William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

[533] War, that the men thus enlisted should be regarded as upon special duty, and therefore not entitled to the Government bounty, as stated by Secretary Stanton. His letter is dated ‘Headquarters Eighteenth Army Corps, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, Fortress Monroe, Jan. 26, 1864,’ and was addressed to Hon. Henry Wilson, United-States Senate. He says,—

I have the Second Regiment Massachusetts Heavy Artillery here. When they arrived with twelve full companies, the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts desired, by telegram, to know if two more companies would be accepted. I immediately answered that they would be; and, when in Washington, I saw the Secretary of War, and asked him for permission to have them sent. I supposed, and he supposed, that they would be raised upon precisely the same terms as other recruits, and entitled to precisely the same bounties, no more, and no less. He gave me permission to have them raised, and gave an order to have them entered on the Provost-Marshal's books, and permitted me to telegraph to Adjutant-General Schouler, that they would be authorized, which I did.

By a letter received from Adjutant-General Schouler, it seems that it is now understood that these men were raised for “special service,” and are not entitled to the same bounties as other new recruits. The service for which they were raised is not “special,” but general, and no distinction should be made, or, as I believe, was intended to be made, by the Secretary of War, between them and other recruits for the reason that they were raised for “special service;” and I repeat that they were to receive the same bounties as other recruits. This was my understanding, and it was his understanding, which I have no doubt he will at once recognize. I see no reason for any misunderstanding; and I believe that if you will call upon him, and show him this note, if there is any misunderstanding it will be promptly corrected; if not, the matter will stand upon this order.

The result of it all was, that the Secretary of War receded from the position he had taken, and the bounty which the men were allowed to receive by the act of Congress was paid. The men went to the war, served faithfully, and did not return until Lee's army surrendered to General Grant, and the Rebellion was crushed.

We have given considerable prominence to this subject of