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EEPORT

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

HOUSE OE EEPEESENTATIVES,

BOUNTY FRAUDS, &c,

MADE AT THE

JANUAEY SESSION, 1865.

PROVIDENCE :
II. II. THOMAS & CO., PRINTERS TO TIIE STATE,
NO. 10 WEYBOSSET STREET.
1865.

STATE OJb" RHODE ISLAND, &c.

REPORT

FINANCE COMMITTEE

HOUSE OE EEPEESENTATIYES,

BOUNTY FRAUDS, &c,

MADE AT THE

JANUARY SESSION, 1865.

PEOVIDENCE :
H. H. THOMAS & CO., PRINTERS TO THE STATE,
, NO. 16 WEYBOSSET STREET.
1865.

REPORT.

To the Honorable the itouee of Representatives of the State of
Rhode Island, $c.
The undersigned, your Committee on Finance, were instructed by
your resolution of January 17th, 1865, to enquire into the mode of
enlisting men from this State into the service of the United States,
and of the payment of bounties thereto ; and also to examine so
much of the accounts of the late and present Paymaster Generals ; of
the Quartermaster General, and of the Adjutant General of the
State as embraces monies paid upon orders of His Excellency, the
Governor, and to ascertain for what service or consideration such
orders were given, and to what purposes the money obtained whereon
have been applied.
To aid the Committee in their investigations, the testimony taken
before a joint Special Committee of the General Assembly at its last
January session was committed to them, with full authority to send
for persons and papers, and, they were further instructed to report
the evidence they might take, and such recommendations to the
House, as to the Committee should seem proper. In accordance with
which instructions and under the authority given them they respect
fully beg leave to
REPORT,
That they have endeavored to ascertain the extent of the authority
conferred upon the Executive to have men enlisted into the service
of the United States, with the mode of executing that authority, and
the degree of success which has attended its execution.

4 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
To these ends they have examined the statutes of the State ; such
of the military orders of the Commander-in-Chief as were accessible
to them, and have procured copies to be made from the military
records of the State, as they are to be found in the offices of the
Quartermaster General, Paymaster General and Adjutant General.
They have also examined a large number of witnesses, from whom
they have elicited a variety of important facts.
Men Enlisted.
Between May 26th, 1863, and January 27th, 1865, there were
enlisted into the military service of the United States, and into the
Regiments from this State, as follows, to-wit. :
In the year 1863  2,005
la the year 18G4  1,392
In the year 1865  123
Total  3,520
In addition to these, there have been enlisted into the regular army
and into other regiments, 413 : making in all 3,933 men. (See Ex.
Mbit " A," from the office of the Adjutant General hereto annexed.)
Of this number, 391 enlisted for one year, (see Exhibit "5,") and the
residue were enlisted for two or three years.
160 men were drafted who entered the service.
678 furnished substitutes.
458 commuted.
1,118 re-enlisted.
And during the war, afbout 2,000 men have entered the Navy.
The drafted men, those who commuted, furnished substitutes ;
enlisted in the navy ; re-enlisted, or were enlisted into the regular
army, entered or were represented in the service, under and by virtue
of the laws of the United States, and not under or by virtue of anv
State authority. The State Law.
On the 1st day of June, 1863, the only bounty authorized by the
State to be paid to recruits, was $15 each, and $10 head monev to
the men who presented the recruit for enlistment.
This bounty was increased to an amount not exceeding $ 300, at the
June session of the General Assembly, 1863, for recruits who enlisted
for three years or the war.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 5
There has been no law in force since August 1st, l#js3, up to the
present session of the General Assembly, which authorized the pay
ment of any bounty to any recruit who enlisted for a less term than
for three years or the war.
Under the call of February 1st, 1864, for 500,000 men, the Gov
ernor was, on the llth of that month, authorized to pay an additional
bounty beyond the $300, and for transportation of recruits to the
extent of $50,000 ; an,d on the next succeeding day, he was author
ized to pay for additional bounty, subsistence and transportation, not
exceeding $100,000, in obtaining recruits in anticipation of future
calls. It is under the authority of these statutes, and of these alone, that
the recruits have been enlisted to whose mode of enlistment and the
manner of paying their bounties, the attention of the Committee has
been directed. Orders of ihe Commander-in-Chief to Raise Forces.
By military orders 16 and 17, issued about the 20th of June, 1863,
the Commander-in-Chief called for three regiments of infantry and
one battery for six months.
It was at first proposed to pay to this force a bounty of $100 for
each recruit, and ten. dollars head-money to the person who produced
the recruit. (See Exhibit " C," hereto annexedT)
The raising of this force was abandoned August llth, 1863, and a
bounty of $50 was to be paid to each enlisted man, with pay, &c,
according to the regulations of the army of the United States. (See
Exhibits"!)" and" E.")
About two companies of the 13th Regiment were raised at the
expense of the State. They were equipped, clothed, subsisted and
paid for their services and a bounty of $50 each, and head money was
paid to recruiting officers. The State, by this failure, was involved
in a large, and as the result showed, an useless expenditure of money.
June 16th, 1863, a call was issued for the 3d Regiment of Cavalry
for six months ; but the term of enlistment was enlarged to three
years on July 1st.
July 29th, a call was made for a company of heavy artillery of
colored men. This corps was afterwards enlarged to a battalion, an.d
finally to a full regiment.

6 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
To the recruits for the 3d Cavalry and the 14th Regiment of Heavy
Artillery were to be paid a bounty of $300, with $10 head money
from the State ; the recruits receiving, in addition, $100 bounty, and
the agent, not in the service of the United States, $2 head money
from the United States.
Pausing here in the consideration of the Executive orders, and
passing over some irregularities and some crimes connected with the
enlistment of the men for the 3d Cavalry, your Committee will invite
the attention of the House to
The Mode of Enlisting Men for the Fourteenth Regiment H. A.
The late lamented Dr. W. H. Helme, assisted by Mr. James
Jepherson, of Providence, with perhaps one or two other persons,
appear to have enlisted one or two companies for this corps ; and,
while Dr. Helme had the control of this business, nothing has been
brought to the attention of your Committee to satisfy them that he
was actuated by other than philanthropic, honorable and patriotic
motives. Late in the month of August, or early in September, 1863, J. C.
Engley, the evil genius of this Regiment, appears to have entered its
service, and, upon the recommendation of Major Samuel P. Sanford,
was appointed a general superintendent to recruit for its ranks under
the direction of the Governor and of Sanford. At about this time
(Sept. 5th, 1863,) Engley received a Major's appointment upon the
sam£ recommendation. Previous to this he had been a private or
warrant officer in one of the Rhode Island batteries. (See evidence
of S. P . Sanford, Francis, Engley, and Exhibit "F."
Francisco M. Ballou, an active recruiting officer, appears to have
been engaged in recruiting men for this corps when Engley entered
its service. For a time, Ballou and Engley were competing agents
in enlisting men in the city of New York. In this service Ballou
appears to have been more than the peer of Engley. But Engley
was favored by the Executive beyond Ballou, for though Ballou
appears to have had some knowledge of the facts, he does not appear
to have been fully informed of the extent of the benefits conferred by
Executive favor upon his rival. Ballou had a Captain's commission,
while Engley had a Majority. Engley had transportation furnished
hjm for himself, his recruits and his agents, while Ballou had none of
these facilities ; and, above all, on the 17th of September, 1863, the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 7
Governor appears to have issued an order to the Paymaster General
to pay, to Engley $50 of the bounty of such of the recruits as he
(Engley) should name that were enlisted for this Regiment. (See
Exhibit " G-."') This latter and significant fact does not appear to
have been brought to the knowledge of Ballou. Bear in mind that no
order or receipt from the men was required for the payment of this
sum. In the same order, the Paymaster General was directed to pay
to Engley a further sum of $25 of the bounty of the recruits upon
producing their receipts therefor. It is probable, from the evidence,
that Ballou knew that. $25, or that some small amount would be paid
by the Paymaster General, upon the orders of the recruits, for he
entered into a co-partnership with Engley about this time, and inaug
urated the practice of taking small orders from the recruits. Each
of these partners appears to have had subordinate agents, who con
tributed more or less to the amount of the business of the firm. But
this co-partnership soon resulted unhappily, for Engley was their
financial agent, and the profits resulting from the business of his sub
ordinates appear to have been diverted to his own pocket ; and not
only this, but they were made to compete directly with the firm by
procuring recruits in the same field of operations. This created dis
satisfaction, and brought about an interview between Col. Bailey,
Major Sanford, Major Engley and Ballou. The result of this extra
ordinary interview is detailed in the evidence of Ballou. After hear
ing the complaints of Ballou, Engley expresses the belief that the
true cause of dissatisfaction arose from the fact that they had not
taken orders for a sufficient amount from the recruits. Ballou appe'ars
to have been, surprised at this suggestion, and informs the Major that
they had taken orders large enough from the recruits to make a net
profit of $100 each per day, and he thought that that was enough.
Here it should be borne in mind that Ballou does not appear to
have Kad any information relative to the authority of Engley to
deduct $50 from the bounty of each recruit he should designate with
out any order or receipt from the recruit for that amount. The
precise date of this interview your Committee have not been able to
ascertain, but on the 28th of October, 1863, the Governor issued a
further order to the Paymaster General, authorizing him to pay a
further sum of $25 to Major Engley from the bounty of each recruit.
This order did not require any assent from the recruit for the pay
ment of the amount. (See Exhibit " IT.") .

O REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE i
On the 6th of November, 1863, the Governor issued a special
order to the Paymaster General to pay to Major Engley $250 of the
bounty of each of fourteen recruits. This order did not require any
authority from the men for this payment. (See Exhibit "J.")
November 9th, the Governor issued another general order to the
Paymaster General (o pay a further sum of $75 of the bounty ofthe
recruits, upon the same plan and under the same regulations as the
$25 and $50 were to be paid, (^ee Exhibit "J".")
It is here worthy of remark that Major Engley was the only
channel through which any of these orders could be paid. (See evi
dence of John N. Francis.")
At this time there had been issued the general orders of Sept. 17,
Oct. 28, and Nov. 9, by which $75 of the bounty of the recruits was
to be paid without their order, and $100 was to be paid upon their
order, making in all $175 of $300 allowed by the State to be paid
them. November 24th, there was an additional general order, authorizing
the payment of one hundred dollars when their signature was obtained
authorizing the same. None of the prior orders appear to have been
revoked, and thus authority was given for the payment of $275 of
the $300 bounty. This practice in issuing prders for payment of
the moneys of recruits, such as were enlisted into the 14th Regiment,
to Major Engley, against whom there seems to have been many com
plaints, to say the least, presents a state of things worthy of the
serious attention of the House and of the people.
December 3d, a special order was issued to pay to Engley $250 of
the bounty of four recruits, if the Paymaster General was made
satisfied that they were " contrabands. " (See Exhibit "L."~)
As if there had not already been orders enough issued ; on the 6th
of December we find still another issued in these words, to-wit :
State op Rhode Island, Executive Dep't. )
Providence, Dec. 6, 1863. J
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General:
Colonel : — You will please to pay for such recruits as may be furnished by
Major J. C. Engley, for the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A., $100 and $150
respectively, in accordance with their orders and under the same regulations as
the previous payments of $50, $75, &c.
I am, "General," very respectfully, i
CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. D. 07'"'''
(See Exhibit "M.")

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS.. 9
Near fifty special and general orders were issued between the 17th
of September, 1863, and March 21st, 1864, to pay to Engley the
bounties for recruits for this regiment, or for the recruits in the orders
named. For some, he was to be paid $200 ; for some $250, and for
some, the entire bounty. Copies of some of the orders are annexed,
marked "N."
March 21st, 1864, the Governor issued to the Paymaster General,
a further order, directing him to pay to Engley all of the $300 bounty
to the men of the 14th regimwnt, after deducting the amount for
which they agreed to enlist.
Under this last general order there was paid to Major Engley
$66,000. (See evidence of J. N. Francis.)
Engley received from the State Treasury, in connection with
recruiting for the 14th regiment, as follows, viz. :
Under the order of the Governor of March 21st, 1864, to pay to Engley
the difference between the amount of bounty, for which the recruit agreed to
enlist, and the $300, (See Evidence of Francis.)  $66,000 00
Under orders of for 875 men for subsistence, service and
transportation, (See copies of Orders hereto annexed.)  30,675 00
Orders to pay bounties of deceased, discharged and deserting recruits. 11,011 00
Head money 1,583 men at $10  15,830 00
U. S. premium for 1,322 men at $2  2,644 00
For transportation of recruits  120 00
For 178 tickets  534 00
Pay as Major  1,021 76
Total  -.  $127,835 76
Besides this sum, he received a large amount of money upon the
orders of the recruits. During this period of time the State paid
upwards of $18,500 to the various railroad and steamboat companies
for transportation ; and it paid head money et $10 each to other per
sons for enlisting 1,053 men, besides the men enlisted and designated
for other regiments in the official reports, so that the State appears to
have paid the head money for enlisting a large number of recruits,
beyond the number actually entering the service of the 14th regiment.
2

10 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
As it is in evidence before the Committee that a very large amount
of the bounty of these recruits was paid upon their orders, the Com
mittee directed their attention to the inquiry as to
The Mode in which those Orders were Obtained.
Many of the recruits were enlisted without the State, and some of
them as far off as Missouri. Upon their arrival in Providence, they
were immediately taken to the recruiting office and were locked into
a room adjoining thereto ; where thqy were detained until the proper
officers appeared to attend to their enlistment, when they were taken
out of the room one at a time, and were then asked if they could
write. If they could, they were told to sign their names to a paper,
and if they could not write, they were told to make their marks. The
papers which they signed were orders for parts of their bounty.
Their signatures were witnessed by a person who wa5 at hand for
that purpose. The men in many instances did not have the orders
they signed read, or the contents thereof stated to them, nor do they
appear to have been able to read for themselves. But they signed
the orders supposing that they were doing an act necessary to their
enlistment. (See Evidence of Rev. Mr. Shurtliff, Mr. Perry, Mr.
Hill, Brown and others.)
Near to the recruiting office, Engley had a room where he sold
worthless watches arid various articles of clothing to the men.
Though this business was Engley's, it was carried on in the name of
F. N. Sheldon. For the sales made there to the recruits, they were
in the habit of drawing orders against their bounty. (See evidence of
F. JSF. Sheldon and Col. W. Viall.)
Though the regular sutler of this regiment paid to the Regimental
Fund $75 per month, he was summarily turned out of camp by Amos
D. Smith, 3d, and other favored parties were ordered by him to be
permitted to trade with the men of the regiment, ostensibly for the
purpose of showing Col. Viall "that there was some power in Israel"
beyond his control, yet as your Committee believe for the more
obvious purpose of allowing favorite traders the advantage of the
profit of the sales which they would make to these men. For these
sales, orders were either drawn against the bounty of the men, or the
amount of the sales were deducted from the bounty certificates by
the Allotment Commissioner.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 11
Here arose another difficulty ; the traders had not properly located
all the men to whom they sold goods, nor had they correctly under
stood their sometimes difficult names. So that the Allotment Com
missioner with the traders' accounts before him, could not always find
the names in the accounts upon the roll of the regiment. In this
dilemma, the Allotment Commissioner, Amos D. Smith, 3d, concluded
to charge the accounts of the traders to such of the men as he thought,
might or ought to have had the articles charged, and a large amount
of these traders' accounts was apportioned in this way, which caused
dissatisfaction among the men. (See evidence of B. T. Lyman.)
The men complained, some of them, that orders had appeared
against them which they had not signed. Others, that they were
made intoxicated, or by other fraudulent practices, were induced to
sign orders for which they had not received a fair equivalent ; and
still others complained that orders had appeared against them for a
larger sum than they had agreed should be taken from their bounty.
(See Ex. to evidence qf Gen. Mauran, sundry papers signed by men
and by them sivorn to ; Ev. Col. Viall, Howard, Mercer, Borsey and
others. Taking into consideration the treatment of these men by the State
officials as that treatment is disclosed in the evidence before the com
mittee, and how the men who were about to hazard their lives in
defence of the State and of the country, were wronged in proportion
as they were without the means of asserting their rights ; and how
that five-sixths of the bount}' of the State assigned to be paid to the
poor ignorant contraband, who had just broken the bonds of slavery
to enlist in the army of the Union, in defence of his new-born liberty,
should be taken by the sanction of any citizen of the State, to gratify
the propensities of any recruiting officer, present a state of things
which is a source of regret to your Committee, and should be to every
person who has any regard for the honor of the State.
United States Laivs and Army Regulations in relation to the Recruiting
Service.
In passing to the consideration of another stage of the recruiting
business, your Committee may remark that though these recruiting
officers were appointed by, and were the agents of the State for the
purpose of filling the quotas of the State, they were recruiting men
for the service of the United States, and were bound by the military
law of the United States.

12 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Engley, Ballou and Sanford, were all commissioned officers, and as
they were commissioned for the service of the United States, they had
no right to violate the regulations of that service ; and the same remark
applies to Lemuel T. Starkey, who was a Captain of Cavalry, and
was active in enlisting for the 3d Cavalry, and to whom reference is
hereinafter made. These men could not lawfully receive pay as
officers and recruiting agents. (See Revised Army Regulations,
Reg. 1003.) Recruiting in 1864.
By General Order No. 1, issued January 2d, 1864, Major S. P.
Sanford was made the Superintendent of Recruiting for the State,
and all recruiting officers were directed to report to him for orders.
(See Ex. "P.")
There does not appear to have been much done at recruiting after
the organization of the 3d Cavalry and the 14th Regiment of Heavy
Artillery was completed, which was near the 1st of April, up to the
27th of June, when the War Department issued an order that all
recruiting should be carried on through the officers of the Provost
Marshal. -
At about this time the Governor issued an authority to the Pro
vost Marshals in this State to issue certificates for head-money to
recruiting officers who produced recruits for enlistment as follows,
viz. : If the recruit enlisted for one year, for $20 ; if for two years,
$40 ; if for three years, $50. (See evidence of Hamlin and Chadsey.)
At some time, but at precisely what time has not been by your
Committee satisfactorily ascertained, Col. John N. Francis, Col. H.
C. Jenckes, Major J. C. Engley, and Captain L. T. Starkey seem to
have been engaged under Sanford as special recruiting agents, their
duties and authority, so far as the same have been shown to your
Committee, will be hereinafter set forth.
There were many other recruiting officers in the service of the
State. In fact, under this arrangement, any person who pleased
procured recruits and carried them to the Provost Marshals, or to
Lieut. W. B. Occleston, who was recruiting for the regular service,
and had them enlisted ; and all of these received their certificates,
which purported to entitle the holder, jf he had enlisted a recruit for
one year, to $20 ; if for two years, to $40 ; and if for three years .to
$50. From the evidence before the Committee, it appeared to be the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 13
duty of Francis, Jenckes, Starkey and Engley to buy up these Pro
vost Marshal's certificates, and without these officers having rendered
any service to the State or any considerable service to the recruiting
officer, these certificates were by them presented to the Governor,
and his order was obtained thereon to pay to the favored holders for
a $20 certificate, $80 ; for a $40 certificate, $100 ; and for a $50 cer
tificate, was paid $110. Thus the State treasury was depleted of $60
for every recruit that whs put into the service from the State for the
benefit of these special agents without their having rendered any con
siderable aid to the recruiting service. (See evidence Cook, Hill,
Brown, Francis,' Starkey, Jenckes, and others.) $150,000 of the
people's money, without any authority of law whatever, has been
expended in this way. (See evidence of B. C. Remington.)

Recruiting in 1865.
January 2, 1865, upon the verbal orders of the Governor, the
head-money to ordinary recruiting officers was increased to $150 to
the general recruiting agents for recruits for one, two or three years,
and a bounty of $200 for one year, $300 for two years, and $400 for
three years. -(See evidence Hamlin, and others.)
The special agents, Engley, Francis, Starkey, and Jenckes received
$50 per man until January 20th, 1865, as they had before received
their $60 per man, when all orders in reference to Provost Marshals'
certificates were annulled, and recruiting for the State was stopped.

Certain Officers.
There is no authority in law known to your Committee by which
the Governor could create the office of Superintendent of Recruiting,
and establish his pay at $225 per month, $2,700 per annum, or the
office of Military Secretary and fix his pay at $1,500 per annum.
But your Committee supposed that the Adjutant General, who holds
an office created by law, was the military secretary of the Command
er-in-Chief. From what fund these officers could be lawfully paid,
your Committee are wholly unadvised, and if any portion of the
$150,000 appropriated for the transportation, subsistence and bounty
of troops' has been applied to this purpose it has been misapplied.

14 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Transportation of Troops.
Transportation of troops from New York and other places, where
the fare from Providence did not exceed $4, was early issued by Maj.
Sanford to Maj. Engley; and the several railroad and steamboat com
panies were directed to respect Maj. Engley's orders for transportation ;
and Major Engley was in the habit of issuing similar orders that the
orders bf his subordinates1 for transportation be respected. The
numerous bills for transportation paid by the State to railroad com
panies, show how much money has been expended in this way ; and
there is a single item in the Paymaster General's account, of $30,625,
for the transportation and subsistence of 875 men by Major Engley,
when it is in evidence before the Committee, that the cost of trans
porting a recruit from Indianapolis to Providence, was but $15. (See
evidence of C. A. Fuller.)
It was also in evidence before the Committee, that this transporta
tion, paid for by the State, and to be taken from the hard earnings of
the people of the State in taxes, had been used by women, (not by
good women, for they would not use transportation thus wrongfully
obtained,) between Providence and New York. (See evidence of S.
P- Sanford and F. N. Sheldon.)
In this connection, your Committee deem it proper to state, that
the large amount paid Engley for subsisting and transporting men,
contains a conclusive answer to his pretence that the orders taken
against the bounty of recruits was necessary for their subsistence on
the way, and for their transportation to Providence.
Biscrepancy between Men Enlisted and Men Paid for in Jan., 1865.
By the Report of the Quartermaster General, annexed to his
evidence, it appears that the State paid for, during the month of Jan
uary, 1865, and before the 26th of that month, 368 men — while from
the Report of the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General, Col.
H. Neide, it appears that there were enlisted for and credited to the
State within that period, but 331 men, leaving the State the loser by'
its having paid for 37 men more than it received credit for, which, at
a cost of say $400 each, amounts to the large sum of $14,800, which
the State appears to have lost in this transaction. Your Committee
hesitated in coming to this result until it was forced upon them by

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 15
the official documentary evidence before them. (See certificates of
Hamlin, Chadsey and Neide, and Exhibit annexed to evidence of
Remington.) Before coming to their general conclusion, your Committee, for
the credit of the State and for the honor of human nature, would
gladly forego the painful task of referring to
The Frauds and attempts at Fraud Committed upon the Veterans of
the Third Heavy Artillery.
The toils, sufferings and glories of the men who had fought at
James Island, Pulaski, Morris Island, stormed Fort Wagner, and had
remained for years exposed to the constant fire of the enemy before
Charleston, which city they have recently triumphantly entered, one
would have supposed would have awed the avarice of even bad men
into quietude. Yet these veteran soldiers were sought to be, made
the subjects upon which a class of men in and about Providence could
practice their arts. The story of the wrongs and attempts at wrong
upon them, by means of improperly encumbering their bounty cer
tificates by false and fraudulent entries, is told in the evidence of the
Rev. Frederic Denison, to whose intelligent ascertainment of duty,
integrity and firmness of purpose in carrying out his convictions, the
recruits are indebted for the protection which they have received in
this behalf. His testimony is short and is hereto annexed. He tells
his own story in his own way, and every person who knows him will
believe every word of it.
Before coming to any conclusions upon this evidence before them,
your Committee invited His Excellency the Governor to examine
the evidence, and to make such explanations thereon to the Commit
tee as to him should appear to be proper ; but the demands of his
official business prevented him from accepting the invitation of the
Committee, whereupon the Committee offered, by one of their num
ber, to wait upon the Governor with the evidence at his pleasure,
and afterwards extended to him an invitation to send some person to
examine the testimony for him? who, under his direction, should make
such reviews thereof as the Governor should think proper, which
invitation the Governor was understood to accept. Yet no person
has appeared to the Committee for this purpose. But his Excellency
did propose to the Committee that they should reduce to writing and

16 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
propound to him such questions as they thought pnoper, that he might
put his answers thereto in writing, to which proposition the Commit
tee cheerfully assented, and presented to. the Governor a series of
questions on Friday morning, February the 24th.
To these interrogatories the Governor has favored the Committee
with certain answers which are hereto annexed, but the answers, your
Committee regret to say, are neither so full or satisfactory as they
desired, as they utterly fail to make out any justification in law for
the appropriation of the amounts therein referred to. To review his
answers in the order in which he has given them, and which changes
the order of the Committee, the Committee respectfully submit as
follows, viz. :
The Governor, in justification of the order of October 24th, 1864,
sets up the authority of the War Department to justify it.
The Committee are constrained to say that the War Department
of the United States have no authority to pay a commissioned officer
who is detailed to the recruiting service two dollars per man, or any
other sum, as head-money for procuring recruits, nor has that Depart
ment any authority to authorize Governor Smith, or any other Gov
ernor, to pay that sum to a commissioned officer.
The answer of the Governor in relation -to the payment of the
$11,011 which he ordered to be paid, and which was actually paid to
J. C. Engley for 102 men, (deserters, deceased and discharged,) is
equally unsatisfactory.
For the Governor had no authority to pay any bounties or head
money, but for men who were mustered into the service of the
United States, and credited to the quotas of this State ; and especially
did he have no authority to pay the bounty balances of deserters or
deceased or discharged persons to Engley, or to any other person
without the authority of the men or of their personal representatives.
The answer under which the Governor justifies the payment of
the $30,625 to Engley is met in this report, and is sufficient in so
far as the same, or a part thereof was expended in transporting and
subsisting recruits, but no farther ; and your Committee cannot
believe that all of this large sum, or more than a moiety thereof was
expended in procuring those recruits.
In reference to the order of the 21st of March, upon which Col.
Francis says that he paid Engley $66,000, it is wholly immaterial
whether that sum was paid on that particular order, or upon the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 17
orders of September 17th and October 28th, 1863, and the special
orders. In either case it was paid upon an order, which was not the
order of the recruits, and one which the Governor had no authority
for giving.
Passing over the Governor's answer to the third interrogatory as
the appointment of Engley to a Majority is hereinbefore considered,
the Committee may be allowed to remark that the Acts of the General
Assembly of February llth and 12th, 1864, and of the special
session of the Assembly in August, 1862, confer upon the Governor
no authority to appoint special recruiting agents, with the duties and
authorities exercised by Engley, Starkey, Francis and Jenckes.
And the answer to this question appears to be at variance with
order No. 1, issued January 2d, 1863, by the Governor, appointing
S. P. Sanford superintendent of recruiting, and fails in every respeot
to show any authority for appointing the officers therein referred to.
Conclusion.
Your Committee, from the evidence before, them, conclude that
Engley and the other officers in commission engaged in the recruit
ing service, were the agents of the State, and were bound by the
military laws of the United States. That, as such agents, they could
properly receive no pay beyond the legitimate pay for discharging
their offices for their services in connection with the recruiting busi-
ness, for it is not pretended that they did any official business, or that
they received their appointments with the expectation that they were
to do any other official duty to entitle them to their official pay but
what was connected with recruiting. That if, as such agents and
officers, they contracted with men to enlist into the service of the
United States from this State, for a less bounty than $300, that ihe
State, and not ihe recruiting officer, was entitled to the difference be
tween ihe bounty 'for which ihe recruit agreed to enlist and ihe $300.
That there was no authority in law for the payment of this difference
to any recruiting officer whatever, or for paying any head money to
recruiting officers, beyond the $10 allowed by the State law. That
the $66,000, the $11,011, the $2,644, the $15,830, and so much of
the $30,675 as was not expended for the necessary transportation
and subsistence of the recruits was paid improperly, and without
authority of law, and that the same ought to be recovered by the
State from the person who received the same. The Committee do
3

18 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
not approve of the policy which was adopted of discriminating so
strongly against that class of recruits which is commonly called " con
trabands " as to authorize the taking by recruiting officers of five-
sixths of the bounty provided by the State to be paid for their, benefit.
This policy indicates a disposition to oppress a class of citizens in
proportion as they are without the means of resisting oppression.
The Committee could find nothing in the evidence which was proved
to their satisfaction, to warrant this distinction.
Here there is no officer who is above the law ; and if any officer
exceeds his authority, office affords no protection for that excess. He
is the agent of the people, and the law defines the extent of his
agency, and it is .a familiar principle that if an agent exceeds his
authority, his acts in excess of authority are not binding upon the
principal, so it is with an officer. Though this is the law, if any
officer of the State has acted in good faith and for the interest of the
State, the State ought fully to indemnify the officer ; and, therefore,
though there is no law which authorized the enlistment of men for
one or two years after August 1st, 1863, and though there was no
law which authorized the payment of the $20, $40, or $50 head-
money before January 1st, 1865, or of the $150 after that date, your
Committee are of the opinion that the General Assembly should for
this excess of authority pass a full indemnity.
In justice, however, to Governor Smith, the Committee would say
that they do not believe that he has intentionally done anything
wrong in the recruiting business, or that he has in any way, either
directly or indirectly, profited therefrom.
Your Committee cannot, however, but believe that it would have
been much more for the interest of the State to have recruited the
14th Regiment through the regularly elected staff officers of the State,
or by the means of agents properly appointed by the State with suffi
cient pay to induce them to exert themselves to procure the best
results for the State. Upon this plan the men Would have received
all the bounty for which they stipulated, and the State would have
procured the men on the most favorable terms. From the fact that a
considerable number of the men of this Regiment were enlisted for a
bounty of $50, and from the published reports that regiments were
raised in Maryland and Pennsylvania respectively for $40,000 and
$60,000, your Committee cannot doubt but that by a prudent fore
sight and economical management, this Regiment might have been

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS.

19

raised at an expense of less than $300,000, and' that between
000 and $400,000 might have been well saved to the State in recruit
ing and organizing this force.
All of which is respectfully submitted by

WM. P. SHEFFIELD,
ROWSE BABCOCK.
BENJ'N FINCH,
EPHRAIM S. JACKSON,
BENJ. F. THURSTON,

> Committee.

RESOLUTION

REFERRING TO THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE THE MATTER OF
STATE BOUNTIES. ALSO, THE ACCOUNTS OF CERTAIN STATE
OFFICERS.

Resolved, That the Committee on Finance on the part of the
House be, and it hereby is, instructed to inquire into the mode of
enlisting men from this State into the service of the United States,
and of the payment' of bounties_ thereto ; and also, to examine so
much of the accounts of the late and present Paymaster General, of
the Quartermaster General, arid of the Adjutant General of this
State, as embraces moneys paid upon orders of His Excellency the
Governor, and to ascertain for what services or consideration such
orders were given, and to what purposes the moneys obtained thereon
have been applied ; and that the testimony taken before the joint
special committee at the last January session of the General Assembly
be committed to the said Committee, with authority to the Committee
to send for persons and papers ; a,hd that said Committee be directed
to report such evidence as may be taken by them, together with such
recommendations as they may deem proper, to this House as soon as
practicable.

APPENDIX.

(A)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, }
Providence Jan. 27th, 1865. \
E. S. Jackson, Esq., Providence:
Dear Sir :^-I have the honor to inform you that the following
number of men have been enlisted for Rhode Island regiments, from
May 26th, 1863, to this date :
During the year 1863  2,005
During the year 1864  1,392
During the year 1865  ,'  123
Total  '  3,520
In addition to the above there has been enlisted for the regular
army and other regiments out of the State, credited to Rhode Island
413, making a grand total of 3,933. The other papers you requested
are enclosed. Very respectfully your ob't serv't,
EDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant Gener al.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, )
Providence, Feb. 8th, 1865. \
Hon. Wm. P. Sheffield, Providence :
My Dear Sir : — I have the honor to subjoin an account of the
State against the United States, relating to quotas upon the several
calls, and men furnished by the State since AprH 14th, 1861. It is
made from the best information which I have ; it is not as accurate
as I would wish, as some^f the quotas are estimated, as well as men

22 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
furnished for foreign regiments and the Navy. Still, I don't ™ink it
would vary 500 men either way. You will observe that the whole is
reduced to one year's service.
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
EDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant General.

(B)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN ACCOUNT WITH THE UNITED STATES.
Beduced to
1861. De. «£*£?

April 15. Call for 75,000 three months men. Estimated quota 700  175
" • 500,000 three
Quota, 4,520.

Aug. 3. Call for 500,000 three years men. J  13,560

1862. 2. Call for  
Quota, 2,712  ]  8'136
i00,000 nine months men. \ 
Quota, 2,712  f  2,034

Jnly 2. Call for 300,000 three years men. }

Aug. 4. Call for 300,000 nine months men. 1 

1863. 30. Call for __ Quota, 2,880. (Draft.).. $  8,640

Jan'y 30. Call for 300,000 three years men. ? . . .

1864.
Feb'y 1. Call for 500,000 three years men to include the call of 300,000 )
of October 19th, 1863. . . . : . /  [ 10,407
Quota, 3,469  ."  ) • ¦
Mar. 14. Call for 200,000 three years men. I 
Quota, 1,388  S  5,164
July 18. Call for 500,000 one year men. )  
Quota, 3,197  )  3,197
Dec. 20. Call for 300,000 one year men. Estimated Quota, 2,300  2,300
53,613
Balance due to the credit of Rhode Island, January 1st, 1865  4,796
58,409
Cr. Reduced to
one year's
Furnished lo January 1st, 1865. service.
Three years men, (Volunteers)  13,207  39,621
(Drafted)..  160  480
" (Substitutes)  678  2,034
" (Commuted)  458  1,374
Oneyear " (Volunteers)  391  >. 391
Nine months " (Volunteers)  2,224  1,668
Three " " (Volunteers)  3,147  787

years " Regular Service and Regiments, 1

out of the State about 900... J  2,700
Three years men United States Navy, about 2,000  6,000
ReGnlistments for three years, 1,118  3,354
58,409
State op Rhode Island, &c,
Adjutant General's Office,
Providence, February 8th, 1865.
EDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant General-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 23
(Copy. C.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c
Adjutant General's Office, )
Providence, Juue 23d, 1863. j
General Orders, No. 19 .-
I. The bounty of one hundred dollars to men enlisting in the six
months regiments will be paid as follows :
Fifty dollars upon being mustered into the service of the United
States, and fifty dollars upon the arrival ofthe regiment at such place
of rendezvous, they may be ordered to report, or in monthly orders
upon the Paymaster General, if the recruit should so prefer.
II. The bounty of three hundred dollars to men enlisting in the
three years regiments will be paid as "follows :
Seventy-five dollars upon being mustered into the service of the
United States, and two hundred and twenty-five dollars when they
have reported at the headquarters of their regiment, or in monthly
orders upcn the Paymaster General, if the recruit should so prefer.
III. A bounty of ten dollars will be paid by the Quartermaster
General to such persons as may furnish a recruit for a six months or
a three years regiment or battery, upon satisfactory evidence being
furnished that the recruit has passed a surgical examination, and been
received into camp.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief:
(Signed) vEDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant General.
Adjutant General's Office, Providence, 23d Jan., 1865.
Aug. Hoppin, Assistant Adjutant General.

(Copy. D)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, I
Providence, August 18th, 1863. j
General Orders, No. 27 :
I. The raising of the 13th, 14th and 15th Regiments of Infantry
and the llth Battery, having been abandoned, General orders Nos.
16 and 17, current series, from this office, are hereby revoked and
cancelled. All Commissions issued under said orders are hereby annulled.
IL' The Paymaster General is directed, upon the receipt of the
Pay-Roil, certified by Col. Viall, to pay the recruits enlisted under
said orders, the amount due them from the date of their enlistment
to the date of this order, in accordance with the pay established for
the army of the United States, together with fifty ($50) dollars of
the State bounty.

24 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
III. Colonel Viall is directed to break up " Camp Smith," and
turn over to the Quartermaster General such property (including
uniforms) as may have been received from that department.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief.
(Signed) EDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant General.

(Copy. E)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, j
Providence, August llth, 1863. )
Special Orders, No. 75 : — Extract.
III. The Paymaster General is directed upon the certificate of
Col. Viall, to pay such recruits of the 13th Regiment as may be
discharged for the purpose of re-enlisting in a three years regiment,
the amount of pay due them from the date of enlistment to the date
of discharge, in accordance with the pay established for the army of
the United States.
The State Bounty of $50 to be also paid in addition to the above.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief.
(Signed) EDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant General.

(Copy. P.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, )
Providence, January 2d, 1864. )
General Orders, No. 1 :
I. All recruiting appointments heretofore issued by the State are
hereby countermanded.
II. Major S. P. Sanford will, in addition to recruiting for his own
regiment, have the general superintendence of recruiting for the State,
until further orders.
III. All men desiring to recruit for Rhode Island will report to
Major S. P. Sanford, at No. 10 College street, and receive their ap
pointments and instructions.
IV. -4ny one found recruiting in this State without an appoint
ment in accordance with this order will be arrested.
By order of 1he Commander-in-Chief:
(Signed) - EDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant General.
Providence, 23d Jan., 1865.
Adjutant General's Office,
A true copy. Aug. Hoppin,
Assistant Adjutant General. .

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 25
(Copy. G.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, September 17th, 1863. j
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — By direction of the Governor you will pay to Major
Engley on such recruits as he will name for the Fourteenth Regi-
iment R. I. H. A., fifty dollars, ($50) as an advance payment ofthe
bounty, to be taken out of the $225 payment, whenever the latter
payment is ordered to be paid.
You will please report to this department when and on what names
you make the above payment.
On Major Engley's presenting receipts for $25 advance bounty,
you will pay him that sum, and to the men giving those receipts said
advance will not be paid. Very respectfully,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Colonel and A. B. C.

(Copy. H.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Oct. 28th, 1863.~ \
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General :
Colonel : — You will pay to Major Engley $25.00 advance bounty
to be taken out of the final payment of $225.00, upon men giving
orders for the same. You will carry this arrangement out the same
as the $50.00 one, reporting to this office the names of men so paid.
Very respectfullv,
(Signed) * CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

(Copy. I.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Nov. 6th, 1863. \
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General, R. I.
Colonel :— You will please pay Major J. C. Engley two hundred
and fifty dollars each, on account of bounties for fourteen recruits
(contrabands) from Kentucky and Tennessee, sending names of same
to this office. Very respectfully, your ob't. serv't,
CSisned) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
¦B Col. and A. B. C.

26 report of the finance committee
(Copy. J.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Nov. 9th, 1863. )
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General, R. I. M.
Colonel :— You will please pay on such men as may give orders
for the same, $75.00 on account of the final installment of bo^ty'
upon the same plan and under the same regulations as the $25.00
and $50.00. Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
V 8 Col. and A. B. C.

(Copy. K.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, November 24th, 1863. )
Colonel J. N Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — You will, by direction of His Excellency the Governor,
pay for such recruits for the Fourteenth Regiment R. I. H. A. the
sum of one hundred dollars, their signature authorizing the same ; this
order under the same restrictions as previous ones.
Very truly yours,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Colonel and A. B. C.

(Copy. L.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, December 3d, 1863. J
Colonel J. N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — If you are satisfied that the four men — John Cahilh
Nicholas Green, Richard Howard, John Smith — are contrabands, you
will pay the $250 to Major Engley, the same as for the previous four
teen. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Colonel and A. B. C.

(Copy. M.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, December 6th, 1863. \
Colonel J. N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — You will please to pay for such recruits as may be
furnished by Major J. C. Engley for the Fourteenth Regiment R.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 27
I. H. A., $100 and $150 respectively, in accordance with their orders,
and under the same regulations, as the previous payments of $50, $75,
4c. I am, General, very respectfully,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
* Colonel and A. B. C.

(Copy. M.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, December 16th, 1863. J
Colonel John N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — You will please pay to Major J. C. Engley two hun
dred dollars of the bounty of the following recruits :
Wiley Moore, Charles C. Nelson, Thomas Jefferson, John H. Dor
sey, George Garner, George Gordon, Joseph W. Johnson, Jack
Larkin, Edward Sanders ; and two hundred and fifty on the following
(contrabands) : Andy Wesley, Samuel McGowan, Clairborn Tyler.
I am, General, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Colonel and A. B. C.

(Copy. N)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, }
Providence, Jan. 15th, 1864. \
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — Please pay for two, (contrabands,) Andrew Garrett
and Henry Ring, recruits for the 14th R. I. H. A., two hundred
and v fifty dollars, and oblige,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

(Copy. O.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, March 21st, 1864. j
Col. J. N. Francjs, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — His Excellency directs that you pay to Major J. C.
Engley for such recruits as may be enlisted by him, for the 14th R.
I. H. A., whatever balance of $300.0D there may be after allowing
the amount for which the said recruits agree to enlist for, to their
credit on your books.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

28 report of the finance committee
(Copy. N.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, |
Providence, Jan. 15th, 1864. j
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel :— His Excellency the Governor, directs that you pay to
Major J. C. Engley ($250.00) two hundred and fifty dollars, on two
recruits each, (contrabands,) enlisting in the 14th Regiment R. I. H.
A. (Colored.) I am, Colonel, very respectfully,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,Col. and A. B. C.

(Copy. N.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, January 28, 1864. \
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General:
Colonel: — Please pay to four recruits for the 14th, who will be
designated by Major Engley, their whole bounty, $300.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

(Copy. N.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, March 17th, 1864. \
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General:
Colonel: — His Excellency Governor Smith requests you to pay
to Major J. C Engley, upon the order of one " contraband," William
Vance, $300, and upon the order of two do., $250 each, of the State
Bounty. Very respectfully, your obed't ser't,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 29
(Copy. N.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, I
Providence, Dec. 9th, 1863. ]
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General, State of R. I.
Sir: — You will please pay Major J. C. Engley two hundred and
fifty dollars each, of the State bounty, for the 'ten following recruits
(contrabands) enlisting in the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A., viz. :
J. Calvin Reed, Jacob Riley, Frank Thompson, Edmund S. Wal
lace, George Washington, John Lairs, Charles C. Nelson, Archey
Kelley, Moses Fry, John Johnson.
(Signed) JAMES Y. SMITH, Governor.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c
Executive Department, |
Providence, March 25th, 1864. j
Colonel John N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — His Excellency requests you to pay Lieut. H. F. Ben
nett fifty dollars, taking his order on the U. S. Paymaster for same.
Very truly,
CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Colonel and A. B. C.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, March 24th, 1864. J
Colonel John N. Francis, Paymaster General.
- Colonel : — His Excellency requests you to advance to Lieut.
Charles W. Munroe, Fourteenth R. I. fl. A., twenty-five dollars,
taking his order on U. S. Paymaster for same.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Colonel and A. B. C.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, ' \
Providence, 24th February, 1864. \
Colonel John N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : — I learn through Major Engley 's office that David E.
Howard was enlisted by him for Quartermaster Pierce. Engley has

30 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
no charge on record of him. I enclose enlistment p"aper and certifi
cate of muster which will be proof of the correctness- of his record.
His Excellency desires you to pay him one hundred and fifty dol
lars of the three hundred dollars State bounty due him.
I am Colonel, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
• Colonel and A. B. C.
$150. Received, Providence, February 24th, 1864, of John N.Francis, Paymaster General,
$150, in accordance with the enclosed order.
(Signed) DAVID E. HOWARD.
[Certificate of enlistment and muster inside.]

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, 1
Providence, 23d March, 1864. j
Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General :
Colonel : — His Excellency the Governor requests you to advance
to Capt. Samuel Farnum, 14th R. I. H. A., one hundred dollars,
taking his order on the U. S. Paymaster for the same.
I am, General, very respectfully and truly,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.
Endorsed receipt on roll 3d Battalion, and order taken on U. S.
Paymaster, March 23, 1864.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, March 24, 1864. j
Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General:
Colonel: — His Excellency the Governor desires you to advance
to Lieut. Frank Frost, fifty dollars, taking order on U. S. Paymaster
for same. Very truly,
(Signed.) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department,
Providence, Jan. 15th, 1864.
Col. Jno. N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel: — I am directed by his Excellency Gov. Smith, to
request you to pay the members of the 2d battalion, 14th Regiment

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 31
R. I. H. A., seventy-five dollars advance bounty instead of fifty as
heretofore. This will, of course, reduce the bounty certificates twenty-
five dollars. I am, Colonel, with great regard,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c

Executive Department, )
Providence, Dec. 22d, 1863. \
Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General :
Colonel : — Your letter of the 21st inst. has just been received.
In reply, His Excellency Gov. Smith, directs you to pay to Major J.
C. Engley $200.00, on the (21) twenty-one men to whom you refer
in your communication. I am, Colonel, very respectfully,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Oct. 13, 1863. {
Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General :
Colonel : — By direction of the Governor, you will please pay to
Wm. M. Bailey, Esq., the $225 bounty of private George Fuller
Johnson, Co. A, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.
Very truly,
(Signed.) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.
(Endorsed.) W. M. Bailey.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, \
Providence, August 14, 1863. ]
Sir : — Please pay to the order of Capt. Fry, the sum of twenty-
five dollars, on account of the State bounty of $300 to each volun
teer for three years or for the war for colored company now enlisting.
(Signed) JAMES Y. SMITH, Governor.
Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General, R. I.

32 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Aug. 8th, 1863. j
Sir : — Please pay to the order of Captain Fry the sum of twenty-
five dollars, on account of the State bounty of $300 to each volun
teer for three years or the war, the list of which is now with you.
(Signed) JAMES Y. SMITH, Governor.
To Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General, Tt. I.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Oct. 23d, 186 . \
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel: — You will please pay to Mr. C. H. Goodenow, $100
on account of Robert Irons, Co. A, 14th Regiment, $225 bounty,
taking Irons' receipt for the same.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, 4c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, 17th February, 1864. \
Col. J. N. Francis, Paymaster General:
Colonel: — His Excellency the Governor directs that you will
pay the Third Battalion, 14th R. I. H. A., the second installment
(seventy-five dollars) of bounty due them.
Very respectfully,
" CHARLES E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. B. C.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 33
TESTIMONY OF REV. FREDERIC DENISON.
February 2d, 1865.
Question. Have you been connected in any way with any of the
Rhode Island Regiments during the term of the present rebellion ?
Answer. I was connected with the First Rhode Island Cavalry,
from the autumn of 1861, until the middle of January, 1863, and
from that date, I was transferred to the Third Rhode Island Artillery,
and remained with them until the 4th of October, when the major
part of the regiment was mustered out. I was chaplain all this time
in these two regiments ; I was also an assistant Allotment Commis
sioner in the Third R. I. Artillery ; was commissioned as such on
the 4th of December, 1863, and continued as such until I was mus
tered out.
Q. State what you know, if anything, in reference to the pay
ment of bounties to men, or any frauds, or evil practices, practised on
them in any way?
A. My knowledge in regard to those matters is confined to the
Veterans, as they are termed, or re-enlisted men of the 3d Regiment.
To get at the matter, I will have to explain. The State agreed to pay
to these re-enlisted men $300, a part of it when they should reach
home on their furlough, which they received on their re-enlistment,
and the balance when they should report to their command again in
the field. These re-enlisted men came on with their furloughs, and
received a part which the State had promised to pay them here ; the
baW,£g, in some cases $200, and in others $150, was to be paid to
them'*^\Jhe paymasters of the State through the State Allotment
Comm, 'he^f? when they should report to their commands in the
field. -fJRiave stated, it is with these portions of the bounties that
I am acjPiinted, and these (inly.
Thejftate issued bounty certificates for this balance. These cer
tificates are large documents, in the following form : Here at the
top is \ certificate, signed by the Paymaster General, certifying that
A. B.,'of such a company, such a regiment, is a re-enlisted veteran,
and there is due to him '$200,— signed by the Paymaster General.
Just Below it is a certificate to be filled by the .Adjutant, certifying
that tVis man, above named, has returned to his regiment and is on
the rolls duly for duty. On the back is a blank order, to be filled
and signed by the soldier himself. This certificate is of no value
until the Adjutant has signed it, and the man himself; then it is money
to him. But the State does not owe it to him, according to its face,
until the Adjutant had filled that blank which certified he was there.
What I regard as wrong, was the manner in which these certificates
were handled ; there were different methods pursued by the Paymas
ter General in issuing and settling them. Some, due nearly a year,
are not paid yet, on account of obstacles that have been thrown in
the way. It seems that while the veterans were at home, there were
certain bounty brokers who proposed to purchase the bounties of these
men. In many cases, these men testified that they were intoxicated

34 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
when this bargain was entered into ; some went through a form of
sale, and some of them gave a note of hand to these individuals, from
whom they received money; others gave a kind of order, — I have
seen two of them, — a singular sort of order on the Paymaster, order
ing him to pay what was due to them to these brokers ; other men,
who never sold their bounty certificates, and never thought of selling
them, found them claimed by brokers. Some of these men have been
paid, and some have not been paid ; the thing is all mixed up. I being
Assistant Allotment Commissioner, these were sent to me to^be paid.
When it was all clear, and the Paymaster had simply filled his certifi
cate, and there was nothing on the back of it to encumber it, -I car
ried it to the Adjutant and had him fill his part of it, and then to the
man and said, fill that as you please ; and such bounties I promptly
paid. I said, make them payable to A. D. Smith, 3d, and I will pay you
in greenbacks or allotment checks, every cent of it. I know that
Commissioner Smith can get it from the treasury, because the moneys
of the treasury are payable to his order ; if you make it payable to a
broker, I don't know that Commissioner Smith will acknowledge it ;
there is no reason why you should not pay it to him ; then it is cer
tain that you get every cent. When I came to these encumbered
certificates, I said, I don't understand this ; this says, pay to Kimball,
or S. S. Lapham, or whoever it might be ; if you make it payable to
them, I cannot advance you anything until I am satisfied that this is
a bona fide transaction, and that 'the State does not have to pay this
again. I must see that the State is defended, and that you pt '
I wrote on immediately to inquire what these entries r^T on the
back. For the paymaster had, either himself or hisjrj <" kt makes
no difference ; he owns it was his doings,) in this/i.^?'^ ' he back,
scratched out the words "or bearer," and put in Jn<'0 su ^S. Lap-
ham, A. J. Kimball, or whoever he thought he had reason, to; I
hesitated about paying these until I could ascertain what was the
validity of these transactions referred to here. For they sent me no
writings, no certificates testifying that there had been any legal trans
action in the case. I wrote on for them, but they did not furnish any
claim. I said, will you furnish sworn copies of them. You cannot
expect me to be paying the State's money without some authority. I
know what the State intended by its legislation and its statutes. This
is another channel, and I am not going into it.
There were some men whose certificates were not encumbered in
their bounties ; some were encumbered by false claims ; and I have
proved the claims to be false. They have had to erase the names
and pay the men.
There are other cases that are, in my opinion, susceptible of proof,
that the claims are wrong. And there were a few names, I do not
know how many, who negotiated for their bounties with E. A. Taft
4 Co., and they gave them (E. A. Taft 4 Co.) power of attorney to
settle them. Of course that settled the matter ; but in no case did
I understand that persons not having power of attorney had authority

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 35
to touch the orders on the certificates. I was informed so by the
present Attorney General of the State, the past Attorney General,
and all the legal authority I could consult, and that is the judgment
of all so far as I know to-day. Still they urged me to get these men
to sign them ; I refused and did not do it ; and when I "became satis
fied that these men had, in some, cases, never given power of attorney,
and was informed by the Attorney General ofthe State, and all
other legal gentlemen, that the entries on the orders on the certificates
were not binding any more than if they had been made on a board
with a piece of chalk, — had no legal validity, — I said to the soldiers,
if you have borrowed money of any gentleman, you must pay that
some day ; I will show you how you can do it. If you will make
the bounty certificate payable to' A. D. Smith, 3d, it is worth that
amount any moment, and I will pay it by giving you an allotment
check, payable to the bounty broker of whom you got money.
But to do it in the shape recommended here, is contrary to law and
I will not be implicated in any unlawful transactions whatever.
That created a great deal of displeasure among parties here at
home. I found that even His Excellency was greatly displeased.
When I talked with him, on October 26th, he told me himself, to my
great surprise, that he had said to the bounty brokers who came to
him when they were about to negotiate for these certificates, and
wanted to know if they could be sure of their pay if they advanced
the money, that the bounties should in such cases, be paid to them ;
that he told the Paymaster General to see that these .bounty brokers
were paid. Weil, of course, he was displeased with the course I had
pursued. I did not know that he had ever issued any such order.
In fact, he t,j^ipt issue such an order ; it was a mere verbal state
ment. If itQ pfbeen a written order, I do not know that I should
have obeyed^, because it contravened, as I understood it, the law of
the State. /I need not add that inducements were offered me to get
these things through, and inducements have been offered to others, as
I am informed.
Q. State w^at inducements?
A. Mr. S. f j'Lapham had a large number of claims, which I have
an account of in my pocket, and they were sent to me through a Mr.
Dearth, who acted for him. I knew that at the time, although it
came through the writing of Mr. Dearth — over his signature. He
says : " As you may be at a little expense for postage, 4c," (and I
was, for postage and paper, 71 cents,) but he sent me a $10 bill to
meet that. Well, I conjectured what the $10 meant, and I sent it
back, or rather, I sent back $9 75, and took but 25 cents to pay for
my 71 cents. I meant to be on the safe side.
Then the Allotment Commissioner who succeeded me in the De-'
partment of the South, Major Munroe, I learned from a letter from
Morris Island, and also from Mr. Smith, the present State Commis
sioner, and Mr. Munroe himself has admitted, that he, in behalf of
brokers, offered the soldiers from $5 to $15 apiece to sign these papers.
I state this to show that the original entries were regarded by the

36 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
officers of this State as invalid. In fact, when I came home, I went
to Paymaster General Francis, and said : " We want to do what is
right. Do you regard these entries made upon the back as legally
binding upon the soldiers?" He said : "No; not exactly legally
binding. I put them in to accommodate. If the soldiers had a mind
to sign them, it was all right." And they have endeavored to rule
these as valid ; and it is on that ground that the Governor has refused
to pay me one penny compensation for over $100,000 I handled for
this State. I have the names of the bounty brokers and the names of
the soldiers, if any of these are wanted. I think I stated that some of
these I paid, where the soldiers requested an allotment check payable
to the broker.
Mr. Dispeau is one. and Mr. Lapham is another.
Where the soldiers requested it, I did just as they said. _ It was
their business if they wished to throw away their money or give it to
somebody else.
When they were unwilling to sign, I persuaded no farther. I
told them distinctly that I did not understand the entries to be of a
legal character. I told them in no case to be dishonest. I knew
there were dishonest men among them. Mr. Lapham told me that
one of them had sold his certificate six or seven times before he sold
it to him. I knew the soldiers were sometimes pretty big rogues.
That was why I was determined I would not be implicated. The
soldier, being a rogue, would come back upon the State for second
payment, or would enter another claim against the State to recover it.
Here is a sample of cases :
Co. A. Reuben P. Wright says he was disguised. Wliquor. Re
ceived $75 for his bounty certificate for $150. ^ ^ty certificate
claimed by Jos. J. Ripley. •> £"7%
Co. B. Elisha H. Crosby says he was intoxicated."* "deceived $100
for his $150 ; gave note of hand. Was killed Aug. 44 1864, and
leaves a widowed mother. Bounty certificate claimed by J. E.
Dispeau. Co. B. Fred. N. Comstock says he was intc"-;- 'ited. Received
$75 of an unknown person. Bounty certificate^Vumed by J. E.
Dispeau. Co. B. Jonathan Shaw says he was intoxicated. Received $100
for his $150. Bounty certificate claimed by Mr. Eddy, (J. P. Eddy),
liquor dealer in Providence.
Co. B. Byron Allen says he was intoxicated. Received $100 for
his $150. Bounty certificate claimed by J. P. Eddy.
Co. B. William H. Pratt says he was intoxicated. Received
$100 for his $150 ; gave note of hand to a Mr. Fiske. Bounty cer
tificate claimed by A. A. Kimball.
Co. D. Edwin Soule never negotiated, as has been 'proved.
county certificate was claimed by A. A. Kimball.
Co. D. Charles H. Rouse never negotiated, as has been proved.
Bounty certificate was claimed by J. E. Dispeau.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 37
Co. D. Edwin A. Irons says he never negotiated. Bounty cer
tificate claimed by J. A. Jastram. .
Co. D. Hugh Bruce says he never negotiated. His bounty cer
tificate was claimed by E. A. Taft 4 Co., and an entry was made in
his certificate by Paymaster Francis, while E. A. Taft 4 Co. had a
professed power of attorney to do the same thing ; yet it is thought
that Hugh Bruce never negotiated his bounty. He takes oath that
•he never did.
Co. D. James C. Haskins says he was intoxicated ; don't know
what he signed. His bounty certificate claimed by L. S. Chase.
Co. D. Patrick Boyle says he was intoxicated. His bounty cer
tificate claimed by J. A. Jastram.
Co. D. John T. Newcomb says he was in liquor. Gave note of
hand. His bounty certificate claimed by R. H. Greene.
Co. E. William Dunham negotiated with a Mr. Stokes. His
bounty certificate claimed by A. A. Kimball.
Co. E. Samuel Beaumont gave a note of hand to Arthur Gard
iner, but his bounty certificate is claimed by Arthur G. Gardiner.
There is even a legal defect in this note of hand.
Co. H. Henry F. Thornton says he was in liquor. Received $90
of a Mr. Stokes fox his $150. His bounty certificate claimed by A.
A. Kimball.
Co. H. Silas Whitaker says he was in liquor ; does not know
with whom he transacted business. His bounty certificate claimed
by Jos. J. Ripley.
These cases are sufficient for illustration. ¦
The testimony of the men was that they were intoxicated. Some
of them received $75 for $150, some $100 for $150. In the case of
Edwin Soule, his bounty was claimed. It has been proved that he
never had sold. The broker himself acknowledged that he had no
legal claim ; so Edwin Soule has been paid. Charles H. Rouse is
another case where the claim has been proved to be false, and I paid
the soldier. Edwin Irons is not paid. He affirms that he never sold,
and I have reason to believe it so. Theodore M. Barnes is another
case where the claim has been proved to be unfounded. The Pay
master had entered the name of Jastram in the bounty certificate,
and Jastram said that he never had that man's bounty. He drew
out a writing and swore to it. In that way, Barnes is in a fair way to
recover his bounty. How the entry came there of course I have no
knowledge. I would state that I wrote repeatedly for the legal evi
dence of these previous transactions, but could never get any at all.
Q. Did you bring this to the attention ofthe Executive?
A. I brought it to the attention ofthe State Commissioner, whose
subordinate I was. I served under him, and had to do everything
through him. I was, in fact, by his own decision, and that of the
Attorney General, not authorized to receive and transmit moneys to
anybody but to him. I supposed at the time that my course was per
fectly agreeable to His Excellency.

