain his final dis
charge and veteran bounty. Only few
days prior to the final muster-out Of his
regiment and after the fighting was all
over, in the relaxed state Of dis
cipline then existing he had. without
the consent of his company command
er who had relapsed into a state Of
chronic insobriety, absented himself
from his regiment without leave. The
charge of desertion was consequently
registered against him and prevented
his final discharge and payment. Be
sides, notwithstanding his faithful ser
vice for nearly four years. his name still
stands upon the records of his country
blackened with the crime Of desertion.
We cite this case simply as an exam
pie. 1t is estimated by the Adjutant-
General of Ohio that about forty thous-
and Ohio soldiers are registered as des-
erters on the books of the War Depart
ment, at Washington, for one cause or
another. That, for reasons which every
army officer will readily comprehend. the
charge in three quarters of these cases
has been mistakenly made, or made for
some slight cause or venial fault is alto
gether probable. 1t is well known that
when a soldier was absent from his COM
mand, without explanation. beyond
the time of his furlough, even though
his absence may have been necessitated
by capture. disability, or other circum-
stances unknown to his company COM
mander, he was usually reported on the
company and regimental returns as abb
sent without leave and finally dropped
as deserter. When the absentee re-
turned he was taken up again on the
company roll, and if the charge of de-
sertion was cleared up, his back pay
and bounty would be allowed him; 9TH
erwise all compensation would be sus-
pended in abeyance of a court martial
which often could not be convened un-
til many months afterward. The close
of the war consequently left the charge
of unlawful absence standing. against
large numbers Of soldiers whoa a slight
Investigation would acquit Of dishonor-
able conduct. Indeed 1t IS not improb-
fable that many soldiers thus charged
were killed in battle or starved in rebel
prisons, and that over their nameless
graves hangs this dishonorable and un-
just imputation.
1t would therefore seem that the sup
posed jealousy Of the State for the good
name Of its defenders would suggest the
Epropriety of an appropriation to pro-
vide for an investigation of all such
charges against Ohio soldiers, so that
the deserving cases might be sifted from
the undeserving, and the soldiers Har
Justly charged enabled TO obtain thesas-
pended pay and bounty which many Of
them sorely need. Our State Adgutant-
General has more than once brought
this matter to the attention Of the Leg
islature, and although the appropriation
asked for was bVk $500 or S7ooo-simPly
enough tA pax the expense of sending
an agsnh to Washington and for neces-
sarv clerical Iabor-he has been as often
.rebuf6ed with the cry of extravaganza
exravagaRce | by the assembled wisdom
and patriotism of the State. One gen
erous-hearted Solon even remarked that
the soldiers might go to Washington
themselves, if they wanted to, and
make their own investigations. AT the
same time bill after bill was passed to
reimburse Smith, Jones and Brown. Of
the Home Guards for moasy aoszatea
to raise money preventing themselves
"and their families" from being drafted.
and the veterans who went into the SER
vice at the beginning Of the war qyltisoiet
bounty are now being taxed. all over the
State to pay immense bounties to. men
who went at the eleventh hour as sub
stitutss for Smith, Jones and Brown. and
many Of whom never smelt powder
at all.
In this connection and as. a fitting
close to these few remarks we may ap-
propriately quote the language which
was proclaimed from every stump and
every newspaper at the winding-up Of
the war. and which was displayed in
large letters on the north front Of the
Capitol during the grand review at
Washington.
THE ONLY DEBT WHICH THE NATION
CAN NEVER PAY IS THE DEBT TFQWEs
TO THE DEFENDERS OF THE UNION"
Tbe New York Herald says: Min
istek Motley's correspondence with the