Where's the money?

[ARW]

In doing research on Francis "Frank" Furman Corporal in the 143 PVI Co F I came across this news clipping. he is listed as one of the committee members. As you can see it looks like in 1880 they had still no received the enlistment bonus they had been promised. I have not found out if they ever received it but continue to look for more information. Just wonder if anyone has seen this type of thing before. I don't believe that this could be the only occurrence of counties not making good on their promises.

 

[gary]

Sounds like the county reneged on paying them. The money was generally given to the army and paid over time. This was done to prevent men from claiming the bounty, deserting and then collecting more bounty elsewhere.

 

[mofederal]

There might have been a hidden reason for them not getting the bounty. The Army could have had it's done it for reasons listed only on their service records. It's not like it would have been on their discharges.

 

[ARW]

There might have been a hidden reason for them not getting the bounty. The Army could have had it's done it for reasons listed only on their service records. It's not like it would have been on their discharges.

That is possible but it looks like it was the entire Company and not just a few of the guys. In looking at the roster I could find for them it looks like 9 guys deserted over the course of the war but the rest all mustered out for normal reasons most at the end of the war. And these guys were not on easy duty, they were at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness and various battles around Petersburg. The hunt continues.