Heritage \ Groups \ Military \ Civil War \ News

Civil War Weekly News - November 21, 1863 & November 28, 1863.

Transcribed (February 2005)

THE BAY CITY PRESS AND TIMES
No. #. - Vol. #.	Bay City, Michigan	$1.50 Per Annum.
No. 6. - Vol. 5 - Saturday, Nov. 21, 1863. AVOID THE DRAFT. Public Meeting. A meeting of the citizens of Bay county will be held at the COURT ROOM in Bay City, on Monday the 23 inst., at 8 o’clock, p.m. for the purpose of petitioning the Board of Supervisors to raise a bounty for volunteers to be credited to Bay Co. MANY CITIZENS. Our article of last week suggesting the prudence of adopting the requisite means for raising by the volunteering system the quota of Bay county, under the call of the government for 300,000 more men, to finish up the rebellion seems to have led to considerable discussion. We learn that it meets the approval of a large number of our citizens; while there undoubtedly are others who will be opposed to any measures that may be suggested for any purpose whatever, which are calculated to increase the amount of taxation. We think, however, that the article in question is misunderstood by some persons. It only urged the Board of Supervisors to place the matter before the people that they might have an opportunity to express their opinions on it – for in this case no tax can be levied unless authorized by a majority of the people in the manner provided by law. It is not be suppose that the Board of Supervisors will act until they are requested to do so; it would be unfair to expect them to assume all the responsibility in such a case. Therefore, at the request of many of our citizens, we publish, a the head of this column, a call for a public meeting, at which steps, will probably be taken to petition the Board of Supervisors to convene, and adopt the requisite measures to place the question of taxation for bounties before the people. We are informed that our representative in Congress has gone to Washington and will make a strong effort to get authority, directly from the War Department to raise a new regiment of Cavalry in his district. We hope he many be successful. Important action of our State Authorities. – On Tuesday night last, Adjutant General Roberston left for Washington, with instructions to make all practicable arrangements with the United States authorities in reference to the re-enlistment of our old soldiers, and have the same credited on the present quota of the State. From present indications, a majority of the members of Michigan regiments now in the field, will re-enlist, and thereby secure the large bounty offered to veteran soldiers; and if the Adjutant General can possibly bring about the desired consummation, the impending draft will be greatly lessened if not altogether avoided. It is not proposed to have the men re-enlisted from this date, but to have their new terms commence at the experation of their present ones. Our State autorieties deseve great praise for their foresight in this matter, and it is hoped they may be successful in accomplishing the proposed schemes. – Detroit, Adv. And Trib. The recipts of money paid by drafted men for commutation now amounts to $9,000,000, which it is expected will be increased by $2,000,000 more. The whole of this sum is to be appropriated to recruiting under the new proclamation of the President. It is said Secretary Stanton will recommend the abrogation of the $300 clause in the draft law in his annual report to Congress. No. 7. - Vol. 5. - Saturday, Nov. 28, 1863. The Next Draft. The armies of the Union ask for reinforcements to aid in giving he final blow to the rebellion. Michigan is called upon for eleven thousand more men. These men must be furnished before the third of January, or they will be chosen from among our citizens by the operation of the draft. It seems to be the general opinion that the $300 clause of the Conscription Law will be repeated; and in that case there will be no escape from the duty of military service except by furnishing a substitute. Our people therefore should not delay action but use every effort to fill up their quota by voluntary enlistments. And to further these to the greatest extent, a bounty is absolutely necessary. We are of opinion that the bounty should be paid by the State, which would equalized the cost of furnishing the men, and thus remove the cause of much complaint and ill will between various communities throughout the State. For this reason the Legislature should be convened at once and a bounty authorized to be paid from the State Treasury. Should this be done, we have not the least doubt that the entire quota of the State would be raised without resort to the draft. The paying of bounties by counties is not a legal transaction; Boards of Supervisors not being empowered to levy taxes to raise money for such purpose. And, aside from this fact, it is well known by every one that some of the older and richer counties have robbed the new counties of their proper credits for volunteers, by offering the enlisted men, after they went into camp, a larger bounty than their own counties or neighborhoods had given them. In this manner did the rich and populous county of Wayne rob the poor little county of Bay of the credits for more than fifty volunteer who where enlisted here in Bay City, by Capt. Stevenson within two months prior to the recent draft. The people of Bay county aided Capt. Stevenson in getting up his company, and they expected, as they (Continued from left column...) had a right to expect, that the men would be credited to the county from which they went. Bay County has a rightful claim against Wayne for these credits. None but a Copperhead county with Copperhead officials would be guilty of so mean a theft. We cannot repress a feeling of indignation when we read such sentences of brazen impudence and downright falsehood as this which we clip from the disloyal organ of Detroit: “Wayne county of all the counties in the State, has been first to fill up its quota, and shall if not in the future retain the proud position it has gained.” The Bay Co. Democrat who will sustain the Free Press after it has teemed with such lying stuff as this, will eat any amount of dirt at its bidding There is still another important reason why Governor Blair should call the Legislature together, and recommend the passage of a law providing for a State Bounty. It