INDIAN WARS-REGULARS, VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA. An act approved April 10, 1812, entitled "an act for the relief of the officers and soldiers who served in the late campaign on the Wabash," provides that the officers and men who served under General Harrison against the Indians, on the Wabash, in the year 1811, shall be entitled to the same pay, according to the rank assigned them by General Harrison, as is allowed by law to the - militia; and, SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That every officer, according to the rank which he held as aforesaid, non-commissioned officer and private of the volunteers and militia who served in said campaign, and who have been disabled by known wounds received in said service, shall be placed on the list of invalids of the United States, at such rate of pension as shall be directed by the President of the United States, upon satisfactory proof of such wound and disability being produced to the Secretary of War, agreeably to such rules as he may prescribe: Provided, That the rate of compensation for such wounds and disabilities shall never, for the highest disability, exceed half the monthly pay of such officer at the time of being so wounded or disabled, and that the rate of compensation to a noncommissioned officer and private shall never exceed five dollars per month; and all inferior disabilities shall entitle the person so disabled to receive a sum in proportion to the highest disability; but no pension of a commissioned officer shall be calculated at a higher rate than the half-pay of a lieutenant-colonel. The rate of pensions to certain classes of invalid pensioners was increased by an act approved April 24, 1816. This act will be found at large in Chapter IV, Section I, page 51. By "an act to authorize the President to raise mounted volunteers for the defense of the frontiers," approved June 15, 1832,2 provision is made for the acceptance, for 1 U. S. Statutes at Large, vol. ii, 704. 3 Ibid., vol. iv, 533. INDIAN WARS-REGULARS, VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA. one year, of six hundred mounted rangers, for the protection and defense of the north-western frontiers of the United States; and these are promised: SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, raised pursuant to this act, shall be entitled to the like compensation, in case of disability by wounds or otherwise incurred in the service, as has heretofore been allowed to officers, non-commissioned officers and privates in the military establishment of the United States; and shall be subject to the rules and articles of war, and such regulations as have been or shall be established, according to law, for the government of the army of the United States, as far as the same may be applicable to the said rangers, within the intent and meaning of this act, for the protection and defense of the north-western frontier of the United States, } In lieu of this battalion of rangers, a regiment of dragoons was added to the regular army, by act of March 2, 1833; and the President was directed to discharge the rangers on their being relieved by the dragoons. This discharge was probably not effected until the term for which the rangers volunteered had expired. The regiment of dragoons was placed upon the same footing in respect to invalid pensions as other regular troops, as will be seen by the following: SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said regiment of dragoons shall be liable to serve on horse or foot, as the President may direct; shall be subject to the rules and articles of war, be recruited in the same manner, and with the same limitations; that the officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, farriers and privates, shall be entitled to the same provisions for wounds and disabilities, the same provisions for widows and children, and the same allowances and benefits in every respect, as are allowed the other troops constitut ing the present military peace establishment. The benefits of existing pension laws were, by act of March 19, 1836, entitled "an act to provide for the pay 1 U. S. Statutes at Large, vol. iv, 652. INDIAN WARS-REGULARS, VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA. ment of volunteers and militia corps in the service of the United States," extended to volunteers and militia who had been or might be engaged in subduing the Indians in Florida; as follows: SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the volunteers or militia who have been or who may be received into the service of the United States to suppress Indian depredations in Florida, shall be entitled to all the benefits which are conferred on persons wounded or otherwise disabled in the service of the United States. Hostilities being commenced by the Creek Indians, an act was passed, May 23, 1836,2 authorizing the President to accept volunteers, either cavalry or infantry, to the number of ten thousand, to serve for six or twelve months after arriving at the place of rendezvous, unless sooner discharged. These were liable to be called out only in case of Indian disturbances, or to repel invasions. Invalid pensions were provided by the act as follows: SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the volunteers who may be received into the service of the United States by virtue of the provisions of this act, shall be entitled to all the benefits which may be conferred on persons wounded in the service of the United States. For a rule forbidding the payment of pensions to persons who are drawing pay in the service, see page 25. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The acts grouped together under the title "INDIAN WARS," may, with a few exceptions, also be found under the titles "INVALID PENSIONS-REGULAR SERVICE," and "INVALID PENSIONS-VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA." The forms, regulations, instructions, decisions and opinions 1 U. S. Statutes at Large, vol. v, 7. 2 Ibid, vol. v, 32. INDIAN WARS-REGULARS, VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA. applicable to these titles, are of equal application to cases arising under the laws mentioned in this section. These laws, indeed, all relate to certain leading acts referred to in the General Observations at the close of Chapter III, Section I, and Chapter IV, Section I, and are governed by their provisions and the rules adopted for their execution. NAVAL INCLUDING THE NAVY PROPER, MARINES, SEA-FENCIBLES, PRIVATEERS AND REVENUE CUTTERS, SINCE THE REVOLUTION.1 THE first act of Congress, under the constitution, granting naval pensions, was that of July, 1797, entitled "an act providing a naval armament." This provides for manning and employing the frigates United States, Constitution and Constellation, and prescribes the number and rank of the officers, and the number of marines, seamen, midshipmen and ordinary seamen which shall be employed on the several classes of vessels in the navy. Section eleven of this act provides. SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That if any officer, noncommissioned officer, marine or seaman, belonging to the navy of the United States, shall be wounded or disabled, while in the line of his duty in public service, he shall be placed on the list of the invalids of the United States, at such rate of pay, and under such regulations as shall be directed by the President of the United States: Provided always, That the rate of compensation to be allowed for such wounds or disabilities, to a commissioned or warrant officer, shall never exceed, for the highest disability, half the monthly pay of such officer at the time of his being so disabled or wounded; and that the rate of compensation to non-commissioned officers, marines and seamen, shall never exceed five dollars per month: And provided also, That all inferior disabilities shall entitle the person so disabled to receive an allowance proportionate to the highest disability. 1 For remarks to military and naval invalid pensions during the revolution, see Chap. II, Sec. II. 2 U. S. Statutes at Large, vol. i, 523. |