Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-10
THE DISTRICT VETERANS.
An Interesting Question as to Their Rights
TO Pensions.

An Interesting Question as 10 Their Rights
70 Pensions.
A question of considerable interest 10 many
hundreds Of District Of Columbia volunteers
(ninety days mem Of 1851. affecting their right
10 pensions under the act Of June "a, 1890, was
submitted to Assistant Secretary Bussey of the
Interior Department this morning. Many of
the District volunteers were sworn in for three
months service, but mustered out from three
to eight days before the expiration of that
period, If counted from the date recorded at
the War Department as the date Of their ac-
ceptance into the service Of the United States,
while in fact they were then already under
arms and actually in the service, having been
organized as militia bodies by Gen. Charles P.
Stone, inspector general Of the District, under
express authority from the President Of the
United States.
The case submitted to Gen. Bussey is that Of
Mr.. Daniel Genau, a former private of COM
pany A of the eighth battalion, District of Co.
lumbia volunteers, whose application for PEN
sion was rejected on the ground that the ninety
days term OF service had not been completed
Mr.. Genau, through q personal friend, this
morning placed an appeal before the Secretary
Of the Interior, as follows:
son behalf Of Mr.. Daniel Genau, late private
Of company A, eighth battalion, DC. volun-
teere, peg leave 10 submit respectfully an ap-
peal from the decision of the bureau Of PEN
sions, dated March Z, 1891, under which de-
cision he was informed that his claim fog PEN
sion under the act Of June "a, 1880, had been
rejected on the ground that the records of
the War Department show that he was in the
military service of the United States less than
ninety days, the minimum period of service
required by the provisions OF said act,
and respectfully ask that this decision be re-
voked, for the following reasons:
THAT 1t is q fact within the judicial knowl-
edge Of the department, as q court of review,
called into the service of the United States gov
eminent for the protection Of life and prop
erty, for the maintenance Of public safety and
order and for all purposes for which at that
critical period Of the governments his
tory its military strength was thoroughly
inadequate, and that said citizens re-
sponded promptly and without prior as
surance from the government as to their
individual maintenance, equipment and other
provisions for their comfort and existence.
The date of their formal acceptance into the
service Of the United States is, therefore, not
conclusively shown by any records of the War
Department opened subsequently to the call Of
the President of the United States for volun-
teers, but, on the contrary, due credit should
be given the citizens of the District of Column
from such high authority, conveyed to
them through u duly appointed and COM
missioned officer of the United States, at q
time when such records we're not yet in exist
ence.
'In this connection I respectfully beg
leave to submit herewith a copy OF the Cen
fury magazine of July, 1888, containing an ar
ticle entitled Washington on the Eve of the
War, from the pen of Gen. Charles p. Stone.
who was mustered into the service OF the United
States on the I'd day of January, 1861, as in
spector general of the District of Columbia,
.,.l. %.zlo H. 81
lowing tribute to the valuable services Of the
District of Columbia volunteers:
GEN. STONES TRIBUTE.
"T think that the country has never properly
appreciated the services of those District of
preciated the difficulties surmounted in their
organization. Those volunteers we're citizens
of the federal district, and therefore had not
at the time, nor have they ever since had, the
powerful stimulant of state feeling, nor the
powerful support Of a state government, a
states pride. state press to set forth and make
much Of their services. They did their duty
quietly and did it well and faithfully. Although
not mustered into the service and placed on
fired upon for tho first time at Sumter,
yet they rendered great service before
that time in giving confidence to those citi-
zens of the District who were faithful to the
government, in giving confidence to the men,
bers of the national legislature and in giving
confidence also to the President in the knowl-
edge that there was, at least, a small force at
his disposition ready to respond at any moment
to his call 1t should also be remembered Of
them that the first troops mustered into the
service were sixteen companies of these volun-
teers; and that during the dark days when
Washington was cut off from communication
with the north, when railway bridges were
burned and tracks torn up, when the Potomac
was blockaded, these troops were the only re-
lance of the government for guarding the pub
lie departments. for preserving order and for
holding the bridges and other outposts.'
II also respectfully submit the following fur
Their reasons:
WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW.
'That the entry upon the records Of the War
Department giving the date of the formal
acceptance and muster-in of the battalion Of
which Mr.. Daniel Genau was member as
April II. 1861. is based upon a clerical error,
evidenced by the fact that the District militia
were sworn in in rapid succession, beginning
with the 10th day of April. 1861. on which day
the Washington Light Infantry were the
first body of District volunteers thus for
mally accepted into the service of the govern
ment. The eighth battalion, headed by Mai
Ballbach, duly commissioned major in the
service of the United States, were also marched
up to the War Department on the same day
for the purpose of being sworn in, but some of
the members being absent and the companies
therefore lacking the requisite numbers, their
formal acceptance was deferred until the next
day, April IL. But in the meantime these men
were under consignment at their armory at
the beck and call of the United States govern
ment and had, prior therto, as shown by the
article referred to, rendered valuable services
to the government without reward or COM
pensation.
THE WHOLE TERM OF SERVICE.
Incidentally it may be stated, as showing
that the five days claimed to have been lacking
in the completion of their ninety days service
were really spent in the service of the govern
ment that for some time after their formal &C.
ceptance on the 11th of April they were COM
PEELED to depend upon their own homes for
food and other necessaries of life until the gov
eminent could properly provide for them.
That they are entitled to fun credit for having
completed their ninety days term of service
within the meaning of the act of June 81, 1890,
because they were accepted into the service
for period of not less than ninety DAYS and
such full service is evidenced by the date of
their discharge and the fact Of their muster
out at the end Of that period"