The National tribune., 1884-05-01
UUIUII1 Ell II5UHJIo OF " d
LEAvENwoRTH, KAN.
something Further About the HucAtaIIs.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
In your issue of April H. in the "Question
Squad column, it is stated that Sergeant Rich
ard a. Tooler of company G, Kane Rifles (42d
Pennsylvania volunteers), claims the regiment
was never sworn into the United States service.
In reply thereto ] can only say chat / do not
know whether any formal oath was ever adj
ministered to the members of the organization
or not, but the State law under which the
Pennsylvania Reserves We're organized provided
that the division should be at any and all times
subject to call from the President; hence,
when they were sworn into the State service
they at the same time swore they would enter
the United States service when called on so to
do And / must add that Comrade Tooker is
in error when he says half the regiment never
got any pay for the services rendered in West
Virginia. The organization of the Bucktails
began as early as April 13, 1861 and Colonel
Thomas L. Kane's commission as colonel and
his muster-in to service was dated May II,
1861, and Colonel Biddle's muster-in dated
May 20, 1861, and Colonel Kane's election as
Northumberland June 13, 1861. Captain
Hugh McDonald's muster-in is dated May 20,
1861, as was Sergeant lockers, and those Of
nearly all the original members Ct company Il.
part of that company were mustered in July
81, 1861, which latter date is the one on which,
or near which, the greater portion of the di-
vision was sworn into the United States service
pr0 f0imd The Bucktails did not join or actu-
ally become part of the Pennsylvania Reserves
until they Joined the division at TenallytOwn
about the LIST of October, 1861. The term of
service of the Bucktails, as well as of all other
regiments in the Pennsylvania Reserves was
computed from the date of their enrolment in
| the State service, and they were paid from
| such date. If any have failed to receive pay
| for any service in West Virginia or elsewhere,
| they have no one to blame but themselves. 1t
= II .4gl
| States only from the date of actual muster In
| to the United States service, but provision was
afterwards made to pay all from date of enlist
! ment; and if Comrade Tooker or any other one
| of the famous Bucktails (Kane Rifles has not
| yet received his pay, he has only to make
/ proper application, and he will receive every
! penny to which he is entitled-psy, bounty
/ and clothing. So late as 1875 when the writer
| was member of the Pennsylvania Legislature,
| he had the pleasure of urging the passage of
and voting for bill making an appropriation
| of $4,000 to pay claims prior to January l,
| 1873, for Just such services as Comrade Tooker
refers to- and as it euriously happened, was
| not long afterwards informed by the Auditor
General of Pennsylvania that he was ready to
pay claim had filed in 1868, and which may
| say, in order to relieve myself from the charge
| of any personal or peeuniary motive in urging
the passage of the appropriation bill, ] had en-
tirely forgotten-had even forgotten that had
not been already fully paid for my own term Of
services
l may add, further, that the Buektails were
mustered out of their first term of three years
service at Harrisburg, June II, 1864, which fact
is conclusive proof that the United States au-
thorities recognized their term as dating not
later than June II. 1861, and this, added to the
the other fact that the regiment did not leave
! West Virginia to join the division until Octo
/ Der /, 1861 and that between those dates it was
under the control of the War Department and
under the direct command of Generals Patter
son, Banks, and other United States officers
all shows that Comrade lockers memory is al
fanlt. GILBERT l.. EBERHART.
NEW BRIGHTON, Pa.