38 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did you bring it to the attention of the Governor at any time ?
A. On the 26th of October I had quite a lengthy interview with
the Governor upon this matter ; and there I learned, for the first
time, although I had been Assistant Allotment Commissioner so long,
and handled so much money, I learned for the first time that he
(for he stated it himself) had told Paymaster General Francis to see
that these bounty brokers were paid.
Said I: " Was that an order you issued ?" Saidhe: "Yes; I
told him so." Said I : "Did you write an order and publish it?"
He said: "No." Said I :" Did you regard it as an order binding ?"
"Certainly," said he. Said I:' "Then it was very unjust that I
should not have known it, when it was a matter that governed the
business I was conducting. I have been acting since last spring, and
have just known of it. I called his attention to this thing, and un
folded the whole of it. I told him that if this course was pursued in
future, the State would have to pay these bounties twice. I knew
persons who would enter claims a second time. And immediately
upon that, the Stale commissioner did issue an order that no more
bounties should be transferred and sold until after the soldiers reach
the field. Then they could throw their bounties away, or do what
they pleased with them. The whole thing dropped then.
In averaging the claims of one bounty broker, I find that, for $725
he expected to realize $1,100, or fifty-one per cent, on his investment.
Another expected for $1,970, to realize $2,700, or thirty-seven per
cent, on his investment. In some cases the brokers appear to have
bargained for one hundred per cent, on their investment. In a few
cases the soldiers gave to the broker power of attorney to fill the
orders on their bounty certificates. In other cases they gave, as they
supposed, simple notes of hand. In other cases they signed a receipt
and professed order on the Paymaster General. In many cases the
soldiers testify that they were intoxicated when they raised moneys
of the brokers, and do not know what kind of papers they signed.
A number of soldiers who made no manner of negotiation, and
desired to make none, found their bounty certificates claimed by
brokers. Paymaster Francis stated to me that he made the entries of the
names of brokers in the orders on the bounty certificates, without
power of attorney to do so, and that he regarded the entries as desti
tute of legal force ; they were made simply to accommodate the
brokers. Governor Smith stated to me that he told Paymaster
Francis to see that the brokers received the bounties for which they
had negotiated.
I was informed by gentlemen who have filled the office of Attorney
General of this State, that the entries made in the orders on the
bounty certificates by Paymaster Francis, were destitute of legal
validity, since the soldiers had not given him power of attorney to
fill the orders on said certificates. I believed then, as I believe now, that
the orders on the bounty certificates were to be filled and signed by
the soldiers themselves, or by the person to whom they had given

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 39
power of attorney ; this was the only legal method of proceeding
with them ; any other method opened doors for frauds as facts
have proved. Some bounties due last May are yet unpaid. Un
doubtedly some soldiers have intended to defraud certain brokers. I
proceeded upon the legislation and statutes of the State, holding my
self strictly to these, and understood that it was the duty of all the
officers and agents of the State, charged with the payment of boun
ties, to see that the bounties were paid to the soldiers, or to those who
had received from them power of attorney in the methods prescribed
by the State ; as a State agent, I would have nothing to do with the
payment of the private accounts of soldiers by the monej^s of the
State ; I settled State accounts only.
I received and transmitted to the State Allotment Commissioner
cash and drafts amounting to $102,381 00. I paid bounties amount
ing to $32,650 00. In no case did I disobey the instructions or
known will of the State Allotment Commissioner, under whom I
acted as an assistant. As yet, I have not received a cent of compen
sation for my time, labor and risks in handling said moneys. I re
ceived the written opinion of the State Allotment Commissioner and
of the Attorney General, that I could make remittances of moneys
and their equivalents, only to the, State Allotment Commissioner,
hence I refused to make remittances to brokers. -I do not doubt that
many soldiers raised moneys from the brokers on the strength of their
prospective bounties ; but as, except in certain cases where they gave
the broker power of attorney, I had no legal evidence of any such
transaction, and could obtain none. I refused to acknowledge the
validity of the professed claims, that I might avoid complicity with
unauthorized transactions ; and these professed claims have been pro
nounced invalid. I think there was but one legal, simple, safe
method of paying the bounties — the one prescribed by the legislature
and statutes of the State ; other methods have resulted in cases of in
justice and deception, and innocent men have suffered. In a num
ber of cases, the names entered on the orders on the bounty certifi
cates, are not the names of the brokers who dealt with the soldiers ;
certain persons seem to have transacted business in the names of
others. I was promised a compensation for my services as Assistant Allot
ment Commissioner, but all compensation has been withheld by verbal
direction of Governor Smith, because I would not admit the validity
of the entries in the orders on the bounty certificates made by Pay
master Francis, when he had no power of attorney to make such
entries, and because I allowed seven soldiers to erase the entries and
fill their orders as they pleased, according to the intention of the State.
I never heard of the Governor's verbal order to Paymaster Francis,
in regard to the entries in favor of the brokers, until the Governor
stated the fact to me on October 26th, after I had left the service.* I
neverlbefore knew that the State bounties were to be paid on verbal
orders ; I supposed that the pay department was controlled by estab
lished rules and forms.

40 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
TESTIMONY OF GEN. DEWITT C. REMINGTON.
January 30, 1865.
Question. You are Quartermaster General of the State ?
Answer. I am, and have been since the 26th of March ; I entered
upon my duties the 28th of March.
Q. Please state what bounties and what head money, you have
paid for recruits, which have been enlisted from this State into the
service of the United States since that time ?
A. When I first came into the office, the original head money
was $10, and the Governor issued an order upon which we com
menced paying for the Third Cavalry, $50. I don't recollect when it
was issued — within a day or two after I came into the office. I think it
commenced about the 1st of April ; about that time. It was not
issued through the Adjutant General's office. There is no order
through the Adjutant General's office to me, in regard to paying head
money on men.
Q. When was that enlarged, if at all ?
A. It was not enlarged for that organization ; not for the Third
Cavalry. Fifty dollars was the head money from that time until the
Third Cavalry was filled up. But outside organizations did not re
ceive that bounty ; none but that organization at that time. The
other arms of the service did not receive it. They received $10 ; the
original bounty. After that, when they commenced recruiting for the
Second Regiment, they commenced with paying a $20 bounty to the
Second Regiment for one year. I think that at the time they com
menced paying that $20, those who went through the Provost Mar
shal's office, and for three years, had $50. At the Provost Marshal's
office, it was $20 for one year, and $50 for three years. For the
Second Regiment they went in for only one year, and the bounty was
$20. But soon after they commenced recruiting for the Second
Regiment, they commenced paying Col. Jenckes an additional $50 on
every man enlisted, besides this $20, making $70 for one year. They
had enlisted but few men when they commenced paying this to Col.
Jenckes. Say, for instance, his recruiting officer would come down
with the recruiting papers, and get $20, and he would come down with
a bill approved by the Governor for $50 more on the same men.
They had the camp for this organization at Mashapaug. The runner
would get $20, and Col. Jenckes himself $50 in addition. The
money was paid to Col. Jenckes in addition to the $20. I don't
know what he did with it. That made $70 a man after they com
menced paying the $50. '
Q. Who enlisted these men ? was it Col. Jenckes or the runner ?
A. Most generally somebody else enlisted them. Some of the
time, of course, he would bring the bills and get the $20 on the
special account, as well as the $50 on the recruiting account. (That
is the reason why there is some misunderstanding about the account ;
the $50 was put on the recruiting service account, and the $20 on
the special account. We used to make two accounts, because they

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 41
came in a special account. Nobody else, at that time could get this
$50 but Col. Jenckes, and the runner did not get the $50. We had
no authority to pay it to anybody but Col. Jenckes. No head money
was paid unless the bill was first approved at the Governor's office.
Previously, w"e paid the $10 head money on general order, when the
enlistment papers and everything else were proper. After they
raised from that price, we did not pay any bill unless first approved by
the Executive Department. My course has been this : the bills ap
proved by the Aid de Camp, I carried up and had the Governor's
name put on them. I thought it would do no hurt to have both
names. The Governor has approved in person all the bills up to the
1st of January.
Q. Was any other person having this extra bounty charged to
the recruiting service ?
A. After a short time Col. Tompkins came on here to recruit for
the artillery, and he had $60 a head in addition to the $20. If the
man was put in for three years, the Provost Marshal's certificate was
$50, and he had $60 on the top of that, which would make $110. If
a one year man, it would be $80. That was paid to Col. Tompkins.
He did not recruit but a few men, when he left, and somebody else
took it. When he left, Mr. Starkey took his place, and he had $50.
(He is a recruiting officer and has been here a considerable while.)
When Col. Tompkins left they commenced paying $60 to Mr. Star-
key For one year $80 ; i. e. $20 for Provost Marshal's certificate,
and an order for $60 charged to the recruiting service.
Q. Could anybody else get this $60 but Mr. Starkey? Had you
any orders to pay it to anybody else.
A. I think at that time there was no one else that received it but
him. Q. Did Mr. Starkey enlist the men, or did the runners ?
A. That I don't know. I believe somebody else did fully as
much as he did. I can't say whether he did anything about it. I
have little opportunity of knowing. My office is down street. I am
not up here a great deal. The next man that had $60 was Mr.
Francis (John N.). He came in on the same lay, and had the same
as Mr. Starkey.
Q. About how many men did Mr. Starkey receive $60 for?
A. I cannot tell exactly. I could if I had the report. I cannot
carry the number of men in my mind. I should think perhaps 100.
Then Mr. Francis ; he had '$60. He did not enlist a very large
number of men. I could not tell how many he enlisted and received
$60 for without the report. The report shows all. I can take the
report and show you everything you want to know. We cannot
give it without running away back. Everything is there ill proper
form. The next man that received it was Major Engley.
Q. For how many did Major Engley receive it ?
A. Not for a very large number. They did not commence till
later along. Starkey,' I think, put in the most men under that order.
There was the United States man, Occleston ; all of his men were
for three years.

42 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. What was the special bounty ?
A. There was one instance where he received the same, inat
was on one bill where he received $60 in addition. I do not recollect
the number of men. It was $60 in addition to the $50, which made
$110. There was one instance of that case. In other times lie re
ceived $40 in addition to the $50 which made $90 for three years
men. During this time, Col. Francis, Capt. Starkey, and Major Eng
ley were receiving $110 for three years men. Upon a one year man
they received $60, which was charged tc the recruiting fund, and
$20 for a special bounty, which made $80, while Lieut. 0ccles*o"
for a three years man 'received $90— $50 special bounty, and $40
charged to the recruiting service. There might besides have been
outsiders that received it for outside service.
Q. If a man had come to you with a certificate from the Provost
Marshal's office,— one of these runners,— how much would you have
paid for that certificate ?
A. I should have paid the face of the certificate, if approved by
the Governor ; nothing more.
Q. How much money has been paid which has been charged to
this special recruiting service fund ?
A. I suppose very nearly $150,000 ; not quite perhaps.
Q. Then that sum has been paid to persons who were agents, and
who did not enlist a man.
A. That is, a great portion of it ; to such men as Capt. Starkey,
and Col. Jenckes. That is up to the first of January, Since the
first of January the Provost Marshal's certificate is $150, and Major
Engley, Capt." Starkey, Cols. Jenckes and Francis $200. Since the
first of January there have no Provost Marshal's certificates come
into my hands. They have gone to the office of the. Governor. The
bills have been made out, sent to him, and approved at $200 a head.
That is for these men, — Starkey, Jenckes, Engley and Francis.
Those four have received $200 a head. I have received no Provost
Marshal's certificates since that time.
Q. How many men have been enlisted, and how many certifi
cates paid since the 1st of January ?
A. I suppose it has been somewhere in the neighborhood of three
hundred. They have not put in all of them. Lieutenant Occlestone
has put in some of them, and he has received $150, a piece for three
years men. One or two other parties have done it. Lawyer E. H.
Hazard put in one man and got $150 for him ; and I don't know but
one or two others have put them in. I don't remember who they
were now. Mr. Hazard's man was not put in as a substitute for him
self. We paid him $150 head money. I think we paid that on a
certificate of the Provost Marshal. I think I was wrong in stating
that there had no Provost Marshal's certificates came into my hands,
but none where . there has been more than $150 paid. Then, of
course, Col'. Francis put in one hundred men down to Newbern, and
received fifty -one hundred dollars. Then there is the Navy ; I have
not said anything about that. Those put in at Boston, have received
since the 1st of January. The bills were sent to me receipted

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 43
by a. man by the name of Peck. I paid the money to a young man
from the Governor's office. They keep him there : I don't know his
name. He sent the bills down and ordered the money sent up there
on these bills.
Q. How many men for the navy?
A. I don't know exactly how many. We can give you all the
particulars since the 1st of January ,- and the others on the Report.
Then there are some naval recruits from Newport. He received I
think $150. I will make a written statement of what we have done
since the 1st of January, and what we have done in recruiting. The
main ones I carry in my mind.
DEWITT C. REMINGTON,
Quartermaster General, State of R. I.
Number of men recruited by sundry parties since January 1, 1865.
L. T. Starkey  78 men.
J. C. Engley  54
J. N. Francis  1
H. C. Jenckes  49
W. B. Oceleston  '.  ,  62
J. Angell  14
D. J. Pearce  55
D. 0. Miner  25
J. Green   8
E. H. Hazard  1
M. E. Hatch  7
A. W. Corliss  2
G.Thayer  1

Total  357 men.

GEN. DEWITT C. REMINGTON.— Recalled.
Tuesday, February 14th, 1865.
Q. I notice in your report, or exhibit, annexed to your testimony
the other day, that you paid the bounties for several men in January
more than are returned as having been enlisted during that month,-
and I should like for you to make some explanation.
A. The fact was, after the 1st of January I did not receive the
certificates. The bills were made out and approved without any cer
tificates coming to me approved by the executive department. The
evidence of enlistment was in the Governor's office in room of being
in mine after the 1st of January. I received only five certificates. I
have the names of every man, and will produce them and annex them
to this deposition. I had the names of all the men put in, end who
put them in.
Q. Do you know whether or not any of these men were enlisted
in December ?
A. I have no positive information, because I have not the papers
in my possession. My opinion would be another thing. Positive
information is one thing, and opinion another.
Q. Do you know what the discrepancy is ?

44 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir ; I do not know what the real discrepkncy is ?
Q. Are there as many as 100 ?
A. I should think there is not as many as 100, but I dont't know.
Sometimes, when they are put into the navy I suppose it is not paid
in some little time afterwards. We have the dates when we paid for
the men, not the dates of the enlistment and muster ; those would be
in the Governor's office, of course, or such as went through the Provost
Marshal's office would be in that office. Some of the men were put
into the navy. In making that list they would specify that they did
go in the navy.
Q. You say you cannot say when you paid for the 100 more men
in January than were mustered into service ?
A. Those facts I don't know anything about. It did not come
to my knowledge, because after the 1st of January the certificates
did not come to me. I received only five from the 1st of January up
to the time that report run. The five I received were issued after
wards. Q. Through whom did they come ?
A. They came approved from the executive department. They
came from individuals, the main recruiting officers did not bring any
certificates of enlistments to me after the 1st of January, except two
from H. O. Jenckes. Those were not approved, but a bill came with
them approved for two hundred dollars each.
Q. There were two items in your account annexed to your testi
mony under date of January 5th, amounting to $12,000.
A. Captain Starkey and Major Engley were paid, the one for 29
men and the other for 31 men on the 5th of January, making 60 that
the two put in.
Q. Were these men enlisted in December or January ?
A. I have not the facts, all I know is that I have paid for them
on the 5th of January. The Provost Marshal's certificate would tell,
of course.

List of Amounts Expended since January 1, 1865, for Account of
Bounty, fyc.
1865.
Jan. 2 — Paid J. N. Francis, for expenses of self and S. P. Sanford, visiting
several towns on business connected with enrollment  $167 22
'* " C. O. Dyer for services corrrecting enrollment. . ,  37 00
" " W. B. Occleston, 7 men for 15th infantry  350 00
" W. ]J. Occleston, for expenses recruiting 7 men, 15th infantry 280 00
" J. Angell, 4 men for H. C  800 00
" J. N. Erancis, expenses recruiting 1 man for navy  60 00
" Major Z. C. Kennie, this amount advanced on bounty ac
count, by order of Governor  7000 00
"J. N. Francis, on account of bounty, order of Governor  10,000 00
Jan. 4— " H. C. Jenckes, 2 men for 2d vols  400 00
" D. C. Miner, 5 men for navy  420 00
" " A. W. Corliss, 2 men  300 00
" " W. B. Occleston, 4 men for 15th infantry  640 00
Jan. 6— " L. T, Starkey, 31 men V. A. regiments.".  6200 00
" '* J. C. Engley, 29 men for do  5900 00
" " W. B. Occleston, 2 men, 15th infantry  300 00

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 45
Jan. 5 — Paid H. C. Jenckes, 4 men, 2d vols  780 00
Jan. 6.. " S, P. Sanford, order of Governor  .." 200 00
D. J. Pearce, 21 men, navy,  4200 00
'¦ " W. B. Occlestoft, 2 men, 15th infantry  800 00
Jan. 7— Paid H. C. Jenckes. 2 men for 2d volunteers  400 00
" " J. Angell, 3 men for H. C  600 00
" " A. C. Greene, for printing Enrollment Lists of towns  436 92
Jan. 9— " W. B. Occleston, 8 men for' 15th infantry  1200 00
" J. C. Engley, 7 men for va. regiments  1400 00
" S. P. Sanford, for Supt. recruiting for 5 months to Jan. 20th. . 1125 00
" D. J. Pearce, 12 men for navy  2400 00
" " L. T. Starkey, 10 men for va. regiments  2000 00
Jan. 10— " do. 4 men, for H. C  ~.  800 00
" H. C. Jenckes, 2 men for 2d volunteers  400 00
" " E. G. Burroughs, on account of enrollment, by order of Gov. 500 00'
Jan. 11— " H. B. Billings, horse hire for S. P. Sanford and J. N. Francis,
on account of enrollment  31 00
" G. Thayer, for self in 29th Mass  25 00
" " W. B. Occleston, 10 men for 15th infantry  1500 00
" E. H. Hazard, 1 man for U. S. C. C  150 00
" H. C. Jenckes, 8 men for 2d volunteers  1600 00
" " J. Angell, 1 man for H. C  200 00
Jan. 12— -' H. C. Jenckes, 4 men for 2d volunteers  800 00
" J. C. Engley, 6 men for va. regiments  1200 00
" " M. E. Hatch, 7 men, navy  310 00
Jan. 13— " H. C. Jenckes, 3 men  600 00
" L. T. Starkey, 9 men, va. regiments  1800 00
" " J. Green, 1 man, navy  ,  150 00
Jan. 13— " D.J. Pearce, 15 men, navy  3000 00
Jan. 14— " H. C. .Jenckes, 3 men  600 00
" Col. A. D. Smith, 3d, to be forwarded to J. T. Benedict, for
bounty, account, order of Governor  5000 00
" C. O. Dyer, for services correcting enrollment, 12 days  36 00
Jan. 16— " W. B. Occleston, 8 men 15th infantry  1200 00
" J. Angell, 1 man, H. C  200 00
" J. W. Wright, services and expenses correcting enrollment,
Scituate  198 05
" J. W. Wright, for transportation on account of enrollment ... 6 10
" " J. Green, 3 men, navy  450 00
" ¦' J. Nichols, expenses to and from Boston, account of enlist
ments  21 80
Jan. 17 — " L. T. Starkey, 7 men for various regiments  1400 00
" D. J. Pearce', 4 men navy  800 00
" H. C. Jenckes, 4 men, 2d volunteers  800 00
" J. Angell, 1 man, H. 0  200 00.
Jan. 18— " J. Angell, 2 men, do  400 00
" " E. G. Burrows, account of enrollment, order of Governor. .. 600 00
" " A. Anthony, printing for do  98 00
" " J. C. Engley, 5 men, for various regiments  1000 00
" " H. H. Thomas & Co., for printing, on account of enrollment. . 666 48
Jan. 18— Paid H. C. Jencks, 5 men  1000 00
" W. B. Oct leston, 4 men 15th infantry  600 00
" J. Angell, 2 men, H. C  400 00
Jan. 19— " L. T. Starkey, 7 men va. regiments  1400 00
Jan. 20— " D. C. Miner, 20 men, navy  ,  3000 00
" J. N. Francis, 1 man 1st A. C  200 00
" " W. H. Greene, expenses correcting enrollment  97 15
" " J. Green, 4 men, navy  600 00
" " W. B. Occleston, 13 men, 15th infantry  1890 00
Jan. 21— " H. C. Jenckes, 5 men  1000 00
" " D. J. Pearce, 3 men, navy  600 00
" " J. C. Engley, 7 men, va. regiments  1400 00
Jan. 23— " L. T. Starkey, 10 men, va. regiments  2000 00
" H. C. Jenckes, 7 men, 2d volunteers  1400 00-
Jan. 25 — " E. G. Burrows, account of enrollment, by order of Governor. 500 00
Jan. 26—" W. B. Occleston, 4 men, 15th infantry  600 00
Total expended. . J  $91,125 72

46

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &o.
Quartermaster General's Office, (
Providence, January 31, 1865. )
Son. W. P. Sheffield, Chairman of Finance Committee,
House qf Representatives, State of Rhode Island :
Sir:— I have the honor to hand you, herewith, a list of the several amounts
expended by this Department since January 1, 1865, by order of the Governor, for
account of bounty, &c , in response to your request.
I have the honor to remain sir, very respectfully your ob't serv't,
DEWITT C. REMINGTON,
Brig. Gen'l, Quartermaster Gen'l, State of R. I.

Recruits Enlisted by L. T. Starkey, from January 1 to 26, 1865.

Jan. 5, 1865.— T. Smith,
Abner S. Avery,
Geo. W. Murr,
Clarke Lewis,
Dennis Fuller,
Win. R. De Woloth,
Henary L. Sutton,
T. F. Didonnay,
John O'Neil,
Almon G. Bennet, Jr.,
H. R. Parker,
R. Hale,
Sylvanus Green,
R. M. Davis,
J. L. Hunt,
James Wood,
H. Runchan,
E. Dwyer,
T. W. D. Stephenson,
E. Monaghan,
Jno. Easton,
Wm. R. Lane,
P. L. Wood,
Clark Sherman-,
Jno. Murphy,
Jno. Shield,
Henry B. Jenison,
Geo. 0. Scott,
Chester Warner,
Thos. Cunningham,
Robert Jordan.
Jan. 9, 1865. — James Chigg,
Jas. A. Foster,
Geo. F. Oldenburg,
Wm. H. Duncan,
J. Horton,
Darias Lee,
John Healey,
R. D. Turner,

Jan. 9, 1865.— Jas. Goff,
L. Briggs.
Jan, JO, 1865.— E. Mc Laughlin,
J. Mullalley,
Jno. Hey,
A. R. Commons,
Jan. 13, 1865.— B. G. Moone,
S. Hudson,
D. Connor,
E. Howard,
E. Gardiner,
Jno. Q. A. Sayles,
J. Barton,
Wm. Lindsey,
J. Donahue.
Jan. 17, 1865.— H. Ward,
A. Jordan,
E. M. Wingate,
Oliver 0. Ainsworth,
H. N. Perry,
E. Skinner,
Thos. J. Harney.
Jan. 19, 1865.— J. Kennedy,
L. Sullivan,
V. A. Arnold,
Wm. A. Aymer,
Jno. Mull vill,
Owen Kelley,
G. A. Tisdale,
Jan. 23, 1865.— P. Kaufman,
Abraham Taylor,
L. C. Munroe,
Jno. Flood,
Wm. A. Munroe,
A. F. Joslin,
Thos. L. Jennison,
Abel Waite,
H. F. Brooks,
M. Ragan.

Recruits enlisted by John Greene from January 1 to 26, 1865.

Jan. 13, 1865.-
Jan. 16, 1865.-

-Austin Donatt,
-Benjamin Douglass,
David Thompson,
James Tolger,

Jan. 20, 1865.— J. Marien,
A. Silvia,
Albert H. Pollock,
Wm. Spears.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS.

47

Recruits Enlisted by B. C. Winsor, from Jan. 1 to Jan. 26, 1865.

Jan. 4, 1865.— G. H. Borden,
R. Dunn,

Jan. 20, 1865.

Jno. C. Potter,
H.B.Oxx,A. Judson Barker.
-H. Mathias,
Wesley Williams,
A. R. Pinkham,
H. Harris,
G. Lindsey,
M. Roderic,
J. Little,
M. Riley,

Jan. 20, 1865.— T. Marshall,
J. H. Smothers,
P. Edmonds,
E. Dorsey,
J. Graham,
William Sullivan,
M. Shannon,
W. H. Campbell,
William Hardman,
Jno. Smith,
M. Barber,
Wm. 0. Eldridge.

Recruits Enlisted by B. J.
Jan. 6, 1865.— J. Glover,
Jno. Haskins,
Jno. Fairgraves,
Wm. Brown,
Henry Whipple,
Wm. Bremine,
Geo. Banks,
Jno. McCarthy,
0. Anderson,
G. Fitzgerald,
G. M. Boyle,
Robert D. Band,
Calvin D. Wilber,
Wm. Martin,
N. M. Tyrell,
Mark Whitehouse,
Ed. S. Sewell,
J. Vassels,
R. Clark,
Wm. Kelley,
G. C. Badger.
Jan. 9, 1865. — Jos. Ryan,
Jas. Elwell,
Jno. Nicholson,
James Jefferson,
Wm. H. Hoppersett,
Chas. Brown,
Geo. G. Souther,

Pearce, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865*
Jan. 9, 1865. R. Cross,
Thos. Cragin,
Wm. Crowning^
Jas. Druoss,
Geo. Fisher.
Jan. 13, 1865.— J. Miskall,
Thos. Arr,
Thos. Burns,
F. Briggs,
Jno. McGowan,
G. Polhis,
C. Tate,
Wm. Henry,
Jno. F. Moore,
Wm. C. Mellsop,
Winslow Evans,
P. Gillespie,
Jas. Bishop,
Ed. S. West,
Geo. Bell.
Jan. 17, 1865.— Jno. Maguire,
Jas. Brown,
Thos. Sterling,
Jas. Grady.
Jan. 20, 1865— Jos. Buckley,
Bernard O. Donnell,
Michael Cosey.

Recruits enlisted by James C. Engley,
Jan. 5, 1865.— Jno. Harney,
James Hanley,
Daniel J. Stone,
Charles Stone,
Charles Flannigan,
Peter Bowlet,
Archibald Anderson,
Thomas McCarty,
Hugh Duffy,
Francis Mc Andrew,
Jno. Morris Jones, '
Jno. Randall, Jan.
James E. Hawes,
S. F. Preston,
Jno. Ryan,
Timothy Callahan,
Michael Kavany,
D. Phetteplace,

from January 1st to 26th,18Q5.
William J. Daniels,
Martin Burns,
Charles J. Buckhart,
T. Sullivan,
Thomas Thafran,
Martin L. Howard,
Ed. Jordan,
Daniel Tehan,
Edwin F. Abbey,
James H. Waterman,
Ed. Ryan.
9. 1865.— Jno. Devlin,
Jno. Morris,
Ed. Franklin,
F. Donelly,
Charles W. Stearns,
Charles W. Tucker,
J. C. Rockwood,

48

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Jan. 12, 1865.— C. H. Fuller,
Jno. Connor,
Jno. Brown,
A. Moor,
J. W. Titus,
D. G. Dickerson.
Jan. 18, 1865.— Jno. Murphy,
Joseph King,
Charles H. Stafford,

Jan. 18, 1865.— Joseph Phillips,
Jno. Lahey.
Jan. 21, 1865.— Isaac D. Hall,
William C. Parker,
Job Briggs,
William H. Curtis,
D. Sweeney,
Jno. Genard,
Joseph Morgan.

Recruits enlisted by H. C. Jenckes, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.

Jan. 4,1865.
Jan. 5,1865.
Jan. 7,1865:
Jan. 10, 1865.
Jan. 11, 1865.

Jan. 12, 1865.

Jan. 13, 1865,

¦James Smith,
Patrick Rouke.
-John Egan,
P. Healey,
William R. Mitchell,
William E. Young.
-Walter A. Tucker,
Henry S. Battey.
-M. Fitzgerald,
James Melone.
-A. W. Johnson,
Gilbert Willis,
Stephen Willis,
Pat. H. Ryan,
Jno. W. Williams,
James K. King,
James Creighton,
Frank Lee.
-William Smith,
William A. Lincoln,
James T. Gillerpec,
Jno. Sullivan.
—William Lambert,
Jno. Coyle,
Patrick Coyle.

Jan. 14, 1865.— Joseph C. Dickerson,
Owen Foley,
Timothy Collins.
Jan. 17, 1865.— James Sullivan,
James D.Wells,
Thomas A. Spaulding,
Elkanah Clark.
Jan. 18, 1865.— Frederick Brady,
M. Forsythe, •
James Farley,
Jno. Martin,
Jno. Bailey.
Jan. 21, 1865.— H.F. Gaadner, ,
G. S. Boutwell,
S. A. Barrey,
Joel F. Crocker,
Frederick Glover.
Jan. 23, 1865. — Thomas Sagerson,
Jerry Lee,
Henry Slocum,
John McMillen,
Davis C. Barke,
William L. Dayton,
Orville P. Jones.

Recruits enlisted by E. H. Hazard, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.
Jan. 11, 1865.— John W. Brown.
Recruits enlisted by A. W. Corliss, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.
Jan. 4, 1865.— James A. Parent, Thomas Hamilton.
Recruits enlisted by M. E. Hatch, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.
Jan 12, 1865.-

- William Lee,
Walter James,
James McQueeney,
George C. Mason,

Jan. 12, 1865.— Jno. E. Bowen,
James Terell,
0. S. Caulfleld.

Recruits enlisted by J. N. Francis, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.
Jan. 20, 1865.— Levi Brown.
Recruits enlisted by Lieut. W. B. Occleston, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.

Jan. 2, 1865.— Daniel O'Donnell,
Terrance McDuff,
John Welch,
James McCarty,
Alexander McLean,
Richard Fallon.

Jan. 2, 1865. — James Gallagher.
Jan. 4, 1865.— J. W. Stanley,
M. Gallagher,
M. Lynch,
William H. Boyden.
Jan. 5, 1865— Fred. G. Cullingford.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS.

49

Jan. 5,1865.— William O. Coombs,
Jan. 6, 1865.— Benoid Tyler,
Charles H. Collins,
Jan. 9, 1865.— Benjamin H. Tayler,
- Ed. Cahill,
Ira Wetherell,
John Liddell,
B. Manning,
Patrick McDermott,
George Turner,
Jno. Patts,
Jan. 11, 1865.— T. Hurst,
A. Paine,
J. Agan,
A. D. Moon,
J. Harney,
J. Andrews,
J. Coleman,
T. I. Suddard,
Edward Suddard,
Jno. H. Day,
Jan. 16, 1865.— B. Shawcross,
J. Walker,
P. Lake,
D. Eddy,

Jan. 16, 1865.— William I. Hill,
J. Kennedy,
CH. Wilson,
Bernard Mooney,
Jan. 18, 1865.— C. W. Rexford,
D. O'Connor,
J. A. Hill,
C. F. Brailey,
Jan. 20, 1865.— M. Laren,
C. Howard,
M. Buckley,
W. R. Smith,
J. Coakley,
E. Hague,
T. Britt,
P. McGoveran,
A. A. Childs,
J. Clark,
B. Brown,
William Johnson,
T. Robertson,
Jan. 26, 1865.— Bradford A. Mason,
George Miner,
Benjamin Griggs,
George A. Webb.

Recruits enlisted by G. Thayer, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.
Jan. 11, 1865.— G. Thayer.
Recruits Enlisted by J. Angell, from Jan. 1 to 26, 1865.
Jan. 2, 1865.— J. F. Kenyon, Jan. 11, 1865.— Chas. A. Baker.
Wm. F. Peirce, Jan. 16, 1865.— Benj. Pettis.
Albert Luther, Jan. 17, 1865.— Wm. Hazard.
Vernon Lane. Jan. 18, 1865. — Thos. Flemmirig,
Jan. 7, 1865.— Jos. Howcroff, Geo. H. Hull, Jr.,
Chas. Dexter, Jno. Williams,
Wm. J. Stafford. Jno. McQuiggan.

Office Acting Assistant Pp.ovost Marshal General, \
State of Rhode Island. Providence, February 21, 1865. )
Total number of men enlisted in the United Stales in the month of January, 1865,
and credited to the State of Rhode Island, as made up from the records of this^office :
Army  223
Navy  108 331 total.
H. NEIDE, Lt. Col. V. R. C,
A. A. P. M. General.
The following men were paid for in January in accordance with
Provost Marshal Wm. E. Hamlin's certificate:
January 4, 1865.— Paid H.C. Jenckes, for Jas Smith, presented by George S. Apple
by, January 2, 1865 ; January 4, 1865, for Patrick Bourke, presented by H. S. Barber,
January 3, 1865.
January 4, 1865.— Paid Major A. W. Corliss, for Thomas Hamlin and Joseph A.
Parant, presented by him Jan. 4, 1865.
January 11, 1865.— Paid E. H. Hazard, for John W. Brown, presented by him Jan
uary 10th, 1865.
The above five names the certificates are in my possession.
DeWITT C. REMINGTON,
Quartermaster General State of R. I.

50 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
TESTIMONY OF COL. JOHN N. FRANCIS.
Monday February 6, 1865.
Q. Have you been connected with recruiting in this State ?
A. I have been recruiting some men up to the present time, and
correcting the enrollment.
Q. You were the late Paymaster General of the State ?
A. I was.
Q. How much money in all did you receive from the treasury of
the State, when you was Paymaster General ?
A. My report shows the amount to be $905,415. ^
Q. How was this money received from time to time by you, in
what way ?
A. The greater portion by draft upon the General Treasurer,
approved by the Governor.
Q. What did you do with the money when it came into your
hands ?
A. I most always deposited it in the Atlantic Bank. Deposited
the drafts there for collection. I made my draft on the General
Treasurer, procured the approbation of the Governor on that draft,
and deposited it in the Atlantic Bank for collection. The money was
collected by the Bank, and remained on deposit to my credit as Pay
master General. I paid it out as I received orders from the Governor,
from time to time, for the payment of the money. I most always
paid the money, very rarely paid a check. In many instances, when
I had large payments to make to the men, I would have the money
prepared in advance, put up in packages of $50 and $75 a package,
to pay it off, taking the bank's count. The banks frequently requir
ed some little time to have the money arranged and advanced for me.
The banks would put.it up in these packages. It was impossible for
one bank to furnish all the funds required, and I would have to pro
cure die funds of different banks, such as would have them on hand
of their own notes.
Q. When did you cease to be Paymaster General?
A. I think on the 28th of March, 1864.
Q. At that time were there any deposits in the Atlantic Bank to
the credit of the Paymaster General, and if so, how much ?
A. I cannot say ; my impression is, that the account was over
drawn at that time. I think it was, from the fact that I think I made
a draft that day to make my account good the first thing on Monday
morning. (I finished the business on the 28th ; it does not include
the 29th.)
Q. You did not draw any money after that time on account of
the State did you, i. e., after you ceased to be Paymaster General ?
A. I don't remember that I did ; there might have been one or two
instances where I may have given a check for money I collected for
somebody to deposit in with the other. I might have done that.
Q. Do you remember any instance ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 51
A. I cannot call any particular one to mind now. C. M. Stone
is the name of the cashier of the Atlantic Bank.
Q. Did you make out this account ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Under what contract have you been engaged in the business
of enlisting recruits, with whom was the contract made, and what
were the terms of it ?
A. Well, I received my orders direct from the Governor, and
also from Maj. Sanford.
Q. What were those orders with reference to bounty, vouchers,
head-money, &c. ?
A. In the first instance, I think, I had some conversation with
the Governor in regard to recruiting men, and at that time I think
the head-money was fixed at $10.
Q. When was that ?
A. I am unable to mention the date. I should think it must have
been sometime in October, 1864. This was for home recruiting.
We were then paying $70, $90, and $100 for one, two, and three
years men. I believe I was the first individual that began to recruit
upon that basis. I was getting for those men for whom I paid $70,
$90 and $100; $80, $100, and $110,— ten dollars on each man.
That arrangement continued a little while, when it was changed, and
others were appointed. I believe I was the only individual lhat paid
as much as the amount stated below for recruits. When I paid it I
had to furnish my receipts to the Governor, in order to get my
receipts for the head-money. Receipts that I had paid so much.
Arrangements were afterwards made, as the sum of head-money was
deemed inadequate, the service requiring a good deal of time and
many expenses, it was then fixed at $60, $80, and $90, which we
paid the runners ; for these we got $80, $100, and $110, upon pro
ducing receipts that we had paid so and so, taking the responsibility
of these men being mustered in. I enlisted some for the 2d Regi
ment, for which I paid $50 and passed over to Col. Jenckes. On
those men I obtained $5 per man, and if any man was rejected by
the mustering officer on the day, I was compelled to refund the $50,
which I had drawn as head-money. I had to refund that upon
receipts presented always.
Q. How was it with these Provost Marshal's vouchers ?
A. When the extra bounty or head money was raised to $150,
that was before the issue of these certificates. These were certificates
from the Provost Marshal's office for a stated sum, — one year men,
$20 ; three years men, $50. We would buy the certificate ; on a $50
certificate we would pay $90 ; that was the certificate we would take
from the Provost Marshal for the man put in. The last arrangement
was that $150 head money was paid ; for those I believe we got $200.
I was busy much of the time and away; but Major Engley, who was
in the office, was transacting a greater portion of the business. I did
but very little myself.
Q. Were you in any way interested with him or any other
person ?

52 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE I
A. I was interested with Major Engley in recruiting.
Q. With any other person ?
A. No, sir,
Q. How many persons were there engaged in this recruiting busi
ness, upon the same footing as yourself?
A. I am unable to say, but I think that Col. Jenckes, Major Eng
ley and Captain Starkey, and I dont know but what there might haye
been some others at different points. Lieut. Occleston was recruit
ing for the 15th infantry. He was upon the same footing as myself,
but as he was a salaried officer he drew no benefit from it, though he
was drawing the same amount of head money.
Q. Did you have anything to do with these men for whom you
received this head money, — all of them, or did runners do the work
and sell you the certificates ?
A. Most of the men, sir, we did have something to do with ;
enlisted the men, the greater portion of them.
Q. What did you do with them ?
A. Made out the enlistment papers, swore the men in, sent one
of my assistants to the Provost Marshal's office, to attend upon them
upon the examination, &c. That was our general custom, to send
men with them ; make out the papers, and swear them in.
Q. Was that all you had to do with the enlisting the men ?
A. That was all we could have to do under the system.
Q, You had nothing to do with the looking up the men ?
A. Of course, we did.
Q. What did you do with that ?
A. We had men employed constantly to look up the men and
bring them in to us.
Q. Those' men whose vouchers you purchased ?
A. We did not purchase those certificates ; they were certificates
put in for men as the runners brought them to us. Men whom we
employed and paid. I think the instances must have been very rare
where they picked up any unless we did so.
Q. Name the men employed ?
A. I cannot name many of them, because Major Engley had
most of the business in charge.
Q. You and he were partners ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Can 3'ou name any of them ?
A. William Sherman was one, and a man by the name of Har
ris was another. We have got them all set down on the books, with
the name of the party bringing the recruits, so that they can be re
ferred to. It embraces quite a good many, take them all, sir ; some
men out of the State.
Q. Do you know anything about naval recruits ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you recruit for that arm ?
A. ^ Yes, sir ; we were sending men there almost every day, their
bounties were paid them in Boston.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 53
Q. Who paid them f
A. We furnished the money to pay them, sir.
Q. When were the certificates cashed ? When were you repaid ?
A. We were repaid by the order of the recruit, upon the Allot
ment Commissioner, to draw the bounty back.
Q. You paid the bounty in Boston ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How much bounty did you pay to those persons ?
A. We paid in the first instance, I think, to these recruits for two
years, $200, and for three years, $300 ; afterwards we paid $300 for
two years, and $400 for three years.
Q. Did you pay all that amount to the recruit ?
A. I believe Major Engley paid it most of the time.
Q. Did he pay that entire amount?
A. Yes, sir ; in every instance.
Q. How much did you receive in return for a man ?
A. We would pay the runner $150 and receive $200. We had
to pay the expenses of the party to Boston, his expenses while there,
and also assume the risk of the money.
Q. You got no certificate of transportation ?
A. We would have certificates of transmission from the Provost
Marshal here, before sending the man down. We would have a cer
tificate here, payable back there ; we had to pay the fare out of our
own pocket, all the expenses, and all the expenses of the men while
there. With many of the men sent down there, the expenses were
$25 per head before we succeeded in getting them through. I believe,
in some instances, Major Engley paid the U. S. bounty before he
could get the men through.
Q. What were the items that made up the expenses ?
A. I cannot say what the items were ; I do not know the whole
of the routine matter they went through so fully as Major Engley
does. Q. Where is Major Engley ?
A. I think Major Engley was on Governor's Island at last
accounts. tQ. Have you the special orders of the Governor, in relation to
the men enlisting in the Fourteenth Regiment.
A. I have.
Q. Will you furnish the committee with copies of these orders ?
A. I can do so. Do you wish all the orders in relation to the
men ; they are quite voluminous, take them all.
Q. Wore they issued through the Adjutant General's office ?
A. No, sir ; they were issued direct to me.
Q. If they were in the Adjutant General's office, I would not
trouble you about it ?
A. I can bring the originals, and have them copied.
[The copies of the orders produced on the following day, by Col.
Francis, are as follows :]

54 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Executive Department/ . i

(Copy.)
STATE OF RHODE ISALND, &c. r,'
'Providence, Feb. 5, 1864.
Cci. John N. Francis, Paymaster General :
Coloxel:— His Excellency the Governor, requests you (o pay to Major J. C
Engley, eight thousand, forty-nine dollars and sixty cents, ($8,049.60,) on account ol
recruiting services in 14th Regiment R. I. H. A. ,
I have the honor to be, Colonel, very respectfully your ob't serv t,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY, _
Col. and A. D. C.
(Copy.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Paymaster General's Office, \
Providence, Feb. 5, 1864. (
§8,049.60. Received of John N. Francis, Paymaster General of R. I., eight thou
sand, forty-nine dollars and sixty cents, the same being paid me in accordance with
an order issued this day from the Commander-in-Chief, for recruiting services rendered
in enlisting men for the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.
(Signed) J- C. ENGLEY.
The State of Rhode Island, &c, To James C. Engley, Dr.
1864. For enlisting 875 men for the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A., as per special agreement
¦with the Commander-in-Chief, including expenses incurred for transportation, subsis
tence, &c, at $35 per man  $30,625 00
Cr.
Bv cash received December 24th, 1863  .$11,360 00
By cash received February 5th, 1864  8,049 60
Balance  $11,215 40
Providence, March 18, 1864.
Received of John N. Francis, Paymaster General, eleven thousand, two hundred
and fifteen dollars and forty cents, in full of the above account.
, J. C. ENGLEY.
I certify that the above account is correct, that the articles charged therein were
required and furnished on account of the service above mentioned, and that the same
were necessary therefor.
Approved :
(Signed) JAMES Y. SMITH,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
(Copy.)
The State of Rhode Island, &c, To Major J. C. Engley, De.
1863.
December 24. On account of the military.
Fourteenth R. I. H. A., for recruiting expenses, subsistence and transportation paid
west and south of Albany and New York, on eight hundred and thirty-one men, (831.)
enlisted for the 14th R. I. H. A  $11,360 00
$11,360.00 Providence, Dec. 24, 1863.
Received of Colonel John N, Francis, Paymaster General, eleven thousand,
three hundred and sixty dollars, in full of the above account.
(Signed) J. C. ENGLEY.
I certify that the above account is correct, that the articles charged therein were
required and furnished on account of the service above mentioned, and that the same
were necessary therefor.
Approved : JAMES Y. SMITH,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 55
Q. About the mode of the payment of bounties to these colored
men. Suppose, when the recruiting officer had brought to the Pay
master General the evidence that a man had enlisted for $50 bounty,
and enlistment papers stating that he had enlisted for that sum, how
much bounty would the State pay in that case, and to whom would
it be paid, if Major- Engley had produced evidence that he had re
cruited a man for $50.
A. There would not be any paid on any such evidence as that,
sir, at all. The amount paid on men in such instances as that, would
be paid, where the man was named and the amount specified, by the
special order of the Governor to pay Maj. Engley, upon the order of
a certain man named in the order, so many dollars.
Q. What would be the special order ofthe Governor in reference
to that class of cases, suppose the man was enlisted for $100, would
or would not the Governor order $200 to be paid to Maj. Engley
and $100 to the man ?
A. Yes, sir. He would order so much paid to Major Engley and
the man, or if it was $150 and $200, the Governor would order it
paid to Maj. Engley and the $50 to the man. That would be my
order for it, and I would receive from Maj. Engley his receipt and
from the man his receipt, (not from the man.) I would register the
man upon an alphabet. My orders were to keep a list of men for
reference to the executive department. The names with the amounts
paid were reported to the executive department daily and they kept a
record there, and we had no receipts from the men. I registered
these men with the amount of bounty paid them, and a record of
that was retained in the office of the Governor, and record of the
names, and of the names which I also had upon the back, putting
down the amounts paid for the man, and the amount he enlisted for,
and when the pay rolls were made out and sent to me for payment, I
would take my book and run through the pay roll, and where I found
a man enlisted for $250, I would mark it on the pay roll, showing it
all in detail.
Q. The routine was this : A man came and was sworn into the
service of the United States ; evidence that he was sworn in was
produced to the Executive, thereupon ; and the evidence was also
, produced to the Executive of what bounty he agreed to enlist for;
the Executive thereupon issued a special order to you to pay the re
cruit the amount of bounty for which he agreed to enlist, and to pay
the balance of the $300 to Major Engley ; thereupon you entered it
upon a roll or book, kept for that purpose, and received no voucher
from the man or from Major Engley ?
A. I did not see the man at all, sir ; I received no voucher from
Major Engley ; I received Major Engley's receipt from him — not for
the whole amount, but only for the money paid — when pay-day came1
I would deduct the money paid to Major Engley, from his money.
Q. You would report how much monej you paid to Major Eng
ley to the Governor, and the Governor kept the record ?
A. Yes, sir ; this class of men spoken of as $250 being paid to

