The National tribune., 1891-01-01
THE STH u. 6.
Bill 10 Pension the Soldiers Disgrsoefully Surren.
dprtd bY TWiggs IN Texas.

aPred bY IMiggs IN Texas.
Comrade Joseph Hovey, Co. j, sth U. s.. Hart
] ford Conn.,, sends us a copy of the following
! bill, which has been introduced into the House
! by Representative Hall:
That the Secretary Of the Interior be. and he IL
hereby, authorized and directed TO place on the
pension roll the names Of the surviving enlisted
men Of the sth u. s Inf; Of those Of any other
regiment Of United States troops who were taken
prisoners Of in Texas prior TO the l0th day Of
May. ls6l, and held such until the 25th day Of
February, 1853 and exchanged at Baton Rouge,
La. az referred 60 in General Orders, No 81 issued
/ 10y MRj-Gen. Banks, and dated April .. 1865, In
words and figures ~ follows;
| HEADoUARTT-Rs DEPARTMENT OF TIE GULF,
| NlNEIl1ESTH CoRPs, OPELoUsAs, April -, 1868.
| General Orders, No 81.
Serg'ts Brady, StapIeton Mccormick, Relnhardt,
Shebe, Neal, Harris DRrl,cn. Braunau. and the 269
men Of the sth Inf, Army of the United States,
whose names are affixed having been exchanged
! by the rebel Government, whose prisoners they
were. arrived iu New Orleans on the 9th 81 Feb
ruary, 1863 and portion Of them under command
Of Lieut. Coplcy Amory, fth Cav, reached this post
on the 2Gd inst to share with Us the huuors Of this
campaign. IL has been deemed but act oi just
ice 20 aiese gallant men TO relieve them from this
service, RndstO expedite their return TO the North
They separated from the command this day. In
honor OF their departure the Commanding General
Has ordered National salute. and a similar honor
VIII be paid them Rt their departure from New Or
leans. Capt. BHinhTidge AT Opelousas, and Brig
] Gen. Sherman. at New Orleans are charged with
4 The execution of this order.
These troops shainefully and uncondtion-
]
by their commanders, on the 9th day OF May, 1861.
Separated from their officers. divided into squads
Ahd removed 10 different posts on the frontiers OF
leNhs, deprived OF pay for more than two years.
They were subjected 10 degrading lRboTs, supplied
with scaniy food and clothing, and sometimes
chained 10 the ground, made to suffer other
we're military puuishments. Recruiting officers
visited them daily, offering them commissions aud
large bounties TO desert their flag. Nolwithsiand
ing the false reports Of the overthrow Of their Gov
! erHmCnt which scduced so many men Of higher
preiensions and positions, unsustaincd b. counsel
with each other with few exceptions, they repeiled
the bribes and avoided the treason. Those who
chose a different course, did IL to escape their
prison.
4 No Government had ever more loyal supporters
! Officers Of the Army aud Navy. 90 whom they had
right TO turn for counsel and example, who had
been educated by the Government, who never re-
] celyed months pay that was not drawn from its
Golfers nor bore honor that il did not confer, at
the first suggestion of treason betrayed the mother
/ that nuTsed them and deserted the flag that pro-
] teoted them. With every branch OF the Govern
ment within their control, and the continent under
Their feet they yielded TO the indecency aud folly
OF the rebellion, and without n shadow Of cause
sought TO blaCllcn the name Of America and Ameri-
| cans, 10y fastening upon them the greatest crime
OF human hisiory-that Of destroying the best Gov
! eminent ever framed, and annihilaiing the hopes
! oi the human race IN Republican liberty. Thank
God, the officers could not corrupt the men they
| commanded. Not soldier nor sailor voluntarily
/ abandoned his post. The poisonous subtleties of
! Secession never touched the hearts Of the people
nor led them TO substitute the guilty ambition Of
] popular, vulgar low-bred prUvincihlism for the
Soldiers, let The gallant men that part from US
/ to-day receive the honors they deserve Let them
hear the peal Of the cannon and the cheers OF the
| line. Let them receive, wherever they 60, the
| homage Of the Army and Navy together-the
Army aud Navy forever.
| By command of Maj Gen BASKs
| RICHARD II. IRwN.
! Sec. 2 That they shall be pensioned nj the rate
| oi y per month, 10 commence from the date Of
| discharge and from the date OF the FIRST medical
| examination had after the passage Of this act at
such higher rate tley shall thereby be shown to
/ be entitled 10 under the law: PrOViied That this
! act shall not apply TO any person who il now, or
has been, In receipt Of pension Of S. since the
date OF discharge from the service to HRy per
son receiving pension OF less than s. per month
except for the difference between the pension now
/ received, II less than s. per month, and s. per
/ month.
Sec. g. That the benefits OF this act shall not be
! extended 10 any soldier who enlisted while q
! prisoner Of war ia the rebel army.
Sec. 4. That IL upon medical examination the
soldier is found 10 be suffering from any venereal
disease ts results both the said disease and its
results shall be excluded from the soldiers rating
/ for pension.
sec. .. That 81 any person referred 20 IN the pre-
codtug sections has died. shall hereafter die his
widow, in the event cf her death remarriAge
/ ms children under the age Of l6 years, shall be
entitled 10 all The benefits conferred upon them by
/ the general pension law. the same a. upon the
widows and children Of those soldiers whose death
II shown 10 be the result Of their military service
Sec. Q. That the pension laws now IN force which
arc not inconsistent la conflict with this act are
hereby made part Of this act. so far they are
/ applicable thereto.