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

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[389] in the First Regiment of Massachusetts volunteers, who did not receive Government bounty because discharged before serving two years, a gratuity of one hundred dollars, which on the 31st of August was extended so as to include men who were in other regiments and similarly discharged.

1865. January 2d, The recruiting committee was authorized ‘to spend all necessary sums to fill the quota of Cambridge under the recent call of the President for three hundred thousand additional volunteers.’ May 24th, Voted, to give a public reception to Companies A, B, and F, Thirty-Eighth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, on their return to Cambridge at the end of the war.

Cambridge furnished three thousand six hundred men for the war, which was a surplus of one hundred and fifty-eight over and above all demands. One hundred and eighty-five were commissioned officers. The whole amount of money appropriated and expended by Cambridge on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was four hundred and fifty thousand nine hundred and seventy eight dollars and forty cents ($450,978.40).

The amount of money raised and expended by Cambridge during the four years of the war for State aid to the families of soldiers and sailors engaged in the war, and which was afterwards refunded to it by the Commonwealth, was as follows: In 1861, $13,529.44; in 1862, $55,000.00; in 1863, $73,403.77; in 1864, $64,000.00; in 1865, $37,000.00. Total amount, $242,933.21.

The ladies of Cambridge were early enlisted to do charitable and Christian work for the soldiers. Every religious society was interested in the cause, and in each ward of the city organizations were formed. In East Cambridge there were two organizations; one, ‘The Soldiers' Aid Society,’ was connected with the Unitarian society, and had thirty-one members, of which Mrs. Samuel Slocomb was president, Mrs. Walter S. Blanchard, secretary, and Miss Mary Parmenter, treasurer. This society raised four hundred and ninety-six dollars and eighty-four cents in money, made one thousand and thirty-six garments, which were forwarded to the army in eleven boxes.