56 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
upon special orders, were the class termed contrabands ; and there
were but few of these ; the orders show how many were made of each
class of men.
Q., by Mr. Jackson. In your account you paid transportation to
Major Engley. Did Major Engley pay that transportation too ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Upon what authority ?
A. Upon the Governor's order.
Q. Is it put down in round items ?
A. I have a voucher for that. It is a regular bill made off with
the authority of the Governor to pay that amount.
Q. Eight hundred and seventy-five men including transporta
tion, subsistence, and all expenses, '$30,625. I have understood here
before, that this transportation was issued by Major Sanford to differ
ent parties for transportation of 
A. I cannot say as to that. It is a matter of which I had no
knowledge. I think that can be explained in this way. Over cer
tain routes he did receive transportation.
Q. Knowing that there has been a large amount of transportation
paid by the State in those days, paid twice over.
A. I think that men were brought over routes for which no trans
portation was issued. I am inclined to that opinion. It is a mere
matter of opinion with me, I know nothing of it whatever.
Q. By Mr. Farnum. You heard Captain Chadsey's testimony.
He spoke in reference to one particular sale of a voucher for $50,
sold for $80 in his office. Have you any knowledge about the sale of
such vouchers ?
A. I have not, sir ; never tried to purchase one.
Q. Suppose a man would buy a voucher for $50, what would he
the course of that voucher, — its subsequent history ? Where would
it go next ? How would the man that paid $80 get his money ?
A. Almost every man who put in men, would know where he
could take the certificates to get $90 for them.
Q. The certificate was only good for $50 on t,he face of it, what
does the party who pays $80 do with it ?
A. Take it to Captain Starkey, Colonel Jenckes, Major Engley
or myself, and we would pay you $90 for it. In some instances I
would pay-$100.
Q. How could you afford to pay $100.
A. Because I had the Governor's order that the amount of $60
per man should be added to the three years men, and the certificates
of $50 in the hands of either of us gentlemen was worth $60 more
than they were in the hands of the recruiting officer.
Q. Could anybody buy that, and go and get the same amount of
money for it ?
A. No, sir; I don't think they could, sir; I don't know that any
parties made it their business to do so.
Q. If I happened to be in Capt. Chadsey's office, and a man re
ceived vouchers for $50, and I should say to him, I will give you '-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 57
or $90 for them, would there be any way in which I could go and
sell those for more than I gave for them ?
A. I don't know how that was, sir ; my opinion would be that
you could not.
Q. That I could not ; but other parties could ?
A. It would be worth more to us than it would be to you ; it was
worth only the face of it to any one else except to these special agents ;
most of the men that presented men for muster and had these certifi
cates, had some arrangement with one ofthe parties in advance, before
putting the men in ; most of them had this understanding, that they
would take their enlistment papers.
Q. Where would he carry it to get his pay ?
A. I carried mine with my receipts to the Governor. I bought
none of them ; they came into my possession because I put the men
in, and was entitled to them. I paid runners for some men $90,
and took their receipt ; my receipt attached would go to the Governor's
office for the amount. $60 of the amount added to the $50 expressed
in the certificate, made $110 ; and I would show by my receipt that ,
I had paid $90 for the man. I could afford to give $105 for it, though
I had never seen the man, and sell and make $5 by it ; I might if I
had seen fit to do so.
Q. Did you employ anybody besides yourself to buy up these ?
A. No, sir, I did not ; I never felt justified in buying them. I
thought I ought to have some claim on the man who was put in. I
made no efforts to get any upon men except where I put them in.
Ifi had gone around the Provost Marshal's offices, and stopped every
man that put in a recruit, I might have made a good deal of a busi
ness of it.
Q. Could I have done it ?
A. You could have done it if you had been indefatigable, you
would have found it rather an unpleasant business part of the time.
COL. JOHN N. FRANCIS:— Recalled.
Monday, February 9, 1865.
[Col. Francis comes in and produces voucher for item $30,625.]
Q. When you were before the Committee the other day, you
stated that on the 28th March, 1864, when your term of office expir
ed, that your account at bank was over-drawn ; the Committee have
examined the books of the bank, and they find that on that day there
was to your credit at the Atlantic Bank a balance of $28,961 29.
A. Quite likely, for I put in a draft for $25,000 on the morning
of the 28th. I think that I stated that my account was over-drawn
on the 26th. or at any rate I intended to state so. On the 26th there
appeared to my debt, $3,961 ; and on the 25th, $28,961 29 ; and
on the 5th of April, $29,645 88; and on the .9th of May, $31,104 13.
Q. In what way would your account accumulate after you ceased
to be Paymaster General.
A. It accumulated by some deposits I had in my hands ; I had been
doing a good deal of business on the 26th and 27th, which was Sunday,

58 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
accumulating funds all the week to pay offa battalion of cavalry, that
sailed on the morning of the 28th from Newport ; I had been collect
ing government funds, and had been obliged to send a special messen
ger to Boston and New York for them ; I had checks outside which
probably had not come into the bank, for perhaps twenty odd thousand
dollars ; that is the way I considered my account overdrawn, although
the bank books might have shown a balance to my credit ; still the
checks outstanding to other banks might have left it overdrawn ; I
had given one check to J. B. Hoskins, cashier of the Union Bank, for
$15,000, on the 24th of March ; I had given one also to the Liberty
Bank for $4000 more, for funds- 1 took of them ; after these two
checks had been paid, there was a balance of $3961 ; I think as I went
into the Liberty Bank, I took the $4000 check of the 26th and gave
a check on their bank, which they laid in the drawer, and did not
charge me with until Monday ; on Monday I gave them another, and
took up the one which I had given before. As I drew $3000 from
one bank, and $4000 from another bank, I think I gave one or the other
in that form, which showed a balance in my credit, which had it been
charged, would have shown me in debt, perhaps.
Q. If vou had outstanding checks, they would have been credited
before the 9th of May ?
A. They might not ; because I had many orders and bills to col
lect, which were paid to me at the time I was paying off these men,
which left funds in my hands belonging to different parties, that did
not call for them ; I think I collected $2000 or $3000 for other
parties ; this was collected at a time when I was paying amounts for
A. D. Smith, 3d, of $1000, $2000, or $3000 ; the balance was made
up by having deposited $25,000 on the 28th of March, by a draft,
and then from funds which I had in my hands when I deposited
$6000 or $7000, after the 28th.
Q. You say that this item, $31,104 13 was made up of the bal
ance on the 26th of $3961 ; that you deposited on the 28th $25,000,
and - afterwards there was outstanding sums coming to you which
swelled the amount to $31,104 13.
A. I think so, or else moneys in my hands that swelled the
amount to that sum. I can show it from my bank book very
straight. The checks I drew I suppose would show whom they were
paid to.
Q. On the 13th of May you drew out $28,000 ?
A. Yes, sir. I paid it over to the General Treasurer, deposited
it in the Bank of North America to the credit of the General Treas-? i
urer. I had correspondence with the General Treasurer in regard to
a voucher. I have the voucher, but not with me. That left a bal
ance on the 13th of May of $30,028 13, which balance was swelled
on the 17th of November to $8,998 18.
Q. Now, as you ceased to be Paymaster General on the 28th of
March, how could you receive the moneys of the State as Paymaster
General, so as to swell this account in this way ?
A. The Governor had issued an order directing me to make
certain advances to the officers of the 14th Heavy Artillery and the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 59
3d Cavalry, taking their receipts for the same, and at the same time,
their orders on the U. S. Paymaster for the amounts advanced them.
I took these orders in my name, payable to my order ; endorsed over
by me to Major Amsbury for collection, and sent them to New
Orleans for him to collect ; as that money was collected by Col.
Smith received from Maj. Amsbury, he passed it over into my hands,
for which I gave him receipts, and passed it to my credit in the ac
count. I suppose there is outstanding now uncollected, in the same
form, $3,000 or $4,000. more ; and if you examine my report, you
see under the charge of advances made to officers, where the amount'
comes in.
Q. Then, on the 18th, you drew out of the bank something over
$8,000 ; for what purpose ?
A. To pay over to the General Treasurer, and I paid it over to
the General Treasurer. I wrote him in May regarding that, that
there was some of these outstanding orders, and that the funds from
the collection of them would come into my hands.
Q. Did you have a right to receive the money of the State after
you ceased to be its officer ?
A. As the orders were made payable in my name the question
arose, whom it was payable to. They deemed it immaterial whether
it was paid into my hands or to somebody else, so long as the money
went into the State treasury. The Commissioner talked with me,
and said, I have given you receipts for these orders which you have
given into my hands.
Q. Are there any further explanations you wish to make ?
A. Everything can be shown very straight by an examination of
the books. In answering these questions, I have spoken from mem
ory and may have been mistaken as to dates, but my books will show
the whole.
COL. JOHN N. FRANCIS.— Recalled.
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 1865.
Question. What amount of the bounties of the 14th regiment
was paid directly to the recruits, and what to the recruiting officers ?
A. The whole amount paid to the recruiting officers, I should
think could not vary far from $75,000.
Q. Have you any means of fixing it exactly ?
A. I could not fix it exactly, except the amount paid Major Eng
ley. I think the amount paid to him is about $66,000. Or, perhaps,
I should say that was the whole amount, because in no other instance
was any order paid for a portion of bounty to any man who recruited,
except upon the orders of the recruits.
Q. How much was paid upon orders of the recruits ?
A. Construing that in one sense, it would be impossible to say,
because I paid a great deal of money upon the orders of recruits, at
their request, after they were enlisted ; it would be impossible to as
certain that.
Q< Have you not all the orders in your possession ?

60 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Not all of them. In many instances they borrowed m0"ey of
others of their own number, who had money on hand, for which they
would give an order. These men had enlisted previously. When
pay-day came, the man who held the order would present it, and ask
me to pay it, and I would always decline to pay it unless the recruit
asked it of me, to pay him as a "favor. Sometimes a man would have
five or six orders of from $2 to $15, and sutler's checks. I would
pass the orders and the sutler's check, and balance of the money over
to the recruit, and tell him to submit it to his officers, and see that it
was all right.
Q. Was, or was not, the $66,000 the difference between the
amount of bounty in the contract for enlistment, and the $300 ?
A. Yes, sir ; that is just about the amount, I should judge.
Q. Then it does not include the special orders given by the re
cruit before he came into the State ?
A. Orders of that kind were usually given for money advanced.
Q. There is some evidence that there was something received for
watches, clothing, &c. ?
A. I have no knowledge on that subject.
Q. You have not the means of telling the whole amount given
by recruits of the Fourteenth Regiment in orders ?
A. I could not say what the whole amount might be. Major
Engley was accustomed, in the case of many of the men, when they
were enlisted upon promise of receiving $25 on their arrival, to pay
them $25 as soon as they reached here, and he would almost always
take receipts for that as soon as they were enlisted. I had no knowl
edge of these transactions, except what I derived from Major Engley.
My instructions are to recognize those receipts for $25.
Q. Have you either directly or indirectly derived any gratuity,
pay, emolument or profits, either from recruits, recruiting officers, or
from the State for recruiting services, or in any way or account
thereof, and if so, how much ? And what ? State the amount oi
all you have so received, and from whom you received it ?
A. I have neither directly or indirectly received any pay, gratuity,
emoluments or profits from recruits, or recruiting officers, except
from Col. H. C. Jenckes, a division of the head money of twen
ty dollars for such men as I recruited for the second regiment. I can
not state the number, but think it about thirty men. I received from
the Quartermaster General the sums of $10 and $20 for twenty or
more men enlisted for old regiments. I received from the Governor,
twelve hundred, dollars to pay expenses to North Carolina, to ascer
tain as to the enlistment of some men who it was thought might be
obtained to the credit of the State's quotas. I have received from the
Quartermaster General $6,422 for recruits and recruiting expenses,
incurred in the Department of South Eastern Virginia.
[Col. Francis produced copies of fourteen orders of the Governor
in reference to the payment of bounties, which will be found on pages
25 to 32 inclusive, of the appendix to this report.]

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 61

SUNDRY CERTIFICATES, &c,

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Depabtment, I
Providence, Dec. 23d, 1863. )
Mt Dear Colonel: — I have made arrangements with Mr. Huntoon for tobacco;
Mr. Snow for boots ; Mr. Barnaby for shirts and gloves, &c. ; I hope you can give
them good quarters when they come among you ; I think it would be a good place in
the barracks. With kind regards, I remain yours, &c,
AMOS D. SMITH, 3d, State Commissioner.
To Col. Nelson, Viall, Dutch Island.
It having been asserted that I have made a large amount of money from the sales
of goods in my camp, I hereby affirm that I was never interested in any way with
any parties selling goods in this regiment, and this letter informing me of Colonel
Smith's intentions to send goods to my camp is the first intimation I had of it.
NELSON VIALL,
Lt.-Col. Comd'g 14lh Regiment R. I. H. A.

-Statement of Elijah Dorsey, Co. "M," 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.
I certify that I was enlisted in Buffalo, New York, by Mr. Custy, for the 14th Regt.
R. I. H. A. I was promised a bounty of three hundred and fifty dollars. ($350.) I
received but forty dollars ($40) of my first installment. I never signed away any of
my bounty 3 his
ELIJAH h DORSEY.
mark.
"Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Reg. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify that I sent fifty-five dollars home, in Elbridge, Unandagua Co., N. Y.,
through the Commissioner's hands. The check my wife has not received yet.
GEORGE m L. WILLIAMS.
mark.
"Witness : Charles M, Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864,
I certify that I was compelled by Major Engley to take a watch at twenty-five dol
lars, a pair of boots at seven dollars, and a comforter at one dollar, amounting to thirty-
three dollars, which was taken out of my first installment. The boots I found soon
after were mis-mates, and carried them back, but had to come to Dutch Island, and
the clerk told me he would have them changed and sent down, but I have not seen
them since. ¦ his
LAWRENCE * PAYNE.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15, 1864.
I certify that I was compelled to take a watch at thirty dollars by Major Engley,
which was taken out of my first installment of bounty. his
BRISTOE m SMITH.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.

62 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. L, March 14, 1864.
I certify that at the first installment I received ($45.00) forty-five dollars, and the
Paymaster told me he settled two bills, amounting to thiry dollars, and I have never
received anything for that amount of money. I sent home twenty-five dollars through the
Allotment Commissioner, and my wife has never received the check. Upon his
coming again, I mentioned it to him and he told me " I would get it," but have not
yet. his
WILLIAM x H. JONES.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg. R. I. H. A.

On Board the Transport Daniel Webster, I
January 29th, 1864. J
William Mercer, of 'Co. E, 14th Reg. R. I. H. A., deposes that he enlisted in said
regiment on the 8th of September, 1863, under J. C. Engley, recruiting officer. That on
the same day, by request of Mr. Engley, he started for Michigan on recruiting service,
he being told that all his expenses would be borne by said Engley, and that the said
Engley would pay what was right for all the men he might procure. He returned to
Providence with five recruits, for which he received no equivalent ; nor for the trav
eling expenses, excepting transportation ; which he had incurred, amounting to $24.50.
By request of Mr. Engley, he again left Providence on recruiting service, visiting
different parts of Indiana and Illinois ; this time being assured that he should receive
for each recruit §5 a man. He obtained five or more, whom he forwarded to Provi
dence, and delivered over to Mr. Engley, presenting his bill for the same, which also
included $8 for expenses. But he received no money, Mr. Engley alleging that he
had none on hand. On the next trip for recruits, he was to receive $10 a man and all
expenses paid. He secured eight recruits, and was at an expense of §27.40 besides
numerous small items. On this trip he was arrested for recruiting in Illinois, and
subjected to a fine of $16.40. On returning to Providence he requested a settlement
with Mr. Engley. He was told by Engley to come to his office the next day, and he
would settle with him. He went to Engley's office as directed about 8-o'clock in the
morning, and staid there till 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Not being well, he, with
the permission of Mr. Sheldon, a clerk of Mr. Engley's, went to his home and went
to bed ; about 12 o'clock that night, one of the Provost Marshal's deputies arrested
him, as he said at the time, by order of the said Engley, and was taken to the Park
Barracks and confined till next morning. In the morning he was taken to the Provost
Marshal's office, and was informed that he had been arrested by order of Engley, who
¦ pretended to be fearful that he might desert. On learning the facts, the Provost Mar
shal immediately released him, giving him permission to go where he pleased. The
same day he returned to his company on Dutch Island, R. I. A few weeks subse
quently he went up to Providence with a pass signed by his Captain, and approved by
the Colonel and Adjutant, with the intention of settling with Mr. Engley. On request
ing a settlement with Mr. Engley, the said Engley demanded to see his pass, and
on its being shown to him put it in his own pocket, and ordered his clerk, Mr.
Sheldon, to put him ({. e- Mercer) under arrest until the next Monday, (it then
being Saturday,) when he should be returned to the island, (t. e. Dutch Island.) He
was, however, released from arrest by Mr. Dorrance, at that time acting as com
missary for the regiment, who gave him a pass and returned him to the camp< He
deposes that he has never received any equivalent for his services rendered to
said Engley in the recruiting business ; that furthermore, the said Engley has, or
did have in his possession a valuable gold watch, (hunting-case, English lever,)
which, at the re.quest of Engley, was loaned to him (the said Engley) by Mercer, but
which has never been returned or any equivalent rendered therefor. That further
more, of the $300 bounty which he was to receive as a recruit for the 14th Regiment
R. I. H. A., he has received only $75, wnich was the first, installment. That the
second installment of $75 was never paid him, and that the certificate of the bal
ance of his bounty bears on its face only the sum of $85, . as due him of his
bounty ; thus leaving the sum of $140 which he has never received, and of which no
account is made in the certificate of his last bounty. He deposes that he has given to
no person any order on his bounty ; but believes that this sum of $140 has gone into
the pocket of Mr. J. C. Engley. He has declined to accept the $85, as the balance due
him ol his bounty, he desiring an investigation, as to where the remainder has gone.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 63
In addition to what he has deposed above, there are many other items of which he
has lost the account, and for which he was promised an equivalent, but he has never
received any.
,_,, ., his
(Signed) WILLIAM m MERCER.
_ mark.,
Witness to mark : Wm. S. Dyer.
Sworn and subscribed to before me, J. M. Addeman,
Capt. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15th, 1864.
I certify, that at the first installment of bounty, I received thirty-seven dollars in
money. A bill of clothing amounting to $12, which I was compelled to take by Major
Engley, I suppose was taken out, leaving twenty six-dollars yet coming due. I have
had nothing for which this amount should be stopped.
At the second installment of bounty, I sent twenty-five dollars home to Saratoga
Springs, N. Y., through the Commissioner's hands to my wife (Caroline Bordley,
the check of which she has never received. BENJAMIN BORDLEY.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut, 14th Regt. R. I. H, A.

Camp Bailey, March 16, 1864.
Lieut. Col. Nelson "Viall,
Dear Sir : — I wish to lay before you the following statement of facts :
I enlisted m the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A., on November 12th, 1863. On Novem
ber 24th, was detailed for the recruiting service, by Major J. C. Engley ; he agreeing
to pay me ($10) ten dollars for each recruit that passed the surgeon at Providence,
together with my travelling expenses and board.
At the time, Major Engley paid me fifty dollars, ($50) taking the receipt for the
same, (as the first installment of my bounty), he said the taking ofthe receipt enabled
him to keep his books in better shape, and assured my faithfulness. He also told me to
present such bills as were incurred on duty, to him, at any time, and he would pay
them, and let the receipt for ($50) fifty dollars stand ; thus, as he said, I received and
had the use of my money, which he would refund. Of the truthfulness of this state
ment, Mr. Norris can swear, (if he will.)
Thus Major Engley has broken his agreement, and charged me with the fifty dol
lars aforementioned. He positively refused to pay me for the last five recruits that
passed the surgeon.
The account of our present affairs is as follows :
Major J. C. Engley, To James F. Jones, Dr.,
"For cash paid in recruiting service  $43 50
To cash due, as advance on 5 recruits for 14th R, I. H. A., at $10 each  50 00
Total  •.  $93 50
All which I respectfully submit.
I have the honor to remain, your obedient servant,
JAMES F. JONES, Company M, 14th Regiment, R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of William J. Wilson, of Co. " I," 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.]
I purchased a watch from Major Engley for twenty dollars, which he warranted to
be a good time-keeper, and silver cases. The watch proved to be good for nothing,
and kept no kind of time. W. J. WILSON.
Witness: Capt. S. Farnuw.

Providence, January 22, 1864.
Mr. Coefin :— I learn from Mr. Chace, that you are selling boots and shirts to the
men of the 14th Regiment, at Dutch Island. I therefore forbid you selling the above
articles there, and order you to move from the Island all such articles as soon as
possible. Yours, &c, AMOS D. SMITH, 3d,
Mr. Coffin is a sickly man who I have permitted to sell from a basket in my camp
since the first company was raised on Dexter Ground. He gave me this note for use.
N. VIALL, Colonel commanding 14th Regiment.

64 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Camp Bailey, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of several men of Co. " I," 14th Regiment R. I. H. A ]^
These men each bought a watch from Capt. Ballou for twenty dollars. Capt. Bal
lou warranted the watches to be good time-keepurs, and silver; but approved to be
worthless things, that would not keep good time for a single' day. his
Charles X Steward.
mark.
his
James « Boardley.
mark. his
George h Green.
mark. his
Norris x Cato.
mark. his ,
Thomas x Carroll.
mark.
his
Elias y, Mann.
mark. his
Peter h Miller.
mark. ,
his
John \a Griffin.
mark. his
Sylvester m Baird.
mark. his
Woodhall m Denny.
mark.
his
Henry m Wiley.
mark.
Witness to signatures : Capt. S. Farnum.

Headquarters of the Fourteenth Reg't R. I. Heavy Artillery, ?
Dutch Island, Dec. 27th, 1863. \
This is to certify; that on or about the 24th of December, 1863, I met Fletcher W.
Burley, a recruit of the 14th Regiment R. I. II. Artillery. I casually asked him what
Company ho belonged to, he replied by saying he was employed at the recruiting
office to run men in and to buy watches. I asked him to show me the place of sale. I
followed him to a room on Weybosset street, upstairs, and in the rear of the recruit
ing office.' Here I found one Luke Chace and F. Sheldon, agents of Maj. Engley, in
the act of selling bogus watches and other articles. Upon examining the watches sold,
I forbid selling any more, as I should complain of the matter. I took twelve
men, who had been obliged to take these watches, to the office on Custom House
street, but could get no satisfaction, and, as a tax-payer of our State and as the com
manding officer of these men, I protest against these men. The following are the
names of the men who were present at the time I forbid the sales of watches by said
Chace, &c, &c. : Serg't James Bush, Co. I; Richard Grier, Co. M; Reuben D.
Casey, Co. M; William Casey, Co. M; Elijah Dorsey, Co. M; Myers Gibbs, Co. M;
Fletcher Burley, Co. M. I believe at some day these 'claims upon the State will be
presented, and I cannot feel that I have discharged my duty by sustaining these
frauds. Very respectfully, NELSON VIALL,
_ , „ Lt. Col. Commanding 14kth R.I. H. A.
To the Hon. Wm. P. Sheffield. J

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 65
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certify, that at the second installment, I received twenty dollars in money and a
bill of five dollars paid to the sutler. Eor the fifty dollars, I have not had anything
for which it should be kept back. his
JOHN m R. BATES.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15th, 1864.
I certify that at Providence, I contracted a bill of thirty-six dollars, and a bill on the
sutler of ten dollars, in all forty-six dollars.
At the first installment of bounty, I received but five dollars in money. Allowing
that this bill of forty-six dollars was paid, there remains twenty-four dollars coming
due me. I have had nothimg for which this amount should be stopped.
SAM'L SALSBURY.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15th, 1864.
I certify that at the second installment of bounty, I only received twenty -five dol-
dollars, making fifty dollars taken out, for which I have had nothing. his
JAMES H SANFORD.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R.I., March 14, 1864.
I certify, that at the second installment of bounty, I received nineteen dollars and a
bill of six dollars from Barnaby, making in all twenty -five dollars. For the fifty dol
lars I have had nothing. his
JOHN h F. MAGRUDER.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify, that I was compelled to take a watch at twenty-five dollars ; a pair sffirts
six dollars ; a pair boots, seven dollars, by Maj. Engley. This amount was. taken out
of my first installment of bounty. his
GEORGE h WASHINGTON.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certfy that I was compelled by Major Engley to take twenty dollars worth of cloth
ing and three dollars in money. I received of the Paymaster twenty dollars and a
bill for a watch at twenty-two dollars, the whole amounting to sixty-five dollars, leav
ing ten dollars coming due.
8 JOHN SMITH, 2d.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15th, 1864.
I certify that at the first installment of bounty, I received twenty dollars in money,
and three bills which were paid amounting to forty dollars, in all sixty dollars, leaving
fifteen dollars to be accounted for, for which I have had nothing. I was compelled by
Major Engley to take a watch at twenty-five dollars, and some clothing amounting to
twelve dollars, in all thirty-seven dollars worth. I also owed a bill of three dollars
on the sutler which makes the forty dollars above alluded to. his
JOHN h R. JONES.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

66 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15, 1864.
I certify that I was compelled to take a watch at twenty-five dollars by Major Eng
ley, he saying " that if I did not take it, I would not get any bounty. 1 also receivea
twenty-five dollars at the first installment, leaving twenty-five dollars to be accounted
for, for which I have had nothing. T
At the second installment of bounty I received one dollar in money, which l gave
back to the paymaster. A bill of the sutler was twelve dollars, and a bill of J. ±s.
Barnaby was thirteen dollars -in all twenty-six dollars— leaving forty-nine dollars to
be accounted for, for which I have had nothing. his
DAVID M SMITH.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. L, March 15, 1864.
I certify that I was compelled by Major Engley to take a watch at thirty dollars.
At the payment of the first installment I received five dollars. I also was given
twenty-five dollars at the same time I took the watch, in all sixty dollars, leaving
fifteen dollars I have not received anything for. his
MOSES M DEAN.
mark.
Witness : Chables Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify that I was compelled by Major Engley to take twenty dollars worth of
clothing, which was taken out of my first installment.
I placed fifty dollars of my first installment in the bank, and lost the check. When
Col. Smith was down the last time, I spoke to him about it, and he said he would
send me another, but he has not yet. At the payment of the second installment, I
only got thirty-six dollars, bills all paid, leaving thirty-nine dollars which is to be
accounted for. his
BENJAMIN M MILLER.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certify that I was promised my bounty of three hundred dollars from the State in
three installments, upon my reaching Dutch Island.
At the second installment I received but ($25 00) twenty-five dollars, leaving
($50 00) fifty dollars to be accounted for.
I have had nothing of anybody whatever, for which this amount should be stopped.
WILLIAM H. BECKETT.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify that at the second installment of bounty, I only received twenty-five dol
lars, the paymaster telling me I would receive the remainder when we arrived at
another camp. WILLIAM H. WILLIAMSON.
Witness : Charles M. Smiih, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment, R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify that at the second installment of bounty I received fifteen dollars in
money. A bill on the sutler of five dollars, which I suppose was paid, leaves fifty-
five dollars coming due. his
WILLIAM x WOODS.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 67
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify, that at the first installment of bounty I received sixteen dollars in money
and three bills amounting to twenty-three dollars, in all thirty-nine dollars, leaving
thirty-six dollars which is yet due me. At the second installment I received none, on
inquiring of the Paymaster, he answered, " Ah ! never mind, that is all right."
his
FRANK m THOMPSON.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15, 1864.
I certiiy, that I was compelled to take a watch, at twenty-five dollars, by Major
Engley, which was taken out of my first bounty. I sent twenty-five dollars home, at
Paterson, N. J., to my wife, (Jane Ray), through the Commissioner's hands, the check
of which my wife has never received. his
THOMAS m RAY.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15, 1864.
I certify, that, at the second installment of bounty, I received thirty-five dollars in
money, two bills; one of five, on the sutler, and one of fourteen, on J. B. Barnaby
and Snow, which I suppose were settled ; leaves fifty-four dollars to be accounted for,
for which I have had nothing to account for them. his
SAMUEL x STIRVES.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg. R. I. H. A.

( Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify, that I received at the second installment of bounty, thirteen dollars in
money, two bills paid amounting to thirty dollars, in all forty -three dollars, leaving
thirty-two dollars, which I did not receive. his
JOHN m H. DOCKETT.
mark.
Witness : CharIes M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15, 1864.
I certify, that at the second installment of bounty, I received fifty-seven dollars
in money and a bill of five dollars on the sutler and four dollars on J. B. Barnaby,
amounting to sixty-six dollars, leaving nine dollars to be accounted for, for which I
have had nothing. his
WILLIAM * M. JACKSON.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify, that I was compelled to take fifteen dollars worth of clothing by Major
Engley. I received on my first installment fifty doUars in money, the bill being
paid, leaves ten dollars to be accounted for. At the second installment, I received
twenty-five dollars. I owed nobody anything for which the fifty dollars was kept
back. his
EDMUND m RICHARDS.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg. R. I. A. A.

68 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
[Statement of Richard Green, of Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.J
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence by Major Engley, for the 14th Regiment
R. I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($350) three hundred and fifty dollars.
Major Engley obliged me to sign for two shirts worth ($6) six dollars.
Of my first installment, I received only ($25) twenty-five dollars. I did not sign
for any thing except what I have mentioned. his
RICHARD k GREEN.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of Edward Saunders, a private in Co. K, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Illinois by , that I was to receive three
hundred and fifty dollars bounty, of whieh I have received seventy-five dollars as my
first installment, and have been refused the balance. his
EDWARD m SAUNDERS.
mark.
Witness : Pardon Mason, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

[Statement of William Murray/Company "M," 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence by Major Engley, 'for the 14th Regt. R.
I. H. A. and was promised a bounty of (350) three hundred and fifty dollars. I re
ceived (30) thirty dollars of my second installment, (21) twenty-one dollars in money
and the remainder in goods from Snow and Barnaby.
I have signed away none of my bounty except what I have mentioued.
v his
WILLIAM M MURRAY.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt, R. I. H. A.

[Statement of William H. Johnson, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H, A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence by Major Engley, for the 14th Regiment
R. I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($350) three hundred and fifty dollars.
Of my last installment I received ($60) sixty dollars. I have signed away none of
my bounty. his
WILLIAM m H. JOHNSON.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of Charles C. Nelson, 2d, a private of Co. K, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A."]
I certify that I was enlisted by Colonel Condy, at Jeffersonville, Indiana, with the
promise of three hundred and fifty dollars bounty. I have received fifty of the first
installment, and refused the rest by the Paymaster.
Colonel Condy told me that as soon as I was mustered in, I should get the whole of
my bounty. his
CHARLES m C. NELSON, 2d.
Witness : Pardon Mason, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

[Statement of Abraham Peters, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence by Major Engley, for the 14th Regt. R.
I. H. A., and that I was promised a bounty of ($300) three hundred dollars.
After I enlisted, the Major wished me to take some clothing to the amount of ($15)
fifteen dollars. I did not wish to take them, but he told me they would be charged to me

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 69
whether I took them or not ; so I signed a paper for ($15) fifteen dollars but never re
ceived the clothing. I received but sixty dollars of my first installment. Of my
second installment I received-only ($25) twenty-five dollars ; the Paymaster told me
I would receive the rest at New Orleans. his
ABRAHAM M PETERS.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost„Co. M, 14th Regt, R. I. H. A.

.[Statement of Samuel McGowan, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence by Major Engley, for the 14th Regt. R. I.
H. A,, and was promised a bounty of ($350) three hundred and fifty dollars. Of my
first installment, I only received ($50) fifty dollars. I received none of my last install
ment. I was brought up in South Carolina, and was a slave before the war.
his
SAMUEL m McGOWAN.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. FranTc Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

[Statement of Andrew Garnett, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I was enlisted in Syracuse, in the State of New York, by J. R. Sisson, for the 14th
Regiment R. I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($350) three hundred and fifty
dollars. I signed for ($25) twenty-five dollars worth of clothing at Major Engley's
office, in Providence, R. I., as he told me ^f would be charged to me whether I signed
or not. I also received (i?10) ten dollars from Major Engley. When my first install
ment was paid I received only ($25) twenty-five dollars. I did not sign for anything
except what I have mentioned. I received nothing at the second installment; the
Paymaster told me I was a contraband and was not entitled to it. I have always been
free and have always lived in Syracuse, New York. his
ANDREW m GARNETT.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

[Statement of William Clay, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence, by Major Engley, for the 14th Regt. R.
I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($350) three hundred and fifty dollars. I re
ceived ($25) twenty-five dollars of my last installment in money, and (|33) thirty-three
dollars in goods from Snow and Barnaby, sutlers. I have signed away none of my
bounty except what I have mentioned. his
WILLIAM H CLAY.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th, R. I. H. A.

[Statement of Corporal Greenberry Honeycutt, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence, by Major Engley, for the 14th Regiment
R. I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($350) three hundred and fifty dollars.
After I arrived in Providence, Major Engley let me have ($10) ten dollars. Of my
first installment I received only ($25) twenty-five dollars. I never signed away any
of my bounty, and all that I have received is what I have stated.
y uu " •y' GREENBERRY HONEYCUTT.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

[Statement of Edmund Newell, Co. M, 14th Regt, R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence by Major Engley, for the 14th Regt. R.
I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($250) two hundred and fifty dollars.
I received only ($25) twenty-five dollars of my second installment. I signed away
none of my bounty. EDMUND M NEWELL.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

70 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
[Statement of Wm. Mark, Co. M, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence, by Major Engley, for the 14th Regi
ment, R. I. H. A. I was promised a bounty of three hundred and fifty dollars. Of
my last installment I received $25. The paymaster said he would pay me the
balance on the next pay-day of my bounty. his
WILLIAM k MARK.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.
[Statement of Alfred R. F. Battiess, Co. M, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.]
I was enlisted in Providence, by Major Engley, for the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.,
and was promised a bounty of ($300) three hundred dollars. I received ($25
twenty-five dollars of my first installment ; and while in Providence I signed a note
for ($25) to Capt. F. M. Ballou for a watch. He obliged me to sign this note.
I have received no other money, and have signed away none except what I have
mentioned. A. R. F. BATTIESS.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

[Statement of Corporal Nelson Cross, Co. M, 14th Regiment, R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I enlisted in Washington, D. C, for the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.,
and that I was promised a bounty of ($300) three hundred dollars. I received all of
my first installment, but only twenty-five ($25) dollars of my second. I have never
signed away any of my bounty. ' his
NELSON * CROSS.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of John Lisle, a private in Co. K, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted by Colonel Condy, at Jeffersonville, Indiana, with
the promise of three hundred and fifty dollars bounty. I have received fifty dollars
of the first installment, and have been refused the rest. I was told that I should
draw my bounty at Dutch Island. his
JOHN h LISLE.
mark.
Witness : Pardon Mason, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, R. I., March 13th, 1864.
[Statement of Private Charles Bowen, of Co. I, 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.]
I enlisted in Evansville, Indiana, for ($325) three hundred twenty-five dollars,
William Steins recruiting agent. Twenty-five dollars were taken from my first
installment of seventy-five dollars. I had never bought anything, or signed any
paper whatever. his
CHARLES * BOWEN.
mark.
Witness : Capt. S. Farnum.

Camp Bailey, D. I., R. I., March 15th, 1864. '
[Statement of Private George Green, Co. I, 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.]
I was in debt to the sutler seventeen ($17), and when paid my second installment
of bounty, received only thirty-five ($35) dollars, leaving a deficit of twenty- three
($23) dollars wrongfully deducted. his
GEORGE m GREEN.
mark.
Witness : Benj. D. Jones, 2d Lieut. Co. G.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 71
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of Jacob Riley, a Private in Co K, 14th Reg't R. I. H. Artillery.]
I certify, that I was enlisted at Princeton, Indiana, by William Steins, with the
promise of three hundred and fifty dollars bounty of which I have received fifty-two
dollars of the first installment, and have been refused the rest. his
JACOB x RILEY.
mark.
Pardon Mason, 2d, Lieut. 14th Reg't R. I. H. Artillery.

[Statement of Nathan Brown, Co. M, 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.]
I certify, that I was enlisted in Providence, R. I., by Major Engley, for the 14th
Regiment R. I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($300) three hundred dollars.
I only received ($25) twenty-five dollars of my second installment. The Paymaster
told me I would receive the remainder at the next pay day. I have never signed
away any of my bounty. his
NATHAN * BROWN.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M., 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.

[Statement of Arthur Paine, Co. M, 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.]
I certify, that I enlisted in Chambersburg, in the State of Pennsylvania, for the
14th Reg't R. I. H. A., and that I was promised a bounty of three hundred and
fifty dollars, ($350). I received but fifty dollars ($50) of my first installment, and
four dollars ($4) of my second, I had twenty dollars in goods from Snow and
Barnaby, sutlers. I did not sign away any of my bounty. •
his
ARTHUR m PAINE.
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of Moses Fry, a private in the 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I certify that I was enlisted by Colonel Condy, at Jeffersonville, Indiana, with the
promise of, three hundred and fifty dollars bounty. I have received fifty dollars as the
first installment, and the Paymaster told me that Major Engley and Colonel Condy
had the rest of my money. I have never bought anything, or signed my bounty
over to Major Engley or Colonel Condy. his
MOSES m FRY.
mark.
Witness ; Pardon Mason, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15th, 1864.
[Statement of private Henry Downing, Co. I, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I was enlisted in New York City, by Jack Halliards, (colored) for Major J. C.
Engley. I have never received any bounty, or been able to learn why I have not
received it. Jack (or John) Halliard paid my wife five ($5) dollars, and I have been
told that he received the whole of it, that has thus far been paid. his
HENRY -a DOWNING.
mark.
Witness : Benjamin D. Jones, Lieut. Co. I.

[Statement of Corporal Joseph R. Parker, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. t. H. A.
I certify that I was enlisted in Providence by Major Engley, for the 14th Regt. R.
I. H. A., and was promised a bounty of ($300) three hundred dollars. Of my second
installment, I received only ($25) twenty-five dollars ; the Paymaster told me I would
be paid the rest at some future time. I have never signed away any of my bounty.
his
JOSEPH R. M PARKER,
mark.
Witness : Lieut. Frank Frost, Co. M, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

72 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
[Statement of Calvin Read, a private in Co. K, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
His name appears upon the roll as a contraband.
I, Calvin Read, swear that I have been a free man for the last twenty-eight years.
I was enlisted at Indianapolis, Indiana, by Colonel Condy, with the understanding
that I should have three hundred and fifty dollars bounty. I received fifty dollars ot
the first installment of my bounty, but have been refused the rest. I asked the said
Condy if there would be any need of my bringing my free papers with me, and he
told me no. I was brought from Indianapolis to Major Engley's office at Providence.
his
CALVIN « READ.
mark.
Witness : Pardon Mason, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, R. I. March 13th, 1864.
[Statement of Sergeant John Jackson, of Co. I, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
I enlisted under Major Engley for $30D. When the first seventy-five dollars was
paid to the rest of the company in Providence, I only got $50 ; I enquired of the
Paymaster why I did not get seventy-five dollars, the same as the rest, and he told me
that Major Engley had drawn $25 of my money. I never signed any papers for
Major Engley, or made any bargain with him at all, giving him any of my bounty.
his
Sergeant JOHN « JACKSON.
mark.
Witness: Capt. S. Farnum. '

[Camp Bailey, R. I., March 15th, 1864.
[Statement of private Brister Frances, Co. I, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.]
Mr. Angel, a recruiting agent, took my name in New York for a watch, which he
said I should receive in Providence, if I passed the doctor, the price of which ($20)
should be taken out of my last installment of bounty. I never received the watch or
saw it, but the price was deducted from the first installment of bounty. his
BRISTER X FRANCES.
mark.
Witness : Benj. D. Jones, Lieut.

Camp Bailey, R. I., March 13th, 1864.
[Statement of Richard Clark, Corporal Co. I, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.]
I have never bought any goods of Mr. Barnaby, or had any dealings with him
whatever. Corporal RICHARD CLARK.
A bill of ($11) eleven dollars was presented to Co'rporal Richard Clark, for goods
said to have been purchased of Mr. Barnaby. The amount was taken from Corporal
Clark's bounty at the last payment.
CAPT. SAMUEL FARNUM, 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, R. I., March 13th, 1864.
[Statement of Private Charles H. Derby, of Co. I, 14th Regiment R. I. H..A.]
I only got $25 of my first installment of bounty, the balance, $50, being withheld
from me by Mr. Downing. The paymaster told me that he had paid Mr. Downing
$50 of my bounty; but I never had any dealings with him, or signed any paper
except my enlistment papers. I enlisted for Mr. Downing. CHARLES HENRY DERBY.
Witness : Capt. S. Farnum.

Camp Bailey, R. I., March 13th, 1864.
[Statement of Sergeant Henry A. Berryman, of Co. I, 14th Regiment, R. I. H. A.
The paymaster took ($8) from my last installment of bounty, on account of a bill
of that amount from Mr. Snow. I never bought any goods from Mr. Snow at all.
his
Sergeant HENRY A. * BERRYMAN.
mark.
Witness: Capt. S. Farnum.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 73
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certify that at the second installment I only received twenty-five dollars, leaving
fifty dollars to be accounted for. his
GEORGE m GORDON.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15, 1864.
I certify, that at the second installment of bounty, I received but three dollars in
money and a bill of one dollar on the sutler, which was paid, leaving seventy-one
dollars that 1 have had nothing for. his
JOHN x H. DORSEY.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Li^ut. 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 15, 1864.
I certify, that at the second installment of bounty, I received seventeen dollars in
money, a bill of five dollars on J. B. Barnaby and one of three dollars on the sutler,
which I suppose were paid, leaving fifty dollars to be accounted for, for which I
have had nothing.
GEORGE W. HAWKINS.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certify that I was promised my bounty of three hundred dollars from the State
in three installments upon my coming to Dutch Island. At the first installment I
received none, for a reason unknown to myself. JONES A. BROWN.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14, 1864.
I certify, that at the second installment of bounty I only received twenty-five dol
lars, bills all being paid. Of the other fifty I cannot find any clue.
WILLIAM L. JOHNSON.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Reg't R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certify that I was promised my bounty of three hundred dollars from the-State in
three installments, upon my coming to Dutch Island.
At the second installment I receiyed but ($52) fifty-two dollars and a bill of goods
to the amount of ($15) fifteen dollars, bought of J. B. Barnaby. All that I bought of
him was a pin and neck tie, which they told me would be ($1) one dollar.
I have not had anything whatever of anybody for which this amount of ($22) twen
ty-two dollars should be stopped.
' JOHN G. HILL.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut., 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certify that I only got eleven dollars on thesecond installment of bounty, two sut
ler's bills being paid fourteen dollars, the whole amounting to twenty-five dollars, leav
ing fifty dollars to be accounted for. his
JAMES M M. JACKSON.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.
10

74 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. L, March 14th, 1864.
I certify that at the first installment I received fifty dollars. I contracted a bill of
five dollars on the sutler, which I suppose was paid, leaving twenty dollars thatl
have not received. At the second installment I received forty dollars in money. A
bill of ten dollars on the sutler, and one of nine dollars on J. B. Barnaby, which I
suppose were paid, leaves sixteen dollars due. his
HENRY x JACKSON.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A,

Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I, March 15th, 1864.
I certify that at the second installment of bounty, I received forty-nine dollars in
money. A bill of nine dollars on J. B. Barnaby, which I suppose was paid, leaves
seventeen dollars due me. I have never had anything for which this amount should
be stopped. his
ABRAM x BROKER.
mark.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.
Camp Bailey, Dutch Island, R. I., March 14th, 1864.
I certify that at the second installment, I only received twenty-six dollars in money,
abill of ten dollars on the sutler was correct, but a biil of J. B. Barnaby of thirty-
nine dollars was wrong, and should have been nineteen dollars. The other twenty
dollars I cannot account for. WILLIAM B. G. CORSTA.
Witness : Charles M. Smith, 2d Lieut. 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.

[Statement of Francisco M. Ballou.] February 3, 1864.
Francisco M. Ballou, of Cumberland, captain in 14th Regiment R. I. Heavy Artil
lery, was lieutenant 12th Regiment. Returned about August ; brought some ten or
twelve contrabands from Kentucky ; saw Dr. Helme, who was recruiting for one
company colored artillery ; wanted me to engage in recruiting; was to have $10 per
recruit, tickets furnished in addition to $2 head money, paid by U. S. Paid the
men nothing, except some refreshments. &c. ; recruited some 80 men with Dr. Helme ;
with Dr. H. till September 10. Major Ingalls could get men passed by the surgeon
that Dr. Helme could not; made an arrangement with Major Ingalls; $10 from
State, $2 U. S., $1 subsistence money from the government; transportation furnish
ed by Major Sandford, he being U. S. officer ; sent 200 men to Major Ingalls. No
vember, orders drawn by the recruit on the paymaster for $50 of his bounty favor of
Major Engley. Some times told the recruit the bounty was $250. Came to Provi
dence ; told Major Engley could not go on longer ; Major Sanford and Col. Bailey
were present in College street ; Major E. proposed to draw the orders for a larger
amount than $100 on the negroes, which I declined to do. Engley says Major San
ford has the recruiting all in his own hands ; now proposes, to make something, to
take $250 from each man, (in December). Consulted with the Governor ; told him
I had taken too much money, and refunded $100 each on 21 men. Major Engley
took from some party 20 men, from whom he took $250 each, in addition to the $13.
Major Sanford said he did not care a damn about any one bringing men, unless thev
came through his office, so he might make something. Major Sanford told me I
could not have my commission, unless I brought my men to him instead of Connecti
cut, as I told him I should unless he allowed me. Major Engley, holding his commis
sion, January 1864, required me to pay him $15 per man for making out papers, &c,
(this after we dissolved).
Major Engley and Major Sanford occupied an office together at No. 9 Post Office
Court ; think I have recruited from 600 to 700 ; all the colored lecruits cost the State
from $310 to $311, beside transportation, and Major Engley practiced taking back
these recruits to assist him in recruiting others, being furnished with transportation
tickets by Major Sanford to take these parties both ways.
C. A. Fuller is an agent ; boards at Aldrich House ; brought three men to Major
Engley, (last night.) Fuller told me that Major Engley took $200 and $250 from
men brought last week. Wm. Bush, a colored boy, in Major Engley's office, acting

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 75
as his clerk, but is an enlisted man. Fred. Sheldon, also employed by Major Engley.
Major E. forbid me to sell any more watches ; that the paymaster would not accept
the orders ; then, immediately after, Major E. sold, through Sheldon, thirty watches
to the recruits in one night. Sheldon told me he received no benefit from the sale.
John Noyes is clerk to Major Engley, and may testify to the amount of the orders
taken from colored recruits by Major E. — they not knowing the amount of bounty or
the orders.
Mr. Hill says that Major E. took away from him eight men, and got $50 orders
from each, and they say, before witnesses in camp, that they were told the orders
were but $25. Hill got nothing ; Major E. got the $50 each, and cost of transporta
tion. Mr. Hill says, and Mr. Ballou says, that the man Thurber, who brought these
eight men for Hill, told them that Major E. agreed with him to make these $50
orders and not let the recruits know it.

Providence, February 20th, 1864.
Nelson Viall, Lieut. Colonel l&th Reg. H. Artillery, Rhode Island :
Dear Sir : — I am ordered by Col. Bailey to ask you to report to his office this P.
M. at 6 o'clock. Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
J. C. ENGLEY,
Maj. \ith Reg. H. Artillery.
By L. S. Chase.
On the 2dth of February, 1864, the writer of this order (Luke Chase) held a
paper exacting ($20) twenty dollars of a man of my Regiment, to wit, David
Howard. I warned him of the crime, he replied with insults, and I struck him.
He reported the fact to Col. Charles E. Bailey, who sustained him in his course, and
ordered him to write this order, which I received, and reported, and learned that
Mr. Chace was sustained. After being censured for what I believed to be my duty
in looking after the interests of my command, I have no other alternative, but ask
that the Regiment gets its just dues from these agents. His Excellency Governor
Smith directed me to bring the evidence against these men before the courts, and
they should be punished. My statements have always been refuted by them, and I
know His Excellency, once convinced of their conduct, would spurn them from him,
as he would never countenance such conduct. NELSON VIALL,
Lt. Col. Commanding lith Reg. R. I. H. A.

76 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

TESTIMONY OP F. N. SHELDON. (
Thursday, Jan. 26th, 1864. ,
Question. Were you in the employ of Major Engley at any time
and what were your duties ?
Answer. I was, sir ; from October 14th, 1863, to about the 1st of
Jan. 1864. I think he paid me for one hundred da^s. I was em
ployed by him in the first place to go to Watertown, N. Y., and bring
forward colored men that was enlisted and pay their fare. There was
a man there to enlist them. I only superintended their transpor
tation to this city.
Q. Did you make sales to recruits, and if so, what did you sell
on account of Major Engley, and to what amounts ?
A. There were watches, sir. Thirty were sold, (according to
paper produced by witness,) gloves 67 pairs, &c These things were
sold in the room adjoining the recruiting office, and by Mr. Hopkins,
who was to work with me, and who had the understanding with Ma
jor Engley ; and Hopkins is now in the United States Hotel, New
port. Part of the articles were sold at Dutch Island by him.
Q. How much was the gross amount of the sales ?
A. The gross amount of the sales was 12,392.89. It was bought
at wholesale by him and other parties in the office.
Q. What was the arrangement between you and him?
A. Major Engley wanted me to sell these goods, and agreed to
give me $2 a day. He wanted to get me to cover up everything by
doing it in my own name. If there was any trouble he said he would
hold me harmless. These goods cost $1,819.50 ; that was the prices
of the bills that Major Engley returned to me. Some of them he
bought. A good many of them I bought myself, of different parties
here in the city. He has the names of every person of whom we
b.ought them. He had about one half of them left. The $2,392.89
paid for all and left about $500 in money.
Q. Were the recruits required to sign papers when they were
brought in.
A. A great many of the recruits brought in signed this paper.
Some would sign that they were enlisted for $50 ; some for $100 ;
some for $150 bounty, whatever Major Engley said. I have heard
him ask time and time again how much did they agree to enlist for.
Q. Were they required to sign a paper without being told what
it was ?
A. Not that I know of. It was read to them. I don't know of
any to whom it was not read.
Q. Who was in the habit of issuing transportation.
A. In Major Engley's time the order was always signed by Major
Engley, and in his absence by the book-keeper, Mr. Noyes.
Q. Did not lewd women use that transportation between here and
New York ?
A. I can tell you what I have heard and understood. From my
own knowledge I cannot swear to the thing. I have heard and

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 77
understood that there have been women carried backwards and for
wards on government transportation. I have always heard of it, as
well as when I was with Gen. Frieze and Gen. Cooke, the same
remark when I was military storekeeper; and I have seen them
change their passes so as to try to avoid it.
Q. Do you know anything about recent recruiting matters ?
A. No, sir, I do not ; I have not had anything to do with it for
over a year.
Q. State any other matters coming to your knowledge relating to
this subject.
A. In regard to these men, I would say that, as justice of the
peace, I swore ih a great many of them. I have known Major Eng
ley. after they were sworn in and uniformed, to advance the recruit
$10 or $15 in money, and take the recruits' check to his order for $25
of his bounty, and he must take the balance of it in these articles of
Major Engley. In one or two instances only was it less than $10,
which was for straps and sergeants stripes. Those I would go off and
buy, and pay for them in money. Others, when they would buy
these goods, would sign this order payable to him. I went and got
insurance out as agent, on that stock of goods. All these orders were
turned over to Major Engley, either by me or Mr. Hopkins. He
would take these orders and carry them, I suppose to Col. Francis,
and get the money on them, for he never had any trouble in getting
any money from that source whatever, that I know of. I have never
recruited any men, except two in the first breaking out of the war.
They were for the First Battery. I was with Gens. Stead, Frieze,
Cooke and Mauran. I was with them till the 1st of October, 1863.
After I got through with Major Engley, Engley removed all the
goods from the store up to his own house. Then, after that, he em
ployed Hopkins again to go to Dutch Island and sell them. I know
nothing about what was done or how much was sold. I went to
Fortress Monroe with Major Engley ; but he. was out of pocket on
that, and did not accomplish anything.
TESTIMONY OF C. M. STONE.
I am Cashier of the Atlantic Bank.
Q. Have you copies of any portion of the account of the late
Paymaster General?
A. I have.
Q. Produce it.
(The witness produced copies of account from the 25th of March,
which are annexed to this testimony.)
A. Among these, there are two or three checks that were signed
before. One in particular, was signed on the 24th ; it was for
$15,000, J. B. Hoskins, Cashier. That came in on the 26th, I think.
It is dated the 24th.
Q. Is there any other ?
A. There are two others signed, one to C. R. Drowne, Cashier
of the Liberty Bank, for $4,000, and one for $3,000 to me. That

78 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
to me was for money put up the 24th, at the same time with Mr.
Hoskins; greenbacks to pay the soldiers. The account is correct
that is produced here. There is one check I would like to point out
at the bottom ; it is out of line of date ; $31 that we omitted in
making out the list ; that we found out and had to put it at the bot
tom; it is in April.
March 25, 1864, balance  $21,961 29
" 28, " cash  25,000 00
April 5, " "  7,143 59
• " 15, " "  213 00
May 9, " "  ,  1,800 00
August 10, " "  3,730 00
Ootober 20, " "  1,585 00
Nov. 17, " "  1,336 00

March 26,

1864

it it

tt

29,

«

April 5,

"

" 7,

**

" 12,

tt

tt a

«

" 14,

«

" 15,

tt

" 22,

tt

May 10,

tt

" 13,

tc

" 24,

"

Nov. 18,

"

April 13,

tc

Total.  $62,768 88

Check J. B. Hoskins, date March 24, 1864,  $15,000 00
" C. M. S., or bearer  3,000 00
" C. R. Drowne, March 26, 1864  4,000 00
" A. D. Smith, 3d, April 3, 1864  2,459 00
" J. M. Talcott, April 6, 1864  50 00
" F. Salmen, April 7, 1864  ,  27 00
" C M., or bearer, April 11, 1864  30 00
" Lothrop & Co., or bearer, April 12, 1864  40 75
" John W. Noyes, or bearer, April 13, 1864  150 00
" Luke S. Chace, or bearer, April 13, 1864  200 00
" Bank North America, or bearer, April 20, 1864. . 26 00
" J. B. Barnaby, May 6, 1864  32 00
" Bank of North'Ainerica, or bearer, May 11, 1864 28,000 00
" J. C. Engley, May 16, 1864  725 00
" Samuel A. Parker, G. T., or bearer, Nov. 17, 1864 8,500 00
" Jeremiah Heath, or bearer, April 11, 1864  31 00
Balance  498 13

Total  $62,768 88
TESTIMONY OF DAVID E. HOWARD.
Monday. Feb. 22d, 1864.
Question. Where do you reside ?
Answer. In Providence.
Q. Is this your place of residence ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you always lived here ?
A. I have always lived here, except when I went away to make
a visit, now and then.
Q. Have you seen this paper ?
A. No, sir. I have not read it. It was taken yesterday from my
statement. Q. You can read can't you ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Look that over and see.
[Examines an affidavit signed by himself.]