lies in the fact that it would cost much less to assemble that body than to assemble the numerous Boards of Supervisors of the State. No doubt the Governor of Michigan has canvassed the subject thoroughly, and would have issue his proclamation some days ago, calling the Legislature together, if he intended to adopt that course at all. If, then, a State Bounty is not to be authorized, the alternative of a county bounty must be resorted to, and the citizens must look to the Legislature to legalize the same at its next regular session. But a bounty we must have, or bid adieu to all hope of avoiding the draft. For already Wayne county is again bidding for the credits of our volunteers. Her Board of Supervisors at a recent special meeting held for that purpose, authorized the payment of $100 bounty to every volunteer who would place his name to there credit on the next draft. The quota of Bay county under the call is 132. This number could be materially lessened, and some good men sent to the aid of our brothren in the field, if our county board and citizens generally take hold of the matter earnestly. We believe there is a disposition to do this. There are many and really important advantages drived by a community from the volunteering system over that of the draft. – We have no doubt our citizens are aware of the facts, for a petition, we understand, has been in circulation in our county during the past week, and numerously signed asking the Board of Supervisors to create a County bounty fund. We are glad to learn that there is a good prospect that such action will be taken. Bay county should not be behind other counties in any enterprise of such character. Top of right column. Telegraphic dispatches received yesterday more announce a decisive Union Victory at Chattanooga. A total route of the rebel army, with from 5,000 to 10,000 prisoners and forty pieces of artillery captured. The payments for all branches of the public service for the fiscal year ending with the last of June, were $903,000,000 of which amount $600,000,000, were for the Army, and $66,000,000 for the Navy. A sufficiency of money has been placed in the hands of the Paymasters to pay our armies up to the first of the present month. On Wednesday of last week 350 paroled Union prisoners reached Annapolis from Richmond. They were in a most wretched condition: six of them died on the way. Underclothing and other necessaries are needed for the survivors. The 10th Cavalry at Grand Rapids, contains 1,043 men, nearly the maximum number. Its officers hourly expect marching orders for the seat of War, and the regiment is ready to respond to such orders at once. Deserters. Correspondence of the Daily Eagle. Headquarters Draft Department, Grand Rapids, Nov. 12, 1863. Mr. Editor: – The recent desertions en route, and from the camp, of some of the substitutes for drafted men brought to this depot, demands that a word be said to the citizens of the State as to their duty in trying to arrest these and all other deserters. An impression has gone forth that only officers military or civil have a right to arrest deserters. This is a mistake. Every citizen has the same right to arrest a deserter as an officer, and is entitled to the same reward – $30 – on the delivery of the deserter to the nearest military post or district Provost Marshal. Not only has every citizen the right to arrest a deserter, but it is his imperative duty and his interest to do so – his duty, because of the aid which he owes the Government to help it put down the rebellion; and his interest, because the government is thus saved the loss of the bounty paid on enlistment to such deserters, which bounty really comes or must eventually come, out of the people’s pockets in the shape of taxes; and because every deserter allowed to go at large, makes the necessity for one additional drafted man, which many may be the very one who has the knowledge and neglects to arrest a deserter. These men on enlisting and receiving a bounty, enter into a solemn contract with the Government to serve it in a certain way and for a specific term, and by subsequently deserting, not only violate said contract but become swindlers to the Government (the people) to the extent of the bounty, advanced pay and clothing received. How can a deserted be known? First, if he returns to the neighborhood where he enlisted and has no official papers to show his discharge from the service, he may be set down, and should be immediately arrested as a deserter; secondly, if a man be found with the United States clothing, whether the whole or any part of a suit, and cannot show a discharge or furlough, he may be regarded as a deserter and arrested accordingly. If there be reasonable grounds for suspicion, even though it should subsequently turn out that they are not deserters the person making the arrest cannot be held responsible for make a false arrest. The General commanding this depot desires that these facts should be generally circulated and known throughout the State, and both you, Mr. Editor, and other editors of the State, will confer a special favor, and do service to the people generally, by giving this a place in your columns. Very respectfully, Your ob’t servant J. R. Freese, Assistance Adjutant General After the Rascals. Efforts are now being made to ferret out the swindling and frauds of Recruiting Officers who, in connivance with Detroit officials, have manage to cheat the Saginaw Valley counties out of recruits enlisted here, for which we should be credited, and have had them applied on the quota of Wayne county. Some of these rascally swindlers have, after receiving and using the money raised here as local bounties gone and sold out the recruits to Detroit. It strikes us that, in such transactions, the purchasers and sellers both deserve punishment. This robbery of one locality for the benefit of another, thereby making the draft come heavier on the swindled district, is much worse than a mere robbery of money. Already positive proof has been obtained that some of the recruits obtained here by a scoundrel named Allen, and to which local bounties were raised and paid, have been reported and credited to Detroit. We are glad to learn that the State and district Provost Marshals will lend their aid in ferreting out these rascally transactions and bring the guilty parties to justice. – Saginaw Enterprise.