The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-11
SOME HISTORICAL FACTS.

| IL, 1851, and the shot was not only
heard around the world" but 1t
seemed the knelI of this Government.
which had been founded by Washing
ton and his devoted soldiers and CO.
| laborers, and which had cost such an
iI.finitude of blood, toll and treasure to
| establish.
April 10. 1861. Abraham Lincoln
| called for $1,000 men to aid him in
maintaining the integrity of the Ma
tien, and 91,S16 responded by enlist
| ing in the army. Substantially, every
one of these young men was in the
prime of life, and at the beginning of
a career which promised him a COM
Portable support, with competence at
| the end. Every one of these relin-
pushed this fair prospect, a while at
| least, to give his best energies to saw
| ing the imperiled country, and the only
return made, beside the consciousness
of doing a patriotic duty, was a meager
pay of $11 month, probably not a
third of the average wages of the men
! in their various callings.
The emergency grew SO terribly and
SO rapidly that May 3, 1861, President
| Lincoln called for 5000 more men,
and the public appreciation of the
crisis outran the Presidents call. for
under it 7OO,6SO men enlisted They
received $13 a month. but this was
even less of return for the wages and
opportunities sacrificed than the $11
a month, since these men had to give
up everything else for three years, and
devote themselves solely to the cause
Of saving the country.
Even this vast host of men was
| found to be insufficient. In July, 1852,
| 5000 three-months men were called
out. and July 2, 1862, 100000 men for
three years were called for, and ALL
ass responded. Aug. 4, 1862, S7,5SS
men for nine months were taken into
service, and followed, June IS,
| 1863, by 1851 men for six months
service. Possibly a majority of these
shorter-term men were those who had
families or parents depending upon
them for support, and who, though as
patriotic as their comrades, yet felt
that they could not abandon their fami-
lies to the charities of the commune
1 ..
The pay of $13 a month would be
meager support for even one person
| left at home.
Oct. II, 1863, and Feb 1, 1864, calls
were made for 500, 900 more, to which
369,380 men responded.
| March IA. 1864, 2O0,0 more three
years men were called for, and $685.
1913 obtained. At that time wages and
| the prices of all that a farmer raised
OF mechanic made were going up
rapidly, and every man who obeyed
the country's call had to sacrifice all
these for $13 a month. or less than the
merest errand boy or apprentice was
| then receiving.
In the Summer of 1864 s3,612 men
enlisted for 100 days. These were
largely married men. who felt that a
Summers work and wages were all
that they had moral right to take
away from the support Of their fami-
/ lies.
! The pay was raised to SIS a month,
i'm paper, but such was the deprecia-
ton of the currency that this scarcely
| represented half the purchasing DOW
Ell of the $11 a month i'm gold OF the
| first three months service. The month
ly pay was absolutely no consideration
in the enlistment, since it did not suf-
flee to furnish the men in the field with
the barest necessaries outside of their
rations and equipment.
/ July Is, 1854, 100000 men were
called for, and 3S6,461 furnished Dec
IS, 1854. 100000 men were called for,
and 212,212 furnished.
! In all, the States were credited with
furnishing 2,772.408 men, under the
various calls. Reducing all these
various terms to three years, the ag-
gregate Is 2,320,272.
Every one of this incomprehensible
host of men made a direct and actual
sacrifice in order to serve the imperiled
country. Besides giving his strength,
and time, and daring the undeniablo
and positive dangers Of disease and
battle, each man made a rich money
contribution in sacrificed wages and
opportunities over the man who stayed
at home. No matter how generous
some rich men were ina their gifts to
the Government, no MAJ gave actually
as much of his wealth as did the man
who left his shop or his farm, with all
that it had to offer him, to shoulder q
musket at $13 month. The rich man
gave a few thousands which he knew
hc could readily replace within a few
days in his profitable operations. The
man who took up the musket gave
from his little that which he could
never replace. His youth. his health
strength and opportunities were like
the mama in the desert. They mus,
be used to-day or never
When all these facts are taken into
consideration. when 1T is recalled how
the men who did not enlist prospered
exceedingly, laying the foundations OF
great fortunes which their children are
enjoying; when II is remembered thai
the total wealth of the country was
only 5000, 100000 when the war be.
gan. where 1t is now more than $780,.
coo, 100000, all of which was onl,
. made possible by what the soldiers did
4 it would certainly seem that a service
pension of $12 month to the suryi.