William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 2

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[50] Third, That the selectmen be authorized and instructed to assist such families as are dependent upon any volunteer for their support, to whom in their judgment the above rule does not apply. Fourth, That the town furnish the military company of Sandwich, ‘when called for and officially accepted, a suitable uniform.’

The report was accepted. It was then voted that all citizens of Sandwich ‘volunteering in companies in other towns, having families, and also all persons from other towns volunteering in the Sandwich company, having families, be included in the above appropriation; provided, there shall not be an appropriation for them by the towns from which they came, or in which our citizens have volunteered.’ Voted, that the families of volunteers ‘receive their money once in two weeks;’ also voted, ‘to raise five hundred dollars to defray the expense of purchasing uniforms for the Sandwich company.’ At a special meeting held on the 6th of July, it was voted ‘to ratify and continue the above action of the town as allowed by act of May 23d, 1861.’

1862. At the annual town-meeting held March 3d, a sufficient sum of money was appropriated to continue the pay of State aid to the families of volunteers during the year. A special town-meeting was held on the 2d of August, at which it was voted to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer who enlists for three years military service and is mustered in and credited to the quota of the town, and fifty dollars additional to each man who shall enlist and be credited within seven days. Another meeting was held on the 23d of December, at which the selectmen were authorized to appoint persons to assist them in recruiting volunteers, and extending the amount of bounty to each volunteer to one hundred and fifty dollars. December 9th, The town voted to enlist volunteers for three years service and not for nine months, and to pay to each volunteer for that term a bounty of two hundred dollars.

1863. Several ‘war-meetings’ were held during this year: recruiting, the payment of bounties to volunteers, and aid to their families were continued; but no special action was taken by the town, in its corporate capacity, in relation to the war.