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 79
[Copy.] Providence, February 21st, 1864.
I, David E. Howard, of the city of Providence, R. I., am twenty years old; have
been occupied as a servant in the family of Mr. Russell M. Lamed, for the last five or
six years. On Wednesday morning, February 17th, I met Jay West, at the request
of Quartermaster Pearce of the 14th R. I. H. A., who took me to Dr. Gardiner, for
the purpose of having me examined to be enlisted in said regiment. I was stripped
and examined by Dr. Gardiner, who told me that he could not pass me as I had a
rupture. I was much surprised, and told him that I never knew that I had a rup
ture, and thou'ght that I would be likely to know it if such was the case. Dr. Gardi
ner and West had some private conversation before I was examined. Finding that I
could not pass, I left them and came down the street. West told me then that he
would see me that afternoon at 5 o'clock. I failed to meet West at that time ; I was
half an hour too late. One Thursday morning I went to the recruiting office (No. 10,
Custom House street,) and met West; Mr. Chace (Luke Chace) afterwards came in.
Before Chace came in, Mr. West told rae that Dr. Miller would put me in shape so
that I could enlist for fifty dollars ; West said that he was a doctor, and could do it for
twenty -five dollars; I declined to pay it; he then offered to do it for twenty dollars.
Mr. Chace then came in and said to West that he would get my papers ready to sign.
On Friday morning I went again to the same office and saw West ; he told me to
wait a few minutes and Mr. Chace would be in. Mr. Chace came in with the papers
in his pocket. He had two orders made out on-one sheet of paper ; laid them on the
desk and told me to sign them. I saw on one order something about twenty dollars
for services, and concluded that I was to pay that amount to be enlisted. I supposed
that the other order was for the same thing, but did not read it. I have reason to
believe now, that the other order was assigning to Mr. Chace seventy-five dollars
more of my bounty. Mr. Chace put these orders in his pocket. When I signed the
enlistment papers, I put ray name twice on three papers. I am confident that Dr.
Gardiner's name was on the papers when I signed them. I have since seen the papers
and have seen Dr. Gardiner's signature on them. After signing the enlistment papers,
I was sworn in by Thomas Greene — and mustered in by Capt. Silvey the same day ;
I also received an order for my clothes, and obtained the clothes. I have made three
applications for my bounty money, and cannot obtain it.
(Signed) DAVID E. HOWARD.
I certify that the above is a true copy,
' WM. E. HAMLIN,
Captain and Provost Marshal.
Personally appeared before me this day, February 21st, 1864, in the city of Provi
dence, the within named David E. Howard, and made oath that the within statement
is true, to the best of his knowledge and belief.
(Sio-ned) WM. E. HAMLIN,
Justice of the Peace.
A. I have read this paper through. I think if these orders could
be obtained, you could tell mine — what they were.
Q. Who is this Jay West ?
A. I never saw him before this. The first time I ever saw him
was at the boat.
Q. Is he a colored man?
A. No, sir.
Q. What boat?
A. At the tuo- — the American Union — the one that runs down to
the Island.
Q. Does he work on the boat ?
A. No, sir ; he is recruiting.
Q. Mr. Thomas. Has he a uniform ?
A. He had on a uniform coat and a hat with a braid on it.

80 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. You say that on the 17th of February, you were examined
by Dr. Gardiner ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. He told you, you had a rupture ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. He rejected you on that account ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did he tell you he could cure it ?
A. No, sir. He did not say anything about it ?
Q. Was it the same day that Dr. Gardiner examined you, that
you went to the recruiting office on Custom House street ?
A. No, sir. I did not go there until 5 1-2 o'clock, that afternoon.
Q. Was it the same day?
A. Yes, sir ; on that afternoon.
Q. The very same day ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who is this Chace ?
A. I do not know, sir. He is a stranger to me.
Q. Does he keep the recruiting office ?
A. I do not know, sir, as he does. It is all connected with Ma-
or Engley's up there. There is another one on Westminster street,
and another one on College street.
Q. Is this Major Engley's office, No. 10 College street ?
A. That's what I was informed by this West.
Q. Have you seen Major Engley there ?
A. No, sir. I have not seen him there.
Q. Did ydu agree to give West twenty dollars, if he would put
you through ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You signed an order for twenty dollars ?
A. I signed something — I suppose so.
Q. Mr. Thomas. How came you to agree to give him twenty
dollars. A. I told him if he could cure me, so that I could pass the sur
geon, I would do it rather than not go.
Q. Did he suggest in advance that he could get you. through ?
A. Yes, sir. Before I 
Q. Tell what his language was ?
A. He said, Dr. Miller said he would not touch my case short of
fifty dollars. That he could cure me if I could pay him that fifty
dollars. I told him I thought that rather steep. Then he»said he
would agree to do it for twenty-five dollars, and then he came down
to twenty dollars. I told him I thought that was rather steep, but
rather than not go I would do it.
Q. Mr. Chace brought in these orders for you to sign ?
A. Yes, sir, he took them out of his pocket and said he had them
ready. I read one of them — just run it over — and I saw an order
for $20 payable to West.
Q. Payable to West ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 81
A. Yes, sir, I think it was ; I could not say certain ; I just run
it over ; I should have taken more notice of it.
Q. Did you sign more than one order ?
A. Yes, sir, I signed the other one.
Q. Who was the other order payable to ?
A. I did not take so much notice of the other as I did the first.
Q. What was the amount and why did you sign ?
A. I was in rather a hurry. I had got through with the enlist
ment papers — was sitting there at the table and he came in in a great
haste, and wanted I should sign these orders ; said there was some
orders for me to sign.
Q.- Did he tell you, you could not be accepted unless you signed
this order ?
A. He stated, I should be put in shape so that I could go — that
this West would put me in shape, and I might call myself lucky to
get off for the price he named. This West, he said, had hundreds
and hundreds of just such cases. He said he never failed of curing
any yet. I do not know whether he cured mine ; I never took any
notice of it.
Q. What do you think the other order was ?
A. Oh, well, I could not positively say. It might have been to
sign for more money to him and it might not.
Q. Did you read any of it ?
A. No, sir, not the least mite of il .
Q. Was it on the same sheet of paper ?
A. I think it was.
Q. Who took the orders ?
A. Chace took them and put them into his pocket.
Q. What did you do then ?
A. I came off.
Q. Did you sign any other papers ?
A. ¦ I signed the enlistment papers, previous to signing these orders.
Q. You signed the enlistment papers, first ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where did you sign the enlistment papers.
A. In this office. Chace told me to go down and be sworn in —
go and get my clothes, and then come over and get my money, and
I did so.
Q. ByMr. Hill. How much did they pay you ?
A. When I went over I had not my uniform on, and he told me
I could not have it until I got my uniform. I came the next morn
ing. The next day I went to see Mr. Noyes, and I had my uniform
on, and he asked me what I wanted, and I told him I wanted my
money. I told him I expected my money would be paid me. This
Mr. Chace, he said, I ought not to believe what everybody told me.
He said I could not get my money until I was mustered in to the
company — I told him I did not understand it so. I was mustered in
as a recruit. If mustered in with the company I should get my
money with the company.
li

82 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Who refused to pay this money ?
A. This Noyes refused to pay it,' and Chace refused to pay it ;
he said as soon as I got my uniform I should have my money ; I
went the second time ; Noyes was there ; and the third time Chace
was there ; he said that he wanted to know what I wanted. I told
him I wanted my money, and : he said you can't get any ; that was
after he was spoken to about this case. He said he could not get
money. Then he said Major Engley was not in — said another
thing — he guessed I should have to wait for my money. Then he
went on to speak about this case — this statement that I made to the
Colonel ; I told Colonel Viall, in the first place, after I had agreed
to give this $20 ; I went down to Mr. Russell Larned's office ; the
clerk was there, and I sat down there to write a note ; he asked me
what I was going to do, and I told him I was going to write a note
to Quartermaster Pearce about this $20 ; he wanted to know what I
was going to write ; I told him I thought it was a swindle, and I
wanted his -opinion. That morning I (the boat) did not go down
early on account of low tide ; I went down and put it into the hands
of a Captain on board a sloop, and I did not see him again.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. When did you see him ? (Colonel Viall.)
A. The first time I knew of his being up, he sent for me down
to the Quartermaster's. Colonel Viall sent word that he wanted to
see me at the Quartermaster General's.
Q. By Mr. T. Do you mean the Quartermaster General's office
or the Paymaster's office ?
A. I mean the Quartermaster General's, down in South Main
S treet ; then he told me to meet him haif an hour hence on the
bridge, and I failed to do so. Then I went back to the Quarter
master General's, and saw Quartermaster John B. Pearce, and he
told me he had not seen him there, that he met him at Bowen &
Clark's, and they said the Colonel was to be there at a quarter of
three o'clock. A gentleman there said he was to be there at two
o'clock. I supposed by that time I should go ahead and get my
money ; and then I went over to the office and saw this Noyes, and
he refused to pay it. Then I went again, and I saw this Chace.
Q. What did they refuse to pay ?
A. I told him I wanted my money, and he said he guessed I should
not get it. Said I, you told me that when I got my uniform, I could
come and get my money. I have got it On now, and I should like to
have it. Said I : "I suppose you are the man who pays the money ?"
He said he had nothing to do with it. You told me to come over as
soon as I got my uniform, and you would pay this money. Then he
went on to talking about this that the colonel had spoken to him about.
He had spoken, he said, abput it. I told him I had nothing to say
about that, I came to get my money, and he would not talk about that.
Q. Did you sign that, (presenting an enlistment paper).
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And that?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And that?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 83
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When did you sign those three ?
A. I signed those Thursday, when I was up there. The first
day I was at Dr. Gardiner's, and that one. That one I signed the
same day ; and that one I signed the same day.
Q. Is that (another) your signature ?
A. Yes, sir ; that I signed last Saturday. I signed that last Sat
urday, and then was sworn in by Thomas Greene, and then sworn in
by Capt. Silvey.
Q. Was it Saturday or Friday that you signed this ?
A. This was Saturday ; I believe it was.
Q. Was Dr. Gardiner's name on it when you signed it?
A. As nigh as I can recollect, it was. I remarked that it was all
signed. A. Was Dr. Gardiner present when you signed it?
A. No, sir ; it was over in the recruiting office.
Q. Have you seen Dr. Gardiner since you signed these papers.
A. No, sir ; I never went before him but once. I remarked that
this West asked him if I was to go up, and he said, no. He said that
he had fixed it all straight.
Q. Did you know you had a rupture?
A. I did not know anything about it. I never was troubled.
I have been out with two regiments. I did not know that anything
ailed me.
Q. How many of those did you sign ?
A. I signed three of them.
Q. You kopt one of them ?
A. I have not had any of them. I only signed three — twice on
each — six times*
Q. This is dated the 19th, that would be Friday? Are you sure
it was not Friday ?
A. Yes, sir, it was Friday ; because Saturday Was the day I
got on me this uniform, — because I went up the next day, Saturday,
to get on my uniform and get my money.
Q. They never have paid you since ?
A. No, sir ; they never have.
Q. Was this second order the same as the first ?
A. I could not say, sir ; it was a longer order.
Q. More words in it ?
A. Yes, sir. Col. Viall said Chace told him I could not write.
I would like to have him make this order and I would sign it. I
never told him I could not write. I sat at the table and signed my
papers, and he remarked that Col . Viall ought to make me a sergeant,
and flattered me considerably ; but I did not mind his puffing.
Q. What reason did they give you for not paying you any money ?
A. The first reason was that I had not got on my uniform, and
then I went and got it on.
Q. This was Saturday ?
A. No, sir. Friday I got my uniform. ~\ I went and got these

84 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
papers signed, and then went to Capt. Silvey and Thomas Greene,
and then went down and got my uniform. But I came up to Thomas
Greene's first, and then he said he was going down to Capt. Silvey s ;
and on Saturday he said go and get an order for a uniform. He
went up and told me not to come away till he came out. I got tired
of standing, and went across the street, and then he came out and
said he was ready to go down ; and then after that I went down to
get it. I was speaking about puttting it on. I supposed I should put
it on as soon as I got it, and he said he had arranged that, and I need
not put it on until I had altered it. I wanted some pockets in the
coat and blouse, &c. I did not want to put it on until I had fixed it.
He said he had arranged it so that I need not put it on. It seems as
though Captain Silvey had not said I had got to put it on. I carried
off the coats to have the pockets put in, and then came up to get my
money, and ha refused to pay it.
Q. Mr. Hill. The first time because you had not your uni
form on ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was the next excuse, the next time — the next day ?
A. This Noyes was there ; could not get the money then ; said I
could not get it until the company was paid off. I told him I was
not assigned to any company. He said he believed I was assigned.
I said I supposed I got my money as a recruit. I told him
beside, that this Chace had told me that I could come and get
my money as soon as I got my uniform ; and he said (Chace) I must
not mind what everybody said ; and then I went off and went there
again, and got there just about dark. I guess there was a light there,
and this Chace was there, and he wanted to know what I wanted ;
and I told him I wanted my money ; and he said that I could not
get it, that the paymaster was out of town ; he believed that the
paymaster was out of town. I had seen the paymaster about half an
hour before that. I did not say anything to him about it. I believe
I asked him when I should get it, and he said 
Q. Mr. Thomas. What makes you think that order was $75 ?
A. Well, I could not say whether it was $75 or anything else. I
have no particular r'eason.
Q. There was nobody but Mr. Chace there, when you signed ?
A. Yes ; this West was there.
Q. You signed the papers ?
A. Mr. Chace brought them. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know who signed that ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do* you know his hand writing?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did he have them after you signed them ?
A. Yes, sir ; he put them in his pocket, and said he would fix
them all right. This West said, up to Dr. Gardiner's, talking about
enlisting — this business, to Dr. Gardiner — he said a good many, two-
thirds, did not get but $200 ; quite a number but $150. Dr. Gardiner

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 85
asked how much he was going to give me, and he said he appeared to
be a pretty intelligent fellow, and guessed they should have to pay
$300. On my way back, he asked me how much I expected ; and
asked me how much it was ; and I told him I believed it was $300 ;
and he said that was what the quartermaster told him he would
give me. '
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You have never been to the paymaster
for your bounty ?
A. No, sir ; I did not know what course to pursue to get the
money. Q. Do you know Major Engley ?
A. No, sir. I have never seen him in the office.
Q. Do you know Major Sanford ?
A. Yes, sir. I never spoke to him. I have trusted to these fine
recruiting officers.
Q. You know Mr. Pearce ?
A. Yes, sir. I was to go into his department.
Q. He was the first one to speak to you ?
A. Yes, sir. . v
Q. Did he introduce you to anybody ?
A. Yes, sir ; he told this West to go up with me. He bad so
mudh to do that he could not attend to it. So he went up and got
the papers and went up there.
Chair. Q. Did you say you had been in the camp ?
A. No, sir ; I haven't been in camp yet.
Q. You have not been mustered in ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By whom ?
A. Capt. Silvey. After I found I got properly fixed on those
enlisting papers, I knew I could not get out of it. The signature of
Dr. Gardiner was there, so then I wrote this note to the quarter
master, to know what he thought about it. I thought I would find
out, before I paid the $20, whether the fellow was entitled to it
or npt.
Q. Have you seen the Paymaster General ?
A. No, sir ; I saw him riding round street Saturday, that's all.
TESTIMONY OF LUKE S. CHACE.
Question. What is your name ?
Answer. Luke S. Chace.
Q. Where do you reside ?
A. In Providence, sir.
Q. Are you at present engaged in the recruiting business ?
A. No, sir. I am at work in the recruiting office, but I do no
business in that line myself.
Q. What do you do in the office ?
A. Write in the office. It is not my business to recruit.
Q. By whom employed ?
A. Major J. C. Engley.

86 , REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

Q

Writing for him ?

A. Yes, sir.
Q. Filling up enlistment papers ?
A. Yes, sir ; for Major J. C. Engley ?
Q. How long have you been in Major Engley's office ?
A. Since the 5th of December, sir, 1863.
Q. Was that paper filled up by you ?
A. (Examines.) No, sir. It is not my writing, no portion of it.
Q. Any of those ?
A. Neither of those. There is none of my writing on that one.
Q. That?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know whose writing this is ?
A. Weil, I should not be willing to swear that I knew whose it
was, because, I  . No, sir. I could not swear I did know
whose writing it was, — it would be a supposition.
Q. Have you ever seen these papers before ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know this David ^. Howard ?
A. T presume I should recognize him if he were shown to me.
Q. Is this the man ?
A. Yes, sir ; that's the man brought into the office as Howard.
Q. Look at that paper. Is any part of that your handwriting?
A. No, sir. No portion of it ?
Q. Have you ever seen that paper before ?
A. I have seen some papers signed by this David E. Howard.
Whether this is one of them, or not, I could not say. I hardly can say
that I have seen them. I have noticed them very slightly. I had
some papers in my hands this Ihorning, but whether this is one of
them I cannot say. I should very likely suppose so. It might be.
Q. Was this morning the first time you have ever seen it?
A. Oh yes, I recollect now ; I remember about them. It seems
to me I saw this man's papers on Saturday. I knew he had enlisted'
and had some papers ; I had nothing to do with making them out ; I
have not made out any papers for a number of days, as we have no
men from abroad.
Q. Did he enlist in your office (Major Engley's) where you
were ?
A. I presume the papers were made out at No. LO Custom
House street ; as I had very few to make out, I was at the other office,
81 Westminster street, when this man was enlisted ; another par
ty enlisted him — an outside man.
Q. Do you know who it was enlisted him ?
A. A man by the name of West.
Q. Is he an agent of Major Engley, or in Major Engley's employ?
A. I think he is not in his employ ; I never knew him to be, and
never heard anything about it at all ; he is back and forth, sometimes
here and sometimes away.
Q. What makes you think he enlisted this man ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 87 .
A. He came to me and said he had got a man who belongs in the
city and wanted to enlist, and wanted to know if he should enlist
him. Q. J. C. Engley appears as the recruiting officer who enlisted
him? A. Yes, sir, he has to sign all papers.
Q. This West must have been in his employ if he did the work ?
A. Well, no sir, I don't so consider it ; I never heard he was in
his employ ; I never knew he was paid anything by Major Engley ;
still, it may be so, I cannot say.
Q. Does this Mr. West stay in the city ?
A. As I remarked a few moments since ; he is here to-day and
away to-morrow : his business takes him to the front, or nearly there ;
he goes into the field and buys goods for sutlers.
Q. You don't know where this was made ?
A. I could not tell you where, I presume at No. 10 Custom
House street. The same hand writing as these others.
Q. Did Dr. Gardiner ever sign these papers in blank ?
A. I never knew him to do so ; I could not say ; I know he is
very particular whenever I have taken men there, to have the nanies
checked when signed ; he is very regular indeed ; first picking out
the papers of all rejected men. I never asked him to sign one in
blank. Q. You have never seen any papers in Major Engley's office ; in
either of his offices signed by Dr. Gardiner in blank ?
A. Never, sir.
Q. Do you know whether that is Dr. Gardiner's signature ?
A. I should think it was ; it is a very difficult one to counterfeit.
Q. Did you see him sign it ?
A. No sir ; I don't know as I ever saw these papers before ; I
think I have ; I could not say that I had. #
Q. Did you see Dr. Gardiner sign anv papers that day ? (last
Friday? A. No sir, I do not think I have seen Dr. Gardiner sign a paper
for some days until this morning, he signed a duplicate set for me
after I have given him a certificate, and after a re-examination of the
man ; I gave him a certificate. I believe that the first papers were
lost ; at any rate, not to be found, and also made some statement
before Captaip Silvey. That is the only set of papers I have seen
him sign in a week ; I could not say certain ; I could tell by looking
at the books when the last papers were made up, but I don't recollect.
Q. You did not procure him to sign any papers on that day, (the
19th.) A. No, sir ; I had not seen Dr. Gardiner in a number of days,
until this morning. It is three or four days at least since I have
seen Dr. Gardiner at all, either at his office or on the street, or at
our office.
Q. Did you have any conversation this morning with Dr. Gardi
ner about this paper, or about this man ?

88 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you see this David Howard sign any order ?
A. I did, sir.
Q. What was the order ?
A. An order for $20, sir.
Q. To whom was the order payable ?
A. Payable to a man by the name of West, I suppose.
Q. This same West that you speak of ?
A. Yes, sir. I wrote the' order for Mr. West, by request of Mr.
West. Q. And this man ? x
A. He and West were together, and it was as they had no form ;
he spoke and asked me if I would write an order.
Q. When was that ?
A. It was Friday afternoon, I think, between three and four
o'clock.- Q. Was this in your office ?
A. In the office at 10 Custom House street. I happened to be
going through there. I guess I was going to the North American
Eating House to get some dinner, and I ran up and through there to
see if all was right. I went up stairs and they asked my attention to
it, and I did what they wanted.
Q. You wrote at the request of both these men ?
A. No, I don't know ; I believe I wrote the order. I guess — I
reckon — I have thought so little about it — I believe I wrote the order
on the morning of the same day — Friday — or about noon-time some
where, putting in the most material parts, and leaving out to whom
the order was payable.
Q. Who was present when you wrote it ?
A. I don't recollect of any one's being in the office ; I could
not say.
Q. Who requested you to write the order ?
A. As I said before, the first time I saw the man, I guess, was
on Friday morning. I went into the office to see if any one was in
— if the doctor was to call and examine, to see if he would come
down. Sometimes he came, and sometimes not — and this man was
there. I think this must be the man ; and he says, I am going to
enlist to-day ; I have been trying for a number of days ; and he says,
I want to see you a moment. Well, says I, what is it ? He stepped
along, and went into another room, and he says, I want to pay this
man, West, $20 out of my bounty. Said I, I suppose you can do it, if
you choose. Well, said he, how shall I do ? Said I, I suppose you
can give an order on your bounty. Well, says he, I don't know how
to write one. Oh, well, says I, West can do it, and went out into
the other room. They talked it over, and finally, I believe, asked
me to write — that is, one such as they wanted — did not know any
particular difference. I had no paper there, as I recollect. I had no
form, and when I came down to the other office, they signed it.i
Q. Did Mr. Howard sav he wanted to give West an order
for $20?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 89
A. He said it is a matter between me and West. I did not know
what the matter was.
Q. Did he not say what the matter was ?
A. No, sir ; not to me.
Q. Did you see him sign the order ?
A. I noticed that he read the order very carefully, and then
signed it. I never had seen him write before, and I was surprised,
and said, you'll have a chance to get a place at the quartermaster's.
Said he, I have one now, and if I had a better pen I could write
better. Q. Was there more than one order ?
A. I don't know of another — there might have been ?
Q. Was there more than one order written on the paper — that
same half-sheet of paper ?
A. Nothing on that sheet of paper. There was a bill attached
to it.
Q. A bill against this man ?
A. A bill for advice and attendance. That I wrote at their request
— a bill of West against this man Howard for advice and attendance.
Q. On the top of the sheet?
A. The order was drawn underneath. The .whole was on one
sheet of paper.
Q. What was the amount of the bill ?
A. $20. The order was written to pay the above bill. I wrote
the bill and the order both at the same time.
Q. Is West a physician ?
A. Well, he claims to be some kind of a one.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What is this West's name?
A. J. West. Whether it is some initial, or whether it is J-a-y,
I don't know. I never knew him in any other way than as Capt.
West. Q. Does he hold a commission ?
A I don't know, sir. My acquaintance dates back ofthe time of
raising this regiment.
Q. By the Chairman. Do you know who holds that order on
Mr. West ?
A. No, sir, I only had that order for a little while.
Q. Will you repeat, as nearly as you can recollect, how the order
was written — the language of it ?
A. I think it read thus : Paymaster General of the State of R.
I., please pay the above bill and deduct the same- from my first State
bounty, as a recruit for the 14th Regt. R. I. H. A. I believe that
was the form. It is a matter in which I took so little interest ; I was
merely doing it to accommodate, as he had done me in a number of
instances. It did not get impressed upon my mind, and consequently
have not a very distinct recollection.
Q . Are you sure he did not sign his name to both of these papers ?
Did not he sign twice ?
A. I saw West receipt the bill, and this man signed the order
12 v

90 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
under it. The whole never was torn apart; the bill and the order
were both attached. . ¦¦ ,
. Q. Consequently, when the order was paid, the bill would De
sent to the man receipted ? „
A. I suppose that would be the way. I had got it out ot my
hands, and I had nothing further to do with it.
Q. Do vou recollect what the items were ? ;
A. It was anly one item, that of advice and attendance— doctor s
bm- , , , • * a
Q. Did you know at that time that Howard had been rejected
by the examining surgeon ?
A. No, sir, I did not ; I knew nothing about the man— not a
thing— I could not have told where he belonged; I guess I did not
know where he belonged until Saturday morning ; it might have
been earlier than that. I never looked at the papers— didn tread
them. This party had made out the papers, and was acquainted
with the whole business of enlisting men as much as I was, and as
the man belonged to him or was sent to him by some party —
Q. Why did he ask you to write the order, if he was acquainted
with the business ?
A. That I do not know ; perhaps, because he did not like to
write it himself. I presume he asked me, from the fact, that I had
asked him to do some business for me in Washington, and', perhaps,
he wanted I should accommodate him a little, as well as he should
accommodate me. I asked this man (Howard) very particularly at
the time if this matter was all straight, before anything further was
done about the matter ; I asked if everything was satisfactory on his
part, and he acknowledged that it was.
Q. Did you know whether Mr. West had this paper signed by
Dr. Gardiner at that time ?
A. I know nothing about that matter ; I did not even know that.
Dr. Gardiner signed the papers — I could not say.
Q. Had Mr. West ever said anything about this man before that?
A. No, sir, until, I suppose, three minutes — it may be five min
utes before — because I had not an idea but what the matter was
entirely straight on his part, and was very much surprised to hear
anything to the contrary ; I little suspected anything out of the way.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You have heard to the contrary ?
A. I heard that this man had repudiated his bill, although he
afterwards told me he did not.
Q. By the Chairman. Has he called on you for his bounty ?
A. Yes, sir, he came and wanted to know when he could get it ;
he did not call on me for it, because I never pay them. I told him
the Paymaster was away — that it was too late for the Paymaster
then, and that he could not get his pay. It was six o'clock on Satur
day evening, and, in the first place when he came and wanted it, he
was without his uniform ; I said he never would pay anything with
out the man had his uniform on. Howard said, " I have taken off
mine to have some pockets put in ;" and I said, I don't know whether

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 91
he will pay you without your uniform on or not ; I said I don't pay
out any money — it's after the Paymaster's hours, and I could not
pay him. I don't know how they have paid the men of the Four
teenth Regiment since they have filled up this last battalion.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Has it not been the custom in that office
to pay men the bounties ?
A. Yes, sir, they used to advance men $25 ; but that was stopped
for some reason or other, and I don't know how they have paid them
since. Sometimes the men ask about it, and I would go and ask
Major Engley when it was going to be paid. He would reply : " Oh,
well, when you get an order," or " when it comes," or "I will sele."
Q. By Mr. Thomas. The Governor's order authorizes its being
paid on being sworn in ?
• A. Yes, sir.
Q. There has been a system in that office of furnishing this twenty
five dollars without reference to the Paymaster ?
A. Oh, yes.
Q. Was there any exception about it, except where there was no
money coming to the man ?
A. I could not pay, because I had not any authority.
Q. Will you state the system by which they got their bounties ?
A. In the first place we enlist the man and he signs the papers —
the papers are fiilled up and he signs them ; he writes his name or
makes his mark and it is witnessed, and then he is taken before Dr.
Gardiner and examined ; and if he passes, the Doctor signs it ; if not,
he ordinarily takes charge of the papers, very seldom leaves them
behind unless marked, and if not signed by the Doctor they are
worthless of course ; then he is taken before a justice of the peace
and sworn in ; from there, before Captain Silvey and mustered ; from
there he goes to the clothing department, and gets his uniform.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What do they carry to the Quartermaster
or his agents, for a uniform ?
A. An order.
Q. From whom ?
A. Major Engley.
Q. This boy had that order ?
A. I guess so ; because he could not get it without. I don't know
as they ever drew a uniform without ; it may have been so in one
case. Q. By the Chairman. Is that the only paper that the Quarter
master has ?
A'. No. He has a special order from the Governor for clothing
all the men. I don't know how it reads. I have read it, it said,
general order to clothe.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. On whose private order was the clothing
on ? On yours ?
A. I never drew an order for clothing. Major Engley by his
attorney does so, and it is charged to the account of special orders I
suppose in the Quartermaster's department.

92 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. By the Chairman. Are not you authorized to use Major
Engley's name in drawing an order on the Quartermaster ?
A. " No, sir.
Q. In his business who does draw the orders ?
A. His attorney, Mr. Noyes.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was Mr. Noyes absent when this man
came for his bounty ?
A. Yes, sir, he was absent^absent Saturday night — when he
came in there, he was out.
Q. Are these papers in Mr. Noyes handwriting ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Mr. West's, are they ?
A. I don't know. I don't know, sir. There is Mr. Noyes' hand
writing — J. C. Engley in there — that is the reason why I sup
posed I might have seen that paper before.
Q. You have been in Mr. Engley's office since early in December ?
A. December 5th.
Q. Were you at any time previous to that in his office, or in any
way connected with him ?
A. Not previous to that.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. All the business you carry on there, you
do for him ?
A. Yes, sir. I have no other business at all ; that is, all the busi
ness I do in his office. This matter of these orders I did not consider
his business in no way. I done that to accommodate another party ;
to accommodate a friend who asked me, and I was in the habit of
getting accommodations myself. All the business I do in his office is
done for him.
Q. Have you sold any watches, or other property, to any of the
recruits in this regiment.
A. Neither watches, or anything else, in any way, or shape, or
fashion. Q. Have you known of any being sold at either of Major Engley's
offices ?
A. Allow me to correct myself, as to the first statement. I had
a watch in my pocket that I had carried two years, which I did sell
to one of the men after being importuned three days for me to let him
have it. By the consent of other parties, whom" I asked what they
thought I had better do with it, I did sell the watch I had carried
myself for two years, and that's the only thing I have sold. I
ha.d forgotten that when you asked me that question. That's the only
thing I have ever sold — watches or anything else — to the men belong
ing to the Fourteenth Regiment.
Q. How were you paid for that ?
A. That was paid by an order. He gave an order for it.
Q. How much was it ?
A. $30. I have seen the man a number of times since, and he is
perfectly satisfied with his bargain ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 93
Q. Have you known of any watches or other property being sold
to these men, by any person in or about Major Engley's office ?
A. Well, I suppose I have not seen or known of watches being sold
about his office, I don't know as I ever saw them sold about his office,
or in his office. I ran into his office at one time, I don't know when
exactly, but I should think likely it might have been the last of
November, to ask for a man, and I saw watches in the office.
Whether there was any sold or not, I could not say. I only went
and looked into the door, and turned right about and went out.
Whether I know that there was any sold or not, I could not say, for
I don't know as any watches were sold at that time.
Q. Havn't you any reason to suppose that watches were sold to
these men ?
A. I have some reason to suppose — no other than as men say they
have bought watches of some one or other. I have been accused of
having sold watches ; but I deny the charge, with this one exception
I have stated.
Q. What kind of watches were those you saw ?
A. I never stopped to examine. I stepped into the door, and
might have gone in three or four steps, and turned and went ou.t.
Q. Who had charge of those watches ?
A. I don't know anything about it. I could not tell anything
about who the man was. I don't .know as there were but two men
in the office that I knew at the time.
Q. Who were they?
A. I think Mr. Engley and Mr. Noyes were both in the office,
and I asked is Mr. Helme in ? and turned and went out.
Q. Have you heard any of the men say they bought watches of
Major Engley, or any person in his office ?
A. I never heard them say anything about it as I recollect.
Q. Have you heard Major Engley ?
A. I have heard him talk, and some others talk and tell about it
— something, I could not swear what.
Q. Did you ever hear Major Engley say anything about selling
watches to these men ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever hear Mr. Noyes ?
A. I do not recollect.
Q. Was Mr. Sheldon ever in the office ?
A. He has been in that office.
Q. Have you ever heard him say anything about it ?
A. Yes, sir, I have.
Q. Have you ever heard him say that he sold watches to these
men — any of them ?
A. Well, I don't know as I ever heard him say that he had. done
it or not ; I could not say ; I should not wish to be positive in the
matter. Q. Have you stated all you know about the watch trade carried
on there ?

94 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Well, I know there were watches sold to the men about there ;
I know that I have seen them give orders for watches.
Q. To whom were the orders payable ?
A. The orders say for themselves.
Q. Don't you know
A. I think the orders were payable to Sheldon — all of them.
Q. Did you write the orders ?
A. No, sir, the orders were partly printed and then filled up ;
I now and then filled up an order ; I guess I filled up one or two ; I
don't know what I filled them for ; I filled up certain orders — am not
certain what article ; but, judging from the price, I surmised what it
might be. I would not swear that I filled up an order for a watch,
except that I spoke about individually.
Q. When you filled up orders, were the parties present and
signed them ?
A. Oh, yes, sir.
Q. Did not you know from what was said, that they were
for watches ?
A. Oh, judging from what they said, I suppose that was what
they were for.
Q. Don't you know ?
A. I did not know ; I could not know, unless I sold them myself;
I had every reason to suppose they were for a watch.
Q. Did you ever look at them to know anything about their
character ?
A. I have looked — I have seen men that had them in the office —
I have occasionally looked at them.
Q. What kind of watches were they ?
A. I don't know ; they were Tobias watches — -Tobias, Liverpool,
was the name on them ; I don't know whether they were Lepine or
Lever; I don't know myself; don't know where they were obtained.
Q. Did you know anything about the watches, to know anything
about their value ?
A. No, sir, I am not well enough acquainted with watches to
know or tell anything about that at all. I never bought but one
watch in my life, as I know of, and that I bought a few days after I
sold my own ; I went and bought another.
Q. These orders for watches, so far as you know, personally,
were all in favor of Sheldon ? Do you know whether Sheldon was
in the employ of Engley ?
A. I don't know, sir. I don't know of any man in his employ,
except Mr. Noyes ; I know he is, because I heard them talk about
it. He is attorney, and appointed and acting by written authority.
I judge that Mr. Noyes is in his employ ; of any other man, I could
not say whether he was in his employ or not.
Q. Have you ever been sutler to the Fourteenth Regiment ?
A. No, sir ; and to no other regiment. As I remarked, I never
sold anything to a colored man.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 95
David E. Howard was permitted to ask the witness questions.
Q. _ I should like to know if I gave him authority to say — if I said
anything about this order ?
A. Certainly you did.
Q. I know you made a statement that I did not think quite right.
You said I could not write.
A. No ; I did not.
Mr. Chace to Mr. Howard. Did you read the order, or not ?
H. I read the first one. I could not swear what the second was.
I signed two documents.
Chace. You never signed two in my presence.
Mr. Thomas to Mr. Howard. Q. Did you ask Mr. Chace in
the morning to make such an order ?
A. No, sir ; I did not.
Q. Was it in the afternoon when he did make it ? Had you
spoken to him before about making an order ?
A. No, sir ; I had said nothing.
Q. Did you speak to him about it ?
A. No, sir. He drew the order out of his pocket, and said he
had those orders drawn up, and wanted me to sign them.
Q. Who wanted you to sign them ?
A. Mr. Chace.
Q. But, in regard to asking him to draw up the order, you said
nothing ?
A. Nothing.
Q. Did he write the orders in your presence ?
A. No, sir ; they were not written there, while I was there.
Q. Had you previously said anything about giving the order.
A. No, sir; nothing was said about orders to me. When I
saw those orders, it was something about $20 that was named there ;
of course, I signed it ; but the second order I did not take particular
notice of enough to read it ; but I signed it.
To Mr. Chace. Chair. Q. Is it not customary to sign duplicate
orders. A. I never heard of it ; I never heard of anything of the kind.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. This order business could be disposed of if
this order could be found. Do you know where it could be obtained ?
A. On Saturday morning, West came to me and said, have you
the order I gave you yesterday ? I said, no. Where is it ? said he ;
at the Paymaster's, I gave it to him.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you draw the money on the order ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Why is it left at the Paymaster's ?
A. Why, he took the order with him when he went to pay the
man. Q. But there is advance money.
A. I do not' know any thing about that.
Q. Whv did you do that, if it was the practice to pay in the
office ?

96 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. There was an order came that stopped the payment of twen
ty-five dollars. I never knew anything about the arrangement. I
simply know that the men got twenty-five dollars when they were
sworn in, or when they were uniformed.
Q. By whom was the order paid ?
A. By the Paymaster,
Q. You knew that Major Engley had advanced that money ?
A. I know it has been paid in his office, and some time or other
I he&rd that no more men were to be paid so. Why it was stopped,
I could not tell. The orders being on the Paymaster individually to
pay. This order I lodged with the Paymaster for collection.
Q. You would do that in any other case.
A. Yes, of course. I suppose I should.
Q. Has it not been the practice with orders to make reports of
these orders, and draw the money on them for the men ?
A. I don't know about that. That is a part of the business I
have never had to do.
Q. By the Chairman. Did Mr. West request you to take it to
the Paymaster ?
A. He requested me to get it collected, that being the only way
I knew of, I carried it in and threw it on the table to the Paymaster;
when I went there (a quarter before two) I was going in to the Pay
master's to assist him (since the veterans came) in paying the
veterans. West either came there, or I met him, and he asked me
of the order ; said he, "can you get it," "yes," said I, "I suppose
so," I don't know, I am going where I left it, and he said I will go
along with you ; I walked in, the Paymaster was not in ; he very
soon came in, I said to the Paymaster, what did you do with the
order I gave you last ; said he, you will find it in " matters to be
attended to." I believe I went there and the man that sat there
said " here it is," and I took it out of the box and gave it to him
(West,) and he passed out. Since then I have heard no more about
it, and cannot say where the order is, or what became of it ; I merely
imagine where now, I do not know. The man told me that he did
not repudiate the order, on Saturday, and was willing to pay what he
agreed to pay, perfectly -willing ; but somebody had told him that
he ought not to pay it. There is another matter in regard to this
West ; he told me, the first time he said anything about it, that
the man was sent to him by Pearce — Quartermaster Pearce — for
him to enlist, and when asked, who claims the head-money on this
nian ? he says I don't know anything about the man ; and he says,
Quartermaster Pearce claims the head-money. Consequently we did
not enter him at all. He don't belong to us
Q. Is that probably the reason that this bounty is not paid by
Engley ?
A. I do not know. I don't understand why that matter is differ
ent from what it had been a week or two ago.
Q. Did I understand you that when you went to the paymaster

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 97
to inquire about this order, did you take the order ?
A. West was with me, and I took the order out of the box and
handed it to West, without opening it or looking at it, and West took
it and carried it off, and I have never seen it from that time to this.
Q. Is it not now in the paymaster's office?
A. I don't know ; I only know that I took it out.
Q. Where is West now ?
A. I do not know, sir. I saw him Saturday night, and he told
me he was going to Washington ; said he, " I was going to Wash
ington to-night, but I am going to stay out here on account of this
matter." " I think," he says, " I am going out into the country to
morrow — that would be Sunday — and shall return about noon on
Monday." But where he was going, or whether he will be back
again or not, I don't know.
Q. You said before that you did not know that he had any con
nection with Engley at present. Do you know whether he has been
at any time connected with recruiting ?
A. I can't say.
Q. Don't you know?
A. I have seen him about the office ; but whether he was at
work for Major Engley or not, I do not know. He might have been
about the office like a great many other men. He is a man very
accommodating ; ready to do any little chores ; to look after men ;
take them down to get them clothed, or do anything of that kind.
Whether he ever received any remuneration for it I could not say.
David E. Howard was then re-called.
Q. By the Chairman. When you signed this paper (this order)
did you see any bill on the paper ?
A. I saw something on there for services — something about ser
vices on the one I signed first.
Q. The one on the top of the paper ?
A. I signed two orders, and I knew it.
Q. You saw something on the top of the paper— saw something
about services ?
A. That, I could not say ; I knew it was paying $20 for services.
Q. You signed the first one ?
A. Yes, sir, and signed the second one;
Q. You signed your name twice ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How was the first one wiitten ? was it written in this form :
David E. Howard to Jay West Dr. ?
A. I did not take particular notice.
Q. Did you see the letters D. R, on it ?
A. I cannot say as I did.
Q. Did you see any figures on the top ?
A. I believe it was dated.
Q. Did you see any sum of money expressed in figures .'
A. Twenty dollars.
13

98 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Were they at the right hand of the page ?
A. I could not say, sir. .
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was the bill receipted that you signed !
Did Mr. West sign his name on the paper before you signed yours ?
A. I don't recollect.
Q. You have heard this testimony of getting up and sitting down
to the bill and signing it ?
A. I could not say whether I got up and let West sit down, or
he got up and let me sit down.
Q. By the Chairman. Do you know that he signed any paper ?
A. I have no recollection about it — I think he did. I think
there was something said. I should never have thought of it if Mr.
Chace had not remarked on it ; it appears to me he did sit down.
To Mr. Chace. Mr. West showed them enlistment papers to you
and showed you my hand writing.
Mr. Chace. Did not understand it so.
Howard. He said, there's his hand writing — he has just signed the
enlisting papers. I had signed my papers when you came in.
Q. Which did you sign first, the enlistment papers or the orders?
A. I signed the enlistment papers, and Mr. Chace came in and
said he had the orders ready, and pulled them out of his pocket.
Q. Where did Mr. Chace come from?
A. He came in from outside, somewhere ; he came in at the door ;
I had signed my papers when he was coming up stairs and opened
the door and I saw it was him.
Q. Did Mr. West tell you he had got the papers signed ?
A. He said to me : " you thought I could not get them signed.".
Said I : "I did not think anything about it." He said : " you see I
have got them signed." He said : " I have studied in Dr. Gardiner's
office." I don't know what he studied there.
Q. What did Mr. West do for you ?
A. He gave me his medicine and told me to rub it on this place.
He strung me up and made me feel pretty sore, and I pulled the rag
off, and I haven't had it on since ; I thought it was more pain than
I bargained for, and I told him when he was putting it on that " I
guessed he calculated to string me up." He said, " but that will make
you very comfortable to walk." I thought it did before I got home,
and so I pulled it off.
Q. Was you ever troubled about walking ?
A. No, sir, I have walked a good many miles.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM N. BROWN.
Friday. Jan. 27, 1865.
I have been for the past three Years recruiting officer in the office
of Major Sanford.
Question. During that time I want to direct your attention to the
manner of recruiting the colored regiment.
Answer. As far as I am concerned with the Fourteenth, when

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 99
the regiment first began, they commenced in the office with Major
Sanford and myself — two companies. They received their full boun
ty, and whoever brought them received twelve dollars per head.
Then Major Engley took hold. At that time he went to New York
and west of New York, and began to bring them on. I do not know
what contract he had with Major Sanford or the Governor, or anything
of the kind ; but when the men came, (he had one or two lots come to
this office where we were,) I saw the men go up and sign a document ;
what it was I do not know. They did not ask any questions. They
did not appear to know. I thought they thought that was the mode of
enlistment. I saw the papers lying around. I was connected with the
light artillery. Major Sanford wanted me to keep on with the light ar
tillery. I told him that he must remove Major Engley from my office,
because we could not recruit whites and blacks in the same office.
He said if I would hire an office for Major Engley, he would remove
him. I engaged two rooms at No. 10 Custom House street, and
Engley fitted them up, and that business was carried on there. Major
Engley fitted them up. That business was carried on for the Four
teenth there. Men would be coming in nights from the west ; some
from as far west as Indianapolis. I never saw a squad come there
during my life that did not have to go through with this ceremony.
I read one or two of the papers, saying that the Paymaster General
of the State of Rhode Island will please pay to J. C: Engley the sum
of money named in the order. These papers were not read by the
recruits. Once in a while one would kind of kick, and then they
would keep right on, and let the rest sign, and take him out one side.
That continued to be the practice so far as I know. I was opposed
to all this idea, anyway. I could go into it as well as anybody. I
told Major Sanford all the time, " There will be an after-clap to all
this, and I don't want it to come back on me." Major Sanford thought
it would go on all straight, and said that it cost a great deal to get the
men here.
Q. Do you know what understanding there was between Major
Engley and Major Sanford?
A. I do not. They saw I was opposed to it, and never had any
talk of the kind in my presence.
Q. Do you know anything of the sale of watches ?
A. I saw a great many of the colored men have these watches
spoken of. They were a sort of cheap watch ; made of what I call
white metal, finished up rough. They were not silver ; at least, I
should not think so. Whom they bought them of, or anything of the
kind, I do not know. One Frank Ballou, of Cumberland, used to
furnish what men he brought himself with watches, or as many of
them" as chose to buy.
Q. Do you know whether Major Engley kept stores near the
building for watches and clothing ?
A. I know there was one there, and' one Sheldon had charge of
it. I don't know whether Major Engley owned it or not. These
were very ignorant men that signed these papers. A great many of

100 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
them could write ; but they were about equally divided between those
that could and those that signed with their mark. I have seen in
some instances that one or two would stop and read what they were
signing. Then I have seen a large squad of thirty-one come in one
Saturday night, when there was some misunderstanding with the
agent that brought them, in regard to the price they were to receive.
They all kicked here in a body. They did not understand it, and
wanted an explanation. I saw them there enlisted, and saw them in
uniform afterwards.
Q. Do you know anything about the manner in which the trans
portation of these men between here and New York was effected ?
A. I don't know anything about the transportation between here
and New York. Major Engley paid the western transportation of
those that came over the Worcester road. I used to see the agent on
the Worcester road when he brought the bills to Major Engley, who
paid them. I don't know whether it was afterwards repaid to him.
Q. Do you know anything of those transportation tickets? whether
Major Engley issued them from here to New York, and who used
them ?
A. I think he or his clerk had all the tickets they wanted.
Q. Something has been said about certain women using these
tickets. A I don't know anything about it. These darkies were getting
dissatisfied. Every day we could hear more and more. Some people
ar&und here were pumping them up. I knew there would be an
after-clap to it. There was a good deal of dissatisfaction among Major
Engley's western agents. Noted negroes off west would come this
way. John Jones, Dr. Delaney, a man by the name of Warden, and
others, respectable and wealthy people, came here and complained of
the treatment of these men. They had been engaged by Major Eng
ley to forward these men. He did not come up to the scratch, and
they would not go any farther till they had a settlement with him.
Q. Have you sold any of these bounty vouchers delivered by the
Provost Marshal?
A. Yes, sir, quite a number of them.
Q. Who did you sell them to ?
A. John N. Francis, J. C. Engley, part of the time ; also to
John N. Francis' son ; it was all done at 81 Westminster street,
which is their office jointly — both names are on the door — J. N.
Francis and J. C. Engley.
Q. At what price did you sell them ?
A. These last ones we got $150 for, but before the Governor
made this rise in the bounty, and also in the head money, we got $50,
for the Second Regiment, new companies forming for it, and fbr old
regiments already in the field, $60.
Q. Do you know anything of the recruiting business relations
between Major Sanford and Major Engley, or have you had any
business transactions with them ?
A. Major Sanford had the management of the business, and gave
orders to Major Engley. They never shared the profits in my

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 101
presence ; I don't know whether they did elsewhere or not. Major
Engley did whatever Sanford told him to do ; if any parties came
and made claims for' money, Major Sanford would say, "pay it to
him, Engley."
Q. Did you ever have any conversation with Major Sanford,
whether Engley had the exclusive control of recruiting or not ?
A. No, sir, I never did, but I have heard others convey it in my
presence. This Francisco Ballou, of Cumberland, who did a great
deal of recruiting for the Fourteenth Regiment, had some difficulty
about money affairs with Major Engley. He came on from New
York and asked Major Sanford if he could not put in men, without
having to go through Major Engley, and Major Sanford says, " I
have yet to learn that any one can put them in but Major Engley.
Q. Do you know anything about any bills of the recruiting
service having been collected twice, once by Major Engley, and once
by Major Sanford ? ^
A. Well, I know this, there was six men that I recruited for the
light artillery, and I went to collect it and found that it had been
collected, and Major Sanfbrd's name was signed for the pay. I came
down to the office and I saw Major Engley making out papers to go
and collect the same, when they belonged to me. Says I, " that has
been collected once, and furthermore, these men belong to me." He
says, " go and collect them if you can." I says, " I will stop you,
or have it myself." I went to the Quartermaster General and asked
to look at the books ; the clerk showed me the books, and there it
was, 6 men, $60. Received Payment, Maj. Sanford.
Q. Who enlisted these men ?
A. I enlisted them, and was entitled to the $60 ; I was to have
the proceeds of the office ; I received no pay from the State or from
them ; whatever the office got I had, and whatever I could buy of
the people ; if a man brought me a recruit for any given amount of
head money, say $25 or $35, I could buy him for whatever I saw fit.
Q. Did any difference arise between you and any one in the office
which Major Sanford endeavored to compose ?
A. It was on this thing I have just spoken of; I said, " I am
going home to dinner, and if, when I get back, that money is not
ready for me, by G — d I shall make it so hot you can't stay here ;
and when I came back the money was ready. Major Engley came
to me and says, "I will admit I have had more privileges than you
have," and handed out the money. The money belonged to me,
and I didn't feel any way beholding to him.
Q. At any time during the investigation last winter, did any
person apply to you to get you to witness any papers ?
A. Yes, sir, they did, I used to march my men up to the Pay
master General's office, and he took out a list of names and asked me
if I recollected those men, and the time they enlisted. I told him I
believed I did. He says, "were you not there when they signed this
paper;" I told him I was not, says he, "yes you were," says I, "if I
know myself I was not." He asked me to witness it once or twice,
I wouldn't do it.

