Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION.
H. R. 227.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
February 21, 1848.
Mr. W. P. Hall, on leave, introduced the following bill, which was read
twice, and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
March 15, 1848.
Mr. Haralson, from the said committee, reported the same back with
an amendment, when it was committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the state of the Union.—Insert the words in italics.
A BILL
For the relief of volunteers engaged in the military service
of the United States.

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12 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That every mounted militiaman, volunteer,
ranger, or cavalry, engaged in the military service of the
United States since the thirteenth day of May, on thou-
sand eight hundred and forty-six, or who shall hereafter
be in said service, and has sustained, or shall sustain, dam-
age, without any fault or negligence on his part, while
in said service, by the loss of any horse or mule, destroyed,
abandoned, or surrendered to the enemy by order of the
officer in command; or by the loss of any horse or mule,
host, or unavoidably lost or destroyed by accident, when

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8 the owner was in the line of duty; or by the loss of
any horse or mule by death or abandonment, in conse-
quence of the United States failing to supply sufficient
forage; or by the loss of any horse or mule, in conse-
quence of the rider being dismounted and separated from
his horse or mule, and ordered to a station detached from
his horse or mule; or by the loss of any horse or mule, in
consequence of said horse or mule being turned to graze,
by order of the officer in command, in the woods, prairies,
or commons, by reason of the United States not supply-
ing sufficient forage; or by the loss of any horse or mule,
on account of their being thrown overboard during storms
for the safety of the vessels, or during their transporta-
tion for causes beyond the control of the owner or rider
of said horse or mule; or by the loss of any necessary
equipage, consequent upon the loss of any horse or mule,
as aforesaid, shall be allowed and paid the value thereof.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That in all in-
stances in which any minor has been, or shall be, engaged
in the military service of the United States, as aforesaid,
and was, or shall be, provided with a horse, mule, or equip-
ments, by his parent or guardian, and has died, or shall
die, without paying for said property, and the same has
been, or shall be, lost, surrendered, destroyed, or abandoned,
as aforesaid, such parent or guardian shall be allowed pay

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3 therefor, on making satisfactory proof as in other cases,
and the further proof that he is entitled thereto by having
furnished the same.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the claims
provided for under this act shall be adjusted by the Third
Auditor, under such rules and regulations as shall be pre-
scribed by the Secretary of War, under the direction, or
with the assent of the President of the United States,
which rules and regulations shall be published for four
weeks in such of the newspapers, to be selected by the
Secretary of War, as the laws of the United States are
published in: Provided, That in making proof of the loss
of a horse or mule under the provisions of this act, for
the want of forage, the additional proof of hard service
connected therewith, shall not be construed to invalidate
the proof of such loss by reason of the failure of the
government to supply forage: And provided also, That
an appeal may be taken and prosecuted from the decision
of said Auditor rejecting any claim as aforesaid, to the
Second Comptroller of the Treasury, under the direction
of the Secretary of the Treasury, whose decision shall be
final and conclusive.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That all adjudica-
tions of said Auditor upon the claims aforesaid, shall be
entered under his direction in a book provided by him for

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13 the purpose, and when such judgment shall be in favor of
the claim, the claimant, or his legal representatives shall
be entitled to the amount of said judgment, upon produc-
ing a copy thereof, certified by said Auditor, at the Trea-
sury of the United States.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That every non-
commissioned officer, musician, artificer, or private, en-
gaged in the military service of the United States, since
the thirteenth day of May, one thousand eight hundred
and forty-six, or who shall hereafter be in said service,
and has not been supplied with rations or parts of rations,
while in said service, by the United States, shall be al-
lowed and paid therefor, at the rate of twenty cents for
each ration, under such rules and regulations, and accord-
ing to such an estimate of the value of the component
parts of a ration, as shall be prescribed by the Secretary
of War, under the direction, or with the assent of the Pre-
sident of the United States.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every mounted militiaman, volunteer, ranger, or cavalry, engaged in the military service of the United States since the thirteenth day of May, on thou- sand eight hundred and forty-six, or who shall hereafter be in said service, and has sustained, or shall sustain, dam- age, without any fault or negligence on his part, while in said service, by the loss of any horse or mule, destroyed, abandoned, or surrendered to the enemy by order of the officer in command; or by the loss of any horse or mule, host, or unavoidably lost or destroyed by accident, when
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13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	the owner was in the line of duty; or by the loss of any horse or mule by death or abandonment, in conse- quence of the United States failing to supply sufficient forage; or by the loss of any horse or mule, in conse- quence of the rider being dismounted and separated from his horse or mule, and ordered to a station detached from his horse or mule; or by the loss of any horse or mule, in consequence of said horse or mule being turned to graze, by order of the officer in command, in the woods, prairies, or commons, by reason of the United States not supply- ing sufficient forage; or by the loss of any horse or mule, on account of their being thrown overboard during storms for the safety of the vessels, or during their transporta- tion for causes beyond the control of the owner or rider of said horse or mule; or by the loss of any necessary equipage, consequent upon the loss of any horse or mule, as aforesaid, shall be allowed and paid the value thereof. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That in all in- stances in which any minor has been, or shall be, engaged in the military service of the United States, as aforesaid, and was, or shall be, provided with a horse, mule, or equip- ments, by his parent or guardian, and has died, or shall die, without paying for said property, and the same has been, or shall be, lost, surrendered, destroyed, or abandoned, as aforesaid, such parent or guardian shall be allowed pay
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9 10 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 1 2 3	therefor, on making satisfactory proof as in other cases, and the further proof that he is entitled thereto by having furnished the same. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the claims provided for under this act shall be adjusted by the Third Auditor, under such rules and regulations as shall be pre- scribed by the Secretary of War, under the direction, or with the assent of the President of the United States, which rules and regulations shall be published for four weeks in such of the newspapers, to be selected by the Secretary of War, as the laws of the United States are published in: Provided, That in making proof of the loss of a horse or mule under the provisions of this act, for the want of forage, the additional proof of hard service connected therewith, shall not be construed to invalidate the proof of such loss by reason of the failure of the government to supply forage: And provided also, That an appeal may be taken and prosecuted from the decision of said Auditor rejecting any claim as aforesaid, to the Second Comptroller of the Treasury, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, whose decision shall be final and conclusive. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That all adjudica- tions of said Auditor upon the claims aforesaid, shall be entered under his direction in a book provided by him for
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4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13	the purpose, and when such judgment shall be in favor of the claim, the claimant, or his legal representatives shall be entitled to the amount of said judgment, upon produc- ing a copy thereof, certified by said Auditor, at the Trea- sury of the United States. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That every non- commissioned officer, musician, artificer, or private, en- gaged in the military service of the United States, since the thirteenth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, or who shall hereafter be in said service, and has not been supplied with rations or parts of rations, while in said service, by the United States, shall be al- lowed and paid therefor, at the rate of twenty cents for each ration, under such rules and regulations, and accord- ing to such an estimate of the value of the component parts of a ration, as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of War, under the direction, or with the assent of the Pre- sident of the United States.