The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-12-31
ABOUT BOUNTIES.
An Old Sailor Complains that the Blue-JAekets
Are Not Properly Trraisd.

An Old sailor Complains that the Blue-Jaekets
Are Not Properly Treated.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: IL has been
generally supposed that the Government OF
the United States during the rebellion period
had rendered liberal compensatiOns in the pay
ment Of bouuties in money, TO all of its de-
tenders who had enlisted in its service during
that memorable period, aud who were honor
ably discharged; bu- such is far from being tho
case, rs the following facts will fully demon
strate, aud also the inequalities resulting
| thercfTOm.
The writer Of this communication had the
honor of being one o. 30 seamen who volunteer
ell from the Naval Station at Pensacola Fla, for
the defense of Fort Pickens, under tho gallant
| SlemmeT. in January, 1861, just three days
| prior TO the Surrender Of the former ignomini-
ously 10 the Gopher State Militia Of Florida.
] After enduring untold hardships in Fort Pick
ems, and suffering from scurvy, aud having re-
! fused Gen. Bragg's tempting offers Of bribery,
varying from 500 to 5000 in money 10 each
man, 10 spike the guns and bctTay the Govern
ment, (see Harper's Pictorial History of the
Rebellion. Vol. L. We, with our brave and gal
/ liant comrades of Co. g, LIST u. 5. Art. (Gud
bless them ALL dead or alive,) held the fort for
/ four and a-half weary months until reinforced
/ by Col. Harvey Browns command, and / was
/ honoTably discharged on Aug. L. 1851, with
/ 2
rotary Of the Navy. Re-enlisted the following
month for one year in the Navy, and at the ex-
| piration Of my term ] refused to take my dis
| charge aud begged 10 DO permitted 10 remain,
| being at the time serving in Virginia i'm full
/ view of the enemy, aud volunteered 10 serve
another year. at the expiration Of which |
/ again refused 10 accept my discharge while in
| the presence Of tho enemy, aud without leav-
/ inR my ship served out another term of one
/ year. finally received a three years honor
able discharge on Sept s, 1864, of Newport
| News, Va.
While had been thus serving my country
/ in a faithful manner having participated in
| more than a dozen battles aud skirmshes. aud
was slightly wounded, some Others, for various
reasons, had withheld their services until lib
! eTal inducements were held out in the shape Of
"bountios in money paid out by the General
/ Government All this time had been reeeiv-
/ ing the munifcent sum Of Sl2 or S14 per month
/ IN DEPRECATED currency. and out Of this lib
i eral offer Of the Government tried to support
an orphan brother aud sister at school, when up
/ steps old Uncle Sam ia the hight Of his
| benevolence and charges me for the uniforms
which ! wore on my back in his name, consist
Ing of two suits Of uayy-blue cloth or flannel,
two Of white duck or sbeetiug, under clothes
! pea-jacket, shoes and stockings, blankets, and
4 soap, thread needles, jack-kuiyes, etc. The
\ result being that when ] was finally discharged
/ the service the old gentleman had soft
snap" while paying me of, and having i'm
/ parted 10 mo his farewell blessing. which cost
/ him nothing, he pattei me on the head aud bid
me be Of good cheer, and that might manage
10 crawl back to Boston, the place Of my en-
j listment, on Shanks's" mare loot itl, as no
| certainly could not afford TO furnish me free
i transportation.
Although ! had been fighting some Of the
battles for the Union, failed to get that reeog-
milton for my services which the Government
/ even reserved for its colored slave troops"
/ whom l was supposed TO have helped set free
i from their rebel masters. Act Of March 8,
/ 1873, provided that all colored persons who en-
listed in the army during the late war, and who
are now prohibited from receiving " bounty "
\ on account Of being borne on the rolls Of their
regiments as slaves" shall DO placed on tho
same footing as TO bounty" as though they
had not been slaves at the date Of their enlist
| ment
Now, this was inst measure; but the ques-
ton arises whether my services in behalf Of
/ the Union, as above set forth, shall be placed
| on an equality as to bounties with the cOlOred
| slave veteran who probably had never been
within range Of the enemy's guns.
In July, 1864. recruits who enlisted for three
years in the navy, and served ont their terms.
were entitled to a bounty Of $500. In 1862
soldiers who were transferred 10 tho navy from
the army received a liberal bounty likewise.
/ Sailors and marines who had served 60 days in
the war with Mexico received a bounty Of
100 acres Of land, aud in addition three months
extra pay Of their respective grades. Why
such marked distinction as regards the pay
| mcnt Of bOunties against that faithful body Of
blue-jaekcts who manfully stepped TO the front
| aud manned your ships in '6I 'G2. 'G3, those
gloomy days, and fought your battles aud won
your victories ia response 20 the early calls Of
| the lamcuted Lincoln. when everything hung
| in the balance, is matter which requires, even
| at this late day, some consideration at the
hands OF our Representatives ia Congress.
That the veterans of the navy do not get the
ear OF Congress as readily as our comrades of
the army cannot be questioned. There are
thousands Of these brave old naval veterans
scattered throughout this broad land, who
realize in the depth Of their hearts al this day
| the comparative injustice melted out TO them in
this regard by pateTnal Government. The
| time Is not far distant when those gallant
Union tars vino so nObly held aloft the glorious
cause OF our Once-distracied country, alike
amidst the storms of battle and the elements,
10 the eternal honor and glory Of the Republic,
| led by our own immortal heroes, Earragut,
Porter. Rowan, Dupont and Foote, shall have
passed, like them, TO the eternal shore. IL may
be well TO consider also that the time will as
suredly come again-it may be in the prOxi-
mate tutuTe-whcn our waT-ships will need 10
be manned by American seamen, the successors
OF these old heroes. Shall wo remain cOntnu-
ously indifferent 10 the just claims Of their
fatheTs7 IL so, il might be- considered an uu-
wise policy TO pursue i'm the light Of future
events. Therefore, il behooves our present
Congress 10 see 90 il that the necessary action
shall be instituted 10 equalize the present
bounty laws in the interest of a worthy class
of our country's defenders-JoHN RoUAN
Quarter Gunner, U. S. GunbOat Morse.