102 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. How was the subsistence of these colored men paid ?
A. As far as I was concerned, I was with one Grabna, afterwards
a lieutenant in the regiment. He brought the men, and he paid the
subsistence, or the board, until they got here, and then I marched
them to a victualing saloon, and paid it myself, and Grabna paid me
afterwards. Grabna paid me for my services in helping get the men
through, and I held on to these bills because I thought he would be
presenting them to the Governor, to get the subsistence of the men,
as Grabna did not have the fingering of the bounty at that time, and
only $12 head money. He went further than that ; Grabna was
recalled from recruiting, some way or other, and put into camp, and
then, after a while, he was taken out of camp and was going to.be
sent to New York to recruit. Major Sanford asked me if I had those
subsistence bills. He says, " let Grabna have them," and I says, "not
till he pays me;" he says, "you had better split the difference with
him;" I says, "any way to get thjjm settled up ;" so Major Engley
takes and pays me. $17 on them ahd takes the subsistence bills. I
don't know whether he afterwards accounted with Grabna for it, or
not, that was as far as I went with him.
Q. Was any men put into the service, after they were once
rejected ?
A. It was talked that they were up to the camp, by somebody.
I don't know whether they were or not. I don't know whether Ma
jor Sanford knew anything about it or not. I guess hot. Men could
have been put into the service after they had been rejected. I have
gone up to the camp a,nd seen papers, quite a pile of them, signed
with the surgeon's name to them in blank, and it would have been
quite easy to put men in on them ; the surgeon was Dr. Benoni Car
penter. I had two or three sets of them afterwards. I showed them
to Major Sanford, and he said he would like to have them to show
to the Governor, ¦
Q. Did you sell a good many of these certificates or vouchers.
How many men have you enlisted since you have been on the recruit
ing service ?
A. Perhaps it might have been from 500 to 1000, I put them in
for all branches of the service, men would bring a recruit to me, and
I would do the business for them if I didn't get but two or three dol
lars for it. I put in all the substitutes through Captain Hamlin's office,
except a very few.
WILLIAM N. BROWN-

TESTIMONY OF ERASTUS H. COOK.
Wednesday, Jan. 25thj 1865.
I reside in Providence, and am in the recruiting business ;• have been
in the recruiting business for the last seven months ; before that, off
and on for the last two years and a half.
Q. State what you know in reference to bounty certificates and
payment of bounties to recruits.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 103
A. About two months ago I came back from Boston (where I had
been recruiting for two months) to this place. I was not posted up
about bounties. I went to Major Engley to ascertain what head-
money was; he says, "We are paying $50, $60, $80 and $90."
Fifty dollars was for the Second Regiment. For any other regiment
it was $60. For three years $90 for any of the old regiments, and
$80 for two years service. I put my men in under that arrangement
for some time, until Lieutenant Occleston came here and opened a
recruiting office. I put in two or three men for the Fifteenth U. S.
Infantry, under charge of Lieut. Occleston, for $90. A few days
afterwards I met Lieut. Occleston. He says : " I think I have got
into the inside of this arrangement — into the inside of the ring. I
can pay you $110 ; that is $20 more than the recruiting agents are
paying." I put in two, and he paid me a $110 apiece for them. The
next day, he comes to me and says, I have got an order from the
Governor, stating that he could pay only $90. He had an order
which he showed me, from the Governor, stating that there should be
no more head-money paid than $90 at that time. It run along in
that way for a while, and then I met Major Engley. He says :
" On next Monday, we shall pay $150 for one or  three years
men." I gave him my vouchers. He also said that the bounty
would be increased one hundred dollars. Col. Jenckes, a particular
friend and cousin of mine, is here doing business, and said I would
like to have your vouchers. I ldt him have them. Major Engley
said, "Why not let me have your vouchers." I said, " Col. Jenckes
is a particular friend of mine." The Major says, " If you will let me
have your vouchers, I will pay your rent," which amounted to $300.
I did not see fit to let him 'have them. I talked of taking another
office, which I have, in the City Hall building. I said, " Major, I
don't know but I shall take two places." I asked him if he would be
willing to pay my rent. He said, " I will do just as I said, if you will
bring your vouchers to me." In the first part of this arrangement, I
saw Mr. Francis. The first recruit I got I carried to Mr. Francis.
He said, " I will fill out' the papers," which he did. I said, " I will
take him to Capt. Hamlin." He said, " I had rather you would go
to Capt. Chadsey." Mr. Francis said, " It is for your interest to get
the highest premium, and to carry the recruits to Capt. Chadsey."
There are other parties here that have told me that Major Engley
was paying their rent. Morse & Wilbur told me so. I met Morse,
the recruiting officer, one day, and I asked him, " Who cashed your
vouchers." He said, " Major Engley." I said, " Why not let Col.
Jenckes have them." He said " I have an interest in letting Major
Engley have them." Said I, " Does he pav your rent." Said he,
"I have an interest there." Said I, "He offered to pay mine/'
Said he, " Well, between you and I, he does pay mine." I don't
know how much they receive for these vouchers.
Q. Did they, Engley and Francis, do anything in recruiting these
men ?
A. They simply sit there in the office ; receive vouchers and pay
us the cash.

104 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. From whom do you receive your authority to recruit ?
A. I receive my authority from no one ; I am on my own hooks;
I furnish my own office. When I started, I asked Governor Smith
if he would furnish me equipments for an office, viz. : recruiting fur
niture and flag, which he refused to do at that time. A short time
afterwards he let all recruiting officers that wanted them have them.
I never applied to him afterwards for anything of the kind. It seems
to me there must be something handsome paid, over what we receive
on these vouchers, because he Engley was paying a great deal for
rent. They were doing nothing but cashing these vouchers and
seemed very anxious to get them. There was a great deal of com
petition among different agents — Engley, Starkey, Francis, &c.
Q. Has there been any new order issued in reference to bounties
since the first of January ?
A. The bounty was raised a fortnight ago last Monday, both for
one or three years, one hundred dollars. It was either a fortnight or
three weeks ; I think it was' a fortnight. It was on the second of
January. The old bounty was $300 for three years, but was increased
to $400 ; and for one year the old bounty was $200, and it was
raised to $300.
Q. How many men have you enlisted for the service, and how
many vouchers have you had ?
A. I should think we had had about sixty vouchers, I cannot get
at it exactly. There are a great many substitutes we have put in,
that we do not get vouchers for ; I have put in about one hundred
recruits and substitutes together. I think there is more premium
paid than we have received. I have tried to find out where it came
from, but I could not.
TESTIMONY OF REV. WILLIAM SHURTLIFF.
Thursday, February 2d.
Question. State whether or not you were present, at any time
while the colored regiment was being recruited in this city, and whe
ther you noticed anything in reference to the mode of their giving
and signing orders for their bounty ?
A. I was frequently present, sir, when that regiment was raising ;
often in at the office. I was intimately acquainted with the chaplain;
frequently called to see him ; passed some time, time after time, in
that office. I was in there on one occasion, when there was quite a
number of colored men of that regiment present, and they were sign
ing the document ; called to sign it. They were called in one by one
to the table and called upon to write their names. At that time I dis
covered that there seemed to be something moving, and feeling some
what interested in the matter myself, i. e. in behalf of the regiment,
it being a colored regiment, I made an enquiry of the chaplain, as to
what was moving. He told me that they were signing away their
bounty. I felt quite an interest in the matter, from the consideration :
that I thought it must be wrong, and I had considerable talk with

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 105
him there, and more after we returned from there, with regard to
what they were signing. For myself I did not know any anything
about it except as it was told me. It was not read to them to my
knowledge. I heard nothing read. I was occupying a position with
out the enclosure, with them conversing ; and they were called in
from thence through the gate into where the desk was, and called up
on to write their names.
Q. Did they make any inquiries themselves ?
A. I have no recollection of any such thing, or of anything beinc
told them as to what they were signing. It is so far gone that I
could not itemize it ; but the things I state are perfectly familiar. I
thought there was something wrong, aud was informed by the chap
lain that they were signing away their bounty ; and my sympathies
being somewhat in favor of that race, I probably expressed pretty
strong feelings. I did make use of such expressions at the time. I
could not particularize it ; but I told him that it was a shame to use
colored people in that way — egregiously wrong. He and I were
conversing together there and after we got home.
Q. Do you know anything else about any impositions practiced
upon them ?
A. I do not, sir, except from hear-say. At least, that is all that
occurs to my mind.
Q. Did you converse with the colored men, and ascertain if they
knew what they were doing at that time ?
A. I conversed with them, and my impression is, that, at the time
I conversed with them, they were not apprised of what they were
signing — were kept perfectly in the dark. That was my impression
at that time, so far as I can recollect.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM HILL.
Wednesday Feb. 15, 1865.
I have been connected with recruiting in this State ever since we
commenced raising men.
Question. Did you have anything to do with the recruiting ofthe
14th regiment ?
Answer. I did.
Q. What?
A. I went out into New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and
New York State, bringing men here to the 14th regiment. I acted
under Majors Sanford and Engley. I first made my application to
the Governor for' permission to go there recruiting. The Governor
not being there at the time, Col. Bailey referred me to Majors San
ford and Engley. In the first place I agreed with Major Sanford.
Q. On what terms?
A. The terms that I started out under at first, were, that I should
draw an order on the State bounty, if the recruits were willing, not to
exceed $25. That was the first arrangement I made with Major
Sanford. I could have that, and $10 head-money, which the State
then paid. I was to transport those men from there here at my own
14

106 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
expense, which I did for a short period of time. I soon found that
that did not pay. I lost money on the first men I brought here.
When I got here with my men, Major Sanford was away, and I had
to do my business with Major Engley, who claimed that he was left
in charge of Major Sanford's business, and in his office while he was
away, and if I dealt with him it -was the same as if I was dealing with
Major Sanford. He received my men, paid me for the orders, and
took the orders.
Q. Then you went into some further arrangement?
A. Yes, sir ; I then told Major Engley that it did not pay, and
that I must either have something more to pay me or I must give up
the business ; I had been losing money on that lot. He said to me
that I might draw orders as high as $50, he had got permission from
the Governor to do so ; I told him then I would try it again ; I did so ;
I don't think I recruited more than five or six under the first arrange
ment, and also under the second arrangement. He gave ine an order
for transportation for my men from New York here, so that my
transportation from there did not cost me anything, either for myself
or my men. The State bore that, and that gave me a good chance
to make something ; I did very well, then ; I made off of the first
lot of men I brought here, a little over $300 ; these men I brought
from Harrisburg, Penn., I think that I had six or else seven, and
one was rejected. I then had a lot of men come from Philadelphia,
Penn., those men were eight in number. I employed agents there
to go to recruiting, and I requested them to say to the men that they
should give me an order for so much money on the State bounty, to
pay their expenses to this State to enlist. All that would agree to
that I would bring, and all that would not I would not bring. I left
my agent with $100 of my moneys and then proceeded to Harris
burg. While I was there, he telegraphed that he had eight men
for me who would not wait ; he would take them to Providence. He
came with the men and went to Major Engley's office, and drew the
orders, this agent drew orders for only $25, because I had not given
him permission to draw them above that. Major Engley took charge
of these men and gave me the orders. The orders which he gave
Engley in his office, by some means or other, got disposed of, and he
went to draw some orders for $50 on these men to take it out of their
bounty ; that was contrary to their agreement, because they only
agreed to have $25 taken out ; I got there three days afterwards, and
this man that came with the men divided the money with him, with
the understanding that he should have nothing more to do with me
in any shape or form. When I came on here with some more men,
I asked him if he would settle with me for the other eight ; he said
he didn't owe me anything : I said if he could not pay me for those
men recruited at my expense, I should drop the business then ; we
had considerable trouble about it ; I left off bringing men here and
carried my men to Connecticut. In settling up, he went back and
charged to me all my transportation which he gave from New York
here, He had me in his power, having my money in his possession.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 107
He took out $90 for my transportation from New York here, and
through the operation I lost $500, which he wronged me out of; before
this other committee I showed very distinctly that those orders
were changed. I proceeded to camp (after finding that those orders
were changed to $50) and asked the men if they had agreed to give
an order to Major Engley of $50 of their State bounty ; they said
they had not ; that they gave an order to the man whom I ordered
to recruit them for $25, and that was from the order of the State
good up to last April on the entry book for $50. The entry book
was at the Governor's office, where it was seen ; I undertook to have
some trouble about it then — could not do anything, and, finally,
dropped it for that time.
Q. Did you recruit any more for that regiment ?
A. No, sir ; I carried all my men to Connecticut then.
Q. The men did not appear to know that they had given an order
for $50 ?
A. They did not know it. They had given an order for $25, and
¦supposed it was no more. When my men came to the office, Major
Engley would take the orders and call the men in. As they were
called, they came in, and he would ask them if they knew what the
State bounty of Rhode Island was ; and if they did, he would say, did
you agree to pay Hill, who paid your transportation here, $25 of your
State bounty ; if they agreed to it, it was all right, if they did not, I
must take up with whatever they agreed to give me.
Q, State what you know about the men signing orders on their
bounty in his office.
A. All that ceremony was, that he would call the men up to his
desk, and say, " Do you know what the bounty of the State of Rhode
Island is ? " The man would answer " I do not." Major Engley
would ask, " Can you write ? " The man would reply, " No, sir."
Major Engley would say, " Step up here and touch the pen and make
your mark." The man would step up and make his mark, and he
would turn to the clerk, who sat beside him, and say, " Please witness
that." The clerk would witness it, and Major Engley would drop it
in his drawer. No one in the room knew what it contained. I never
knew untill sometime afterwards. Then I found out that he was draw
ing orders on these men, all the way from $50 up to $250, and the
men never knew anything about it. He never told the men what the
State bounty was ; if the man did not know, he would say, " Can you
write?" The man would answer, "No, sir." He would say,
"Touch the pen." He would turn round to Mr. Noyes, his clerk,
and say, " Please witness." He would then drop it in his drawer,
and take another in rotation. I saw it one time when I came on from
New York — my own men and FrancsicoBallou'sthirty-threemen,on a
Monday — those men were taken in that way. My men had to un
derstand what it was that they were doing, and that they were to give
me so .much out of their bounty ; but his men knew nothing about it.
They did not know what the bounty was, and what the order was ;
that excited suspicion between him and me, that he had something

108 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
which he was engaged in doing, which he considered that I had no
business to know anything about.
Q. State what you know as to any of the men being locked up in
a room. , . ,
A. The men were put in a room near Major Engley's office, wmch
they fastened up ; there was a guard placed at each door, and none
were allowed to go out or come in, only the men that came with them.
Sometimes the doors were locked — if the guards were going to leave
the door, they would lock it, and sergeants stood at the door of this
room that led into Major Engley's department. The agents who
brought them were in his room ; he would open the door and call off
the names. The men who brought them had to have a list of the
names. Major Engley would take the list and call off the names.
The sergeant would open the door and call for such a one. Major
Engley would ask him what questions he saw fit. He would ask him
'if he knew what the State bounty was ; if he did not, and if it was Ma
jor Engley's man, Major Engley would say nothing about it. Ifit was
my man he called in, and the man said he 'didn't know what the State
bounty was, he would tell him, andwouldsay, " Do you agree to give
' Mr. Hill an order for $25, to be taken out of the State bounty, to
pay your expenses ?" If the man assented, Major Engley would say,
" Step, out here ; can you write ? " "No, sir."- " Very well ; make
your mark." Then he would take the paper and drop it in his drawer,
after asking the clerk to witness it. If the man would say that he
did not agree to give me $25, Major Engley would say, " What are
you going to give Mr. Hill ?" and whatever he agreed, I would have
to take — all I got on one man was $12, for bringing him here. When
his own man came in he would ask him if he knew what the State
bounty was. "No, sir." "Very well; can you write ?"• "No,
sir." " Well, make your mark." Then Major Engley would say to
Mr. Noyes, " Witness this." That was all that was said between
him and his men. If they did not know what the State bounty was,
he would not tell them ; if they did, he would let it remain so.
What these orders were I did not know, until sometime afterwards.
At the time, I was drawing orders for $50 on the men ; Ballou was
drawing them for $100. That was the first of my knowledge of there
being anything more.
Q. Do you know anything more relating to the purposes of this
investigation ?
A. I believe you have most of my testimony taken before the
other committee. There is nothing further except his trying to cheat
not only me, but others, out of what belonged to us ; there was one
Brown, from Orange, New Jersey, who recruited some men ; this
Brown sued Major Engley last winter, just after this other committee
got through their investigation. When the case came on for trial,
Major Engley sued Brown for damages in the sum of $3,000, and
they settled it up. Major Engley gave Brown $300 to settle it.
Brown claims that somewhere about $1000 was due him. Major
Engley also forbid me recruiting men this side of New Jersey, or in

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 109
New Jersey. He claimed that he had given the field to another man,
and that that field was especially assigned to that man to work in and
to none other, and that what men I brought, I should bring from be
yond there. I soon found out that he was not commander-in-chief of
¦ everything, and took the liberty to bring my men from there or wher
ever else I could get them. He also gave others benefits and privi
leges in recruiting that he did not give to me. He would give others
the privilege of taking out $100 or $150, while the highest he ever
gave me was $50. I have the names of these eight men that the
orders were drawn on for twenty-five dollars, and the last time
I saw the men, they knew nothing about there being anything more ;
I told them there were orders for $50, and it was entered on his
books. On these books, -Major Engley tried to deface the order so
that it could not be distinctly seen, and last April, I undertook to
have a little trouble about it. I told Mr. H. H. Thomas and Mr.
Hill, of North Providence, that if they could see his book, it would
be seen distinctly what the order was on the men ; I wished a settle
ment with him. Mr. Thomas and Mr. Hill saw the books. Mr.
Hill said he was satisfied that the order was $50. There are marks
that can be seen now, but Major Engley has tried to deface it so that
it cannot be seen. Mr. Thomas said' he was satisfied that Major
Engley owed me an amount of money such as I claimed, and that I
ought to have it. I went and saw the Governor, but could get no
assistance from him. He referred me to Major Sanford, and when I
went to see him, Major Engley claimed that I had nothing to do with
the men, and I could get no satisfaction from them.
Q. Were they connected in busines ?
A. They were connected in this way : Major Sanford' seemed to
have his say about how things should go. If there was any trouble
between Major Engley and myself, Major E. would fall back on
Major Sanford, and leave him to settle the business up. I could get
no satisfaction from the Governor, any more than to be referred to
Major Sanford.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM HILL.
[Examined by Mr. Thomas.]
Question. Mr. Bowen alluded to your contract with some parties
here for you and his enlisting. T don't remember as you stated who
these parties were that made this contract, in this city ?
Answer. With whom ? In the first place — the first day ?
Q. Yes^ sir.
A. Major — with Major Sanford.
Q. You did not talk with Major Engley, at all ?
A. I went the first time to the Governor, and the Governor not
being in, Colonel Bailey requested me to go to Major Sanford. I
went to Major Sanford, and I made an arrangement with him.
Q. In that arrangement, were you to deliver the men to Major
Engley ?

110 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. I was to deliver the men to him.
Q. What was the conditions of the bargain at that time ?
A. The conditions of the bargain with Major Sanford was thus :
I went to the Governor to ask how he paid these men. I thought
that $10 would not pay me for bringing them as far as they brought
them. Major Engley, meanwhile, had seen me before and I had
asked him something about recruiting, and he remarked, " Any time
you want to go, I would like to set you to work." I did not know he
was in commission at that time. I went, as I supposed, to the foun
tain head, to the Governor, and the Governor not being in, Colonel
Bailey requested me to go and see Major Sanford. I then pro
ceeded to see Major Sanford, as -he directed. I told him I had
understood that they got orders from the men, and that if the
men signed the orders they should be paid, and he hated to tell me
that they could ; I told him that I understood that it was so, and he
said, " if you get the man to give orders, he must be perfectly satisfied
and perfectly willing to give you whatever you say the order must
be." I said, " I have understood that you can get them to give
orders as big as you have a mind to." Said he, " you must not ;
don't you get an order over twenty-five dollars ;" and then he said,
" you must go outside of New York and New Jersey;" and he said,
" you must go to Pennsylvania to work." I went out there as I was
directed, but not finding any men in Pennsylvania, the first one I
got was brought from New Jersey. When I returned, Major Engley
was then in the office at No. 33.
Q. I thought that was the office of Major Sanford?
A. Oh, I don't know, Major Engley was in the office.
Q. Do you mean Westminster street?
A. Yes, sir; there he was in the first place — 33, I don't know
but 33 1-2, just the first door this side the Telegraph — he (Engley)
took them and I enlisted them there myself.
Q. Did you understand that that was Major Sanford's office?
A. Yes, sir ; that was where Colonel Bailey told me to go.
Q. What month was this ?
A. It was in the month of 
Q. Was it in October ?
A. Oh, no, I don't think it was.
Q. Mr. Bowen, I think, alluded to October as the time when you
did commence ?
A. I have expenses down here, September 21st.
Q. Where expenses began on the men ?
A. Where the expenses began ? so far back that I could not say
the exact time.
Q. Now, what was your bargain ?
A. That I should bring on the men, and I was not to deduct
over twenty-five dollars for all expenses. The first men that I brought
were not willing to have anything deducted. I had got to tell them
what I wanted taken out, and then, if they were perfectly willing,
all right. When they came in they asked who brought them. Mr.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. Ill
Hill. " What bounty did he tell you the State paid ?" " Three
hundred dollars." " Did you tell him your expenses were to be
deducted out ?" " Yes, sir." " How much are you willing to have
deducted out of your expenses?" "Not anything, sir." "Very
well, that's sufficient." I did not get their order. He said he would
if I did not, fill out the orders here; Major turned and said these
men are not willing to do M'hat you say. What was I to do; I put
the men in at ten dollars, just the head money.
Q. In this bargain with Major Sanford "were you to pay him any
part? A. No, not with Major Sanford then. The first time I came on
here, I think he was then at Washington. Major Engley paid me
the ten dollars for the men — I think there were two ; one of them
did not pass. He did not pay me the two dollars government, he
only paid the ten dollars. After that Major Engley said, " After this
all the men you bring that give orders for twenty-five dollars, I will
get the men through for one-third the orders. There are three of us
concerned," he said, "and we shall claim head money." He would
not allow me to have head money, if I took the orders. He was to
have one-third of the twenty^five dollars, and then he had the head
money. So you can see where I was coming too. Twelve dollars
was the proper head money, and in that case he was getting twelve
dollars out of me for my transaction. Mr. Bowen said just now that
he was to have one-third of the net of it. I have it here one-third
of the gross.
Q. The difference in that would be when you lost.
A. Certainly. He never lost anything. That's what I claim.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Did he bear all the expenses back ?
A. No; I had that to bear myself. October 16th I brought
eighteen men here ; these men he agreed to give me $10 a piece for ;
that was all he agreed ; but I claimed the head money ih addition,
and I told the Major I must have that head money, and he said you
can have that and I must have one-third. The men came to $177,
and he deducted out $47 — one third, of course. That is not correct ;
I owed him $17 on the first lot of men. He has made his brags that
he set me up in business, and whenT first brought the men he over
paid me $17, and charged that on his books. He deducts one-third
of sixty-four, and then seventeen out of that — at all events, it left
1128 my due, and that is all I got.
Q. Why did you not carry these men to camp — these first men —
not finding Major Sanford, or to the Paymaster, and draw the whole
money ?
A. In fact, I did not know then that they were enlisting, until
Bowen and I came in and found that they could get men in, no other
source. I did not know that there was any other way. They told
me that I could not get an order on the Paymaster cashed unless
sanctioned by them, and I never did ; never, not until after we got
other arrangements. We kept this running along, and I got behind

112 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
hand ; I expected that when I got this $128, I was going to make
something ; but we found after a while that we were doing a losing
business. Q. Did you make any other bargains ?
A. No, sir. Mr. Bowen went to the Governor and made some
trouble, and he made an arrangement through Sanford. I was not
here then ; but I made the first arrangement. I learned after that,
when men came here to see Sanford, he had another office — another
office in College street. When a man came here to this office, he
would never be here, and Major Engley was a stepping-stone to him.
Q. Did you know of any arrangement between Engley and San
ford, or was it only suspicion ?
A. I have no means of knowing anything of any arrangement;
only I know that when I got into trouble he would refer me to San
ford. Sanford never settled any trouble between Engley and me
because it remains unsettled to-day.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Have you called on Engley for a settle
ment since you got back ?
A. Yes, sir ; there were four of us present. I claim that he owes
me to-day $400 for men brought here by me. He says, " You
bought these men of a inan who brought them to us." I refer to a lot
of eight men. I said, " You could see Col. Viall, and ascertain."
" I have, sir." I said, " You could see Col. Viall to-day." " I have
been to see, and referred to Col. Viall, and asked him to ascertain
their names, and ascertain from those men what orders were to be
deducted when brought here, and they would tell you $25, and their
orders, when I saw the books, shew $50 ; they did when I saw the
books." Q. How did you make out $40.0 ?
, A.- I claim the orders ; and he says that these men gave orders
for $50. He says $50, and I claim it.'
Q. Did you make any contract with these men ?
A. My agent made the contract for $25.
Q. And you claim $50 because the order on the book says $50?
A. Its all the same ; the bargain he entered into with these men
brought him, $25 apiece, and he gets $10 head-money beside. I saw
David H. Turner's partner in the telegraph office Saturday, and I
asked him to ask Mr. Turner to write me a letter, stating the facts.
He was in the office at the time, and I asked Mr. Taylor if he remem
bered Turner's saying in the office that these men were for me. He
said, " I remember that he said it several times." He said, to Major
Engley, " These men were from Hill & Bowen."
Q. How do you know that Major Engley paid him $25 ?
A. He says, Turner says so.
Q. Then why did not Turner pay you ?
A. Because Turner says that Major Engley made him pfomise to
bring all the men to him. He went back to New York and told Capt.
Ballou, what Major Engley said in the office.
Q. Engley had no other authority to pay him?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. • 113
A. If Engley had been an honest man he would not have done so.
Q. By Mr. Blake. In all your agencies out there, did you have
to procure any passes, or pay any Provost Marshals ?
A. We never did.
Q. By the Chairman. Do you know of any man who has been
enlisted by you, who was misinformed as to the amount of the State
bounty, by you or any of your agents, or any other agents. Have
you any personal knowledge of any such thing?
A. I do not know of any man 'that does not know it. These
eight men that I spoke of knew that the bounty was $300, and knew
there was to be $25 deducted for their expenses ; but they did not
know that there was to be $25 deducted on top of that. I have been
in camp with a commissioned officer, and asked, in his presence, of these
men, how much, on their order, was to be taken out of their bounty.
" Do you know if you signed an order?" They said, " We do."
I asked what amount it was, and they said, " $25." The whole eight
said so, and that order was $50, instead of $25.
Q. Thev could not read, and therefore they have been defrauded
out of $25 by  ?
A. By Major Engley. That I know, and I think if you refer to
the colonel  .
Q. Do you know whether the paymaster paid Major Engley $50
or $25 on these orders ?
A. I cannot tell.
[In answer to Mr. Thomas.] Tells of a book of Major Engley's
in which he kept an account ; names of men brought, by whom — and
here the man's name who brought them. These men brought by
Mr. Hill, and wrote their names down. Then orders, right after the
. $25 orders just put $50 for $25— $50 right through here. Those
eight men were put down to Davis G. Turner. I said to the clerk,
" That order was first made $25." Then I called for the book, and
he showed it to me. He said those orders were changed to make
them like the others. I s^id, " These orders, I thought, were for
$25 ;" and he said, " They were altered after they got here, and
made out."
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Where were the orders ?
A. I 'did not bring any orders, and I don't know. Major Engley
said if I did not bring the orders he would make out the orders here.
The only claim he made was, that these men were brought by an
other man — 'Turner brought the men.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Where did you say they came from ?
A. They came from Salem, N. J. We brought the men from
New Jersey ; and he said, " You cannot get $25 men from New
Jersey." Q. Still, he took the $25 ?
A. He says so, himself. I said he paid for these men $25. He
told me there, in his office, " I paid David G. Turner $25, minus
transportation from New York here," which was $3. He said lie
paid him $25 apiece, and he said I made out orders for $50, and they
15

114 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
signed them, and that paid the other $25 apiece in my pocket ; and
said he, " you and no other d  d man will get it out. I lost
the cost of transportation, and I furnished David G. Turner with
money to recruit and bring these men on. It was paid by money he
had of us. He had not the means to carry it on himself. He is a
colored man, with one eye.
Q. By the Chairman. It seems that Turner treated you
shabbily. A. Turner would prove true. He was only getting his expenses
ahd $3 per man. It was a great temptation for a man to turn round
and get $25. That was where he was — he was to be benefitted by
the transaction. I think Mr. Turner would act the part of a man
and tell me whether he paid him or not. Major Engley says he did,
and he knew that he was my agent. He makes that a plea. That
would be policy for him. The men that work for him, in the office,
will always run in the same channel. These men will not come up
and swear that he said so in the office. I think Turner would be
more of a man. I think he would. He told Capt. Ballou, when he
came to New York that these men were for me, and he told Ballou
that Engley offered him $25.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM G. WARMSLEY.
February 1st, 1865.
I reside in Providence.
Q. Do you know anything about the mode of giving orders, by
these colored men? how they- signed them? whether they knew
what they contained, &c?
A. I am not prepared to state in relation to that fact, although I
saw them sign some orders, but whether they did or did not know
actually what they was signing, I could not say fully.
Q. Were they read to them before they signed them ?
A. Sometimes they were, and sometimes they were not. I think
the general rule was, however, to read them, although, in some cases
they were not read.
Q. Do you know whether there was any dissatisfaction among
the men, on account of they not getting as much as they expected ?
A. There was some cases where they claimed they were not get
ting what they understood they were to have. The consequence of
it was, that in my knowledge they did in some cases refuse to sign,
probably there would be some compromise about it, and . afterwards
they would sign.
Q. Do you know anything about some of the men being fastened
up in a room, or anything of that kind ?
A. Not particularly so, it was the custom generally when recruits
were brought in, to be placed in a room ; it was the custom of the
surgeons when they came in with the men at night, to measure the
height of the men and place them in this room. They were under
the charge of the sergeants, so, of course, they were under their pro-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 115
tection, whenever they went out, they locked the door so the recruits
could not get out. In the morning Mr. Noyes would call for them
and they would come out. The Doctor would examine ' them first
inside. The first step taken when they first came in, was to measure
them ; then they were turned in this room, and kept there until morn
ing. Those who passed would come out and sign, and return back
again until they were sworn ; sometimes they would sign and be
sworn afterwards. Sometimes Mr. Noyes was so situated that he
could not leave the bank, and then they were taken into his office by
these agents. It is the father of this Mr. John Noyes, he swore
them in. Sometimes they would be taken there and be sworn in,
and then come back and be assigned, and taken in charge by the
sergeants and put into the depot. I was not very conversant with
the transactions.
Q. Do yrou know anything about any watches sold to them?
A. I do not know much, for I never saw a man go in there to buy
a watch, and I never took anybody in there.
Q. What was your business ?
A. I had an order to assist in getting lap the men ; I am not cer
tain whether I received those .orders from Mr. Luke S. Chace, or
from Mr. Noyes, it was a very late day when I commenced. We
did not get any recruits until about January, that I had anything to
do with whatever.
TESTIMONY OF REV. JOHN A. PERRY.
January 30, 1865.
Q. Were you connected, in any way, with the recruiting service
in the State, at the time of the recruiting of the Fourteenth regiment ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. In what way ?
A. I was detailed, bv special order of the War Department, to
Rhode Island, in 1862. " I was, at the time, serving in the army as
chaplain of the First Regiment R. I. L. A.— was specially detailed
to recruit in Rhode Island. I went out as first lieutenant, after
having raised a majority of the battery. I served in that capacity till
I resigned ; I think in October about one year ago. I was recruiting
at the time of raising' that regiment, for the artillery. We were re
cruiting then on Westminster street. We had formerly^ been in the
office the former witness referred to, Col. Tompkins. I did not know
that he received any head-money. I was astonished at that. I did
not know that he had any head-money. I always understood that a
United States officer had no business with head-money. I never was
allowed it with those I recruited. At the commencement of this
regiment, I had, unfortunately, a good deal of feeling and mterest to
get it started, having been the accredited messenger to get it from the
President during Gov. Sprague's administration. When I learned
that Gov. Smith had authority to raise the regiment, I naturally
wanted to see it go on. I called upon the Governor, and asked him

116 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
why we /could not put forth the proper means to produce the end.
He said that Dr. Helme had hold of it and did not succeed, and ina
few days he thought he should put it into other hands._ We had in
our office a runner, F. A. O. Grabner, formerly captain in a New
York regiment. He enlisted with us, and was a very good runner.
I proposed to him to go out to New York, and get some colored men
to fill up the company Dr. Helme was on. Major Sanford, who was
,my superior officer, and was detailed on recruiting service, consented
to the proposition. Grabner went on to New York, and telegraphed
to Major Sanford that he wanted $50 ; he had got a large lot of men,
and would bring on twenty or thirty colored men. I sent the money
to Grabner, by request of "Major Sanford. He did not want to have
anything to do with the money, but would see me paid. I forwarded.
the money to Grabner, who brought on thirty recruits ; got ten dol
lars a head paid him ; paid me the money t advanced, and all was
satisfactory. I felt pleased at the progress he had made. He went
again ; was successful, and I guess I furnished him more money in
the same way. He paid me again ; but I have received no pay for
the use of the money, nor asked any. I guess another gentleman
went. to New Bedford. I lent him money. He was unsuccessful.
He never thought he was able to pay, and I never asked him. I lost
that. Then Major Engley : he had formerly worked for us recruit
ing. He was a very successful recruiting agent, and I proposed to
him to go into this business of raising this regiment. He consented,
on condition that I would go in with him. I could not do that, in
my present position, but. he insisted on my going in with him, and
taking hold with him. He would take the majority, and I was to
take some office over that, if it would be granted, and we would raise
the regiment — put out the money, and raise the regiment. He was
to be major and I was to be lieutenant colonel. I told him I did not
see that clearly, but I would take hold of the matter and help raise
the regiment. "Then," he says, "the first thing we want to do is
to put Major Sanford all right." He was the State agent that had
control of all this matter, and he proposed that we give Major San
ford a thousand dollars to make the thing right, and to give us the
road — a clear thing, exclusive of all other agents. It looked to me a
bribe. I rejected it on the spot. From that time I have had nothing
to do with the thing. Major Engley went on recruiting ; Grabner
was ordered into camp in Providence ; Dr. Helme was got rid of.
Every man in the way of Major Engley was got rid of, and Major
Engley had a clear field, — so much so that there was a good deal of
dissatisfaction in our office, and things looked rather bad. I said to
Major Sanford, my superior officer, that I thought his course was
vacillating, and that it was injurious to the service, and decidedly
wrong to the recruiting agents. My reason for saying this to him,
was that either Grabner, or some other one of the successful recruit
ing agents, wanted to know of Major Sanford, if he (the agent) could
recruit without bringing his men through Major Engley ; and then
Major Sanford says : " I have yet to learn that any man can recruit

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 117
for that regiment without bringing the men through Major Engley."
And William Brown was present M'hen he made the statement. He
got very indignant because I accused him of vacillation, and reminded
me that he was my superior officer, and was responsible for what was
done in the office, and wanted I should attend to my business ; and I
did. Things went on in that way, and there was a good deal of com
plaint made among the colored men. It appeared that the runners
working for Major Engley, lied at that end-, and the recruit was
cheated of his money at this end. It appeared to me cheating was in
every phase of it.
Q. In what way did they give orders, and under what circum
stances ?
A. The men seemed to be perfectly ignorant of what they were
doing ; they had an idea that they were going to make a great deal
from the State, and the United States bounty in addition. I disabused
them whenever I spoke of it. The orders would be written out by
Major Engley. The men would be marched up one at a time to sign
them ; they were not read to them ; they did not know what they
were signing ; they would sign the order and march back again ; the
recruit was asked if he could write ; if he said he could not, Major
Engley wrote his name for him, and he put the cross to it; the next
one would say he could write ; he wrote his name and would ask no
questions, but go back with the crowd. At one time^the Rev. Wil
liam Shurtliff, of this city, came in there ; he was in frequently,
and at one time, when a party of colored men were signing away
their bounty ; he had a great deal of interest in colored men, and
remarked to" me that it was a burning shame that they should sign in
that way; that they did not know what they were doing ; they were
signing away their money. I told him that Major Sanford had
reminded me that he was my superior officer, and it was none of my
business; that I was a light artillery man, and that I ought to attend
to that. This was done in my presence — this signing of the orders.
¦I saw them sign repeatedly, without their knowing what they were
doing; some knew what they were doing, and got their just dues ;
others did not ; some were dissatisfied with the nature of the order.
There were some words passed between them and Major Engley, on
the agreement ; they denying that they had made any such agreement
as the runner said who brought them ; did not like to enter into any
such agreement, was dissatisfied with it ; but finally they would suc
cumb and sign the order.
Q. If any one who was marched up to sign the order demurred,
what was done with him ?
A. He was passed back again until they got through with all that
were ready and willing. Then he was taken in afterwards and brought
into the traces, either by making a new arrangement, or by making
him sign that one. .
Q. Was this a general practice throughout the entire enlisting of
this force ?
A. I left before tbe regiment was completed. I was evidently in

118 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
the way, and Major Sanford reminded me that I had better resign,
and I accepted the suggestion and did resign. I got out of the way.
Afterwards they moved from that office. William Brown was pres
ent at a good deal of this. I went over to the street opposite the
Post Office. I was in there afterwards,, and saw Major Engley who
had bargained for a house I Was building — the lease of it. He now
holds a lease of it. I was in to see him on business, and the same
thing was going on there. They- were brought out of an adjoining
room, if they could write they would sign, if not his clerk would sign
for them. The same thing as before was going on then. I went into
the room where the colored men were, and talked with them in regard
to what their prospects were, and what they expected to get. I found
they were just as ignorant as the others on this part of it.
Q. Have you anything to do with the recruiting service recently?
A. Last Spring I left the recruiting service, and am on a little
farm out in the country, carrying it on quietly. After I resigned,
the Governor wished me to go recruiting for the State — did not wish
to lose my services, as he said ; and I made an arrangement with
Major Sanford, to whom the Governor referred the whole matter ; I
said I would recruit for $100 a month and reasonable expenses ; I
was to set as many to work as I could, and each runner was to have
$25 for green recruits, and $35 for veterans, and that is all they got;
and for those that were put in the cavalry and artillery. I worked
two months ; they paid me $200, and never paid any expenses,.
Then I evidently was not vyanted any longer. That was last Spring,
or in the early part of last year.
TESTIMONY OF CAPT. F. M. BALLOU.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. Where do you reside ?
Answer. In Cumberland.
Q. Do you hold any commission at the present time from the Gov
ernor of this State ?
A. I suppose I do.
Q. What is it ?
A. Captain.
Q. How long have you held it ?
A. Well about Thanksgiving this was made out — they sent it to
me. Q. What regiment?
A. The Fourteenth Rhode Island Heavy Artillery.
Q. You have been active in recruiting for this regiment, haven't
you? A. Yes, sir.
Q. I wish, Capt. Ballou, that you would state what you have
done. Take your own way of stating it, begin at the beginning and
state carefully.
A. Do you want to know how I commenced first ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 119
Q. Yes, sir, from the begining.
A. I had just got discharged from the 12th Rhode Island, when I
began with Dr. Helme. He said they had got about a hundred men
in the company, and were not likely to fill it up, and wished they
could get some more. I thought I could get some. I thought in
New York, and if not there, in Kentucky — I felt that I could, and I
asked him if they would pay expenses. I told him, if he thought
we could get paid by the men out of their bounty, it would be some
thing like — that they would be willing to pay the whole of their boun
ty down in Kentucky to get away. He said, he would see. I said,
I would furnish all my own money, and I told him I wasn't going to
make anything out of it.
Q. Who was to pay you ?
A. When I started, he had made an arrangement with the Gov
ernor, that I should have pay out of their bounty.
Q. Did you see the Governor yourself?
A. I did not ; he was recruiting officer for the company ; I went
as far as New York, and I found a great many that wanted to enlist,
and I stopped ; and I found there a man by the name of Grabner,
who had just started, and he said he was enlisting so as to get a com
mission ; he enlisted privates in one of Major Sanford's batteries — in
that regiment of batteries. He told me that if Major Sanford en
listed enough he would give him a commission. I went right to
work — got into a good position ; I found men pretty plenty, and I
fetched on a good many ; very soon after Major  , when he
came, hired a team and went round and saw the editor of the Anglo
African, and other colored men of note.
Q. How did you get these men ?
A. I got out hand bills, saying that the bounty was so much.
Q. How much ?
A. $300 — $25 down — $50 when mustered in, and $225 when
they got away. I distributed the hand bills pretty well.
Q. How much did these men pay you out of their bounty ?
A. They never paid any thing ; I had some tickets furnished by
the Quartermaster.
Q. Where did you get these tickets ?
A. Dr. Helme got them from the Quartermaster; he gave us, I
guess, seventy-five ; I just filled them out, " pass one recruit from
New York to Providence," and they received them ; I think we used
~ some sixty of them, and they were increasing so fast that the con
ductor said he could not take tiny more of these tickets ; he said they
were not good. I enquired of Dr. Helme, and he said the Paymaster
said he calculated they would be used in the State ; said I, " that
makes quite a difference whether all the fares are paid, and we get
ten dollars or whether we pay them all." He said he would go to
see the Governor, and he told him there was no transportation fur
nished, and there could be none ; and he said, " seeing you have
begun, you had better go back and finish up this company." I went
back and found Engley had gone round and told these men that he

120 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
would pay them ; he was the only one that had authority, and could
afford to give more than we did ; he said, he had transportation.
When we came on (I think Friday night, and got here_ Saturday
morning) Major Engley said I had better not go back until Monday
night ; I found another man to go ahead and go on immediately ;
this man told them all what Engley had said, and I told him I would
pay as much as any man, and told them they had better keep along ;
they said they would ; I had always acted square with them. I came
back on Tuesday, and Major Engley was there on the boat ; and he
asked me if I was going to have any men, and I told him I thought
I should ; said he, " I expect some bye and bye;" a squad came on
board ; I asked him if he had got a list of those men ; he said he
would let me have one. " Any of these men for me ?" said he ; " no,
said the Lieutenant. They kept coming, squad after squad, and I
believe I 'had fifty and he had seventeen. Said I, " it don't look
much to-night, as if you were going to have all the men, I tell you
what it is." He denied, that he had said it. He said, " we can work
better together than we can separate ; I don't want to work here ;
I'd rather work at home." Said he, "I will give more for these men
than you are getting." Said he " I will give you $7 and pay all
expenses. " Suppers were forty cents. We got breakfast here. All
I could make was four or five dollars, and I had not got to advance
anything. He said, he could get men passed and I could not.
Q. The men, these men, were not paying anything from their
bounty? A. No, sir.
Q. How was he going to do it?
A. He said he would give me $7, and Sanford would furnish
transportation, and he had $2 a head, government pay, and that made
$5 apiece. I came on and said to Dr. Helme, Engley says his trans
portation is furnished, and I said, " You had better go and see the
Governor again." The Governor told him he must be mistaken. I
sold him the men, I guess, two or three lots.
Q. How manyr men did you sell at $7.
A. I think forty-seven. I brought on some forty odd that night.
After they were fetched for Engley, a good many were rejected. ¦ The
doctor, I remember, threw out one man because he laughed.
Q. He afterwards passed for Engley ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How much did Engley get ?
A He was entitled to $13 apiece, — $2 apiece from U. S. govern
ment, and the Governor said he would give $1 apiece.
Q. You don't know whether the men paid anything ?
A. I don't think they did. There was no orders drawn at that
time — I had not. He says we did not begin right. Then I went
into company with him, and he said he would take care of this end
and divide the expenses and divide the profits. He would oive his
attention to the business here, and there I was to attend to3 it, and

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 121
have half of all the profits, and we went into it. I don't think he
ever furnished me with money. He always had my money in
his hand.
Q. He never advanced you any amount ?
A. No, sir ; I think not ; unless sometimes when we settled, we
might have settled up nearly square. I think, on the 10th of Sep
tember, I hired an office in New York, 167 Washington street, and
attended to the business at that end, expecting it would be all square
at this end. We went along, and I sent men and drew money, and
kept trying to get a settlement, and to know if the men had passed.
I thought perhaps we could not tell, in time, which was my men. I
guess it wept along for six weeks before I got a settlement, and then
I got some seven hundred. When I came to get a settlement, I did
not get the money at the time, and I was going back Sunday night ;
and he says, " You shall have it, but I cannot get it to-night ; to
morrow I will get it and send it to .you." Tuesday I received a let
ter, containing $300 and statement, " I am obliged to leave for the
west ; writd to Mr. Noyes." I came on that night, and went to Mr.
Noyes and told him I wanted to see that account. From that letter
I found but Jittle due me — it did not amount to much — that I had
drawn several times on him, and so when I came to see Mr. Noyes, I
told him I wanted to see that account. When I came to see it, I
think every other man, and sometimes half-a-dozen together, was
marked " rejected," or " suspended," or " not found any such man."
Said I, " This is a kind of curious account." I went, in the first place,
to see for myself. I went up to the adjutant's books at camp, and I
found almost every man, just the time and date, jtist as he came.
Once in a while there was a little difference in a letter. Like enough
I would not get the middle name in. I came down and told Major
Sanford, and told him how I was fixed. Said I, " I have been trying
to get a settlement for all these, and he has cheated me in this way ; but
he would not succeed. Sanford thought it was not Engley's fault. I
asked Noyes, and Noyes said some of these men went into camp, and
he did not know it — he guessed Major Engley did not. We made
off twenty or thirty. I told him (Sanford) what I had found. Well,
you let it be till Major Engley gets back. If you want any money,
I can let you have it. I think he gave me a check, or told Noyes to
draw a check, which he did, and signed Engley's name.
Q. Sanford told him to draw a check ?
A. I , do not know as he told him to draw a check. He told him
to give me the money.
Q. How came Sanford to order the payment of this money ? Do
you understand ?
A. When I went in with Engley, I heard he would bear watch
ing, and so I would put the name and date on mine, for all the men I
sent on, so that I could know just where I stood, and I took pains if
the men were sent back to know it and put a mark against it,
" rejected," so I would know how it was. Then I saw him in San-
ford's office, and Sanford said, " If you go in with Engley, whatever
w

122 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
he tells you shall be carried out ; I will make it good." He said, it
"should be so— I would have it so," and that is how 1 came to go
with Ens-ley ; and when I found this account in such a shape, that is
how I came to go to Sanford, and he said, it should be straitened
When Eno-ley came in, they compared the account and could not
straiten it Sp. There were some twenty that he could not straiten.
I went to the camp and straitened it myself. He sent a man up with
me, and we found them all there. He said, he did not collect under
the first lot. He said, in the first place, all he wanted was to get a
good lot of names, so as to get a commission. My papers were all
there, and he pretended that he never collected some twelve or fat-
teen. I stayed over one trip to New York, and worked pretty much
all the time trying to straiten this, and at last settled. I did not see
any other way. He claimed that I had agreed that he should have
the benefit, of all the doubts. I saw that I had got to prove that every
man's name was there. So we jumped that account, and he gave me
so much, and we settled ; he said then, he would put down right down
every man that came— that I sent. He said, he had a clerk and
could keep it all strait. I told him I wanted to settle often, and he
told me I might settle as often as I pleased, and I used to come_ on
once a week or fortnight ; I came on every few days. All this time
we had taken only head money ; but we began soon after to draw or
ders for $5, or $10.
Q. Did you draw orders for $5 ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Orders for $10?
A. Yes, sir:
Q. How many orders were there ?
A. There may have been fifty. There may have been seventy-
five for five or ten dollars — they may have been altered. I never
received any more on these.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you write an order, and was it not
signed by the men ?
A. It was most always drawn by me.
Q. These five and ten dollar orders — were they drawn by you?
A. Yes, sir, most of them, — saying we agree to pay F. M. Bal
lou and J. C. Engley, five dollars bounty towards paying our expenses,
or something to that effect. At that time I would give a man five
dollars to fetch any man from outside, and this would just about cover
their expenses — just about make us whole.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. At that time were you dividing a part of
this profit with Engley ?
A. Yes, sir, he had half. All the fault I found at that, — he
would send men back to some place where I was at work to get men,
and would advance twenty-five dollars bounty, and tell them to go
back and get men and fetch them to him, and not fetch them to me.
They would go to him and he would have the whole, and I did not
have any, and I found he was working so everywhere.
Q. You understood that this was bounty and not his own money?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 123
A. I never knew him to do any other way. They used to say,
"I would like to recruit," and he would say to them, " if you want to
go back and recruit, I will give you twenty-five dollars of your bounty."
He told me so. That's what I would like to know, if any of these men
did run away he had got to lose it. I understood that he never re
funded that.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did they wear the uniform of the regi
ment when they went back ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. These men that he sent off recruiting, — the twenty-five
dollars payment on their bounty was got and put into Engley's hands?
A. We took an order and would give them twenty-five dollars.
They would say, " received of J. C. Engley, $25 of my State bounty,"
and he would carry these orders to the Paymaster, and they were
cashed. Q. It was not his own money ?
A. No, that wasn't his own money. Sometimes they would keep
in camp a week or a fortnight before they would go off; and I have
known men to come on this morning and go back at night — just
report there, enough to know that they had been there.
, Q. How could they go ?
A. Major Sanford's order was respected. He would send up an
order requiring such a man on the recruiting service, and they would
give him a furlough, whoever he asked for.
Q. Do you know if Engley's order was respected?
A. The Colonel told me that he respected Engley's order. They
. promised me any man I wanted, and I never got one except on the
orders of Sanford or Engley, and they said, '• we have got to respect
their orders." I came on here to notify them that I would not work
any more in that way, when I found he was playing it so hard. I
did not really believe he would play it so hard ; until I saw some
letters from him to men which told them not to come near me, and
that I was not with him. I went on to New York, and when I came
back, I told him, "you are making money out of these men, and I am
not receiving one cent on the men that come here." At one time he
sent for me (on the 12th of December, I think) to go to Major San
ford's in private — I went — Colonel Bailey was there, (the Governor's
aid,) Sanford and Engley were there. They asked me to take a chair ;
Major Sanford wanted to know what the trouble was ; 1 told him I
was having to divide without any returns, and not only without get
ting any assistance, but was running a hard opposition, I thought ; I
remarked, I think, that if he knew I was at work in Washington, he
would send a man there ; if I was getting men in Baltimore he would
send a man there — some one to work against me. Said I, " he knows
just where I am at work." Said he, " I thought I had done the fair
thing, Ballou. When I went to New York, I gave 'you the whole
field." I said, " I had just done New York, and since that you have
not given me any benefit." Said he, " I'll tell you where the trouble
is, we have not. drawn ©rders large enough on the men." "For God's

124 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
sake," said I, " how long do you want to draw them ?" " Ever since," I
said, " we settled before we have made a hundred dollars a^day apiece
and colored men little enough," — so did Sanford and Bailey. Said
Sanford, " we cannot afford to lose you, cannot we make some other
arrangement ?" Said I, " I am going to work for Connecticut — they
offered me larger pay and a Major's commission." He said, "I am
going ahead ;" and said he, " you must keep along ;" said he, " I
would give you authority to recruit the same as Engley, but it would
confuse the thing; suppose you go to work," said he, "putting the
men in for what you think is fair ;" said about one-third for the
orders. Said I, " I cannot tell what one-third of the profits would
be." Said he, " give me so much a man." "How much ?" said I.
" Twenty-five dollars a man," he said. When we first went to New
York we got $10, and thought that was doing pretty well. When
we got $10 at New York, we fetched the men on and all the rest was
ours. If I took them to Connecticut, all I had to do was to fetch
the men, — just make out the papers, — what every State does for
nothing, — what was done at camp ; they were not satisfied to let a
man come there and make out the papers ; they did it for him, and
never charged anything. This is what they do in Connecticut. The
Paymaster would ask the men if the order was right, and if they
said yes, they paid it. At last, he decided to put them in, and I
might try it for $15 ; they thought it was not enough ; they should
hold themselves so as to ask more, and they stated if I thought best,
I could do as I wished. In the first lot, thirteen passed, and at $15
each, made $195 — one man could do all the work. The next lot, I
think, twenty-six passed ; I paid $15 apiece, that took all from the.
State bounty.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Now, let's see in what way you paid this?
A. He took and paid him my orders and I drew orders on the men
for $100. He paid me $97, and took the recruiting fee of the State,
$10, and the United States fee, $2, and there were $3 from the order
that I drew on the men. If the orders, five orders, amounted to $500,
it took out $15. I told him then I should go to work for Connecti
cut. Major Sanford said I should not. I had got a Rhode Island
commission, and I should not work there, and he came down with a
pretty hard blow, at first, but we did not have any hard words then.
He went out and came back, and slapped his hands together, and
said it was going to be one thing or the other. " I want you," said
he, to "work for Rhode Island." I said, " I shan't." " You have got
a commission from Rhode Island," said he. " You can take it off as
quick as yon please." " I shall go to the Governor," said he. Said
I, " You can ; its sewed on, its not nailed on." Said he, " You have
been enlisting men under false pretences." Said I, " I enlisted men
with the understanding' that they should go to Rhode Island. Sup
pose I enlisted men who had a mind to go to Rhode Island, for $300,
and one should come to my office and he had rather go to Connecti
cut for $400, $310 cash," said I, " That man concludes to go, and
that is what they do get ; is that any false pretence ? " Said he*

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 125
" You cannot do that." Quite a number came into the office at that
time. I do not know as he frightened me. He went outside, and
returned. Said he, " You have got a good many men, and I have
vouched for the Governor." " Now," said he, " go on." Said I, " I
cannot do it. I have agreed to fill one town in Connecticut." Said
he, " Fill that town, and if you want to go to work for Connecticut,
I will give you just as good a recommend as you want ; but if you go
there, don't go there as a Rhode Island officer ; take off your uni
form," "I will," said I, "for I have my own notion about that."
Said he, " You know how I am standing here, and I am sending out
agents, and a good many of them have said they would not send a
man to Engley." " There's Hill and Bowen," he said, " I don't care
a damn for them ; but I would like to have you stick." I think I sent
in three men by a man by the name of Wilson. They were left
at' Engley's. They came from Washington ; and said all their friends
were here, and they wanted to go with them. They went to Eng
ley's — came to his office — that's all he knows. I never got a cent,
although he received an order for $300. Whether he got the money
or not, I do not know. I came on, as I thought he owed me $1000,
for ten men. He said he did not owe me but for two men. I asked
him " How he made that out." He said " That six men ought to have
been his, as his agents sold them to one of my men. " I " said he, " let
him have the money to recruit, and instead of giving them to me, he
'fetched them to one of your men and sold them, and came here and
got the pay." Said I, "It has always been a rule with you, and you
made it yourself, that the man who fetched the men here, was the
one to look to, and the man fetched it to me and took it." I went to
the Governor about it, and he would not consider it. He referred
me to Sanford. He said he didn't wan't Engley to feel hard towards
him ; he did not like to decide the matter, and I went to the Gov
ernor again. The Governor asked me how it was that I had six
men recruited by his agents. I had paid the money for them. The
other men I got, he had stated to me that four men were suspended,
and I wanted him to pay for them. He did not want to pay for them,
and had said he would not pay for them. He said his clerk would
swear that he was right. I said, if four men were suspended after
they were passed, I wanted the money for them. He sent for his
clerk, and his clerk said I said right. The Governor said, "Let the
captain put his own meaning to the words." Engley said, "If the
Governor said he ought to, he should," and he sent for Major Sanford,
and let him say how we should settle. He said we had better divide.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. How much were these men apiece ?
A. $i00, — eight men. He paid me $400. That was a very
common way to settle, to split the difference, and divide. I told him
that whatever he said I should have to do.
Q. Had he expended anything for these men ?
A. He says he had. The man tells me who fetched them that he
never received a cent. I told him I could prove that I sent the trans
portation for these men ; telegraphed that they were waiting ; and I

126 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
paid for getting a man rejected out of the lot. I sent eleven -tickets*
and we had six men pass, aud these men that came down with them,
(and were suspended) and we took one back. So that there was ten
men. Q. By Mr. Thomas. In -what way could he have spent the

monev

?

