The National tribune., 1882-09-16
They Keep up Heavy Fire All
Along the Line.
A VOLLEY OF LETTERS.
Small Shot and Shell From
Readers Of the Tribune.
TO the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:


Issw in your paper of August 5th statement
as TO who was entitled to the honor of having
been the first volunteer, and was not surprised
TO see that he is my old captain, Colonel Ter
rance G. Kennedy, of Auburn, Cayuga county,
n. Y, who claims that honor, and feel that
have right to share part Of that honor as a
member Of his company. l enlisted under hlm
the 10th day of April, 1851, at Aurora, Cayuga
county, n. Y, to serve two years, and was mus
tered into the regiment at Auburn. He was
captain of company (Which was my company
Nineteenth regiment n. Y. State volunteers.
He was a good officer, the right man IN the
right place firm daring, and fearless. was
discharged by him for disability, camp fever,
and fux, brought on by exposure incident to
camp life, the first day OF July, 1861, at Wash
ington, D. c., and re-enlisted the 23d day of
October, 1861, under Captain James p Angel,
of Springport or Union Springs, Cayuga county,
n. Y, in a new company, got up to fill up the
old Nineteenth regiment n. Y. State volunteers,
to serve the unexpired term Of the regiment,
which was eighteen months. / remained with
the regiment under BurnSide's command, do
ing active service in North Carolina and South
Carolina until, the regiments time having ex-
pired, we were ordered home to Auburn to be
mustered out, the I'd day of June, 1863. l
served twenty-one months in all, three months
under the first service, and eighteen months
ander the last service.
Now, dear comrades, permit me to say a few
words right here. never received bounty of
any kind whatever. The reason why? Because
] did not serve two years under one enlistment.
So am debarred from the benefits of all bounty
laws. did think was entitled to the special
bounty under my first service, but found l
was not, for was discharged for disease in
stead of wound. Why this discrimination
between the class of soldiers who were dis
charged for wound and those discharged for
disease? 1t is not right. There is nothing
fair about it. Big bounties were offered as an
inducement to men to volunteer in the latter
part of the war, when majority of them needed
some coaxing to get them to do anything for
their country at time when it was in sore
distress. But it was far different with those
who volunteered at the time when every man
carried his heart and hand into the great strug-
gle for the preservation Of the Union. First
come first served" was not the reward meted
out tc us. Twas one of the first volunteers and
will be one of the last served.
Question: Does the desertion BILL section 1,
remove the bar which stands between me and
my bounty? Iserved faithfully until the expi-
ration of my term of enlistment under the last
service, but I was prevented from completing
my first term of service by reason of disease
contracted in the line of duty. / received two
honorable discharges, and they are both on
record here now for safe keeping and future
use
Here is long life to the Editor of the peerless
advocate of soldiers rights-THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE!
HENRY F. JENNER.
ITHACA, MICH, August 81
[Ifitcan be proved to satisfaction of the Adiu-
tant General that he was prevented from COM
pleting first service by reason of disease, the
charge can be removed, but be is not entitled to
pay during absence, and only to the bounty that
had accrued when he left the company.-ED.l