The National tribune., 1891-03-26
HANCOCK,s VETERANS.
Correction in REGARD TO tha Bountics Due ani
Paid 20 Them.


TREASURY DEPARTMENT.. SECOND AUDIToR's
OFFICE, WASHINGTON. ID. C., March Is, 1891.
EDIToR NATIONAL TEIBUNE: In the issue of
THE NATIONAL tribune Of the 10Th Instant,
| notice, in an article on Haucock's Corps, =
statement over the name Of Dir. l.. J. Perry, of
the War Record Office, which conveys the i'm
preston that the members of this corps. in
addition TO being paid the special bounty Of
$500 were also to have been paid the "SiO2
regular bounty paid by the Government to all
re-cnlsied veterans"
The publication Of this statement, above re-
ferrcd TO, so far as regards the payment of
" $i09 regular bounty TO the members OF this
cor;,s, viii create such misunderstanding among
the thousands Of actual and prospective bounty
claimants and furnish excuse for flooding this
Office with useless correspondence and claims
devoid OF merit, that deem il hut just to the
Government and claimants 10 request that you
will as prominently publish this eommunica-
ton. which states the real facts as to bounty
10 this corps.
First All offers OF veteran bounty Of any
kind ceased April !. 1861.
Second The organization Of Hancock Corps
was not authorized until Nov. 2S 1864, and
therefore the members thereof weTo not euti
tied 10 veteran bounty.
Third. 10 Is true that soldiers who enlisted in
this corps between December /, 1854 and jan
uary ]. 1865 for not less than one year, were
entitled TO receive, and were paid special
bounty oC $500 la addition to the bOuntlcs
otherwise provided.
The bnunties otherwise provided 40 tho time
Of organization OF this corps were those offered
under the Act OF july 4. 1864, under which act
all volunteers onli,ting after July L. 1861, aud
before May !. 1863 aud, (l.y subsequent c0a-
struction,) al soldiers who enlisted in the Reg
ular Army after July II, lS6i, aud before July J.,
1850, ioroGc, two, or three years, were promised
bounty OF 500 for one years service, unless
sooner discharged; 500 for two years service.
unlrsS sooner discharged, and 500 for three
years service, unless sooner discharged. These
bOuntie5 were each payable i'm three equal in
sIallments, rs follows Onc-third of the amount
on muster in; Onc-third az tho expiration of
half the term Of enlistment, and the balance
at the expiration Of the fill term Of enlistment.
10 become entitled 10 all the iustallmeHts Of
bounty under this act, the soldier must have
served out the full term Of his enlistment or
have been discharged by reason Of expiration Of
term Of servi,c or have been discharged because
Of wounds received in lire Of duty. II dis
charged before the expiration of his full term
OF enlistment because Of 'seTv ces no longer
required" or hy close of the war" he wOuld
only TO entitled 10 the ius;aimonts which had
actually accrued during his service and re-
NAMED unpaid az date Of such III charge. which
bounty he generally received with his pay at
mustcT-8ut.
Where a soldier who was entitled 20 bounty
under this act, died iu the service afterwards.
without having received it. il IS allowed only
To his widow. children. or mother If she was
widow at the date Of soldiers death. If there
be no such heirs his other heirs, IL any, can only
claim the iustaiiHcnts Of this bounty actually
earned by, ard unpaid to, soldier at date Of his
death.
No additional bounty is duo for the services
Of these soldiers under any act passed since
their discharge. This bounty cannot b. allowed
for service as drafted men or substitutes.
Nearly all soldiers aud their heirs entitled to
bounty under tIis act have already been fully
paid. Respectfully yours.
j. y. PATTERSON. Auditor.