A." If he had an agent up there, sent out to recruit, who picked np
these men, and then came down and sold them to me  .
Q. That was a breach of faith between his agent and Engley ?
A. I don't know anything about it ; Angell was on when I came
in ; he knew it ; I did not, I never knew anything about it; all the
proof was that Sisson wrote to Levander, I think it was, had sent so
many men, and afterwards got Sisson to say that Levander got to
New York and turned them over to me. He told the Governor that
he could prove that he spent the money.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Were not you bringing men for fifteen
dollars ?
A. No, this was towards the last. Said Hill and Bowen were
the men who fetched the men and got the money. They told me
that if I fetched transportation, I should have a dollar for subsistence.
When I came down,' the Governor decided not to furnish me
transportation, on the men who had drawn orders. '' Well,"said I,
" that is right." " But," said Engley, " we have got to refund." I
thought that was rather hard. " I have got to refund," said he, and'
we took out three hundred dollars. I think afterwards the Governor
said he could not furnish the one dollar subsistence. Then we took
out .$250 for two hundred and fifty men.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Now, if these men refunded for transpor
tation, how was the State paid ? Had you had any tickets ?
A. We had an order when we worked in company with Engley,
we had a standing order ; I never saw the order. I had an order
and went there and told Edwards to give me ten tickets, and he gave
me ten tickets and I signed a receipt, " Received of Mr. Edwards,
ten tickets to Providence."
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you know what kind of an order Ed
wards had ?
A. No, I do not. I told you once, that we had paid for tickets,
and that he used these tickets of the Quartermaster General's. Ma
jor Sanford, says, he gave Dr. Helme an order for one hundred tick
ets. Sometime after, he found out that Sanford was furnishing trans
portation ; he gave Dr. Helme an order for one hundred tickets to cov
er the men we had brought, and took up these old tickets we had used,
which he said, was'nt so ; but I never got back the money I paid
out. Afterwards, I bought tickets direct, after I found that the State
was not going to furnish transportation. I did not use State trans
portation except at this end, there I could get back a dollar cheaper
by getting an order of Engley.
Q. By Mr. Tbomas. You have not any knowledge of your own
that the Governor furnished it, or that the Governor stopped it?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 127
A. 'The Governor said we should be furnished. Engley, said the
Governor has promised $1 for subsistence, and the Governor said I
cannot furnish transportation beyond New York. He says you must
make the men furnish it. Then I stated that ho paid Engley one
dollar for feeding the men, and generally with something to drink and
cigars. Engley says, that is the first. He (the Governor) wanted
nie to keep along. I never had asked him for a commission — asked
if I would like to get one, and I told him I would.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You don't know from the Governor or any
other authority that this transportation was ever refunded to the
State? A, No, sir ; at the time I left he had never settled for transporta
tion with Edwards at the other end. He sent on for it several times,
and once he (Engley) refused to settle on the ground that he had
furnished transportation for a less amount to other men. When I
came to ask Sanford if he did not know anything about it, Engley
spoke up and said, " I shall have to settle with Nickerson." He
came to me, and I told him, that the captain had had his for less money.
He said to me, " I understood from you that it was so. How was it
better — I stated to you that on the last transportation you charged for
six more men than I paid tickets, and I did not have to pay for myself."
If I came through myself, he always gave mea pass through. That's
all the benefit I got — that's the way I understood it. Whether he ever
settled or not, that's all I know. He stated that he owed for seven
teen hundred tickets.
Q. That is more than one regiment ?
A. I will not swear that he said seventeen hundred tickets ; it
appears to me that he said something near that.
Q. Do you know Mr. Nickerson's first name ?
A. I do not. I never had any dealings with Nickerson. I have
with Edwards — a great deal. I furnishing tickets at that end to all
the men. I have heard of five men who came through with one
recruit. Q. If the State furnished transportation, it would make the recruits
transportation come pretty high ?
A. There were a great many that were not favored in this way ;
they paid their fare. But we were furnished with State transporta
tion, and they say they paid Engley at this end. Messrs. Hill and
Bowen knew I was not paying transportation, and they seemed sur-
'prised ; they said Engley had always taken it out.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was not that during the time that the
Governor required you to refund ?
A. Yes,' sir. I did not expect to have to refund ; but unless he
kept a very accurate account, it would easily get confounded, to use
the same transportation.
Q. Did you not keep an expense account with Engley ?
A. Yes, sir. He has a bill with the items put down.
Q. Kept by you ?
A. Yes, sir: ' I have the items here. I have a bill and the names

128 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
of the men, I guess. I put it down but had not time to draw it off
then. I had it done there in the office. I put it down here in a
memorandum book — pencil mark and different ways.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Can you state in the gross about what all
the expenses were for any given number of men, and of the time ?
A. Well, I could not; I think the last bill I carried was $3,000
for expenses. The amount of orders was $6,000 ; I don't mean that
the orders were six thousand, because he reckoned in head money.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. If you could tell the whole number of
men raised — the whole amount —
A. He can tell, because he said he wanted to keep the bills to
show. I gave him the account with all the items.
Q. Did the head money and the orders amount to more or less
than the expenses ?
A. Oh, a great deal more. I don't mean the head money; I
mean the orders and the head money. The last we got, at the time
when he thought he did not owe me anything. I think when we
came to settle up, and the balance due between us was $2,000 on it,
and that was when we were not making much. I think when we
came to settle up it was $2,000.
Q. Cannot you tell us more definitely than you did the other day,
the whole number of men you furnished for this regiment ?
A. I think I have every man down here (mem. book.) I can
run it over, probably in two minutes. I cannot tell you exactly. As
near as I can count them, I fetched eight hundred and twenty-five men.
Q. What proportion of them were accepted ?
A. I should think six hundred of them certain. I was speaking
about drawing $5 orders. Here appears to be a considerable num
ber of them. I put them down — eighty — that I should know at the
time. There was, September 26, Alfred Seymour, $5 ; then two $5
dollar orders. All of those that are crossed (x) passed. Richard
Anthony did not pass at the time ; he passed afterwards. Those five
men there was never anything taken from them. There is some
that are $5. There appears to be one that was $10.
Q. Does your book show where the men came from ?
A. I can find out by comparing this with the adjutant's book.
There is an order for $10 when we first began to draw. There is
Washington. That contraband came here with tha first regimen*,
and he went there (to Washington) and got, I think eight : these
appear to be at $50. They all came from Washington, and all were
$50 each. Those were the first $50 dollar orders that we drew.
Q. Did you go to Washington with him ?
A. No ; he went there alone.
Q. Did he advertise on the sly, or did he open an office ?
A. Oh, it was all open ; there was no trouble there at all.
Q. Did he issue any hand-bill ?
A. No, sir ; he was acquainted there.
_ Q. Did you, in any place beside New York, ever issue any hand
bills ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 129
A. No, sir; no other place; and all my hand-bills were $300.
They complained, outsiders did, of that. I hurt them by advertisine
at $300.
Q. Who complained ?
A. Major Sanford said that I did wrong, and so did Engley.
Q. They did not complain because you advertised what the bounty
was ?
A. Oh, they did not say that. (From his book.) There are
ten dollars. Here are some that came from farther. These are
fifty dollars. One came at the same time, not so far and that is ten
dollars. Here are four at fifty dollars, and three at fifteen dollars. I
took an order for fifteen dollars. I had a rule, if a man came from
New Jersey, I would say, if you fetch them, and if he got fifteen
dollars out of the bounty, I will give you that, and that would leave
me clear profit. If he could agree to give fifteen dollars out of the
bounty, I paid the fifteen dollars from the bounty and had the rest clear.
Q. Capt. Ballou, what was the form of these orders ? You have
not any with you?
A. I have not.
Q. State it as near as you can.
A. They varied a little, sometimes. They most generally read,
" We, the undersigned," (sometimes we gave a number in one,)
"agree to enlist in the Fourteenth R. I. H. A., for a State bounty of
1250 or $275." At another time we wrote, " We promise to pay F.
M. Ballou, or order, $15 out of our State bounty, for expenses paid
for us," and they would sign it.
Q. These men that signed this agreement, " We agree to enlist
for $250," did they know what the State bounty was ?
A. I do not think they did in all cases. I did not always ask
them. When at the office, a man would come in and say, " I have got
five men." " What bounty were they to have ?" I would say, " I
promised them $250," he would say. When I got through, I would
call one out, and ask, " What is your name ?" and he would tell,
and I would put it down. I would say, "How much bounty
were you promised?" "$250," he would answer. "How was
it promised ?" " $25 ; and then $50 when mustered in, and the
remainder when we arrived at the place of destination." I would
say, " That is right ; you will get that." They would say, " We
have been promised, if we were rejected by the doctor, that our ex
penses should be paid back," and, said I, " That will be so." A
great many would ask if they could go back." A man would say, " I
want this man to have a furlough. He can get a great many men.
He has a family, and he is not all settled up." Another man, he
would say, has looked out pretty well, and behaved pretty well, in
the hope of having the furlough. Those that were passed, I had a
chance to go to the adjutant's book to see, and I knew pretty near all
that did, and where I stood. I did not always ask the men if they
knew what bounty the State paid, for I did not know what had been
said to them. 17

130 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. When you got these men for $250 did you get an order ?
A. Engley said I had only to hand these contracts in, and they
would be paid. I don't know but he changed the orders. Some
times the men would go through without orders.
Q. Did many of them think there was any $50 to be taken out
for their expenses ?
A. A great many times we told them that $50 would be taken
out for their expenses. In other cases there was nothing taken out.
I did not go out with them myself, I staid in New York. At that
time there began to be trouble 'in getting them through New York.
In Connecticut they paid the cash there, without anything to be
taken out of the man's bounty. I think the Governor or Provost
Marshal issued an order that there should not be over $100 taken
from a man's bounty. They would tell them the bounty was $310 ;
if the man could agree to' give anything, that was to be enlisted,
they would ask, " have vou agreed to give anything," and the man
said ,"yes"— "how much'?" they would ask ; " $100 he would say ;"
said they, " then you can pay it to him ;" like enough they would
hand him the $300 or a check,"and he would pay it. If he said he
had promised to give $100 to carry him to Connecticut, and when he
gets there he makes up his mind it is too much, and he said $50, I
must take the $50 ; he was under no obligations to pay. I did not
have but a few cases of this sort, because I treated the men well
enough to make them satisfied with their pay ; as long as I was with
them they had enough to eat, and were taken care of. I told them
here that if they were willing to pay all expenses, I was willing to
work for them, but I was not willing to work for it and have to divide
with somebody else, and they do nothing.
Q. What about selling these men watches ?
A. Well, I come on at one time here, and I told Major Engley
that a good many men wanted watches, and I asked what he thought
about selling to them. Said I, " Nat Angell is at work in the office,
and he might work off a good many if you have a mind to collect the
orders." He said, he " did not know, we might try and see ; " so
I told Angell, and I think the first watch he sold, was one he bought
of Robert Fessenden, a cheap gold watch ; he said he bought that for
eighteen dollars. One man wanted it, and I told him I would take
an order for twenty-five dollars and give five dollars beside. At that
time we were taking a great many orders for twenty-five dollars of
the bounty, and that would make an order to give in the same as the
rest. I think that was the first watch ever sold to them. Then
Angell got some, and I think for what he would sell he had to take
his chances — he would sell the watch, and if, when they got to Prov
idence, they liked the watch, they might keep it. He sold a few in
this way. The clerk, a kind of 'runner for Engley — Bush — said, a
man had a watch here to day ; said it had stopped, and I gave him
five dollars to get it fixed. If any of them fetched a watch that did
not run, they had it fixed. But Angell makes eight dollars, for he
don't give more than that, and if he does not, than he makes from

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 131
five to seven dollars. I think he might have sold — I told Engley
that I was responsible for all the watches, and I did not get a cent of
the profits — he might have sold two dozen, and he might not so many.
Engley said, " he must stop the watch trade, it was too much work to
collect the orders, and the paymaster would not pay, and if I had just
as lief as not — the paymaster did not want to bother," — stop selling !
it was not but a few days afterwards, Bush said, " they are getting
the best of you, since you stopped, they have gone into the watch
business, they sold twenty-five there," he said. I spoke to Noyes about
it ; I said, " I don't, know but T have as good a right to sell watches
as Engley." He said, " Sheldon was selling watches." He (Shel
don) said, " I don't know but I am selling the watches, but I don't
get a cent of pay. You know," said he, " who is selling, well
enough ; I am at work by the day."
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You understand that Sheldon and Chase
both worked by the day ? ,
A. Yes, sir. I do not think Chase had a great deal to do with
the watch trade.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. They sold other things besides watches ?
A. They were afraid I would know too much about such articles.
I did not haye half the profits in the watches. I heard Sheldon say
the other day, that he had received no money for anything, but ten or
eleven dollars for chevrons put on sleeves. That was small — not
more than fifty cents or so to put them on the sleeves.
Q. You have had a great deal to do with the recruiting business,
I wish to ask, if you know whether the conduct of Engley, his bad
faith with agents, has in any way interfered with the recruiting busi
ness in this State ?
A. I should think it had very materially.
Q. Will you explain ?
A. Well, in the first place, if he had kept good faith with me,
I should have brought a good many men here that I carried to other
places. I think Hill and Bowen left off work for the State of Rhode
Island, on that account. I think Downing would have fetched more
here, and Delaney, Works, and Brown.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you know of any agent in this State
that is satisfied with the accounts and settling of Major Engley ?
A. I never heard that any one was yet. They all said that he
got tight^so I found at last. I was sorry at last I did not leave
sooner; my time was worth more for Connecticut. I wanted to
settle the accounts so that it would be satisfactory at any rate. I
don't think he kept any good faith with me. The little small things
I told him affected me more than the large ones. I told one of my
men that I sent on, I think it hurt me more in money to have men
come on and kept in the office all day — no breakfast and no supper —
because he was rejected, and he went back and told his friends how
he was used. I told him I did not think it paid — I wanted my men
to have enough to eat ; he pretended that he did not know that the
men were in the. office. I asked one of the men, and he said Engley

132 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
told us he would not give us any money. We could feed ten or a
dozen men a day at^forty cents a day. I remember one case of a,
man that was recruited ; he says he came from Port Jarvis ; he said
Engley agreed to send him home and sent him as far as New York,
and there he was ; he had no money and nothing to eat ; I took and
gave him three dollars to pay his fare ; I never expected to see him
again ; I could not have him round, and told him I did it out of
charity. I sent him off, and he telegraphed to me in less than a week
that he had some men ; I paid that man all he asked, and $300
in less than a fortnight ; that's what I told them. I told them
always, as a matter of policy, to use the rejected men well. I told
Engley a good many times that he hurt us much by using the rejected
men so.
Q. Have you seen the testimony of Major Engley ?
A. I have just looked it over.
Q. Did you notice what-he said of $2,000 that you refunded ?
A. I did not ; I was listening to other testimony, and I did not
look at that.
Q. I wish you would state all the facts.
A. I fetched, after we dissolved — when I paid $15 a man — I
fetched a lot of men here which were recruited by John Angell and
Robert Fessenden and Aldrich. Most of them — the men — they said,
had agreed to go for $100 bounty, and they said, " Engley is taking out
$250," and John Angell said, his was to have only $75. I think it
was all he promised them. He drew up an order, and they signed it,
there in Engley's office, agreeing to pay $200, and this was in the
morning, before light ; before they had any talk with anybody, and
when Engley came in, he assented, and said, " I suppose some of the
men are yours and some are mine," and he said, " All right." Said
I, "That's a pretty stiff order, the largest one I ever drew. I think
it is too much." He kind of laughed, and said something about you
cannot draw too much now. There's but a little while to work.
Said he, " I shall hold you responsible for this," Said I, " I am re
sponsible for it, any way."
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What did he mean by that?
A. That I was responsible whether the men would stand it or not.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You understood him to advise you to draw
the order ?
A. I did not understand whether he advised me fo draw it
or not. He had told me before to draw the orders for $250, or as
large as the men would stand — anything they would agree to — that
he had orders from the Governor to draw as high as $250.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you understand that to be without
regard to the place where they came from ?.
A. It made no difference where I brought them from. In the
first place, take $250 from any one that was contraband. Afterwards,
he said, draw orders just as large as the men would stand, whatever
they would agree to. Sometime afterwards the Governor asked me
if I would not come up there.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 133
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did he send for you ?
A. I think when I came on I went there, and he said I want to
see you about these orders.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. State the thing in full.
A. There was but few words spoken, he asked if I was willing to
refund. I told him I was.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did he tell you he did not authorize you
to draw so large ?
A. He said, " they have been taking $100 in such places," and
he said, "jumping up to $200 at once, is rather too much." Said I,
"I think $100 will pay." He asked if I would make it right ; said
I, " I will some time when I come with  " Major Sanford I
think was there.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. These orders were $200 ?
A. Yes, sir ; I told John Angell, " when you draw an order, do
not draw so much." Said he, '¦ Engley is drawing more." Said I,
" I Will find out." When I came on I went in and he said " you
will rectify that." I said, " I will either make it right with men or
money." He told me before that he was responsible for all the orders
and should look to me if they wasn't right ; and for that one. Some
time afterwards I received a letter stating that he had nothing to do
with that, and he did not care whether I paid it or not; it was noth
ing to him. Bailey came in from • Washington, and wanted to leave
soon, and said, " I thought you was cOming in to make that right."
I told him when I came on I would. He said I might arrange with
Major Sanford. I came on, and said I, " Governor, I told you I
would make that right," and Major Sanford was here. Said I, "Eng
ley has taken men from the same place, and they did not cost so
much before and since ; I do not know what is fair for him and not
for me;" I told him this, so I arranged with Sanford.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What do you mean by arranging ?
A. I gave $1,500 in money and Engley's check.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you know that Engley, or either of
the other parties were taking orders as large as $200 ?
A. Yes, sir ; James Jefferson got men in Washington that I don't
think cost delivered, $40 apiece. He only took half the profits and
took $200 ; he went out again and came to New York, and said he
was in trouble, and I lent him some money. He told me afterwards
that he did not get anything for the men he lost. " When I got the
men," said he, " he was willing to divide the profits, but never the
losses." All of Engley's men that came there to New York, made
their head quarters at my office. His agent was renting my office.
If any were rejected, I paid their passage home. When I came
here, he told me not to pay any more transportation on his account
without an order. "What are you going to do?" said I, "I don't
want them hanging about my office." I went back and found eight
men rejected — I sent home three. I found the same thing in Buffalo
and I took the trouble to send them home. One man said he came
in the morning, and had had but one meal ; my boy had gone to a

134 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
cellar to get something for him to eat at my expense — he must have
something to eat— I told him (Engley) how things stood. Some
went in the navy. These men made a fuss, and quite a crowd gath
ered round. One man came in and gave me quite a damning, and said
the State of Rhode Island disgraced herself. I told them they were
mistaken. I telegraphed to Engley, and he paid no attention to it.
I sent another despatch to Sanford, that Engley had a lot of men here
without money or transportation. I soon received a dispatch from
Engley, " furnish these men with transportation and charge to my
account." I do not know whether he got my despatch. I got word
from the Governor that all rejected men must be sent home faithfully,
I would not have them hanging round here or in the camp. I
thought there was authority to make Engley send the men home.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did he afterwards pay you for them ?
A. Yes, sir, when I fetched in my bill for transportation.
Q. This fetched him up, when the dispatch reached Sanford.
A. Yes, sir. You can imagine how yon would feel, a hundred
miles from home, with not a cent of money and nothing to eat. Wil
liam Brown, a clerk for Sanford, has had a man come into that office
inquiring for Engley, and crying ; but this man Engley would not lift
his tofs to help him. He was trying to borrow money to go to Massa
chusetts, and he guessed he had gone. He told me to-day he was
going out into the country to work for his board — to see if he could
get anything to do. A great many have got places to work round
here to save the expense of sending them home.
Mr. Thomas. This is the case, and he .ought to be sent home.
Mosely, (who was present,) he wants to go.
Capt. Ballou. They promised to send the man home if he wanted
to go, and he says he does. They scared him so that he walked eight
miles ; clear out to  . I gave him some money to pay his fare
in the cars. He had been promised transportation home, and the
man who fetched him is here now ; but he was at work for Engley,
and it belongs to him to send him home, and nobody else. This man
would have paid $200 for being recruited if he had passed. If you
ever have Fuller before you, he will say that, for this man and others
that were fetched in, he will have $200 out of their bounty. This
man did not understand it. I do not know how it was explained to
him. I told John Clark that I was paying so much for putting them
through. He said I was a d — n fool. I told him I did not know
about that. I could not get the orders dravyn, and I could not get
the men to pass. He might have said he w'ould not work; but I ,
could not work at all — if I worked here I had got to work through a
certain channel. The Governor told me when I refunded the money.
I asked him if he thought there was any fraud in it. He said no.
I asked Sanford, and said I, I want to know. Said he, no. • I thought
it was a large order to draw.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You knew they had taken as large or
larger orders ?
A. I was not sure at the time. They, at that time kept all these

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 135
things to themselves. I think Hill got an order not to draw orders
for more than so much at such a place, and we would soon find them
drawing orders larger. Then he would go to him and say, " You can
draw now, we have had different orders." Angell then stated that
he was told to draw orders for $200 and $250. These were most all
contrabands. They had been in the rebel armies, and were as much
entitled to pay that as any. I think they cost as much as any men
to fetch in. They said they did. But I never filled one, (they were
bought) although some of these men cost pretty high. I did not
make much at a hundred dollars. I might have taken these same
men to Connecticut and made $2100 more, and they had $4200 ; be
cause, at that time they were paying $310 cash, and $10 once in four
months, which amounted to $100. If I had paid $300, same as they
would have got here, I should have made $100. I should have got
$100—1 should have made $200 apiece.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Have you seen a bill of Engley's repre
senting the State bounty at less than $300 ?
A. I have never seen them signed by Engley. I have seldom
seen bills used signed by any one. They said, " For further particu
lars inquire at 66 Washington street," and we adhered to that plan.
Q. Were these men recruited while Engley and you were in
company ?
A. I think if I had been in company with him, there never would
have been any refunded.
Q. Engley drew these orders, did he not?
A. No, he cashed the orders ; I drew them myself.
Q. I mean, he drew the pay ?
A. Yes, sir. '
Q. Did Engley find any fault at the time?
A. No, sir ; he did not.
Q. He did not intimate to you, that there was anything wrong ?
A. Nothing more than that, " I shall hold you responsible." It
appeared from what I have heard, that there was a man there in the
^office, named Freeman. I had a fuss on the boat with him. I came
on at the same time and he was drunk. It appears that he told the
men that the bounty was three hundred dollars, and they were not
obliged to pay a cent. Engley said that he did not know as the men
would stand it, and h'e said, he "should hold me responsible," and he
told me before, " that it was all right if the men would go for that."
Then he was getting nothing, only the fifteen dollars and was not go
ing to run tho risk.
Q. How much did Engley make on these men ?
. A. He had fifteen dollars a piece for them; I was not to work
for this State after that. I told them I would not send men here un
less they wanted to come. If the men had friends here, I would send
them. If they wanted to go to Connecticut, I should send them. If
they could get cash down in Connecticut they would rather go there,
and I did not have to divide with anybody.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Who is this man that came on with you ?

136 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. He belongs to the regiment. He has moved out into Cum
berland, in Connecticut.
Q. In Connecticut do you take the men to camp, or do they all
go through one office ?
A. No, sir. Any Provost Marshal receives the men from any
where, and you alhhave the same chance.
Q. Do the towns pay any part of the bounty ?
A. No ; no part of the bounty. A great many towns make up a
subscription, and say we will give you so much. They pass round the
hat to all the money men, and then send out the money to get the men.
Say it was North Stonington. The first place I filled was Scotland.
There were six men rejected. They would take men in Connecticut
that they would not take here. Here they would not take a man un
less he was five feet three inches in height, strong and robust. I
was going to New York, and this mau said, I think these men would
pass, and he said, if they will, do so. I think, he said he would give me
$50 apiece, over and above all bounties. They had raised a subscrip
tion, and I got three or four more men, and I took on these men, and
they went there and all passed but one, and they said he was too young.
I took most of my men to Norwich, although you can take them any
where — to Norwich, New Haven, or any place where there is a
Provost Marshal. This was done here at the request of tbe Governor
that they should be separate from the Provost Marshal's. But then
I knew the Provost Marshal used to be the editor of a paper. When
the man came down after he had passed the doctor, the papers were
made out and he was sworn in ; if I was there he gave me an order
on the bank, and he would say to the men, "how much bounty has
the Captain promised you here." Well, he has promised us $250,
or perhaps $300." ' " You are satisfied with that — here is your order
(check) for $300, and here is $10 in money." Now, if he was a
mind to let me have the order, and I was a mind to pay them the
money they did it. A good many did not give anything and a good
many did. They would not allow you to take over $100.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You got some money of the towns ?
A. Yes, sometimes $10 and sometimes $20 ; I think Norwich
gave $20 which you would get beside the bounty. They never
charged for making out papers anywhere, except New York — you
have heard an account of Spinola there — he calculated to have $10
apiece. Spinola told me himself, " that the men were damned lucky
if th,ey got $100 ; they could well afford to give the clerk $10."
Q. By Mr. Thomas. This man you have here belonged to the
first battalion of the regiment ?
A. Yes ; he was recruited by Dr. Helme with the first company.
Q. How is he here ?
A. He has never been mustered in. I will tell you. After he
came here and was sworn in, he got a furlough to go back recruiting,
and recruited men, and was taken sick some time, and then started
on a furlough and was arrested as a deserter.. I got him off, and then
he moved his family on here, and has just got round, to be notified
that he must come in and see the Marshal.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 137
Q. How many agents did you employ ?
A. I don't think, at one time, or all put together, there were a
dozen. Q. At any one time, what 'should you guess?
A. If you call these enlisted men agents — this Mr. Hayward, if
he was called an agent, we might have had twenty-five at one time.
But I did not reckon them as agents, either if they got or if they did
not get men. I think I told Hayward he should have $10 apiece and
expenses. There were eight or ten white agents — that we called
agents — that we booked.
Q. At the time of your partnership, was Engley carrying on any
other business with anybody else ?
A. Why, yes ; he appeared to every man who have[fetched men
either in his employ, or in company with him. He had a brother,
brother-in-law, cousin and almost everybody else.
Q. How much money do you think you made ?
A. I think Engley and I together made something like $3000 or
$4000 apiece. That was his share of my earnings, without saying
anything about anything else. One man made Engley $5000 ; an
other man $2000; Mr. Brown, I think he figures his at $1500 or

Q. When you took those $200 orders, how were they paid ?
A. I just brought an order to Major Engley, and he figured it up
and looked to see if the men all passed. He got returns from them
from camp, and he wrote a check. I do not know but he took out
the transportation of these men.
Q. Did the paymaster pay these $200 orders ?
A. I cannot tell you. Engley paid it all right, and gave me a
check.
TESTIMONY OF COL. HENRY C. JENCKES.
Monday, February 6th, 1865.
I reside in Providence — was connected with the 2d Regiment.
Q. Have you .been in any way interested in recruiting for that or
any other regiment in the State ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Under what authority ?
A. Governor Smith's.
Q. What was the arrangement under which you entered into the
recruiting service ?
A. The first time I entered into the recruiting service, I was sent
here, by order from the War Department. That was in 1862. The
last time I received orders on the 25th of July, from Governor Smith,
to take charge of the re-organization of the 2d R. I. Regiment.
Q. Under what arrangement was you to recruit ? What was
the bounty ?
A. The first time I commenced, the head money was $20 tor a
one year man. I recruited under that head until some time in Au-
18

138 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
gust, when I went to the Governor and told him that we could not
succeed unless we could have more funds. He then placed at my
disposal $50 per man, to be used as I thought best, as head money,
part head money and part bounty to the men, to the best advantage
I could to procure recruits.
Q. Was that arrangement modified afterwards ? and if so, how ?
A. I worked under that arrangement until the 2d of January,
then I had orders to recruit for any of the Rhode Island regiments.
Orders to pay cash on the certificates of $150 as issued by the Pro-
-vost Marshals. Previous to that, I had broken up my camp at
Mashapaug, and all enlisting had been done through the boards of
enrollment. Previous to that time, Dr. Gardiner had examined my
recruits. Q. What did you receive from the Provost Marshal for those
vouchers ?
A. I received $200.
Q. You received $200 for a $150 voucher ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Will you explain how that was, and how the men were re
cruited ? Did the runner bring the recruit in and enlist him, and
you buy the certificate of the runner ?
A. Yes, sir; I had thirty 'or forty different parties bringing in
men, and I got their certificates, and I gave them money for them.
They would bring me a $150 certificate, and I would give them the
money for it ; I turned it over to the Governor and received $200
for it.
Q. Before this, what did you receive for the $50 certificates from
the Provost Marshals.
A. I didn't have anything to do with Provost Marshals at that
time, I was acting under a special order from the War Department.
Q. Did you receive any more than $150 for these men ?
A. No, sir ; if a man brought me a recruit, then he could make
out the papers for $20, and go to the Quartermaster General and
collect it. I had authority to pay $50 in addition to that.
Q. Did you draw it for every man put in after you received that
authority ?
A. Yes, sir ; I paid that over to the runners that brought me the
recruits ; some of it I paid to the recruits.
Q. Did you pay it all over to the runners and recruits, and receive
no profit from it yourself ?
A. No, sir; I was under pay as Lieutenant-Colonel, and received
no profit from this source.
Q. What was your relation to these men that brought recruits ?
Anything more than that you bought the certificates when they came?
A. I made arrangements with these men to bring me recruits,
and if the men passed I would give them cash for the certificates,
after which I went to the Governor and got his order on the certifi
cate, and received $200.
Q. From whom did you draw the money ?
A- From the Quartermaster General.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 139
Q. Are you in the business now ? and is this arrangement the one
in force to day?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were there other persons who cashed these certificates besides
yourself ?
A. I presume, and have heard that there were, I have no definite
knowledge of any, and have never seen any transactions of the kind.
Q. About how many of them did you cash ?
A. I should think likely I have cashed some thirty or thirty-five.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN W. NOYES.
February 1st, 1865.
I reside in the city of Providence, and am at present with the
State Commissioner, Col. A. D. Smith, 3d, previous to that I was
with Major Engley, previous to that with the Quartermaster General.
Question. Have you been familiar with the mode of enlisting men
into the fourteenth regiment ?
Answer. Yes, sir ; I had charge of it during the time I was with
Major Engley.
Q. State if at that time you were familiar with the mode of enlist
ing men and paying bounties, or of men giving orders for bounties?
A. Orders were given, and sometimes it would be exactly in the
form of an order. If I recollect exactly, some of it would be in the
form of a regular enlistment agreement, to enlist for such a bounty.
Sometimes there was an agreement drawn up to enlist for certain
bounties. Q. Suppose a man agreed to enlist for a bounty of $50, what
would become of the rest of the bounty? Who would that be
paid to ?
A. It would be paid to the recruiting officer.
Q. Who was the recruiting officer ?
A. Major Engley had charge of it. He was the responsible party.
Q. It would be paid to, and disposed of, under the direction of
Major Engley ; either to runners, or otherwise, as he saw fit ?
A. No, sir ; it was paid to him, as I understood it.
Q. When these orders was given, how were they given ? Were
they read to the men, or did they go up and sign them, making their
marks, without their being read ?
A. Sometimes they were read to them, and sometimes they were
asked individually, each man, what amount of bounty they agreed to
enlist for, and then, when he stated it, the agreement was drawn up
and he sighed his name to it. Sometimes the orders were read ; just
as it happened.
Q. They were sometimes signed without being read ?
A. Well, they might have been ; I can't say positively as to that.
I did not read them all myself. I did not see all the men personally.
I saw a great many of them personally.
Q. Did some of the men demur to signing the orders ?

140 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Not at the time they signed. No, sir. I never heard any
complaint at all ; never heard them say anything against it.
Q. Do you know anything about watches and merchandize sold
by Major Engley ?
A. I know there was some sold by Mr. Sheldon, and I have un
derstood that Major Engley advanced the money for that purpose.
Q. Were other officers of the State in the habit of visiting that
office frequently ?
A. No, sir ; not frequently.
Q. Occasionally ?
A. Yes, sir ; occasionally they have been in there.
Q. What other officers ?
A. Major Sanford has been in there, as superintendent of recruit
ing. He came occasionally on business.
Q. Who else ?
A. Col. Bailey has been in, perhaps half-a-dozen times in the
course of that period. Once in a great while Col. Francis would
come in.
Q. Major Sanford you say was superintendent of recruiting. Did
Major Engley act under him ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What arrangement was made between Engley and him about
recruiting ?
A. They never had any, sir.
Q. Do. you know whether Major Sanford received any proportion
of the profits arising from that business ?
A. I don't know that he did. Never heard that he did. I have
no knowlege about it. I never took interest enough in it to inquire.
Q. Do you know anything of the amount of the bounty in the
aggregate, received by the men of the 14th regiment, which was
received by Major Engley ? ,
A. Well, that I could not say, sir.
Q. About how much ?
A. I never have figured it up, or looked into the matter at all ?
Q. Could you ascertain, now ?
A. No, sir. Not without examining the orders and casting them
up. Q. They are in the Paymaster's hands ?
A. So, I understand, the orders and agreements.
Q. Were all the men enlisted for that regiment, through that of
fice, or nearly all ?
A. Well, I think they were, though they commenced raising the
regiment in August. I had nothing to do with it until October.
Q. One or two companies were raised before Major Engley had
anything to do with it ?
A. That was before I had anything to do with the office.
Q. Do you know anything farther about the facts connected with
recruiting frauds, at that office, or mal-practices connected with these
men ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 141
A. I do not, sir.
Q. Do you know how the business was conducted ?
A. It was just in that manner ; the men gave orders and agree
ments for their bounty, and then they were turned into the Paymaster
General's hands, and the money was paid to Major Engley.
Q. Did Major Engley have anything to do with recruiting, other
than receiving recruits at the office ?
A. Well, he had the whole charge of it; he had his agents
throughout the country ; he went for some men himself; I think
he came on with one squad or more ; I don't know but what he did
more, I couldn't say.
JOHN W. NOYES.— Recalled.
Q. What do you know about the colored men being locked up ?
A. I probably had as much to do with locking men up as any
thing. The reason why they were locked up was this : They would
frequently come in at night about six o'clock, and the doors were at
first left open, and the consequence was that they were continually in
the room where I was sitting writing, asking questions about this and
that, and after they came in we had to make an order, on the person
who kept them furnished with board, &c. (They were continually -
coming into the little room, and would go down into the street, and
meet somebody who had money in his pocket, and get something to
drink, and feel very nicely, so that when they got ready to go up to
their boarding-place, they were in a condition in which we did not
like to send men to any decent boarding-place. They were in the
habit of drinking very frequently) after they were sworn into the ser
vice, until they were clothed, it was frequently the case that we had to
have the outside door locked, and the one going into the room where
I was, was most always unlocked. Occasionally I had some other
writing to attend to, when it was locked. With regard to any mans
being ill-treated, or anything of that kind, there was one case where1 a
man went but in that way and got very much intoxicated and very
abusive to every one in the office, and seemed disposed to turn every
thing upside down, and by order of Major Engley he was put in irons
at that time, and in no other case.
Q. What did this man complain of when lie came in ?
A. He didn't seem to complain of anything in particular, but only
inclined to have a time generally.
Q. Was he an enlisted man, or one who had not been enlisted ?
A. I don't remember particularly about that ; I think he had been
sworn in, sir. I don't recollect the man's name. \
TESTIMONY OF W. S. OCCLESTON.
Thursday, January 26.
I am here in Providence as recruiting officer for the 15th U. S.
Infantry. I arrived here on the 5th of December, 186.4, on recruit
ing service, and have recruited about 78 men.

142 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Under what terms were these enlistments made as to bounty
paid the men ?
A. When I arrived here in December, the bounty from the State
was $300 for three years, and $300 by the Government, and there
was a premium, as I was informed, of $90. I was informed outside
that there was more pay for presenting the men. I got my first in- ¦
formation from Col. Chas. E. Bailey and Major Sanford. I enlisted
four men in the month of December — two on the 12th, one on the
13th, and one on the 15th of December. Their names are as fol
lows : George W. Gladding, William Willis, Stephen S. Fairfield,
Andrew V. Latham. I carried to Col. Bailey the vouchers for those
four men. He approved the vouchers for $110 and they were paid
by the Quartermaster General. I subsequently enlisted men. A few
evenings after, I received a-n order from Col. Bailey, by order of the
Governor, that hereafter the premiums would be $60 for one year
men, $80 for two years men, and $90 for three years men. The
$90 premium was the only one that affected me.
Q. Will you examine that paper, and see if it is a copy of the
order of Colonel Bailey ?
A. It is a copy of that order. These vouchers were to be made
out in duplicate. There were four vouchers, two of each kind. One
was headed, " expenses incurred on recruiting services," and the
other was headed, " expenses ihcurred in enlisting the following
named men." They were respectively, for $40 and $50, which made
the $90 premium. Two vouchers were required for each man en
listed, one $40 and one $50. I made out those vouchers. They
were approved by Colonel Bailey, and paid by the Quartermaster
General. I paid the money to the persons bringing the recruits.
From the 15th of December to the last day of December, I received
$90. The $110 was in two vouchers for $60 and $50, respectively.
Since then I have received $150 for each man — a premium of $100
extra, or local bounty, making $400 local bounty instead of $300,
after the 1st of January, 1865. It was done by order 'of the Gov
ernor ; I was ordered to make out my vouchers accordingly. The
vouchers were changed after the first day of January, and only one
set made out ; that was, " for expenses incurred in enlisting the fol-,
lowing named men."
Q. Will you examine that letter ?
A. That is an original letter over my signature. '
[This letter states that Lieutenant Occleston has received informa
tion that the amounts paid John N. Francis are as follows :]
Headquarters Recruiting Rendezvous 15th U. S. Infantry, I
v Providence, R. L, December 23d, 1864. ' j
Capt. Wm. E. Hamlin, Provost Marshal, First Congressional District, State of Rhode
Island: . J
Captain.— I have the honor to ask for information concerning the amount of pre
miums paid for recruits, enlisted and credited to this State. I have received informa
tion that the amounts paid to John N. Francis, are as follows : For one year recruits
St! thl ?laFS TTmtS f 95 ; ^X™ three years recruits $125 each' I would further
state that I have drawn from the Quartermaster General of the State of Rhode Island,

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 143
on vouchers approved by Col. Charles E. Bailey, A. D. C, the sum of $110 for the
first four men enlisted by me. Since which I have received the following order, (a
copy of which I enclose you.) I would respectfully state that I ask for this informa
tion out of motives strictly for the good ol the service. Being an officer ofthe govern
ment, and placed on the recruiting service in this city, I would respectfully ask your
aid in placing me on an equal footing with the other parties engaged in the recruiting
service, as it will enable me to obtain a great many more men for the service.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. B. OCCLESTON,
First Lieut. 15th U. S. Infantry, Recruiting Officer.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Dec. 15, 1864. J
Lieut. Wm. B. Occleston, Fifteenth TJ. S. Infantry, Providence, R. I.
Sir. — I have the honor to inform you that the following prejnium will be paid for
recruits enlisted in your "regiment," and credited to this State.
For a one year recruit  $60
" " two " "  80
" " three " "  :  90
Only bills for the above amounts can be approved at this department.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
CHARLES E. BAILEY, Colonel and A. D. C.
A true copy:
Wm. B. Occleston, First Lieut. 15th TJ. S. Infantry, Recruiting Officer.
I got my information about these additional bounties from the men
engaged in bringing the recruits ; they would say there was more
paid ; that John N. Francis was getting $125 for three years recruits
and only paying $90. For all the men enlisted from the 15th of
December, 1864, to the 31st of December, 1864, we were paid $90 ; -
previous to the 15th I received -$110. I was led to inquire why it
was, that if I was not entitled to draw but $90, I received $110 at
the first. If these parties were allowed $25 more than I was, they
could offer more inducements to runners to bring men, than I could ;
I wanted to be placed on an equal footing with them. I made this
statement in Colonel Bailey's office, " I don't propose to make any-
. thing out of this ; I propose to pay out every cent I receive to the
men bringing these recruits." The answer I received was, " We
know that ; if you were making out of it, it would not matter so
much."
LIEUT. W. B. OCCLESTON— Recalled.
Wednesday, February 8th.
Q. If you have any information further than you stated the other
day upon the subject of bounties and -the enlisting of recruits in this
State, you will state it ; I mean State bounties to State recruits ?
A. I believe I have stated before in reference to the amount of
bounties and premium.
Q. I want to include premium in the question ?
A. I don't know anything about that, except in reference to my
own case ; the men I have enlisted, i. e. fifty-one in the month of Janu
ary, I have received $150 premium for.

144 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. ' Did you receive, personally, any benefit from that ?
A. No, sir ; I paid that to the man presenting the recruit.
Q. From whom did you receive it ?
A. From the Quartermaster General.
Q. Are you still recruiting for the United States Government in
this State ? , . ¦
A. Yes, sir ; the recruits I obtain are credited to the State in the
quota. Q. Have you made any application in reference to head money,
to the Governor, or to any officer connected with the Executive
Department, and what took place ?
A. I made application at the Governor's office on Saturday last,
the 4th of February.
Q. To whom did you make application ?
A. I, made application to the Governor — asked him for informa
tion in reference to bounties and premiums. He first referred me to
Colonel Bailey, who happened to be close by, and he replied to the
Governor, that my case was already under his consideration. The
Governor seemed to hesitate a while, and then Colonel Bailey told
him what the case was in reference to a sergeant of mine that had
been arrested. The Governor said that he could not give me any
answer until Tuesday. Colonel Bailey said the Governor would not
allow me to do any more recruiting while I kept that sergeant here ;
he had been arrested for giving forged exemption papers. He gave a
paper which was not an exemption paper, it was simply a joke played
on a man sent there by certain parties, I don't know exactly who the
parties were.
The following is the paper referred to :
Headquarters 46th Rhode Island Regt., )
January 40th, 1869. J
This is to certify that Joseph A. Greene, of Westerly, State of Rhode Island, has
this day appeared before me, for medical examination for exemption from the service
of the United States, and found totally unfit for the service. He suffering with the
Asthma and " Water on the Brain." I declare him wholly unfit for the service of the
United States.
Given under my hand and seal, this 40th day of January, 1869.
N. B. SQUILLS,
Examination Surgeon.
A true copy,
W. B. Occleston,
1st Lieut. 15th U. S. Infantry.
Q. What else took place ?
A. Nothing further was said at that time.
Q. At any other time ?
A. There was sometime previous to that, I cannot remember the
dates, when I had some talk with Col. Bailey in reference to the
premiums. The date of that order will show that I was to be allowed
only $90 ; that, I have already testified about:
Q. Was any reference made to Col. Neide, in any of these con
versations ?
A. No, sir ; I don't remember that there was.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 145
Q. Are you still recruiting?
A. I am, sir.
Q. Do you receive any hand-money or premium for recruits ?
A. No, sir ; I have not as yet ; I have not given any certificates
yet ; I only commenced, yesterday to recruit.
Q. How do the men recruited by you compare in numbers with
those recruited by other officers in the State.
A. I think, for one office, I have enlisted a larger number of men
than any other in the State — fifty-one from the 1st of Jan. to the 21st
of January ; that was from the time that the premiums went up $150
until they were done away with. I enlisted twenty-seven men in De
cember. I came into the State on the 5th day of December.
Q. In reference to these fifty-one men, you say you received $150.
How much did other men receive for their recruits ?
A. That I could not state positively, but I have heard that they
received $200.
Q. Who received the $200 ?
A. I heard that Capt. Starkey, Major Engley, Col. Francis, and
Co]. Jenckes, received $200. I would like to state there have been
men sent to me during the time I was enlisting these men, who told
me that Capt. Starkey and Major Engley wished them to take the
vouchers or certificates from me, (not the money) to them,' and they
would cash them for $150, the same that I was cashing them for. I
did not allow that to be clone. I took the certificates to the Quarter
master General. I told them I would not allow any man to make
money from my labor, if they could not enlist the men for that price.
I would not allow any man to make $50 on my labor ; or words to
that effect.
Q. You are prohibited from receiving any compensation except
your pay, as lieutenant, under the laws of the United States ?
A. Yes, sir.
TESTIMONY OF CHRISTOPHER RHODES.
January 31st, 1865.
I am clerk in the Provost Marshal's department for the Second
District. Q. State what you know, if anything, in reference to the payment
of bounties and bounty certificates to recruits, and the disposition of
such bounties since yon have been in that office ?
A. I never saw any orders of the Executive, I know that the
Provost Marshal issued certificates. At first, for one year men, the
certificates were $20 ; three years, $50. I think he enlisted one two
years man, a short time ago, I am not sure of the date, it was for $35
or $40. We never had but that one ; I don't recollect the amount
that was on the face of the voucher. We gave $20 for one year
men, and $50 for three years men. Those certificates were supposed
to be delivered to the man that brought the recruit in,
Q. To the runners ?

19

146 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Yes, sir ; to the man that presented the recruit; It was the
custom of certain parties, to buy these certificates up. I have known
them to give $60 for a one year voucher, a $20 voucher, and $90 tor
a $50 voucher. On the 3d of January they increased the head
money to $150. They increased the Provost Marshal's certificates
to $150.
Q. Who were the parties that purchased these certificates i-
A. I know Captain Starkey purchased some ; I would not swear
to it, but I think John N. Francis purchased some. I know the
runners used to come in and bring the recruits, and these men would
have the vouchers made out in their names.
Q. In John N. Francis' name ?"
A. Yes, sir ; he did not have a great many, perhaps a dozen or so.
Q. Who requested them to do it? i. e. to have the names in-
serted. A. Sometimes the parties themselves would do it, and sometimes
the -runner would do it, i. e. to have their name inserted in the cer
tificate. Q. Did John N. Francis, or these other men, have anything fo
do with recruiting these men ?
A. I could not answer that. I don't know. I know that Cap
tain Starkey brought quite a number of men himself. _ I knew he
.gave this head money, because there was a man brought in a recruit
himself. He thought he did'nt get what was dne on him. I told
him, I would take it for him and get what I could for it. I got $100 for
the three years voucher. I sold it to Capt. Starkey. I did not \wj
it from the other man, but took it as a matter of accommodation to
him. Q. You say, you never heard any other person say anything as to
the insertion of the names of Capt. Starkey, Col. Francis, or any
other person in these certificates ?
A. I was clerk, and Capt Chadsey gave me orders to make them
out to such and such men. I made them out in accordance with the
orders of Capt. Chadsey. I never made any out at all, without his
orders, so nothing could fall upon me in that respect, and I don't know
from whom he received his orders requesting him to make them out
in that way. I don't know for certain, that he received such orders
from anybody. I heard him say one day, that he didn't know as he
had any right to give them to anybody but Col. Francis and Captain
Starkey. I was talking to the Captain one day about it, and asked
him. Q. He did'nt know as he had any right to give vouchers to any
body but Col. Francis and Captain Starkey ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long have you been connected with the recruiting ser
vice ?
A. I have been in the office since May, 1863. We commenced
recruiting in our office, June 2%, 1864.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 147
Q. Do you know, or can you state anything further, in relation
to the payment of bounties ?
A. I know nothing further.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM LAIR, (Colored.)
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. Where do you live ?
Answer. In 75 Vandam street, New York.
Q. What has been your business during the last summer and fall?
A. Well, I was engaged in Major Engley's office in New York.
Q. What did you do ? •
A. Well, I simply kept the office for them — writing sometimes.
Q. Was Major Engley there himself?
A. Yes, sir ; he was there then.
Q. When was that ?
A. It was about tbe first of August.
Q. What was Major Engley doing there ?
A. Well, he was recruiting.
Q. Did you assist in the recruiting business ?
A. No, sir ; I staid at the office and took the names as the men
came in.
Q. Did you take in a good many men ?
A. Yes, sir ; a pretty good many ; sometimes ten or eleven a day.
Q. How much bounty were they paid ?
A. They were paying $300.
Q. Did the men all understand that that was the bounty ?
A. Yes, sir ; a pretty good many of them.
Q. Did they give any part of it to Major Engley ?
A. No, sir ; not as I know of.
Q. Did they buy of him any watches or other property ?
A. No, sir ; not as I know of.
Q. Major Engley took them on to Providence from New York ?
A. Ye's, sir ; him and a man in Broad street, New York — I have
forgot his name. Downing used to fetch his men on.
Q. Where did this man come from ?
A. New York — Peter Downing.
Q. These men that you took in there when Major Engley was
there, were they picked up in New York ?
A. Some of them were picked up in New York, some in Pough
keepsie, and all around there.
Q. Did you know of any ofthe men coming back there from
Providence — being rejected in Providence and returned ?
A. No, sir ; only one, and that was Wynkoop— he belonged in
Poughkeepsie. Q. Were his expenses paid back ?
A. No, sir ; they were not paid back, unless as far as New York.
Q! Major Engley did not pay his expenses from Providence to
his home ?

148 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir, only from Providence to New York.
Q. Did the man make any complaint ?
A. Yes, sir; he wanted to get home; he said it was a shame that
they did not send him home, after bringing him from his home.
Q. What was the agreement if he came on and should be rejected?,
A. They should be" sent home, their expenses paid, and give them
some change to get something to eat.
Q. How was this man's expenses paid from Providence to New
York, do you know ?
A. No, sir; I do not.
Q. Do you know of any frauds practiced upon the men in Eng
ley's office, in New York ?
A. No, sir ; I do not, sir.
Q. What was paid to the men in the first lot, when they first
enlisted ?
A. Twenty-five dollars.
Q. How much did Engley pay for these men ?
A. When they first come there he was paying two dollars a head.
Then he was told there was another agent there, who got in all the
men, and he said he would raise to $5, and he kept it up to $5 quite
some time, and then he told his agent he could not afford to pay any
more, and then he paid $2, because he was not getting paid so much
as he was paying.
Q. How much pay did Engley get for the men at that time ?
A. I do not know, sir.
Q. Did the men themselves pay him anything ?
A. No, sir.
Q. No part of their bounty ? ,
A. No, sir.
Q. Was Captain Ballou in company with him at this time ?
A. I believe not, sir.
Q. You werj in the office with Captain Ballou afterwards ?
A. Yes, sir ; I went to Captain Ballou's office afterwards.
Q. At that time Engley and Ballou were not in company ?
A. Well, I could not say, sir. i
Q. Did you know of any fraud or deception that was practiced
upon tine men in Captain Ballou's office ?
A. No more than when Captain Ballou was away, some men
would come in at $250, and we would make an order out for $80,
and sometimes a hundred dollars.
Q. Did the men assent to it ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did they understand what the State bounty was ?
A. I believe they did, sir.
Q. Do you know of any case where the man was deceived as to
the amount of State bounty ?
A. No, sir ; I do not, sir.
Q. Do you know of any watches, or other property being sold to
the men, in Captain Ballou's office ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 149
A. Yes, sir. I know I had a few watches — myself and Nat An
gell — we sold them.
Q. What did you get for watches ?
A. Well, we had some good watches and got $20.
Q. What did you pay ?
A. Well, sir, I believe we paid $18.
Q. Don't you know how much you paid for them f
A. No, sir ; I do not.
Q. You took orders for the men ? *
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did Captain Ballou have anything to do with this business ?
Did he know anything about it ?
A. I believe he did, sir.
Q. Did you know of any of these bogus watches, or burners, as
was said here ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you sell any other goods to these men ?
A. No, sir ; nothing else.
Q. How many watches do you think were sold at that office ?
» A. Well, sir, I could not tell, I guess about twenty-four watches.
Q. Who was your partner in the business ?
A. Nat Angell.
Q. Does he live in New York ?
A. No, sir ; he lives in Providence.
Q. Who bought the watches ?
A. He bought them.
Q. Did he have the money himself to buy them ?
A. Yes, sir — his own money.
Q. How long did you remain in that office ?
A. I believe I went there on the 16th of August. I have been
with them ever since.
Q. Were you in his office there ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Does he have an office there, now ?
A. No, sir.
Q. What are you doing, now ?
A. Well, I am working for his father.
Q. Did you draw the orders for these men 
A. The watch money ?
Chairman. No.
Q. The bounty ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Who did ?
A. Angell. I have wrote some.
Q. These men could not all read and write, could they ?
A. No, sir ; but the orders would be read to them.
Q. Were they read to them in all cases ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did they know what the orders were ?

