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Resolved, That in view of the limited time in which we are called upon to fill our present quota of nine-months men, it is earnestly recommended that the citizens close their several places of business at the hour of four P. M., and thereafter on each day until the full number of men is secured.On the 30th of September an order was passed ‘authorizing the city treasurer to pay as a bounty, out of the militia fund, the sum of one hundred dollars each to all persons, residents of Springfield, who have been, or may be, within thirty days from this date, mustered into the service of the United States at “Camp Banks,” 1 as members of the “Union Guards,” even though the number of men thus paid would exceed the quota required of the city of Springfield under the call of the President for three hundred thousand men for nine months service.’ Mr. Folsom, the city treasurer and clerk of Springfield, writes:—
‘The sentiments of our citizens have been much better expressed by the promptness with which they met every call of the President for troops, and by the liberality in voting money for bounty and other necessary expenditures, than by resolutions written and recorded; consequently I can report but an extract from the only resolutions relating directly to war matters passed by the city council during the war; and, with the recommendations therein expressed, will say, that nearly all places of business were promptly closed, and mass meetings of the citizens, presided over by the mayor, were held daily—Sundays not always excepted—in front of the city hall, until the quota was filled. As will be seen by the order passed Sept. 30, 1862, which I enclose, we did not stop the good work as soon as our quota was filled, but continued the payment of bounties until we exceeded the quota, so that we were able to furnish Boston with one hundred and eight men, West Springfield with eleven, Westfield with ten, Chester with ten, Agawam with seven, and Holland and Monson with two each.’Springfield furnished twenty-five hundred men for the war, which was a surplus of two hundred and six over and above all demands. Ninety-six were commissioned officers. The whole amount of money appropriated and expended by the city on
