The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-23
PAYING OFF THE TROOPS.
Complicated Task Which the VOlur
teer Paymasters Have to Perform.

Complicated Task Which the VOlun=
teer Paymasters Have to Perform.
New York Sun
One of the pleasantest features of army
life is the coming of the paymaster with his
gripsack full OF money Since the declara-
ton of war with Spain the War Depart
ment has added seventy paymasters and
twice as many clerks, under the emergency
act providing for an increase. The work
required is almost wholly that of expert ac-
countants. Especially is this true of the de-
partment of the East, in New York city,
where, in addition to keeping the accounts
OF the volunteers in this vicinity, the pay
masters are obliged to take care of the ac-
counts of regulars and retired officers and
soldiers. There is no mercy shown to a
green paymaster. Whether he understands
the work or not, he has to do the same
amount as given to a paymaster who has
there is growing suspicion that the volun-
around.
The retired list which new paymasters are
required to wrestle with in the paymasters
Office in this city comprises the accounts of
400 officers and men who have been retired
three-quarters pay. These payments are
made once each month under an intricate
system of bookkeeping. 1t is so complicated
tnat no business man of to-day would think
of applying it to his own business.
The retired officers and men are paid on
the first day of each month. Those residing
in New York receive their pay IN currency
at the paymaster's office, while those resid-
Ing outside the city are paid by check. The
troll of Lieutenant Colonel Wilson, who
ranks next to Paymaster General Stanton.
Under him at the present time are two reg
ular army paymdSterS and three emergency
or volunteer paymaSterS, all ranking as ma
Jors. AS in the army proper, there is moth
ing done in the pay department without or
ders, and the soldier who becomes impatient
at not receiving his pay at the anticipated
time should not blame the paymaster. 1t
may be that he has not received his orders.
The First New York Volunteers were paid
off recently by Major Fowler at Fort Ham
1lton, and the method of procedure will
serve to illustrate all payments in the field.
On the rolls furnished by the company com
manderS an estimate OF the amount due
each man. less fines, was made by the pay
master and the latter, with his clerk, went
to the camp with sufficient currency to pay
of. AT Fort Hamilton the place selected for
paying the troops was the hall OF the local
lodge of Good Templars. Each company
was lined up, one at time in front of the
paymasters desk and as his name was
called out each man stepped forward and
received his money.
First comes the captain, who receives $50;
then the first lieutenant, who takes $l25.
The second lieutenant walks off with $116.67,
and then follow the nOncommissiOned off,
GERS beginning with the first sergeant,
whose compensation is $50 a month. After
the noncommissioned officers come the pr-
Yates who receive $3.50 month instead of
$l3 month, formerly. In fact. in all the
salaries of noncommissioned officers and
privates there has been a uniform increase
of 20 per cent.
When an entire regiment is paid off it is
field, staff and band, containing the names
of the brigade or regimental field officers.
These officers are paid by the paymaster
in the same manner that other payments
are made, but the amounts are much larger,
the brigadier general receiving $45S.S3
month: colonel, $231.67; lieutenant co.. nel,
$3.50, and major, $685. 80. Regimental quarter
master and regimental adjutants receive
$780, while the regimental chaplains pay is
$125 month.
Commissioned officers may draw their sal
aries from any paymaster, and it is not in
frequent that accounts are duplicated. In
such cases there is trouble in store for the
officer. Paymasters although they handle
large sums of money, are only under $4,000
bonds. They are responsible for the ac-
curacy of their accounts and the overpay
ment of money to soldiers is a loss to the
paymaster. The government checks up
every item in the pay rolls, and every error
in payment is charged back to the paymas-
ter. The possibility of error is constant
worry to the volunteer paymasters, who are
unfamiliar with the work and who are
largely dependent upon their clerks.
For this responsibility their compensation
is sos a month. Were it not for the gold
shoulder straps and the rank Of major which
goes with the office, there are few paymas
tiers in the volunteer service who would ac-
cept the place There are among the vol
unteer paymasters some whose incomes
from their private business exceeded that of
their salary, but whose age disqualified them
for army service, who have Joined the pay
tary title. Such of these paymasters
have been assigned to the Department of
the East are fast realizing that they are
paving dear for their titles