150 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Yes, sir ; after they were read to them.
Q. Who read the orders to them ?
A. Nat Angell, and sometimes myself.
Q. You always read them just as they were written ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you known of any men who complained of being de
ceived about the amount of their orders ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you visited any* of the men in camp ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Any complaints made ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you been in Engley's office, here ?
A. No, sir. WILLIAM HILL— RECALLED.
I was at Harrisburg Depot, and saw a bill stating that the State of
Rhode Island will pay a bounty of $250, and the Government $100,
making a bounty of $350. It was endorsed at the bottom, Major
Sanford. The mmi is in the city, a colored man, now who had it at
the time. His name is John Reeder. I would not be at all sur
prised if he had the document.
TESTIMONY OF ROBERT FESSENDEN.
I accompanied Nat. Angell to Paul Brez, in John St., New York,
to purchase one dozen composite case cylinder and lever move
ment watches, at nine and a half dollars apiece by the dozen. The
ordinary retail price was about sixteen dollars — so Mr. Brez told me.
We circulated also, bills offering three hundred dollars bounty, as by
the Governor of Rhode Island's proclamation, in. Washington, Balti
more, Cincinnati, Poughkeepsie, NewYork, Albany, Cleveland, Buffa
lo, and Wilmington, Del. These were printed in New York. I saw a
bill that Engley's agent had — an old fellow showed me one ofthe bills
and showed me the form he had attached — so that colored men consid
ered themselves enlisted right on the spot, that we, the undersigned,
agree to enlist for two hundred and fifty dollars. That was in Buf
falo. I have not seen the handbill since ; he said it was out of print —
the same to agree with this form.
Q. Where were they printed ?
A. I do not know. He had that agreement printed after he got
to Buffalo. He went there to take charge of the recruiting for Major
Engley, and he stopped at the Bonney House.
TESTIMONY OF HUGH B. BROWN.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. What is your name ?
Answer. Hugh B. Brown, of Orange, New Jersey.
Q. Have you been connected with the recruiting business for this
State ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 151
A. I have. I recruited one hundred and fifty men for the 14th
R. I., or about that.
Q. By whom were you employed ?
A. Employed by Major Engley.
Q. Where did you recruit the men ?
A. I recruited them chiefly in Central New York — some as far
as St. Louis.
Q. Were you employed by Engley by the day?
A. No, sir ; it was a partnership relation ; I made arrangements
with Major Engley for the State of New York, last August. He
made. a proposition to me to go into Central New York to recruit
men on these conditions : I was to furnish half the capital, and he
furnish the other half, and the State allowed me $50 of the bounty
of the men,- and that that $50- would be divided between us after
deducting the expense of recruiting, and that this arrangement was
done, with the consent and knowledge of the Governor of the State.
Q. How was the head money to be divided?
A. He never said anything to me about it. I afterwards ascer
tained that there was head money, but he never said anything to me,
and I ought to have been entitled to half but he never said anything
about it.
Q. Your contract was to take one half of all you received.
A. What he stated he received was to be this fifty dollars. I was to
furnish all the recruiting expenses, and all other expenses to the
city of New York or Albany, and he gave me transportation from
the city of New York or Albany, to Providence, and he paid the
expenses back of all those that did not pass. That was his part of
the capital although I always furnished two-thirds of it.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What kind of transportation did he fur
nish you ?
A. He gave me an order on the agents of different Companies
and one that stated that I was in his employ.
Q. He gave you his order ?
A, He did.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did his name appear as official ?
A. He gave me his name as Major Engley. I have no document
authorizing transportation. I have a document authorizing me to
act in that capacity, and that was the way he signed it.
Q. When you found any men did they sign any contract with
you? A. No, sir.
Q. Did he give you any orders for any payment of the bounty ?
A. No, sir. I never did business in that way.
Q. How did you arrange it ?
A. At, first I simply issued a handbill, stating that the bounty was
1250, and that they would get. twenty-five dollars of that down;
seventy-five dollars when mustered in, and the balance when ordered
to the war. But afterwards, I began to reflect that, that was hardly
the fair thing notwithstanding my orders. I afterwards said to the

152 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
men, the bounty is $300, but you must allow us $50 to pay all the
heavy expenses of recruiting which they were willing to do, and after,
that I adopted that plan. .
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Your orders were from Major Engley to ad
vertise that the State bounty was $250.
A. To state that to the men.
Q. Is that in written authority ?
A. No, sir ; it was verbal.
Q. Have you any copy of the handbills ?
A. I have none with me ; I have plenty at home. I have issued
two handbills. I have another that was issued in St. Louis. When
in St. Louis, I had been there but a few days when I received a note
from Major Engley, requiring my presence at the  . I went
there astonished to see him, and he said he had come on to see
about matters generally, and get things straight, and among others
he called my attention to that $50 to be deducted from the men's
bounty to pay expenses. He said it did not leave margin enough for
all concerned, where we went so far for them, and that I should have
to issue another handbill, and come down with the bounty a little
lower. Well, I said, I thought it was rather hard to take any more
from the men than $50 — it ought to be enough. He said, no, there
were two reasons why it ought to be cut down a little lower ; one was,
ther<} was Major Sanford that had not made anything yet out of the
recruiting, and it was high time he came in for a little benefit, and
that we ought to get more from the men in order to leave the margin
large enough for him to share. Well, I said, it was rather too bad to
take any more from the bounty ; but if it was actually necessary to
do so, I was under his order. I said I understood the bounty was
$310. I said issue an order for $100, and it would leave $210. I
said let's make it $225 — don't take so much. He said no, that would
not do, to make it as he told me. I soon had a handbill — copies
of which I have in my carpet bag.
Q. Can you furnish us copies ?
A. I can when I get home.
Q. I wish you would do so ? Did you post up a number of these
handbills? A. I issued them there, not in any great quantities because I
found that Major Scholfield had issued an order forbidding recruiting,
and I gave them to Bishop Green and my agents in drinking saloons
and other places whore I could make use of them.
Q. Did you make any private contract with the men ?
A. I only succeeded in getting two men, on account of the strin
gency of the regulations — these were two who had the bounty on
the handbill.
' Q. Did they sign any paper ?
_ A. They did not sign any ; when they came here all the men
signed a paper. I do not mean that Engley required them to sign a
paper, saying that they would receive so much for their bounty—
they always did it.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 153
Q. You never took any paper of that kind ?
A. I never did at all.
Q. These men you took in St. Louis — these two men were not
correctly informed as to the amount of the State bounty ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Could you get any more men wben they were so informed
that the bounty was $300. Did the men volunteer any more readily
when they understood it was $250 ?
A. I did not perceive any difference. It made a vast difference
when I came to camp ; there was no complaining or hard words if
they knew the facts. '
Q. You have been in the camp ?
A. Always when I came on with them.
Q. Have you heard such complaints ?
A. When I was in at one time, and they had found out that the
bounty was $300, they thought they had not been fairly dealt with.
Q. Has there been any difficulty between you and Major Engley ?
A. No difficulty, any further than in a settlement ; he attempted
to wrong me out of my just dues, and I cannot get a settlement.
Q. Have you known of any instance where Major Engley has
taken more from the men than what you agreed with them for ?
A- I only know of one instance; one of the men 1 brought on
from St. Louis, he said to the man, " now," said he, " Brown has been
to a great deal of trouble for you, and brought you a long distance,
and you ought to do the fair thing by him." Said he, " I will."
"What will you give him," said he. " I will give him $10." He
drew up an order for that amount, and kept the order (and that's the
last I ever saw of him) and made him sign it.
Q. The hundred dollars was taken out of his bounty besides ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you come on yourself with all the men you recruited?
A. Not always ; sometimes I sent them through by a sergeant.
Q. What do you mean by a sergeant ?
A. Well, he allowed me to select any of the men I had recruited
after they came down and put on the uniform, to work as our agents
in the partnership relation — as many as I wanted.
Q. You have not yet settled with Major Engley ?
A. No, sir ; I called upon him to-day for the third time for a set
tlement, and I saw he was not disposed to do what was right, and I
asked him to go with me and lay the matter before the Governor, and
my papers and receipts are now' before the Governor, and he told me
I might call in a couple of hours, and he would tell me what he
thought was right. I agreed to leave it on one particular point to
the decision of the Governor, and he was to take that into considera
tion this afternoon, and give me an answer. I have a succinct state
ment of my difficulty with Major Engley. If it is the request of the
committee, I will read it, it was heard before the Governor.
Q. You were Major Engley's agent.
A. Yes, sir. (Produces and reads.)
20

154 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
St. Louis, Oct. 31, 1863.
This certifies that Hugh B. Brown is appointed agent and super
intendent of recruiting in the State of Missouri, for the Fourteenth
R. I. H. A., the said Brown having no authority to enlist men in the
State of Missouri, but merely to forward thefti to Rhode Island, in
such a manner as not to conflict with the laws of Missouri.
(Signed) J. C. ENGLEY,
Major, Fourteenth Regiment, &c.
(Reads). On or about the 2d of October, I was requested by
Major Engley (Sanford) to leave the recruiting field in central New
York, and proceed to St. Louis, to superintend recruiting there. I
demurred, but finally consented, if he would allow me to keep posses
sion of my field in central New York. To this Engley replied, I can
not grant the request, as some official information has reached me that
recruiting in New York ought to be stopped immediately. _ I will
send the agent to get down all the men they have, and you will order
to camp all the sergeants. I went to St. Louis, and that mission hav
ing failed, owing to the order of Gen. Schofield, I returned to New
York and found recruiting going on in the old field, the same as when
I left it. I learned further, that Major Engley, after I left, sent up
his agents to occupy the field. Mr.  , one of the agents, pro
ceeded immediately to the residence of David H. Hay, my head-
agent, and said to him that I had left the field, and that he had been
sent to take my place. He then procures a list of my men from all
my agents, into his hands. On my return to Providence, I remon
strated with Major Engley, that this was something like a want of
faith on his part, and he defended himself by saying that things took
a little different turn after I left, and then desired me to go to Ohio,
and procure contrabands at $50 bounty ; the remainder to be shared
by all the parties concerned.
Q. Who are all the parties concerned ?
A. Well, he did not then state whether Major Sanford was to be
one of the parties, or not ; myself and him were ; and from what he
said in St. Louis, I inferred that Major Sanford was one. I do not
think he mentioned his name at that time. I might remark here, that
this he said was with the approbation of the Governor, though I
would not touch it without that assurance. This he in part con
sented to do, and I went back to New York, to make the necessary
arrangements for leaving the field in charge of a competent man, but
after waiting ten days, I saw no signs of his complying with the
agreement ; his agents still continued in the field after the repeated
assurance that no man should be permitted to interfere with me in
that field. It becoming plain that he did not intend to keep faith
with me, I concluded to leave his service which I have accordingly
done. In the first place, I claim that the agents in Central New
York, were in my employ, and with my money in their hands, and in
consequence I am entitled to all the money earned by them, just the
same as ifi employed them in some other business ; for the agreement
was that they should have money on my account to bring down the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 155
men. Nor does the fact of their continuing longer in the field, alter
the case. He did not discharge them, nor did they, nor he, notify
me of transfer of service. Of course, I am willing to allow all just
claims of money — advancing money to said agents.
Respectfully submitted, &c
Q. Who are the parties among whom this money has been divided?
A. Myself and Major Engley, so far as my contract is concerned.
We were all the parties, and I only inferred from what he said to me
in St. Louis, that Major Sanford was another ; I cannot say positively
that it was so.
Q. Have you taken one-half of the profits ?
A. After paying expenses that I advanced — one-half of $50.
• Q. Have you known of watches and other goods being sold to
these recruits ?
A> Yes, sir ; I know what was done.
Q. By whom ?
A. I think as near as I can remember, it was done by a sergeant
in the employ of Major Engley, in or about his office — one of his
employees. Q. Did Major Engley know it ?
A. Not that I know of.
Q. Had he any connection with them, that you know of?
A. No.
Q. It was done in his office, was it ?
A. Well, in or about it. These men that were employed in dif
ferent ways coming in contact with the men.
Q. What was the quality ?
AT. Such as I have seen, were worth from a dollar to five dollars.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What did they get them for ?
A. From $18 to $25.
Q. Do you know the names of any of the parties who sold these
watches ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know Mr. Sheldon that is about the office ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know if he sold any ?
A. I do not.
Q. How did they take pay ?
A. I do not know, I never saw a sale ; I only know that the men
got the watches, and I think I have seen them in the hands of the
parties. Q. You don't know to whom the orders were given or were pay
able? A. No, sir.
Q. I think you stated the number of men you recruited .'
A. About two hundred and fifty men.
Q. How many men that you furnished were rejected and sent
back?

156 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. I could not answer that question. I could not tell about what
per cent. I think it is — I should say about 10 per cent.
Q. Who paid their expenses on returning home ?
A. That was part of the duty of Major Engley, and part of the
agreement, and the part of the capital he was to furnish, and he
always brought in his bill for it ; and in one or two instances he al
leged to have sent back men which' were not sent back ; but that
might have been a mistake.
Q. Do you know whether, in fact, he did pay the expenses of
these men back ?
A. I do not know that ; I have his statement for it.
Q. Do you know how he obtained transportation for these returned
men ?
A. No ; I know how he arranged transportation for the men in
St. Louis.
Q. How was that?
A. In the first place he made a deposit of $500, and then ; that
was with a company in Chicago ; and then that order was nullified,
and he made another arrangement with a Terre Haute company, for
$17.50 per man, and gave me an order through to New York.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you think Major Engley lost any money
by the men you got ?
A. Lost'! No, sir; he made as much as $1,500, if not $2,000,
judging from what I made, he ought to have made $2,000.
TESTIMONY OF JAMES MOSELY.
Saturday, February 13th, 1864.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What is your name ?
A. James Mosely.
Q. Where do you live ?
A. In the State of Ohio.
Q. What town ?
A. Xenia. - I live there ; it will be nearly three weeks now since
I left. Q. Who asked you to come here ?
A. It was a colored man, a recruiting officer that got me to enlist.
Q. What was his name ?
A. His name was Allen C. Freeman.
Q. Did you come to enlist in the Fourteenth Regiment ?
A. Yes, sir ; I did.
Q. What did he promise you ?
A. He promised me $302.
Q. Did he pay your expenses here ?
A. No, sir ; he did not. He took me to Zanesville, Ohio. He
had a dispatch from Major Condor, and he took me to Cleveland.
Q. Who?
A. Condor, they called him.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 157
Q. Did Major Condor pay your expenses to Cleveland ?
A. Yes, sir ; he did ; and Capt. Fuller paid my expenses from
Cleveland to this place.
Q. Capt. Fuller ?
A. Yes, sir ; he is a man recruiting for the Fourteenth R. I.
H. A,.
Q. Capt. Fuller, at Cleveland, paid your expenses to New York ?
A. Capt. Fuller, at Cleveland, paid my way to this place,
Providence. Q. When you arrived here, what did you do and where did
you go ?
A. I went to the office, where they examined the recruits, and
the doctor examined me there.
Q. Do you know Major Engley ? ,
A. No, sir ; I do not.
Q. Did you ever see him ?
A. No, sir ; I never did see him.
Q. What did the doctor tell you ?
A. He told me he could not pass me.
Q. Who was the doctor ?
A. I do not know him, sir. He is a very fat man — pretty large
man. Q. After you were rejected by the doctor, what did you do ?
A. Capt. Fuller got me to go and stayr with Mr. Ballou a while.
Q. Did Capt. Fuller come on with you ?
A. He came from Cleveland, Ohio, with me. After I was reject
ed by the doctor, I went to stay with Capt. Fuller, to see whethei I
could go out with the captain, to wait on him as his servant ; but if
he did not go out but resigned, perhaps he would want me to stay
with him awhile. If I wanted to go back home, he told me he would
pay my way back.
Q. Do you want to go back ?
A. Yes, sir ; I do.
Q. Have you been to the captain to ask him ?
A. I have not seen bim.
Q. Did you go anywhere and ask ?
A. I went over to the other office — it was where I was examined.
Q. What did they tell you ?
A. Thev told me I could not do it — could not pay my way back.
Q. What did you tell them ?
A. Then they asked me would I 'list, I told them they objected
to me at first, and it was no use to try. Major Engley said that cap
tain Fuller was captured by the rebels, and told me I had better enlist.
Q. They told you that captain Fuller was captured by the rebels?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did captain Fuller promise to pay your expenses back ?
A. Yes, sir; he did.
Q. And if you were accepted you were to have $302 ?
A. Yes, sir ; if I was accepted.

158 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did you agree to pay him any part of your bounty ?
A. No, sir ; I did not.
Q. How did you understand he was to be paid for paying your
expenses ?
A. I thought it was like all other recruits— he was to pay ail ex
penses back to this place, and if they did not pass, pay their way
back again — that is what I understood.
Q. You have never had anything to do with Major Engley ?
A. No, sir ; I never did see him ; they told me they would tell
me afterwards.
Q. They told you at this office ?
A. Yes, sir.
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR J. C. ENGLEY.-
Wednesday, February 10," 1864.
(Examined by the Chairman.)
Question. Where do you reside ?
Answer. In Providence.
Q. How long have you been a resident of Providence ?
A. About a year and a half.
Q. Have you been connected with the recruiting business in this
State ? ,
A. I have, air.
Q. How long a time ?
A. Most of the time that I have been here.
Q. In what capacity ?
A. All the way from private to the position I now hold as major.
Q. You have now a commission as major ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. In what regiment ?
A. Fourteenth colored.
Q. You have been mustered in ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you been, recruiting in this State since the commence
ment of the formation of the 14th regiment ?
A. I have, since they commenced to fill it as a regiment. I com
menced at the time the first company was about full. I believe, sir,
— company A, and then it was decided to raise a battalion.
Q. Did you receive your commission at that time, as major ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By whom were you appointed to recruit, or authorized, or is
there not any special authority required ?
A. I have no written order ; I was ordered by the Governor in
the first instance.
Q. Appointed by the Governor ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. For this regiment, or for any regiment ?
A. More particularly for this regiment, with authority to receive
recruits for any regiment.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 159
Q. What were your instructions, if any, from the Governor in
regard to this regiment ?
A. I was ordered to report for instructions to Major S. P. San
ford, whose instruction I was tp follow with that of the Governor.
Q. When did you first commence working for this regiment ?
A. I can hardly give you the date. I think it was about the last
of August or the first of September, somewhere about that time. I
cannot give you the exact date, without referring to papers.
Q. Was it sometime after the regiment began to be filled up ?
A. It was at the time, as I said before, when company A was
about full — nearly full, not quite.
Q. You did not do much for that company ?
A. Not much. No, sir.
Q. Did you recruit any men for that company ?
A. Indirectly, not directly, I furnished money for parties that did.
Q. What parties ?
A. I furnished to Lieut. Grabner. This company was the first
company of the regiment.
Q. What is your connection with Grabner ? yon say you furnished
him money. Was it a private arrangement between you and him?
A. Yes, sir ; my object was, principally, to help off the company.
Q. Was he an authorized recruiting officer ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. State what you did in connection with him ?
A. I furnished him something like a hundred dollars to get re
cruits, and he promised that he would refund the money as soon as he
brought the recruits, and received the payment of the Quartermaster
General, which payments he received, but he put the money into his
own pocket.
Q. Was that a partnership, or simply a loan of money ?
A. Simply a loan of money.
Q. He simply paid back the money he borrowed, you did not
share any profits of the enterprise ?
A. No, sir ; he did not pay ; he put it on the ground that be had
done service enough for me before ; I never found any fault with
him. Q. After yonr connection with him, what did you do ; beginning
with the first you had to do in recruiting for the 14th Regiment?
A. The first thing I did was to start for New York myself. I
went to New York, leaving here on Sabbath evening, and returning,
left New York the next Tuesday evening, bringing with me forty-
four recruits that I picked up in New York city during that time,
thirty-seven of which passed examination.
Q. Was there any arrangement made with the Governor as to
the amount which you were to receive ?
A. Yes, sir ; what was allowed by the Quartermaster General —
simply the head money, that is all, sir.
Q. Was any transportation furnished you ?
A. No transportation was furnished. I meant to say that thirty^
seven only passed the surgeon's examination.

•160 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did you get any subsistence money from the Quartermaster?
A. No, sir; not anything at all. I "paid that out of my own
pocket. I would like to say here, that that lot of forty-four men cost
me $25 each, and I got only $12.
Q. I wish you to explain how these men cost you $25.
A. Well, sir; the first thing I did was to hire a team by the day.
I had a poor idea of where the colored people lived. I was acquainted
with the business, but not acquainted with colored recruiting. I took
this team, and took a colored man with me, and we went into Sulli
van and Thompson streets. A great many colored people live there.
I found a room there, and got about half-a-dozen men, to whom I
advanced $10 apiece, on the start, and told them what I wanted.
The old saying is that the colored man always wants his money before
his work is done. I then sent them out to recruit. I told them I
would give them $10 apiece for all the recruits they brought in.
Then their subsistence, and their subsistence on the boat, and their
travelling expenses — on the average, it cost me $25 apiece.
Q. Did I understand you correctly, that you left Sunday evening
and returned Tuesday ?
A. I left Tuesday night and arrived here Wednesday morning.
In some cases I had to leave money for their families. It was imme
diately after the riot, and they were very destitute ; some were nearly
cleaned out. It was fortunate for recruiting, but very bad for the
families For one man, I had to pay rent, or he would have been
turned out of doors. His wife was well satisfied.
Q. You paid $10 in advance ?
A. I do not wish to be misunderstood there. We paid most of
them $10 ; some of them only cost me $6. There were several
headquarters. Q. I mean this squad.
A. After I got the first few, I went right into Five Points, and
they engaged to go ; some of them did not cost me but $6.
Q. You did n&t pay all of this squad $10 ?
A. These- were the usual prices, $10 and $6. I did not recollect
at first. A part of them cost $10 and a part $6.
Q. Didn't you make any written contract with these men ?
A. I made, I drew up a paper, stating the bounty to be paid by
the State, and some other points, and they signed it or made their
marks. Q. Was that paper returned to this office ?
A. No, sir ; so far as there was no reduction of these bounties,
there was no necessity.
Q. But, have you received nothing from the State ?
A. No, sir ; except the $10.
Q. Were you alone in this enterprise, or was somebody with you?
A. I was alone ; it being my business ; I had done a great deal
of it; I was urged to take hold of it at this time. Major Sanford
recommended me to the Governor, and then he was anxious that I
should go to work.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 161
Q. Is there any arrangement between Major Sanford and your
self, by which you are in any way to divide tbe profits of this business?
A. I will tell you. There was an understanding, and it was with
another man ; it was Chaplain Perry. I said nothing of the fact,
because he took no active part. He started for New York, and agreed
to meet me at the train and go together and take part ; I went to the
train and he was not at the depot, and when I came back he was dis
satisfied with the expenses, which exceeded the profits, and I did not
exchange any words with him ; he did not like it, and did not take
hold with me.
Q. Do you mean, Major Engley, that the subsistence of these
men from Sunday evening until Tuesday evening cost you $15 apiece ?
A. No, sir ; I meant to say the subsistence, hire of teams, and my
own expenses there, and the money I left with the families, and what
I paid the men as head-money, for bringing recruits, amounted^in the
aggregate to $25 per head.
Q. Do you mean to say that you paid money to the families be
sides what you paid to the men ?
A. Yes, sir ; in a great many cases.
Q. What was your object in paying more than you got for these
men? A. I wanted to induce the Governor to raise a regiment. He
was not decided. I worked, and wanted to show what could be done
with this view.
Q. Well, after returning with that squad, please go on and tell
what you did next.
A. I do not know as I can go on and tell.
Q. State whether, after reporting, you had an understanding with
the Governor, and he agreed to pay you more per head.
A. No, sir ; not for some time." I went back to New York with
five or six of these men and tried to induce their friends to go.
Q. Seven of these men were rejected, what became of them ?
A. The Governor required of me that I should send back the re
jected men at my expense.
Q. And you did so ?
A. Yes, sir. I did not think of that in connection witb the $25.
I made up my account on the way between New York and here.
Q. In sending back these men, are you obliged to pay ordinary
rates ?
A. I get them at military rates.
Q. What are those rates ?
A. $3 ; and I gave them half-a-dollar apiece to get, their suppers
with, and that made, on the seven men, for whom I was liable to a
certain extent, a cost of $3 50 each.
Q. And you lost on these men ; how much ?
A. You can figure it. They cost me with transportation and
back, $25 50 apiece, and a little over, reckoning the transportation on
the rejected men.
21

162 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did you mean to say that these forty-four men cost you
$25,50 each, or the thirty seven men.
A. Well, it made no difference ; I left money with the families ;
I treated them the same in every respect as if they had passed. I
could not tell which would be passed.
Q. Then you spent $25 each on the entire squad ? Who receives
this $2 by the United States ?
A. I receive it on these men.
Q. This comes to you ?
A. The reason I have not collected it is that Capt. Silvey's very
nice. I waited to get the General's rolls, because the men, he allows,
I can only collect on the General's muster.
Q. Who pays this $2.
A. It is paid by Capt. Wm. Silvey, U. S. Mustering Officer. It
comes out of the General Government.
Q. I understand from the remark you made before, that you re
ceived it from the Paymaster of the State ?
A. No, sir ; I made a remark that I waited for the rolls, to take
a copy of the Paymaster's rolls, so as to get the precise number he
had mustered.
Q. You were going on to state that notwithstanding your losses,
you immediately returned to New York ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And were still by yourself — had no partner ?
A. No partner, sir, at all.
Q. You took on some of these men to assist you?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were you furnished, you and your agents with transportation?
A. We were. Yes, sir.
Q. By whom.
A. Major Sanford is agent for the State, and has charge for fur
nishing transportation by the State, of nearly all the regiments that
arrive. Q. Please explain how that is done. Does he give an order on
the Quartermaster ?
A. No, sir. I have an order for myself, and they respect my or
der. Major Sanford gives an order to respect my order for whatever
transportations I need. In the first case of men, he sent a special or
der to New York. He gave an order to Edwards to furnish transpbr-
tation for so many men, and it has usually been the case until
I furnished men to such an extent, they trusted me to authorize my
own transportation, as I required it.
Q. On returning to New York what did you do ?
A. I went through about the same process, with this exception;
I will state that on the first squad I might have got them for $12.
By taking more time I could have got them together, but I wanted to
get them together quick. . When I went back I intended to have the
$12 cover, which in most cases it did.
Q. How much time did you spend in this second expedition?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 163
A. I was only there a few days, when I came on with a second
squad of men, and I went on there several times.
Q. Can you tell anything about the number ?
A. I cannot tell you, except the first, because they were raised
under peculiar circumstances.
Q. What did you receive for these men ?
A. The same as before.
Q. You took nothing from the men ?
A. Nothing from the bounty, sir, at all.
Q. Have these men been paid their full bounty ?
A. Yes, sir ; these men were in Company B, their checks were
made off for the full amount. I will state myself, personally, that I
have enlisted a man from New York city and not deducted any thing
at all from his bounty. A man from New York city has had his full
bounty, the full amount of $300, because the expense of getting them
is but trifling. (To Mr. Blake.) I should think I had enlisted in that
way — Mr. Downing finally assisted me there — ? should think in that
way at that time, I enlisted about 200 men while I was there myself
and had agents there. I was there a part of the time and part of the
time here. (To Mr- Blake.) That covers all I have done personally
except what was done by other agents. I will state now, that Mr.
Ballou was at another office.
Q. By the Chairman. And was not in connection with you ?
A. Not at all, sir.
Q. Well, these men that you enlisted yourself, in New York, you
and your agents, — what was the cost of these men ?
A. I should say, sir, that what we received here, the $12 would
just about cover the cost of these men for recruiting them.
Q. You have not yet received enough to cover your expenses.
A. I should think out of those two hundred men, the $12 would
just about cover my expenses — that is, reckoning in the $25, and in
cluding the $2 to be received from the United States government.
Q. How many men had you recruited previous to the time you
were connected with Ballou ?
A. About two hundred.
Q. Ballou was then a recruiting agent in New York ?
A. He was connected with it in some way, I don't know how,
with Mr. Helme, who recruited most of Co. A, and commenced re
cruiting before I took hold of it.
Q. Did he have an office there ?
A. He did, sir.
Q. What was the arrangement you made with Ballou ?
A. I will state first, the reason. There arose quite a competition
between the two offices. Some of his agents complained that I was
paying more than he was. I oftentimes had a number of men on my
roll, that his agents would get, and finally we talked over the thing
and consolidated. I agreed to give up my business in New York,
and retain the business here, and we would share the profits and
divide the expenses and losses.

164 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. From that time you remained here in Providence and he in
NewYork? A. Not all the time. I was travelling through the Western.
States part of the time. My reasons for giving up New York were,
that I had worked it pretty well, and there was a chance to work
more, but I wanted to extend the field.
Q. How long did Ballou remain in New York after uniting with
you? A. Well, I don't know, sir ; but he is there now ; but not for this
regiment. Q. I am only speaking of him as connected with you.
A. During that period that he remained in New York, he made
his headquarters in New York, and sent his agents out to get men
wherever he chose.
Q. Can you state how many men you and Ballou secured in
New York ?
A. Well, sir; we got them from various places ; his headquarters
were there ; but his men were recruited, most of them, outside of
New York ; I could not get at it exactly ; but I should say between
three hundred and four hundred.
Q. Does that cover the whole number ?
A. Yes, sir ; I should say about three or four hundred ; I should
say it would be four hundred. Ballou has had a great many agents.
Q. Do you recollect what time it was that you and Ballou were
together ?
A. It would be impossible for me to give the dates ; I think it
was about three weeks after I commenced recruiting. It was quite
early, It was sometime before the first battalion was formed ; I re
member that very well,
Q. Up to that time, you did not receive anything from the men
except the $10 ?
A. That's all, sir.
Q. Was there any different arrangement made after you united
with him ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You continued at the same prices ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Taking only the $10 head money ?
A. Yes, sir; the $2 being due.
Q. How long did you continue to do business in that way — under
that arrangement ?
A. Well, sir, it was, I think, until the last of September — some
where near the last of September.
Q. Some weeks?
A. I should think it was not over ten days. It is impossible for
me to give the dates exactly right.
Q. During that time, did these men cost you more than you were
getting for them, or less ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 165
A. No, sir ; we made a small profit .on the men we sent on, all
the business we did together. We sustained some losses on some
men, but none but what we made up.
[At this point the chairman recalled Gen. Francis, and asked him
a few questions, which are written and attached to his previous tes
timony.] Major Engley was recalled after Gen. Francis had concluded, and
the chairman proceeded with the examination.
Q. I believe I was asking you about the business in connection
with Ballou ; state the number of men enlisted by Ballou and your
self? A. I did state that there were about four hundred, as near as I
could fix it.
Q. How did the expense of these men, recruited by you and
Ballou, compare with the amount of money you received ?
A. The men that Ballou and myself recruited together, that we
received $12 for, averaged $7 or $8, and we made $4 or $5 apiece.
/ Q. Give us the grand total as near as you can ?
A. I should think, on the four hundred, perhaps you could not
call it $5 each, we thought we could get them to cost not over $5,
but could not. I should say we made in the aggregate, $4 plump,
on the whole number. Now, allow me to say one word ; you asked
me how many Ballou and I recruited together, and I have said about
four hundred ; I want to qualify that ; the amount of men recruited,
that received the whole amount of bounty, ($300,) we made $4
apiece. There were some men that we deducted $50, $25 or $100.
I mean that $4 would cover the profit on those that received the full
amount of bounty.
Q. These men were obtained in New York city ?
A. There, or elsewhere, wherever we could obtain them. Those
that we paid the full bounty to, were obtained in New York city and
New Jersey, or near by.
Q. The transportation of these men between New York and
Providence, did not cost you anything ?
A. No, sir.
Q. The men that you received more upon, were obtained beyond
New York ?
A. Yes, sir. Either at Washington, Philadelphia, or the West
ern States — wherever we could get them, and I will not dispute but
what there were cases when men was taken out of the city, that was
collected on ; but while I was there recruiting, my instructions were
if a man belonged in New York, nothing should be deducted ; because
the expenses were not enough to countenance taking anything. Bal
lou might have got such men. Where we deducted $50, $75, or
1100 we had to pay all the expenses of getting the men.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. In this case where you say transportation
did not cost — it cost some one ?
A. It cost the State.
Q. By the Chairman. Was transportation furnished from 'any
point beyond New York city ?

166 .. REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir.
Q. To your knowledge, has there been any man of all the men
you have recruited, who understood the State bounty to be less than
three hundred dollars.
A. I do not know of any case.
Q. Have you heard of any case ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you known of any recruits expressing any disappoint
ment or dissatisfaction at the amount of bounty which he agreed to
enlist for ?
A. Only in such cases as were provided by the Governor to rec
tify, amounting to $481 or $486. With that exception, and a few
other exceptions, which we made right, there is nothing that stands
now due the recruits. These cases have not yet been rectified. They
are to be paid to the man on his getting to the army.
Q. Refunded by you ?
A. It is refunded by me ; not that we think the amount is due,
but through some misunderstanding — taking advantage. This dissat
isfaction is with my agents, and it has been made right, so that the
whole regiment can go away satisfied.
Q. Do you know how much this regiment has cost tbe State ?
A. It has cost the State $310 per man, and it only deducts from
the men, taking them right through, $40.
MAJOR J. C. ENGLEY— Recalled.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. Are you acquainted with Wm. Mercer, Co. E, Fourteenth
Regiment, &c. ?
A. I am.
Q. When did you first see him ?
A. About September 1st, 1863.
Q. State how you came to be acquainted with him.
A. Well, sir, I went west on a recruiting expedition ; that is I
went to establish agencies throughout the Western States, for recruit
ing for the Fourteenth Regiment. At Detroit, Michigan, I established
an agency with a man by the name of A. J. Works, and while I was
at Detroit, getting ready for business, we got up a squad of something
like ten men, and among that squad was this Wm. Mercer. Our
bills that we printed were for a bounty of $250, they understanding
that the rest was to be paid for transportation on here, and other ex
penses, and that in case they did not pass, they were to be sent back,
free of any charge to them. After that, as was customary, in bring
ing new squads from any place, the first time, I sent back three men
— three different men, to work in Michigan, and one of these three
men was Wm. Mercer.
Q. What was the agreement made with him ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 167
A. I sent him to my agent, Capt. A. J. Works, — he was to re
port to him, and he would deal with him as the circumstances ofthe
case would allow. I never told an agent what to pay one of these
runners. They would pay the men which they employed, as tbey
could judge better in the premises — better than I could at home.
Q. You did not send him out recruiting ?
A. No, sir ; I made no agreement to pay his expenses ; I made
no agreement with him at all, sir ; but ordered him to report to A. J.
Works. Q. By Mr. Thomas. - That was after he was brought here as a
recruit ?
A. That was after he was an enlisted man.
Q. Didn't he come here before that ?
A. He came here and enlisted in September ; immediately after
that he went back with other men — Ary and Whipple.
Q. Did you pay his expenses back ?
A. I did.
Q. How much money did you let him have ?
A. I merely advanced, if I recollect, then, just enough to get his
ticket, and advanced him enough to feed him on the way. I made
no receipt of it, as I ordered him to report to the agent, and I ordered
the agent to supply the men with funds — every agent to take care of
his own men. I could not take care of the whole thing ; if he found
that a man was not suitable, he was to send him back. Soon after
that I received a letter from Mr. Work, stating that Mercer was
unfit for any service — he was a reckless kind of a fellow ; he had sent
him on with a squad of men, and I had better keep him this way.
Q. Mercer did come on with a squad of men ?
A. Yes, sir ; Mr. Fuller says, " I shall send Mercer witb these
men, and you must dispose of his case as you think best, only keep
him there, he is no good here." The number of men, I think, was
somewhere from six to ten ; I cannot say exactly, there were so
many squads coming on.
Q. By the Chairman. He states here that he returned to Provi
dence with five men ?
A. Well, there might have been five men.
Q. By the Chairman. For which he received no equivalent ?
A. He did not recruit any men — Mr. Fuller sent them — Mr.
Fuller came with them himself as far as Buffalo, and sent them on in
charge of a man, the same as he would by a sergeant. He (Mercer)
had no more to do with recruiting them, then you did or I. As I am
told he was of no use there.
Q. Was there any money to be paid to him when he came on'
with this squad of men ?
A. That, sir, I cannot say. Messrs. Works and Fuller could
make their statements of the amount of money they furnished Mr.
Mercer with while there. I have -no means of telling.
Q. It states in this deposition that he received nothing for five
recruits, nor for travelling expenses (except for transportation) incur
red, amounting to $24 50.

168 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Well, sir, I deny, as I said before, the recruiting of either of
those men he came on with, and can bring you the testimony of Capt.
Fuller, a man now in the city. He will testify to that fact, and there
are several other men who will testify to the same if you will send
abroad for them.
Q. By the Chairman. He goes on to say, " By the request of
Engley, 1 again left Providence on reeruitjng service, visiting differ-
ent°parts of Indiana and Illinois." Did you send him out again ?
A. I did, sir. He was here for sometime, and acted' as orderly
for me. He was a very gentlemanly well-dressed fellow, and would
very often come to me and say, " Major, I want some money," and
I would hand out $5, $10 or $15, and I made no charge of it. I sup
pose I paid him $75 in that way ; in fact, I know I have.
Q. When you sent him out the second time, was there any agree
ment with him as to how much you should pay him ?
A. Yes, sir. He said that if he could go a short distance beyond
Chicago, Illinois, he could obtain thirteen men, that he knew were
waiting there for him and a certain man. The other man's name
was Smith — it may not be correct. He asked me to let him go sev
eral times, and I told him " No, I did not think best." Finally I told
him plainly. I said, " Mercer, I do not know about trusting yon.
It will take $200, or something like that." He was a noble-hearted
sort of follow, and said, " There were $175 due on his bounty," and,
said he, " I will let that be responsible for it. If I don't use it as I
ought, you will take it from my bounty." Said I, " Mercer, I will
do this. I will pay you the balance of your bounty, $175. If you ¦
go out there, and get those men, and use the money rightly, I will
pay you $10 apiece, and the $175 shall be yours, and I will refund all
your expenses. There were two, and Mercer in charge of the busi
ness with the two. I advanced him the $175, which John N. Fran
cis has shown you to-night. He received a furlough of ten days or
two weeks, and was gone about six weeks. He did not write to me
in the meantime, nor did he report to any of my agents ; there was
one agent at Indianapolisj and another at Chicago, or^ly a few miles
away ; but he spent the money in gambling, and other ways which I
will not speak of. At that time he wore shoulder-straps, was dressed
in full uniform, reporting that he was a lieutenant of the regiment.
Dr. Delaney, of Chicago, a prominent colored man, was on here at
that time, and spoke of Mercer ; said that he was carrying on at a
great rate, and was injuring recruiting there, and that we ought to
send and have him arrested, and have him brought here. I told him
he could send him on any errand — to send him rather than have him
arrested — otherwise, to arrest him. He had been gone about one
month, and I thought best to get him back. Shortly after this, Dr,.
Delaney wrote, " I have sent Mercer, without being obliged to arrest
him, as he feels his importance owing to my having put him in charge
of three men."
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Tell who this Dr. Delaney was, and how
you came to have men to send by him ?

ON, BOUNTY FRAUDS. 169
A. He was a man employed by me in recruiting. He had estab
lished an agency in Chicago, and had something like fifteen or twenty
men employed by him in recruiting there. He was a very prominent
colored man ; I think he has lectured in the city of Providence. Mer
cer came here, as I said, with these men ; I had no talk with him ; I
was satisfied myself; I knew he had spent the money as he ought
not to, and it was intimated to me hy several that he intended to de
sert ; therefore I did not make known my purpose of sending him to
the Island, but I intended to do it at the first opportunity. I ordered
Mr. Chace to have him sent to the Island, and he said to Mercer in
this way, " there is a squad of men going down in the morning, and
I want to send you in charge of them, and I want you to be here."
His idea was to keep his eye on the man, knowing that he intended
to escape if he could. He did not see anything of the said Mercer
during the afternoon and in the evening, be wanted one of _the ser
geants at the office to look for him, and told him to go and find him
and bring him to the office; and, as it seems, he went to find him, and
even obtained an officer first — he was apparently a little afraid of
Mercer — and, on that account, first secured an officer and had him
arrested. He (Mercer) was found in bed with a woman at a certain
house, which was not his wife. He was taken out of bed, sir, and
locked up in the barracks until morning, by one of Capt. Chadsey's
officers, and Mr. Chace told him it was not his intention to have Mer
cer thus arrested, but merely sont a man to find him ; but instead of
that, he was apparently afraid, and sent for an officer and had him
arrested ; on that he was released and was sent down in charge of
these, men. Mr. Chace said to Col. Viall that Mercer intended to
run away, and I asked him to keephim on the Island if he wished to
keep him. The Colonel said he would do so.
Q. He was not arrested by your order ?
A. No, sir; nor by the order of any man connected with my office
excepting the sergeant.
Q. Did he have any home here in this city ?
A. No, sir; not to my knowledge. I paid his board at Mr.
Gainsley's on Benevolent street.
Q. Is that the place where he was arrested ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You paid his board, did you ?
A. Yes, sir ; about one week. A short time after that, he came
up from the Island with a pass from the captain of his company, and
came into the office, or rather I met him at tbe door, and he asked of
me — said he, " I want a settlement of the account." I walked into
the office with him, and they told me there, at the office, that he had
used very improper and insulting language about me indeed. I took
no notice of it, but asked on what ground he asked for a settlement
of his account. He said, on the ground that he had used one hun
dred dollars in my service. I told him that, I had understood that he
had not spent anything in my service, but in a manner which was
improper. I refused to settle any account, as I had stated to him, and
he well knew he had spent the money for himself.
22

170 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did he leave his account with you ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have'you any copy.
A. No, sir ; he did npt leave any account, he sent his account ;
his letter contains the account. (Reads,) " The account of Wm.
Mercer, written at Camp Smith :"
" Providence, R. I., Nov. 13th, 1863.
Rec'd of Major J. C. Engley, Fourteenth Regiment, &c,
$175, to be used for recruiting men in the Fourteenth Regiment,
R. I., &c, and if not properly used, to be deducted from my bounty,"
and then he goes on with the items of the account. It amounts in all
to $101 65.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. That is professedly his expenses on that trip ?
A. No, sir ; his expenses on his own trip which he made. It was
no profit to me. He did not work, when he went there; but went to
gambling, and spending money very foolishly indeed.
Q. Is that the only account he rendered to you ?
A. Yes, >sir ; except the accounts previously settled. That is the
only account he will claim. This was the last trip.
Chairman. He says he went up to Providence with a pass, signed
by his captain, and approved by the colonel and adjutant, and he speaks
of coming in three times with recruits. He came with five the first
time, and then went back. He brought five more the second time,
which he forwarded to Providence and delivered over to Major Eng
ley, presenting his bill for the same, which also included $8 for ex
penses ; but he received no money, Mr. Engley alleging that he had
none on hand. On the next trip for recruits, he was to receive $10
a man, and all expenses paid. He secured eight recruits, and was
at an expense of $27 40, besides numerous small items. On this
trip, he was arrested for recruiting in Illinois, and subjected to a fine
of $16 40, and on returning to Providence, he requested a settlement
of Major Engley, and he was told by Engley to come to his office the
next day, and he would settle with him. He went to Engley's office
as directed, about eight o'clock in the morning, and stayed there until
three or four o'clock in the afternoon. «Not being well, and with the
permission of Mr. Sheldon, clerk to Mr. Engley, he went to his home
and went to bed. About twelve o'clock that night, one of the Pro
vost Marshal's deputies arrested him, as he said, at the order of said
Engley, and was taken to the Park Barracks, and confined until the
next morning. He was taken to the Provost Marshal's, and informed
that he had been arrested by the order of Engley, who pretended to
be fearful that he might desert. On learning the facts the Provost
Marshal immediately released him, and gave him liberty to go where
he pleased. The same day he returned to his company on Dutch
Island. A few weeks subsequently he went up to Providence, with
a pass signed by his captain and approved by his colonel and adjutant,
with the intention of settling with Mr. Engley. On requesting a set
tlement, said Engley demanded to see his pass, and, on its being
shown to him, put it into his own pocket, and ordered his clerk, Mr.
Sheldon, to put him (that is, Mercer,) under arrest, until the next

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 171
Monday, it then being Saturday, when he should be returned to the
Island. He was, however, released from arrest by Mr. Dorrance, at
that time acting as commissary for the regiment. He gave him a
pass and returned him to the camp.
Q. How about that ?
A. Well, sir ; there is once in a while an item that is correct ;
but taking the whole thing together, it is false, the whole statement.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Will you not state about the third trip he.
speaks of? .
A. Well, I had so many men ; I did not take them all into ac
count, perhaps, I should not feel safe in saying that he did not come
on three times ; if he came on three times, it was in the same manner
as before, and for the same purpose — to bring men.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You testify that he never recruited a man?
A. Yes, sir ; he never recruited a man.
Q. About the pass .?
A. Col. Viall said he would 'keep him in camp. I want it under
stood that I did not command ; but Mr. Chace asked him for me, if
he would keep him there ; I had some idea that he would probably
run away if permitted to come here again, and he (Col. V.) said he
would do it. A short time after he came up with that pass ; a con
versation ensued, that I gave in my testimony before ; I refusing to
settle the account as he had not used the money in a proper manner,
and as the understanding was that the money was his, and I was not
to pay him for expenses, except that he used it in recruiting which he
did not do. I then said to Mr. Mercer, " why are you up here
again ?" He said he had a pass from the captain there, and I looked
at the pass and told Mr. Chace — he says Mr. Sheldon — to take him
to Mr. Dorrance at the hall, and say to Mr. Dorrance, that that man
was to be delivered. to the Island, and to return his pass to me; he
took him over there. The pass is in the office now, and the pass was
not approved by the Colonel, and I think not by the Adjutant. If
the pass had been approved by the Colonel, and signed by the Colonel,
I should never have taken it away. The Captain and Adjutant are
my inferior officers^ and I have a perfect right to take away any pass
that they give ; that is the authority. The Colonel was absent at that
time, and he was not at the island, and I suppose the pass was not
intended to be given by him, but was probably given by his Captain,
without knowing that there was danger of his deserting. I felt it my
duty, and I stated the ^act to Col. Bailey, and he said I did perfectly-
right, jjnd I probably saved a man to the State. The man was not
released by Mr. Dorrance, as he says — as he states there ; but was
forwarded to camp as I Ordered.
Q. He says you have a valuable gold watch, that belongs to him ?
A. In regard to the watch, sir ; I received the watch from him,
which he said was a present to me from himself and certain other
men coming from Detroit, Michigan, owing to my kindness to them
and their families., I had advanced their families some money at
home, and I had helped them in various ways and had given them
transportation here ; and that watch he said, was a present to me in

172 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
token of their kindness and regard. I asked no further questions and
he said he was appointed to present the watch, and I supposed it came
from him and other members. I knew he said, the watch was a pres
ent, and he has said to others that it was a present to me.
Q. Has he ever asked you for the watch ?
A. No, sir ; he has never asked me for the watch, and he never
would. Q. You have never refused to return it ?
A. No, sir ; he can have the watch if he wants it. It is at his
disposal, if he says it was loaned to me, or if he told me an untruth
that he gave it to me himself. I do not wear the watch now. How
ever it may be, the watch is his, if he says so.
Chairman. He refers to the disposal of the gold watch, and says,
it has never been returned or any equivalent rendered therefor.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Are there any other parties that could tes
tify that he gave you the watch ?
A. There was no one present. There was this set of men em
ployed by me in the office, and they were spoken to as he having
given me the watch ; I think two parties., and I mentioned to Major
Sanford that I had received a present of a watch. I did not sup
pose that I was to be accused at some future time of stealing the
watch. Q. He deposes that he has given to no person any order on his
bounty, but believes that some one hundred and forty dollars must
have lodged in the pocket of J. C. Engley.
A. I cannot help thinking that somebody else must have made
those figures for him. I don't believe he understood that he was sign
ing such a document.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Can he write ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Can he read ?
A. I suppose he cannot.
Q. Have you taken any part of his bounty ?
A. No, sir. I have not, except the fifty dollars less than three
hundred for which he agreed to enlist. I received that. In fact I
have not received anything from his bounty, for his bounty was to be
two hundred and fifty dollars. I will make an exception of twenty-
five dollars I advanced, which he did own — I advanced him that
money, cash.
Q. That fifty dollars of his bounty ; that was afterwards paid to
you, was the profit on your part ?
A. _ You can judge about that. The expense of recruiting men,
and bringing them from Detroit, Michigan, comes out of that and all
other expenses.
Q. Don't you pay his expenses on these several trips that he made
in the recruiting business ?
A. Yes, sir ; his expenses out, I would pay. His return expenses
of course belonged to the agent to whom he reported.
Q. All of these expenses came out of you ; you paid them did
not you ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 173
A. Yes, sir; they all eventually came out of me — that, they
rendered in their accounts.
Q. Do you know this Capt. J. M. Addeman ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Has he had any difficulty with you at all ?
A. No, sir ; never, sir.
Chairman reads a letter dated March 24th, 1864. " Lieut.-Col.
Viall — Dear sir — I wish to lay before you the following statement of
facts : I enlisted in the 14th Regt. &c, Nov. 12th,~1863, and on
Nov. 24th, was detailed for recruiting service by Major J. C. Engley;
(it is signed by James F. Jones,) he agreeing to pay me $10 for each
recruit that passed the Surgeon at Providence, together M'ith my
traveling expenses ahd board, at the time Major Engley paid me $50,
taking a receipt for the same, as the first installment of my bounty.
He said that the taking of the receipt would enable him to keep his
books in better shape, and insure my faithfulness. He also told me
to present such bills as were incurred on duty, to him at any time.
He offered to pay me and let the receipt for $50 stand. This, as he
said, I received ; he had the use of my money, which he said he
would refund. Of the truth of this statement, Mr. Noyes will
testify." Q. By Mr. Thomas. Who is Mr. Noyes ?
A. My book-keeper.
Chairman. "This Mr. Engley has broken his agreement, and
charged me $50, and positively refuses to pay me for five men that
passed the Surgeon. The account stands thus :
Major J. C. Engley, To James E. Jones, De.
To cash paid for recruiting  $43 50
To cash due for five recruits for the 14th Regt. &c, $10 each  50 00
Total  $93 50
All of which I respectfully suhmit,
I have the honor to remain, &c,
JAMES E. JONES, Co. M, 14th Kegt. &c.

Q
A Q
A Q
A Q
A

Do you know this man ?

Yes, sir.
By Mr. Thomas. Can he write. ?
I think so.
Where does he belong ?
In Indiana.
Did you send him out to recruit ?
No, sir; he never was employed by me in recruiting, except
as. he was recruited by one Clifford A. Fuller, one of my agents. He
was then stationed at Indianapolis, and forwarded here a squad _ of
men, with a request from Fuller that Jones should be detailed to him
for service. I made no agreement with Jones. I advanced him $50
ofhis bounty, I think, and furnished him transportation to Indianapo
lis, and since then, sir, have had no dealings or Communication with
him, excepting when he reported here to go to his regiment.

