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Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Arkansas
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, 1865 - 1869
National Archives Microfilm Publication M979 Roll 52
"Miscellaneous Records 1865 - 1868"
Information respecting Bounties of Colored Soldiers
Bureau Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
For the States of Missouri and Arkansas, and the Indian Territory
CLAIM DIVISION
Little Rock, Ark,. May 6th, 1865
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR
Sir:
The following information respecting Bounties of Colored Soldiers, is furnished for your guidance:
1. By section 4 of Act of June 15h, 1864 (in General Orders A. G. O. No. 215, 1864) all persons of color, who have been enlisted and mustered into the service of the United States, if mustered on the roll as "free on or before April 19th, 1861" are entitled to bounty as follows, viz:
If enlisted prior to October 24th, 1863 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100
If enlisted in an old* organization after October 24th, 1863 and prior to April 1st, 1864 . . . . . . . . . $300
If enlisted in an new* organization after December 24th, 1863 and prior to April 1st, 1864 . . . . . . . $300
2. By section 3 of June 15th, 1864, in General Orders NO. 215 A. G. O. 1864 all persons of color enlisted and mustered into service under the Presidents call for 800,000 volunteers (dated October 14th, 1863) who were, at the time of enlistment, enrolled and subject to draft in the State where enlisted are entitled to bounty as follows, viz:
If enlisted in any organization of colored troops between Oct. 17th and October 24th, 1863 . . . . . $100
If enlisted in an old* organization after October 24th, 1863 and prior to April 1st, 1864 . . . . . . . . . $300
If enlisted in a new* organization after December 24th, 1863 and prior to April 1st, 1864 . . . . . . . . $300
3. In all cases Colored Soldiers who were "free on the 19th of April, 1861" and when the Mustering Officer has failed to enter that fact on the rolls, the Colored Soldier should make before a military or civil officer authorized to administer oaths, either that he was free on the 19th of April 1861, or that he was at the time of enlistment, actually enrolled and subject to draft in the State in which he was enrolled (enlisted) as required by Section 3 of Act of June 15th, 1864.
4. By Section 1 Act of July 14th, 1864 (in General Orders 244 224, 1864) all enlistments of colored men after July 18th, 1864 for one, two, or three years entitles them to bounty of $100, $200 and $300 respectively.
5. Colored Soldiers who have been, or hereafter shall be discharged, by reason of wounds, received in battle, or skirmish on picket, or in action, or in the line of duty, and who are otherwise entitled under existing laws to bounty, are entitled to receive the same bounty if they have served out the full term of enlistment.
6. All persons of color drafted under the Act of March 3rd, 1863, and prior to September 5th, 1864, and their substitutes are entitled to bounty of $100, provided they had served two full years. They have also the same pay and allowance as white soldiers.
7. Under Section 2, Act of June 15th, 1864, no bounty was ordered by the President for persons of color who should enlist between that date and July 19th, 1864 (unless free April 19th, 1861).
8. By Section 5, Act March 3rd, 1865, in General Orders No. 31 1865, the same pay and allowance are given to persons of color enlisted and mustered into the military service of the United States in South Carolina by Generals Hunter and Saxton in 1862 as to other volunteers.
I am Very Respectfully
Your Obedient Servant
John Tyler
Captain, 2nd V. R. C.
In charge of office
*The term old organization applies only to regiments mustered in prior to July 1st, 1862, and new organization to regiments mustered in since that date.
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