The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-05
The Proposed Pension Dill,

The bill now before Congress, pro-
viding for pensions for all soldiers
who served sixty days in the Mexican
war, or thirty days in the Florida war,
from 1886 to 1912, or in the Creek war
III 1885 mud 1896, or in the Black Hawk
war of 1882, and were honorhly dis
charged, has been read twico and is
before the committee Of tho whole.
Its provisions embrace all veterans
except those who arc laboring under
disabilities. This we presume Is to
prevent Jefferson Davis from receiving.
any benefits from 1t. The chief argu
ment urged against tho bill is the cx-
ponsc. The committee in charge have
made estimates to show that tho sur
viVors arc few III number and rapidly
decreasing owing 10 the great lapse of
time. From. the Charlotte Observer
we append tho following synopsis of
tho committees estimate, which is
thought to exceed the real number:
Tho Blnck Hawk war occurred in
1882, and occupied but Il few months.
There were not more than 2,5OO mon
actually engagcdi in that war, including
the militia Of the State of Illinois.
Forty-cight years have elapsed since
that war, and the committee are salts
fied that tho number Of survivors, in
clnding widows, will not exceed one
hundred and eighty or two hundred.
!he Creek war, located in Alabama
an1 Georgia, commenced IN 1885 and
ended IN 1886. The Florida war be-
gan IN 1885 and closed in 1912. The
aggregate force enrolled IN those two
wars did not exceed 80 900. MANY of
these appear on the rolls three and
four times, for the troops were mus
tered IN for three, six, and twelve
months, and there were many re-
enlistmcnts. The committee estimate
tho survivors Of these two wars, after
the lapse Of from thirty-cight to forty
i've years, as not exceeding 5000 who
VIII bo entitled to pensions under the
There were enrolled in the volunteer
forces IN the Mexican war 1882 mon
otali arms: In the Regular Army
2,24S OF all arms Of tho service, Mink
Ing total enrolled forcc of lOo,7SO.
VI This aggregate, 6,l27 volunteers
were furnished by the Northern States,
and 37,4o5 volunteers by the Southern
States. or the Regular Army, 1890
men were enlisted In the Northern
States, aud S,92S men in tho Southern
States. Total number of regulars md
volunteers enlisted in Northern Stntcs.
h4,4l7; total number enlisted in thc
: hem States. 1898. (Sce Tx. Doc.
No. ~, Of tho Thirty-tirst Congress-.
and Tx. Doc. No. 80, Of tho Thirticth
Congress; Report OF Adjutant-Gcn
R. Jones' '' ~
III the aggregate volunteer forces
above stated there arc included 1850
three months men, ll,2ll six months
men, and "a ,O62 twelve months mon.
orr total Of 39,67S volunteers whose
terms OF enlistment expired while tho
war was still in progress and nearly q
year before 1t Terminated.
II appears further that there wore NJ
Least 1000 soldiers of the regular army
Mho tr-cnlislcd, they having entered
nc service several years prior to tho
commencement Of hostilities with
Mexico, and thcir terms of enlistment
expiring while the war was sill In
progress. The proportion of rc.cnlist.
mehts among regulars is alwoys
notably creator than among volun-
ieers. The report OF tho Adjutant,
General, Of December 3, 1910, shows
that theS wcro killed and died of
wounds received in battle in Mexico
i,S4S mon, and that 10,SS5 died of
olsSase whilo thcro IN tho service.
Inc Adjutant-G General states thcr;n
that MS report is incomplete, owing to
number Of missing muster-rolls, and
tne mortality far exceeds the number
stated In tho report. There We're
many regiments that lost bv batiie
ana disease In Mexico from nie-fourth
10 ono.half Of their number,
Tho Palmetto Regiment Of South
Satoilna, commanded by Col. rierco