[328] United States. August 28th, ‘Voted, that the town use its best endeavors to obtain soldiers without drafting.’ Voted, to pay a bounty of one hundred and twenty-five dollars to each volunteer for nine months service, when mustered in and credited to the town. On the 23d of September this bounty was increased to two hundred dollars, and the treasurer was authorized to borrow money to pay the same. 1863. April 6th, The treasurer was authorized to borrow money to pay State aid to the families of soldiers living in that town, ‘provided that the funds of the town are not sufficient for the same.’ 1864. July 28th, The treasurer was authorized to borrow, not exceeding eight thousand dollars, ‘to be called a recruiting fund,’ and to be used to procure men to fill the quota of the town under the recent call of the President for more men, it having been reported that some of the men who had enlisted from Wilbraham had been credited to other towns. Porter Cross and Sumner Smith were chosen ‘to investigate the matter at Boston,’ and have the rolls there corrected. 1865. January 16th, The treasurer was directed to borrow five thousand dollars as a recruiting fund to be used by the selectmen in procuring volunteers to the credit of the town. The following resolve was passed:—
Resolved, That a vote of thanks be tendered to General B. F. Butler for his services in the United-States military department during the present civil war.Wilbraham furnished two hundred and twenty-three men for the war, which was a surplus of twenty-six over and above all demands. Four were commissioned officers. The whole amount of money appropriated and expended by the town on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was thirteen thousand two hundred and fifty-five dollars ($13,255.00). The amount of money raised and expended by the town for State aid to soldiers' families during the war, and which was repaid by the Commonwealth, was as follows: In 1861, $209.82; in 1862, $2,356.14; in 1863, $3,163.00; in 1864, $3,377.14; in 1865, $1,700.00. Total amount, $10,806.10.
