6-18-21 Disappointing Paycheck

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When the 37th Iowa or the "Greybeards " were mustered out on May 24, 1865 they were somewhat disappointed in their final paycheck. The War Department ruled that members were not eligible to receive the remaining $75.00 of the usual $100.00 enlistment bounty. In addition a mistaken advance payment was to be deducted from the final paycheck.Congress eventually voted them the remainder of the enrollment bounty in 1866 after a howl was raised but a certain amount for the "mistaken advance" was still deducted. How much was the amount deducted from the final paycheck?

credit: @Polloco
 
When the 37th Iowa or the "Greybeards " were mustered out on May 24, 1865 they were somewhat disappointed in their final paycheck. The War Department ruled that members were not eligible to receive the remaining $75.00 of the usual $100.00 enlistment bounty. In addition a mistaken advance payment was to be deducted from the final paycheck.Congress eventually voted them the remainder of the enrollment bounty in 1866 after a howl was raised but a certain amount for the "mistaken advance" was still deducted. How much was the amount deducted from the final paycheck?

credit: @Polloco
$25.
Before they were mustered in... the War Department had decided that, because of the advanced age of the men, they would not receive the $100 bounty then promised to other enlistees. They had been given a $25 advance- mistakenly, as it turns out- in 1863, and now the War Department was asking for that amount to be returned.

On December 11, 1865, Iowa Representative James F. Wilson introduced HR 18, "A Bill for the Relief of Members of the 37th Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry". The Act was approved on July 3, 1866, which finally allowed the Greybeards to receive the bounty money they deserved.

Source: Lyman Allen, The Graybeards: The Letters of Major Lyman Allen, of the 37th Regiment Iowa Infantry.... (Iowa City, Iowa: Camp Pope Bookshop, 1998), pp. 95-96.

WHEREAS, the 37th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry were in the military service nearly three years, and all that time doing arduous and useful duty for their country; and
Whereas, A portion of said regiment were discharged for disability, and were paid the full bounty promised them, whilst those remaining until the rebellion was crushed received no bounty, but instead the installment of $25, received as bounty money when they were mustered into the service, was deducted from their pay;
therefore,
Be it Resolved by the General Assembly of Iowa, That our Representatives in Congress be requested and our Senators instructed to use their utmost endeavors to procure the passage of an act giving those noble men bounties equal to any other volunteers.

Source: Acts and Resolutions Passed at the Regular Session of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Iowa. (Des Moines, IA: F. W. Palmer, 1866), pp. 163-164.
 
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