174 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Has he brought in any recruits ?
A. He was used one or two trips in bringing men through, as in
the case of Mercer. Whether he ever recruited a man, I cannot say.
Q. When he brought them in, did he claim them as his ?
A. They were brought from Mr. Fuller, or Capt. Connelly of the
Fourteenth, who was, the last part of the time, stationed at Indian
apolis. He may have brought in men, and they should pay him. I
had nothing to do with paying, him. My agents had no occasion to .
rob men of their dues, as it finally came out of me. I spoke to Mr.
Fuller, and he says that Jones rendered little service ; and, as for
Capt. Connelly, I cannot say.
Q. The men, sir, that he says he brought through.
A. Those men that he brings through, are men sent by agents.
He has no more to do with bringing those men, unless he is ordered
to do so, than you or I. It is as if Mr. John N. Francis sends to
myself a list of recruits, and says, I send by Corporal Jones so many
men to-night, with their -agreements enclosed. I could not pay Mr.
Jones, because I do not know whether Mr. Jones recruited those men
or not.
Q. Has he ever asked you to pay him ?
A. He did present a bill to me, sir, of $43. I told him I could
not pay it, as I knew nothing about it ; whether it was due him or
not ; but, I had no doubt, if the bill was correct, that Capt. Connelly
or Lieut. Fuller would have paid the bill. I considered that I had
nothing to do with it all.
Q. When did they go down to Dutch Island ?
A. I could not say.
[The Chairman read a statement of Col. Viall, dated Dutch
Island, Dec. 27, 1863, page 64.]
Q. Do you know anything about that affair ?
A. No, sir; except what I have heard, the same as you have, sir.
I knew nothing about it at the time.
Q. Has Col. Viall ever said anything to you about it ? «
A. No, sir ; I never exchanged a word about it.
Q. Has he ever given you any notice at all? any kind of notice
that such a thing was being done ?
A. No, sir ; never.
Q. Were these men your agents to sell those watches ?
A. No, sir. Mr. Chace was my agent to Work in recruiting; he
was not an agent to sell watches, and Mr. Sheldon was not employed
by me at that time.
Q. Did not you furnish Mr. Sheldon, with goods— watches and
other things ?
A. No, sir ; I did not — no further than that I did help him to
some money ; but I did not know he was going into the watch busi
ness, or anything of the kind. He said he wanted to supply some
men with shirts and drawers, and one thing and another, and I could
see no objection to it at all, and I had nothing then for him to do, and
as he had been to work there, I furnished him a small amount of

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 175
money, I cannot say exactly how much : but two or three several
times I furnished him with money.
Q. Did not you buy any goods for him ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You never bought any watches, and paid the money for them,
and put them into his hands to sell ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know a man by the name of Hopkins ?
A. I think there was a man by that name employed by Mr. Shel
don, I don't know whether it is the man you have reference to or
not.

Q

Did you employ any man by that name to sell any goods ?

A. No, sir, not at all.
Q. Did you furnish him with any goods to be sold on your account?
A. No,«sir.
Q. Did you take out any license for Mr. Sheldon to sell goods?
A.. No, sir.
Q. You knew that he had a license ?
A. I knew he had a license at the time that Col. Viall went in
there, to ask what he was selling there for — thus and so, and some I
heard speaking of it afterwards, and they said he had no business to
speak in that way because he was a licensed man. That is the only
way I knew about it.
Q. That is all you know .about this license?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You did not pay for his license?
A. No, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. I suppose you understand that Col. Viall
thought these parties were your agents ?
A. I understood that Chace was in there. Sheldon asked him to
come in. He was pretty busy. It was not his business. He had no
business there.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was there any connection between your
office and his?
A. No, sir ; not at all. As I said, I supposed it was a legitimate
business. Sheldon said he wanted to furnish the men with clothing,
and I don't know but he named watches. I do not remember ; I
could see no objection. He said there would be no chance of my
losing, as I could take orders, and pass my orders for 'collection to
John N. Francis, until the first trouble, when I told him they must stop
selling goods and taking orders.
Q. This place he kept, was his ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you pay the rent ?
A. No, sir. I have never had anything to do with that, except
to help him to money.
Q. Have you had any orders which he took for goods — watches
or other goods ?
A. Yes, sir ; , I have collected them for . him of John N. Francis.

176 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Sometimes the General objected to have orders through anybody but
myself, that they may go through one channel. I have taken orders
for other parties when I was no more interested in the business than
in any other business, where I could help the parties to do business.
As far as the watch business is concerned, I never sold one, had no
thing to do with it. I never sold a piece of goods of any kind. I did,
at the ending. He did not pay the money, and I did take some of
the goods as payment. I have some of the goods on hand now. I
did not find any fault with Mr. Sheldon. He was accidentally, so to
speak, stopped before he was expecting to be, because we expected an
other regiment. He had more goods on hand than he could sell.
Q. What was the value of that kind of goods, do you know ?
A. Well, I could not say. We have never had any account of
tbe goods ; I took what goods there were ; it is all the payment I
could get. •
Q. You took the goods in payment of money advanced ?
A. The goods will not pay for the money I advanced him. He
knew it, and in that way we have never had any real settlement.
The goods were packed by himself; at the same time if there was
any prospect of getting the rest of the money, he will take an account.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Col. Viall says, they were your agents that
sold those watches. He .says, they would not run over three or four
hours — no matter what they were selling, he says you were connected
with' it.
A. No, sir ; I was not connected with them. Mr. Chace says,
he never sold a watch, except one which was his, or his brother's.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was the office connected with yours ?
A. No, sir. It was on a separate street. There was usually no
passage. It was the same as the door there — except a private pas
sage. Sometimes they had the door unlocked, and sometimes locked.
Q. Were these goods purchased by Sheldon, on your account ?
A. No, sir, not at all : I said I never bought any goods ; I never
did at all. At one time I was going to Boston, and Mr. Hopkins
was going down for Sheldon ; I think his name was Hopkins — a short
fellow. He was not acquainted there, and did not exactly understand
where to buy goods, and I went to certain stores there and introduced
him. I went with him with no intention of buying. He did the
trading, and I went on merely as an accommodation. It is natural
for a man who has money invested to look out for his interests a little.
But as far as selling, I never had anything to do with it. I never
understood that he was selling watches, and as soon as I understood
so, I told Sheldon I could not cash any more orders, or assist in get
ting payment for those orders. There" were no goods bought in my
name. I could not hold them at all, sir. For the money I let him
have to procure them with, I had to depend upon his honor, and the
goods if I could get hold of them. There were no goods bought in
my name, and, in fact I had no interest in the business at all.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. If there had been any profits they would
have been all his ?
A. Yes, sir.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 177
Q. By Mr. Thomas. He simply had of you a loan of money ?
A. We had no understanding about the interest, " You have the
money," said he, " andT will take it and do what is right about it."
That is the way the thing was, and what was right I suppose would be
the interest on it — that is all. I let him have the money, and I felt
as I would if you should come to me and wanted it, or any one else,
as I supposed any gentleman i would. I supposed it would be a legiti
mate business, and even if there were watches, it had never entered
my head that it would be objectionable.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Have you any idea of the cost of the
watches, and the prices they sold them for — the difference between
the cost and the price ?
A. No, sir ; I could not say what the watches did cost.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you think they were bogus watches,
that would not run more than four hours, and that the silver would
not last twenty-four hours ?
A. I should not be prepared to say anything now as to the quality
of the watches, at all — I know they 
Q. By Mr. Thomas. It would be a peculiar watch ?
A. I have seen a good many worn, and after questioning them, I
have asked some of the men what they carried such watches for, and
they said that the watches suited them well enough, and kept first-
rate time.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. I believe all the watches were not sold
here? A. Most of the watches have been sold by F. M. Ballou and
Bowen. Mi . Sheldon sold comparatively few watches ; I judge by
the orders, that he did not sell more than fifteen or twenty ; each of
them sold two or three to Mr. Sheldon's one, as I know by the orders.
Mr. Ballou says, " a man at my office wants to sell watches, if you
have no objection to cashing the orders, I will let hiin sell them ;" I
could see no objections at all. They came through their bills. When
the men were paid, he would say," you have a watch for $20, or $25,
or $30," and they would say, " that's all right." In some cases they
would have two. " What do you want two for ?" " Well," thev
would say, " lam going to sell one of them, to make some money."
Of course, I could not question them until I saw there was to be a
question about the matter ; but it did not once get into my head, that
there would be any harm in it.
TESTIMONY OF DAVID LOW.
(Examined by the Chairman.)
Q. What company are you in ?
A. I don't belong to any company ; I do not belong to any regi
ment ; I am only recruiting.
Q. Not in the regiment ?
A. No, sir; not been mustered.
Q. Are you an enlisted man ?
23

178 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir ; I am enlisting.
Q. You did enlist once ?
A. Well, I tried. I did not enlist, because I was_ rejected; they
rejected me on account of my ancle. I got wounded in the Mexican
war. Q. Where do you live ?
A. In Chicago.
Q. You came here with other parties?
A. Yes, sir ; I have been enlisting since — getting men to enlist.
Q. Who first employed you ?
A. Dr. Delaney was the first man< and when I came on here they
detailed me, and then he employed me.
Q. How long were you employed by Dr. Delaney ?
A. I could not tell exactly — some two months I suppose.
Q. Did you know Wm. Mercer ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was he employed by Dr. Delaney ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did he do anything in the recruiting business ? did he recruit
any men ?
A. I believe he did ; some seven or eight men from Illinois.
Q. Did he recruit them for Dr. Delaney?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know of his recruiting any men for himself?
A. For himself — for what ?
Q. Men to count for him, I mean.
A. No, sir.
Q. Was he employed by Dr. Delaney to work for him ?
A. Well, I will tell you as regards that. After he got here, I do,
not know who employed him. He was employed here after he
got here. He came here with me and six or eight men ; I do not
know who employed him after that, I think it was Major Engley.
He sent him down to Galesburn, Indiana.
Q. And recruiting for himself?
A. I do not know how a man could recruit for himself.
Q. They talk it so among themselves.
A. Well, if they can make anything at it, very well.
Q. Do you know of any frauds or deceptions practiced upon the
men — any of the recruits by the recruiting agents ?
A. Well, nothing only except mvself.
Q. Tell us that ?
A. I'll tell you all about that. I have not made any thing at it.
The only money I have got — I brought over twenty men and I got
only twenty-five dollars.
Q. Where did you bring the men from ?
A. From Illinois and Buffalo.
Q. Who paid the expenses ?
A. Captain Crosby.
Q. Is he one of Major Engley's agents ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 179
A. I do not know. I was his agent, any how.
Q. Did you recruit these men, yourself?
A. Yes, sir ; there is one of them sitting there.
Q. You have had no pay for them,?
A. Not but twenty-five dollars, that is every cent I got in my
life. Q. How much pay were you promised ?
A. Well, I did not make any agreement to get anything in par
ticular, but the last time I came here Major Engley gave me twenty-
five dollars to go back with some more men. That is all I got. I
brought nine men here, and then it ought to be worth more than that.
Q. How did you get these men ?
A. How did I get them ?
Q. What promises did you make them ?
A. I promised to give them their bounty.
Q. Three hundred dollars ?
A. No, sir ; I never lie ; oh, no, sir, I did not tell them any wrong.
Well, I told them they would get two hundred and fifty dollars ;
that was no lie ; that was State bounty.
Q. That was the State bounty you understood ?
A. No, sir.
Q. That is what you told the men. Did they understand the
State bounty to be two hundred and fifty dollars ?
A. Yes, sir : when they got to the office they understood the
same. Major Engley told them, he would give them twenty-five dol
lars cash — this year they had fifty dollars. I don't know only what
was printed on the ticket ; it was two hundred and fifty dollars.
Q. By Mr. Hill. Can you read ; can you read yourself ?
A. Yes, sir.
NQ. Is that one of the papers ?
A. Colored papers ? Oh, yes.
Q. Read this part of the  (reads.) You told the men the
bounty was two hundred and fifty dollars ?
A/ Yes, sir.
Q. You supposed that was all the State bounty ? You did not in
tend to deceive anybody ?
A. No, sir ; I never tried to,
Q. You supposed, yourself, that the bounty was two hundred and
fifty dollars ?
A. Yes, sir ; that was my honest opinion.
Q. Have you ever seen any of those bills or not ?
A. This is the same thing — seen it the same, only the bounty is
different. Q. You told the men they would get $250 cash, and have their
expenses paid ?
A. Well, sir, they got their expenses paid here, because the cap
tain gave me expenses to furnish the men on the road. Capt. Crosby
gave me the money.
Q. To feed them, &&?

180 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How did you understand that Capt. Crosby was to get his
pay ?
A. That did not make any difference to me, I was only trying to
get men.
Q. You did not trouble yourself about that ?
A. No, sir-ee.
Q. Did not you know there was a balance of bounty, Out of
which the captain was to get his expenses, and from which he got it ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you mean to swear that you only knew* that the bounty
was only  ?
A. The bounty, as I understood, I mean to swear was $250, that
is all I knew.
Q. Did you never hear there was any more — $50 more ?
A. I did not suppose anything about it.
Q. How many men did you get ?
A. Thirty-five men.
Q. You told every one of these men that the State bounty was
$250. A. $250 — yes, sir, $50 from the Government.
Q. From the United States ?
A. It must be the United States ; the Government was the Uni
ted States, was it not ?
Q. Who was to get tbe $50 ?
A. Why, the men, if they were to be soldiers. ?
Q. The soldiers were the men who were to get the $50 ?
A. They were to get $50 from the Government, and $200 from
the State of Rhode Island.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did all of these men you brought here
pass examination ?
A. No, sir.
Q. What became of any of those ?
A. Well, I will tell you ; three came here, (seven came,) three
were rejected, and they went with the Massachusetts 54th.
Q. Who took them there ?
A. I do not know who got them afterwards.
Q. By Mr. Hill. Did you understand that they passed there?
A. I can show you. (Takes out a paper.) There is three men
that went in the Providence regiment.
Q. By the Chairman. What were their names ?
A. Pearson, Jackson, Craig.
Q. They went in the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts.
A. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts ; yes, sir.
Q. Is that the form" of the paper your men signed ? Every man
who enlisted signed such a -paper as this ?
A. Yes, sir ; that is the agreement to enlist. " We, whose
names are hereunto subscribed, agree, and upon our sacred honor
promise to enlist in Company — , to be raised by  , Fourteenth

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 181
Regiment, colored volunteers, R. I., and we promise to serve as sol
diers in the army of the United States of America, for the period of
three years, unless sooner discharged by the proper, authority. We
do also agree to accept such bounty, pay and rations, as are and may
be established by the law for the volunteers ; and we each do solemnly
swear that we will bear true and faithful allegiance to the United
States ; we will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their
enemies, opposers, and that we will observe and obey the order of the
President ofthe United States, and the orders of the officers appoint
ed over us, according to the rules and articles of war, and are to re
ceive a bounty of $250."
Q. By Mr. Hill. Your men all signed such a paper as that?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Who furnished you with that paper?
Where did you get this paper ?
A. I got it in the office — Major Engley's.
Q. Major Engley got you this ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. Did all the agents have such a paper as
this? A. I do not know, sir ; I did not look ; he gave rne that one.
Q. Have you seen any other like this in the hands of the agents ?
A. I cannot say I did, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. But all the men that were recruited had
them ?
A. Well, I have got more papers ; one here. That is the last
man I brought here.
Q. All the men signed some kind of a paper ?
A- Yes, sir.
Q. Did you ever read them ?
A. Yes, sir, I read all the papers. I saw^these two I think I did
not. All the papers I saw them get, had the same reading.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. All the papers you yourself have used, are
something of that kind ?
A. All the papers I myself have used, were just like that. (This
was a printed form.)
Q. Dorsay's name is on this paper ?
A. His name is on the other paper. I have the papers all at home.
Q. By the Chairman. There was never anything said to these
men about three hundred dollars bounty ?
A. Not that I know of, sir ; only there was a little dispute when
I came here. There was a dispute in this way : I told them to get
fifty dollars apiece as soon as they came ; and as soon as I ^ went to
the office, they said, " you have no business to tell them so." They
did not intend to give them fifty dollars. They said, " if you cannot
do business better than that, you need not do it all. I will give them
fifty dollars this time, but I will not do it any more." Bush was m
the office at the same time. _
Q. Did you not ever hear Engley or anybody in the office, talk
about three hundred dollars bounty to these men ?

182 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Well, I will tell you ; I heard a good deal ; I heard Engley
and a lot of them who was clerking it there in the office, when men
would come and would ask them how much they understood was
comino' to some of them — poor, ignorant fools — some of them said
they were going to get $200 — the other hundred was to go some
where, I do not know where it went. If I was going to get $250, 1
would not say I was going to get $250.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was that from men coming from the same
place ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. Do you know the men came from the
same place ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was that true of the men you brought ?
A. I did not say anything about it, because I did not know.
Q. Do you mean to say that the men you brought from the same
place — some received $200, and some $250 ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. They all understood from you that it was
to be $250 ?
A. Yes, sir ; every man I brought.
Q. You understood there was to be another hundred from some
body ?
A. No ; I did not know anything about another hundred ; I
understood they were cheating out of $50 anyhow, the men who
said $200.
Q. The men whom you supposed got $250, you supposed got all?
A. I supposed they got every cent. There were four men I
carried there. I measured the men and height. He asked them
how much bounty are you going to get, and well, poor fellows, did
not know better, and they put down $200. " How much do you
get?" " $250." " If I am going to get $200, and you $250, why
not I ?"
Q. Can you give the names of these men ?
A. I can do it. I cajinot do it now ; I can bring the papers down
here to-morrow. How much money they got I cannot tell you, be
cause, some of them are out in Texas.
Q. Do you know about their buying goods of any kind ?
A. None ; no, sir ; only one man I brought here — that I brought
— one man bought a watch and gave $25 : that is, he was to give it,
and Col. Viall came out and spoke to him, and asked him to let him
look at it, and he pulled it out, and he said, " what did you give for
that?" "$25," said he, and he went on and went up stairs, and said,
" what is your name," (to Sheldon,) and he told him. " Well,"
said he, " I want you to shut up this shop," and called him pretty
hard names, and he said, " you shut it up, or if you don't I will con
fiscate everything you have got in the house." That's what he told
him. Q. Did he stop selling then ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 183
A. I think he went on again, some time or other.
Q. At the some place ?
A. I went away ; I went to Buffalo.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Which was the farthest point from which you
brought men ?
A. Farthest point ? Chicago, 111., and then I commenced recruit
ing in Buffalo.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You 'gave the sum of two hundred and
fifty dollars in every case ?
A. Every time, yes, sir. Them bills have been stuck up in the
office there in Chicago.

TESTIMONY OF SERGEANT J. S. BUSH.
(Examined by Chairman.)
Question. I want you to say what you can of your own knowl
edge, of Major Engley using these printed contracts, like the one
shown here by this witness. Have you seen them in that office ; I
refer to the printed contract with the names written on it ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you seen that kind of bill in Major Engley's office ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were they kept there for general use for the men who
traveled ?
A. Well, this kind — there were two kinds ; one was a kind like
that. Q. That is only an advertisement?
A. Well, these he served out first. He had a pile of these. I
do not know how long he was serving them, before I went to the of
fice. He had a pile of these, and of the pile he gave out 25 or 30 to
one man, who went to Buffalo. I have been trying to think of his
name, but I cannot. He had them distributed in Buffalo — dozen to
Sergeant Burns, of Buffalo.
Q. Where did he go ?
A. I do not know where he went, sir ; but he went west, and he
had this kind sent to Sergeant Burns.
Q. Have you seen that kind of contract returned to the office, af
ter they had been used ?
A. I have never seen them returned, sir.
Q. You know they were used on more than one occasion ?
A. Oh, yes, sir ; for I have given them into the hands of some of
them myself; because Major Engley gave them to me to give to
them. i
[At the foot of this contract was a surgeon's examination.]

184 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
TESTIMONY OF REUBEN CASEY.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. Of what company are you ?
A. Company M.
Q. Where did you come from ?
A. York State.
Q. What town ?
A. Town of  .
Q. Who enlisted you ?
A. David Ray.
Q. What bounty were you to get ?
A. He said we was to have $350.
Q. $350 ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When was it to be paid ?
A. He said we were to have $25 as soon as we were sworn in,
and then $75 after we got down to where we stay now ; and then the
rest was to come after we went away.
Q. Was it $150 ?
A. He did not tell me $150. He said we should have that much,
and the rest after we got away.
Q. Did not you understand that any part was to be paid after the
war was over ?
A. No, sir.
Q. How much bounty have you received ?
A. $40.
Q. How much did you get ofthe first pay?
A. Of the first pay— $40.
Q. That is more than he promised.
A. I do not know ; that is what they paid me.
Q. You did not expect it at the first payment?
A. This is after we got down there ; we did not get anything up
here. Q. They did not pay you anything up here?
A. No, sir; only $40 since we came. $40 when they paid
us off.
Q. Where is the rest of it ?
A. I suppose Mr. Engley has got it.
Q. What makes you think so ?
A. I got one of the shilling watches there.
Q. How much did you give him for that ?
A. $25.
Q. Have you got the watch with you ?
A. No, sir. It ran two days after I got down there, and a fellow
offered me three dollars, and I sold it.
Q. Did you buy it of Major Engley ?
A. I bought it of Mr. Chace.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 185
Q. Do you know Mr. Chace ?
A. I know him if I see him.
Q. Are you sure it is Chace you bought it of?
A. I think it was Mr. Chace.
Q. Do you know Mr. Sheldon ?
A. No, sir.
Q. What makes you think it was Chace ?
A. I suppose that is what his name was. There was two or three
there. Q. Where was it you bought ?
A. Up here — it was where they keep things to sell.
Q. Was it Major Engley's recruiting office ?
A. It was where all the rest of the boys were brought.
Q. Was it in the recruiting office or near it ?
A. I do not know anything about the recruiting office.
Q. You have been in the recruiting office, have you not?
A. I guess I have.
Q. You signed your enlistment papers there ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was it there you bought the watches ?
A. Where they signed the enlistment papers ? no, sir.
Q. In a different room ?
A. In a different room.
Q. Was it the same building ?
A. I do not know whether it was the same building or not.
Q. It was a little west of it — it was not far ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You bought a $25 watch, and received 
A. I bought a pair of boots for $7.
Q. You have had $40 in money, and a pair of boots at $7, and a
watch for $25. Did you buy anything else ?
A. No, sir.
Q. How much money is there back that belongs to you ?
A. What I want is $30.
Q. Add thirty to seventy-two, and how much is that?
A. I am no scholar ; I never went to school much ; I could not
tell. Q. How old are you ?
A. I am sixteen.
Q. What makes you think that Major Engley has $30 of your
money ?
A. What makes me think so ? because I got them things there,
and I did not know where else it could go to.
Q. What makes you think it is $30 ?
A. That's what I think it is ; I could not tell.
Q. You do not know how much the bounty ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Are you sure you received only !
24

186 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. That's all I got— $40.
Q. But it was given you by the Paymaster down to camp ?
A. Yes, sir.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM CASEY.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What company are you in ?
A. Company M.
Q. Where do you come from ?
A. New York — Genesee county.
Q. Who enlisted you ?
A. David Ray recruited me — I enlisted here.
Q. Were you enlisted at Major Engley's office ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How much bounty did Ray promise you ?
A. He told me I should get $25 as soon as I enlisted and was
sworn in, and before we left we should get $25 more ; and then, after
we got down to the Island, $75.
Q. What was the whole amount of the bounty you expected to
get? A. It was $300.
Q. From the State of Rhode Island ?
A. It was $150 from the State of Rhode Island.
Q. Bv Mr. Blake. Was it not $250 ?
A. It" was $150.
Q. How much have you been paid ?
A. First, I bought two shirts, $6, and then I got all the rest of
the $75 dollars, and then the second bounty I got $75 in full.
Q. You have your whole bounty, then, have you not ? You will
have the other $150 after you get where the regiment is going to ?
A. Yes, sir ; I suppose so.
Q. You have all that was due you before the regiment leaves ?
A. I got all that was promised me.
Q. Who did you buy the shirts of?
A. I got them — I cannot think of his name — he is one of those
who sold goods there.
Q. Where did you buy the shirts ? down to camp ?
A. No ; I bought the two shirts where they sold the watches.
Q. Near Major Engley's office ?
A. It was where they sold the watches.
Q. Where was that ? '
A. I do not know the man's name that owns it.
Q. Do you know where Major Engley's office is ?
¦ A. I suppose his office is where the enlistment was, and the men
were sworn in.
Q. Was this place where you bought the shirts, near that place?
A. It was, I believe. We had to come down this way, and then
turned round and went up.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 187
Q. Have you any complaints against anybody; that you have
been cheated by anybody ?
A. No ; I have not been cheated, that I know of.
Q. Did you see any watches sold there ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you see many of them sold ?
A. No, sir. There was two that I saw sold.
Q. Do you know what the price was ?
A. One was $25 and the other $30.
Q. What kind of a watch — good or worthless ?
A. I do not know anything about one of them ; the other I know
was not good for anything.
Q. Were the watches warranted?
A. Yes, sir ; he said they were good watches ; said they were
silver ; he would warrant them to run and keep good time.
Q. Did he warrant them to be silver ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who sold the watches?
A. The one who sold me the shirts. There was one of the
watches. Yes, it was the one who sold me the shirts.
Q. Who bought these watches ?
A. My brother bought one, and the other man's name was Isaac
Maynard. He was discharged. And Reuben Casey.
Q. What was he discharged for ?
A. He was not old enough, and was not large enough.
Q. How old was he ?
A. He said he was only fifteen or sixteen years of age.
Q. Did you see a number of men in there buying goods ?
A. Yes, sir ; eight or nine were in there.
Q. Who told you to buy a watch ?
A. I did not buy no watch.
Q. Who ordered you ? D^ any one order you to go there ? _
A. I was told there I was to take fifteen dollars worth of clothing.
I told them I did not want fifteen dollars worth of clothing. I could
not take them.
Q. Who told you, you must take fifteen dollars worth ?
A. One that swore, who was in there. I do not know what his
name was.
Q. Was he the same one that sold the goods ?
A. No ; I do not think he was.
Q. Who paid your expenses for coming on he,re ?
A. I do not know who did pay them.
Q. You did not pay them yourself ?
A. No, sir. Ray said, (I asked him about paying, before I started
from home,) and he said, no, they was paid ; he did not say who
paid. Q. When did you enlist? How long ago !
A. About four months ago, I do not know exactly how long-
about four months ago.

188 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
TESTIMONY OF SERGEANT WILLIAM LYONS.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What company are you in ?
A. I am first sergeant of Company I.
Q. Do you know anything of any frauds that have been practiced
upon the men in this regiment ?
A. I will just tell you what I have seen ; they have practiced
none on me. I recruited twenty men in Indiana, and had taken
them to Indianapolis, to Major Connelly. I went to Major Connelly
and Fuller, and asked him what he would give me for these men ?
He said, " $5 apiece," and then told me to take them down to Provi
dence. I would not let him have them for that. He told me to take
them down to Providence. I told him I would stay myself if I liked,
and if I did not, I would pay my fare down and back. Well, he
drawed up a paper to that effect, that if I did not want to stay when
I got down here, I should pay my fare to Major Engley. I brought
the men here, and I was met by Bush, and some of the men were
sworn in over to the depot, and taken the men over to the office. I
had not been in there over five minutes, before they brought out a lot
of watches, and locked us up in the room, and offered me one. He
said the price was $25 ; I told him I could get a dozen for $2 apiece.
I did not say anything more about it then. I went and stayed round
the camp two or three days, and I told him (Engley) I would swear
in if he would put $25 on the bounty ; I would stay and he might
charge it to me. Whether he has done it or not I do not know — it
was on the last bounty I agreed to stay. That was charging me $25
for coming down. I know it is against me ; if I did not like it, I
would take it out of my own pocket. Then he wanted me to go
to recruiting for him, and I got ready to go. He told me all the con
trabands I would get he — . They did not get but $50 for all the
contrabands, and $5 for all the free men.
Q. Did they sign an agreement for $50.
A. I do not know — I did not get away — I did not go. He would
give me $15 apiece for them, and $5 for every free man, and then the
bounty was $275. I enlisted for $275.
Q. And twenty-five dollars off of that to pay your fare down
here, which makes two hundred and fifty dollars.
A. Twenty-five dollars off of two hundred and seventy-five dol
lars. Two hundred and seventy-five dollars was what they offered.
Q. Did you not understand that the State bounty was three hun
dred dollars ?
A. Not until I came down here and was sworn into the company,
and then I heard it from the recruits — that was Rhode Island recruits.
I saw the advertisement up in Cincinnati, it was there $275 State
bounty and $100 United States bounty, after the three years. Then
I went to Indianapolis for $275 with $25 taken off to pay expenses.
We could not come to any agreement about recruiting. I told him
if he would advance tbe money for me to recruit with, I would bring

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 189
the recruits. He told me he would let me have seventy-five dollars
of the first bounty. I told him to hand that over. He sat down and
counted it out. I told him that was my money, and now I wanted
some money to recruit with. He would not give me any more and
so I gave that back to him. I was ordered away two days afterwards.
This big man, I do not know what his name was — the acting clerk in
the office. I do not know Sheldon or Chace. He offered me $2
apiece for every watch I would sell up in camp, after we got up there.
I do not know whether it was Chace or the other man ; this was a
pretty heavy set man ; he offered me $2 apiece for every watch, and
I told him no, if I sold any watches, I would sell them on my own
hook. There was a lot of men came there a peddling ; but since, I
told the boys of them, and got the watches away.
Q. You never sold any watches?
A. I never had any watches. I have seen them go up to camp
from here, sir, from the office ; sometimes ten or fifteen new recruits,
nearly all having watches, new watches ; . and then I have seen the
same men about two weeks after, on the Island, sell the same watches
for $2 or $3. I have seen one of them sold for ten cents — put up at
auction and sold for ten cents. We have got men in our company
from Burlington, New Jersey, that has not received a cent of bounty.
Q. Where is the bounty gone ?
A. I do not know anything about it.
3 Q. Have you reason to suppose that any ofthe recruits that came
.from Indiana and Illinois knew that the State bounty was $300?
A. No, sir ; it is not known to' them. $275 is all that has ever
been offered by anybody who knows anything about it. Then I have
seen bills up all over the States of Indiana, and Illinois, and Ohio,
and $275 was all they ever offered. When they first brought the
bills on, it was $275 ;" and, after that, I went to Indianapolis, and I
saw the bills for $275, with $25 taken off to pay expenses ; leaving
1250 for the recruit, and $25 cash in hand as soon as he got down to
Providence ; $50 as soon as they were mustered in, and the bala/ice
in other payments, with the promise of $100 at the' end ofthe time of
' enlistment, and $13 a month for pay. I was with him all about the
State. I was recruiting for the State of Ohio, because with the
Rhode Island fellows we had a good deal of a fuss, when they first
came out with their bills. We made them leave the State once.
Q. You were paying only $2 per man ?
A. Yes, sir ; and we got a regiment up in five weeks of a thou
sand men.
Q. You are certain that all these Rhode Island agents represented
the State bounty to be less than $300.
A. Yes, sir ; $275 was the most money ever offered out there,
because, I questioned them, and the bills were up everywhere for
everybody to see. I questioned Major Connelly and Fuller about it ;
I told them I thought these men went on as substitutes for Rhod«?
Island, and that each man had paid $300 to buy a substitute, and told
them that was what I thought, and that for the $300, I was pretty

190 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
sure that they got their pay in that way ; but no, it was altogether
differently. Q. When you arrived here, you found out what the State bounty
was ?
A. I never found out for certain until I got on to the Island ?
Q. Major Engley did not inform you?
A. Oh, no, sir ; he did not tell anything at all. He asked me
what I enlisted for. I told him I enlisted for $275.
Q. Do you know whether he ever informed any of the recruits
what the State bounty actually was ?
A. No, sir ; I do not know any of his ways. But about selling
watches ; I have seen watches sold right in his office. That was
before I was sworn in ; they had me down there all the time. I have
seen him sit at the desk and reach up and sit up, and take a watch
out — reach right up in the desk ; sit right up in a corner, and reach
right up ; and lock the door when the men came in. What he said
to them, I do not know. He offered me one, but I did not take it.
Q. Can you think of anything else ? '
A. No, sir; that's about all I know — nothing more than what
I have heard other men say. I know there was fifteen men who
gave their names in Company M, each cheated out of $15. They
wanted me to bring up the paper with them when they came up to
receive the flag. I never brought it. Each were cheated out of $15
in this clothing swindle. Pastern Fletcher was one of them. He
was the only one I know. He brought the names and gave them to
me. Q. Where did they buy the clothes ?
A. I did not ask. I know that they took the clothes, and he
charged them to them ; he said that some had taken them, and there
was $15 worth that they must take, and some did not take at all, and
they were charged any way. I have the names of all the men on a
paper, that they gave to me, and his letter — letter from the Adjutant
General of this State, before he came here to recruit — there was
something about recruiting.
Q. Have you got that letter ?
A. I havn't it with me ; I have it down to the Island ; I never
brought it. He wanted me to bring it up and have it published.
Q. Did you read the letter ?
A. I did read it over. I do not recollect what it was now. It
was something about the Adjutant General here not furnishing trans
portation to bring recruits on, or something like that. And then
there was another letter from an agent at some place — Major Engley's
agent to him. I have three letters. Another has a recommendation
from Zanesville, Ohio, for this man Fletcher.
TESTIMONY OF SERGEANT JOHN JACKSON.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What is your name ?
A. John Jackson.
Q. Where do you reside ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 191
A. I reside in Lockport, New York.
Q. What company are you in ?
A. Company I.
Q. You are a sergeant are you ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What sergeant ?
A. Fourth sergeant.
Q. When did you enlist?
A. I enlisted, I hardly know the exact time myself. I have a
book down there that shows.
Q. Where did you enlist?
A. I enlisted here in Providence.
Q. What was the name of the person — you came from Lockport?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was the name of the recruiting agent there ?
A. Edward Sarsnet.
Q. A colored man ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you sign any agreement there ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you make any agreement with him ?
A. No, sir. »
Q. What did he tell you ?
A. He told me he would try to get me a non-commissioned offi
cer's place.
Q. What did he tell you about the bounty ?
A. He told me that, the' first time I saw him, in Rochester city.
he told me they was giving $300 bounty.
Q. Who paid your expenses ?
A. I don't know exactly who did. He fetched me here. I sup-
he did.
Q. You did not pay any expenses ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did not you agree that that should come out of your bounty ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you sign any paper after you arrived here, besides your
enlistment papers ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you sign any agreement giving any person any part of
your bounty ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did not you sign any paper ?
A. I signed no paper, only my enlistment papers.
Q. How much of your bounty did you receive ?
A. I received fifty dollars — the first bounty — I should have re
ceived seventy-five dollars.
Q. What reason did the Paymaster give for not giving you seven
ty-five dollars ?
A. I went in there and I got fifty dollars, and I counted it oyer,

192 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
and said, " there is only fifty dollars." He said, " you have had
twenty-five dollars." I told him, I had not. He says you have had
twenty-five dollars. I told him, no, I hav'nt. He said there has
been twenty-five dollars paid to Major Engley — he has drawn it, and
said he, " whether you have had it or not, you will have to go and see
him about it. He has got it for you." That was all the satisfaction
I got from him at that time.
Q. Did you see Major Engley ?
A. See him ? no, sir ; we went away next day, and I hadn't a
chance to see him. We went down to the Island, and I haven't had
a chance to see Major Engley. When we were taken down to the
Island, and there was a payment, I spoke to the Paymaster, and he
said he would see about it.
Q. Did not the Paymaster have any order, agreement or receipt,
signed by you ?
A. No, sir; he said he had my name there, and that I had had
$25 ; but I had not signed any paper for that.
Q. You had not made any agreement with any person?
A. No, sir.
Q. For $25?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you not understand that you were to pay your travelling
expenses here ?
A. _ No, sir ; I understood by the recruiting officer, that I was not
to pay it.
Q. Can you read writing ?
A. No,. I am rather a poor reader.
Q. You sign your name ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you sign that paper ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you not make your mark ?
A. Yes, sir, I made my mark ; I touched my pen to the paper.
Q. Where was this signed by you ?
A. In Capt. Farman's quarters.
Q. Who ordered you to appear there ?
A. I think the captain of the company.
Q. What was his order ?
A. I could not tell what the order was, except for the men who
had been swindled gut of their money, met there for testimony.
Q. Who came on with you ?
A. Edward Sarsnet. We started with Sarsnet from Lockport,
and went to Buffalo, and was there a day and the next night.
TESTIMONY OF SERGEANT JAMES STANLEY BUSH.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What Company are you in?
A. Company I, sir.
Q. Where do you reside?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 193
A. I reside in Philadelphia.
Q. Did you enlist in Philadelphia, or come from there to enlist ?
A. No, sir; I was enlisted in New York by Capt. Ballou. I
passed examination here in Providence.
Q. Did you make any agreement with Capt. Ballou about your
bounty ?
A. I did not, sir. x
Q. You signed no agreement whatever ?
A. No more than when I arrived in Providence ; here I signed
|5 for bringing me from New York to Providence. That was all the
agreement, sir.
Q. When did you enlist ?
A. I enlisted, sir, — I am not sure, but if I mistake not — on the
6th of November.
Q. Did you go into camp, immediately ?
A. I did so, for one day.
Q. Were you detailed to other service?
A. I was detailed next morning. I went to camp one night.
Next day I was detailed by Major Engley to come down to his re
cruiting office, near the Post Office.
Q. What did he employ you there for ?
A. He employed me for to write, to bring the men from the de
pot to the office, and to run errands generally. He had me and Ser
geant Williams, quartermaster sergeant, Company G, at the office.
Q. How long did you remain at Engley's office ?
A. I could not tell you exactly. I remained there some two or
three or four months. I could not recollect the exact time.
Q. Were there other persons that were employed in or about the
office by Major Engley ? .
A. There was Sergeant David Low ; David H. Ray, he is over
to the Governor's office, and Sergeant David Reeder. They were all
employed at the time I was, at the office.
Q. Was Luke Chace in Engley's office ?
A Q
A Q
A Q
office A Q
A Q
A Q
A

He was the clerk. Yes, sir.
West ; do you know him ?
Yes, sir ; Captain West — he was there too.
Do you know a man by the name of Sheldon ?
Yes, sir ; he was clerk.
Do you know about any trading that was done in Engley's
goods of any kind sold to the recruits ?
Yes, sir.
Did you sell any yourself?
I did not, sir.
Did you see any sold ?
Yes, sir.
By whom ?
By several persons, sir. I have seen some sold by Captain
Ballou, of New York— watches — to men that enlisted there.
Q. Where was that ?
25

194 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. In Engley's office. He brought the watches on with him from
New York, together with the recruits. I have seen some brought by
Mr. Angell, a man that was in the employ of Mr. Ballou. I have
seen some sold by Mr. Fuller, a man that was in the employ of Mr.
Angell, and I have seen some sold in the office adjoining — back of
the office that Engley had.
Q. Do you know whose office that was ?
A. It was supposed to be held by Mr. Sheldon. Mr. Sheldon
and Mr. Chase, together, sir.
Q. What kind of watches were those that were sold by Captain
Ballou ?
A. They were the same — or they were the same kind of watches,
as those that were sold by Mr. Chase and Mr. Sheldon.
Q. What kind was that ?
A. Well, sir ; they were watches to all appearances rubbed over
with silver — copper or brass watches that were rubbed over with silver.
Q. By Mr. Hill. They appeared to be silver ?
A. They appeared to be silver, and to all appearances they were
silver watches.
Q. Were they silver watches ?
A. No, sir ; they were not.
Q. Did Capt. Ballou warrant the watches ?
A. There is one, sir. [Shows one to the Committee.] Captain
Ballou warranted the watches to be silver.
Q. They all warranted the watches did they ?
A. They were warranted to be silver.
Q. What was the price they charged ?
A. The price, sir, was from $20, $25, and $30.
Q. Did the men wish to buy these watches, or were they com
pelled to ?
A. Some wished to do so, and some were compelled to by buying
the watches and getting $15 worth of under-clothing — shirts and un
der clothing, and by getting $10 in money.
Q. How were they compelled to take these goods ?
A. To get the money, sir ; they could not get their $25 bounty
advanced without getting these goods. Some he paid $25 to, and
some he did not without taking the goods.
Q. What do you mean, he advanced the money ?
A. No, sir ; the bounty when enlisted was $25 at the time, $50
after they were enlisted, and $75 at the arrival of the regiment at its
destination, and they could not get the $25, some of them, without
taking these goods, because they would not give it to them ; and to
get the money, the men would rather agree to take $15 in clothing
and the rest in money.
Q. Did they apply to the Paymaster for the money ?
A. They did not, sir. These gentlemen would not advance the
money unless they took the goods.
Q. Did not they understand that the Paymaster was the man to
pay the bounty ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 195
A. No, sir ; the men did not understand that, they understood
that Major Engley was.
Q. But the Paymaster would tell them so ?
A. The Paymaster was not in the office ; his office was in the
rear of the recruiting office.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You mean that the Paymaster's office was
in another building ? Paymaster Francis — was that the man to whom
you alluded ?
A. Another building' leading from Engley's building, at No. 10,
Custom House street. The Paymaster's building was on Weybosset
street.
¦ Q. By the Chairman. Was this the character of the watches ?
[Shows one to the witness.]
_ A. If you will please allow me to see it first. [Examines it.] Yes,
sir. Q. Do you know what such a watch as that is worth ?
A. Mr. Angell's man, acting for Mr. Ballou, told me that you
might get them by the dozen for $4 1-2, and from that to $5 apiece.
Q. This Angell sold the watches and warranted them — you say
Ballou did ?
A. I know there was some complaint about these watches, and
Capt. Ballou gave me $5 to have their watches fixed. I took the $5
and had several watches fixed for $5. The watches were fixed, and,
I believe, they run about two days, and since then, none of the
watches have run that they had fixed.
Q. Did the men ever carry a watch before ? Did they know
how to take care of them ?
A. Some of them have ; some knew how.
Q. Was it the fault of the watches or of the men ?
A. Some, sir, was the fault of the watches.
Q. Do you know who this watch was bought of?
A. I do not know who that watch in particular was bought of.
Q. Did you know of Major Engley's selling watches ?
A. Well, I don't know that Major Engley did. If I recollect
right, he went one morning to Boston, and had taken Mr.
Sheldon's clerk with him at the time, and returned Wednesday after
noon. The goods — some goods — came with Mr. Sheldon's clerk on
Wednesday evening, and some on Thursday morning. I do not re
collect what date it was. And Major Engley, Thursday morning,
came to me, and told me that when a squad of men arrived, that Mr.
Sheldon was going to set up a shop in the rear of his place, and that
I could take the men through his office, in the tailor's shop, — office
No. 3 — and for every dozen men that I could get to buy a watch, he
would give me one watch for selling them to them. I had taken
about three dozen men to him, and Col. Viall came up that day, and
Col. Viall said he would see in the evening. Col. Viall came in the
evening, and saw me taking some of the men ; and Fletcher Burleigh,
a young man I took in, came down stairs, and when he came down
to the sidewalk, there stood Col. Viall, just as I got in. What the
price was I do not know.

196 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did you hear Major Engley order Fletcher Burleigh to buy
a watch ?
A. No, sir ; I did not hear him.
Q. Did you ever hear Burleigh say he was ordered by him?
A. I heard Burleigh say that Major Engley sent him with me.
He went round to about half-a-dozen others and I took them round.
I took them round by order of Major Engley.
Q. Did you see Luke Chase sell any watches?
A. When I went up in the office, when Col. Viall took the watch
from Burleigh, — when I went up to the office, — Chase had a watch in
his hand, then he sat down to the desk, and went to writing. Shel
don was selling goods.
Q. Do you mean to say that of your own knowledge you know
that Chase sold watches ?•
A. I mean to say that when Col. Viall went up there, Chace had
a watch in his hands ; whether he was selling it or not I cannot say.
Q. You have never seen him actually sell a watch ?
A. I have never seen him actually sell a watch— no, sir.
Q. Have you seen Sheldon sell them ?
A. Yes, sir ; I have seen Mr. Sheldon sell.
Q. Do you know whose watches they were, that they were selling?
A. They were reported to be Mr. Sheldon's, and they were his
for ought I know.
Q. Do you know whether Major Engley had any interest in the
trade ?
A. No more, than he told me, sir.
Q. What did Major Engley tell you ?
A. He told me as I told you before, to have as many men go
round and get watches, as I could, and he would give me one watch
for every dozen men that bought a watch there.
Q. Did you understand that they were his watches ?
A. I understood from that — yes, sir.
Q. What other goods did they sell there ?
A. They sold shirts, they sold drawers, undershirts, boots, gloves,
scarfs and breast-pins.
Q. What kind of breast pins did they sell ?
A. They had some breast pins, very blackguard ; such as small
pins with sights in them — a small substance grew very large, with
very blackguard figures in them.
Q. What did they charge for these pins ?
A. I do not know, sir.
Q. Were there other goods sold by them, of good quality, and
such as the men needed ?
A. I cannot tell you that, because I never bought any, nor en
quired into it.
t Q. By Mr. Blake. Magnifying pins ? well, they were obscene
pins. A. Yes, sir.
Q. Are there any to be had at present ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 197
A. I have some down to the Island. He gave me one — Mr.
Sheldon. Q. By the Chairman. Well, the men — do you mean to say that
these men were compelled to buy these goods ?
A. By saying compelled, I say they were compelled, because they
would not get no portion of their bounty, unless they did buy these
goods. They were made to understand that they would get no bounty
unless they did buy $15 worth of goods.
Q. Did they give them goods, and say it was necessary for them
to have them ?
A. Some did and some did not. Whether they needed them or
not, they were told either to buy them or else go without their first
bounty. Q. How did they pay for these goods ? Did they give an order ?
A. They gave an order ; yes, sir ; Mr. Noyes or Mr. Engley
would give an order for $15 on Mr. Sheldon, and when they came
back, they would get their $10 balance. t
Q. Do you know anything more than you have told already about
any frauds that have been practiced upon the men.
A. I do not know as I do. No, sir ; I think not.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Where did you first see Col. Viall ?
A. The first time I saw him was at Camp Smith — up here in
Camp Smith.
Q. Did he speak to you there ?
A. He did not, sir.
Q. Where was the first place he ever spoke to you ?
A. At the office, at Major Engley's. The first time Col. Viall
ever spoke to me, was by my asking him for a musket. I was anxious to
learn the drill. I asked him if he could not sign for me to have a
musket at the office. That was the first he ever spoke to me.
Q. You are not the man he saw in the Bank Eating House, and
asked you if you could show him where to buy watches ?
A. You refer to a man by the name of Angell.
Q. Can you explain ?
A. I cannot, except he was a man in Capt. Ballou's office. He
belongs in this city ; because I used to go for a horse when he came
with a full squad of men, and to ride outside on the seat, to where his
family is.
Q. Was he tall and slim ?
A. No, sir ; he was a short man ; very short.
TESTIMONY OF ELIJAH DORSEY. .
(Examined by the Chairman.)
Question. What is your name ?
Answer. Elijah Dorsey.
Q. Where do you reside ?
A. In Buffalo, New York.
Q. Who recruited you ?

198 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Sergeant Low.
Q. This is the man you call sergeant,?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What agreement did you make with him in regard to bounty ?
A. I made an agreement with him for two hundred and fifty dol
lars from the State, and a hundred from the Government for the term
— three hundred dollars for three years, and got a hundred from the
Government of the United States, and two hundred and fifty dollars
from the State of Rhode Island.
Q. Did you understand that the State of Rhode Island paid more
than two hundred and fifty dollars to anybody ?
A. No, sir. I never understood that she paid more than that, only
I understood that two hundred and fifty dollars from the State of
Rhode Island, and one hundred dollars from the United States, mak
ing up three hundred and fifty dollars, that is what I understood.
Q. Do you know now what the State bounty is ?
A. No, sir ; I do not know no more than I did at first.
Q. You never heard that the State bounty was more than $250 ?
Haven't you heard anything said about it in camp ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You never heard of $300 ?
A. No, sir ; all I heard was giving $250 from the State of Rhode
Island, and $100 from the United States — made a total of $350, that's
what I understood.
Q. Do you mean to say you have not since learned it because 
A. I have not since learned it, because I never had a chance.
Q. Haven't you heard any questions, that is this State bounty
that is talked about ?
A. The State bounty I heard talked about was $250.
Q. You never heard of any other bounty while in the regiment?
A. No, sir. I heard talk of $25 when we came here, and as soon
as we took the oath and raised our right hand, then we got $50 as
soon as we were sent out to duty ; and then we got the rest when we
got to the place of rendezvous — the place of destination ; that was to
New Orleans I suppose — don't know where no how — get the rest as
soon as we got there ; understood it was $250 from the State.
Q. Did you sign any paper that sergeant Low had ?
A. No, sir ; I do not recollect of signing any paper ; but I recol
lect the second day of my enlistment they called me out, and I signed,
and heard him reading solemnly, you will have three-fourths, &c,
where they had us fixed to take "the oath. I signed such a paper; I
signed half a dozen papers like that — signed my name.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Can you write ?
No, sir, I cannot write.
By the Chairman. Can you read ?
Some.If you signed an order, you knew how much money ?
Yes, sir ; I knew when I signed an order.
Q. Can you read writing ?

A Q
A Q
A

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 199
A. Yes, sir ; a little.
Q. Can you make your mark ?
A. I never made any mark on any orders.
Q. How much bounty did you receive ?
A. The first payment $25. The second payment $75. Then $32
has gone somewhere. I have never seen it.
Q. Have you bought any watch ?
A. No, sir. I did not know anything about any watch. I recol
lect one evening when the colonel came up there, they took us up
and told us where we were to take fifteen dollars worth of cloth
ing ; they fetched upa whole box of watches. " If you don't take
it the money will be taken out of your bounty." Most of us took it
except me. I did have a watch in my hand, and as soon as the
colonel came, I gave it up. Said he, " you come selling Peter Funk
watches ;" said he, " I want to close up this establishment. I will see
if I can't. I'll confiscate all the goods." So they went to argue,
and wanted to apologize to the colonel, and the colonel did not want
apologies. The colonel did not wish him to swindle his men out of
their money. He had swindled it out of them right smart — swindled
us in shirts at $6 ; mittens with a finger and thumb at $1, that you
could buy for fifty ceuts. Said, they was cheap enough for the money ;
said they were going to have another store come up from Boston. Col.
Viall did not want them to sell at all, and he gave it to the fellow.
He saw Mr. Burleigh, and asked what company he belonged to, and
he said he was in Major Engley's employ ; and the colonel asked him
what he was doing ; and at that he hauled out a watch, and said,
"that he had been getting the boys to buy watches." He (the
Colonel) said, " show him the place." They would then shut this
door and lock us in, and so they did that day, and we had to
" die dog or eat a hatchet ;" they locked the door, and as fast as we
took our watches they let us out one by one ; but when the Colonel
came up they let us all go out at once, because the Colonel was in
earnest, he did not want his men swindled ; and when I came to re
ceive my first bounty, I received $35.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Are you sure it was $35 ?
A. I don't know whether I was or not. I had myself $35 and
received of my entire pay bat $40. I was owing one sutler $9, and
another $5, and every cent of money I had was $26 after I had them.
You can reckon from that how many dollars of it I had — reckon from
seventy-five dollars.
Q. " Havn't you already testified that you never bought any goods ?
A. I have. I did not say I bought any goods of these men. I
was not paid off; these were little frauds of mine on me. These men
have not got anything.
Q. In the payment of bounty, you did owe the sutlers ?
A. In the payment of money I got $40. I paid $14— one sutler
19 and the other $5.
Q. You had your money, and I suppose they paid themselves ?
A. Here's a thing ; they had $32 out of me, and I did not know
anything about it.

200 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Who had this against you ?
A. Major Engley — the great Major Engley, sir.
Q. Did they tell you what it was for ?
A. Thev told me I got goods here ; and I asked the paymaster to
make those goods appear to me — what I got — and then I knew I Was
swindled ; at the moment, I saw I was getting swindled.
Q. Did not you have a hack?
A. I don't ride in hacks.
Q. You say you did not buy a watch; you have shown us one:
A. That is one I borrowed of a man in the army, to show what
kind of $25 watches they had to sell.
Q. What did you borrow a watch for, to show us ?
A. I thought I could investigate the watch, maybe better than he,
and so I borrowed it.
Q. By Mr. Blake. In this written statement you say you were
enlisted by Mr. Crosby.
A. Mr. Crosby did not enlist me. Sergeant Low enlisted me.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you know anything else concerning
this matter that you have not told us.
A. I believe I know a great deal, but I could not tell it without
being asked some questions.
Q. By the Chairman. Have you said anything to Major Engley
about this $32 ? •
A. I haven't said a word, because I came yesterday — my only
opportunity. He told me the minute I was sworn in, I could geta
furlough home for ten days. I was like a man at first, of course, and
the first I knew I was sworn down to Dutch Island — almost for my
life-time. I got away, and I've come to tell the truth and nothing
else, and I will, sir, all I know. There's one of the watches, war
ranted to be silver, and I thought they were silver, because they flew
open, that way ; I found it was a sham. I thought the watches were
good because there was a soldier on them. I thought I would go and
see, and when I came to look in, and the Colonel came in raving, I
was trying on a pair of boots — and I gave it up. He had my name
signed to a pair of boots and a watch — I never had it to get. I did
not take the boots or the watch.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What place ?
A. I have just said I was up there trying on a pair of boots, and
the Colonel came in, and as soon as he came in (I did not know the
Colonel) the first thought was, it was the Provost Marshal, and I
hauled the boots off, and I left the office.
Q. By the Chairman. They put your name down ?
A. They had my name down on a great big book ; I went up
and they marked my name down, and it said, E. Dorsey, so and so.
Q. You did not put your name down ?
A. No, sir, I did not — West, one of Major Engley's men, helped.
He was acting as a clerk. This was one of the great things I think
Major Engley had there in this office.
Q. Do you know his name ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 201
A. I think it may be Sheldon, anyhow — savage looking man ;
looked like he'd scare a man if he did not swear.
Q. Did he say you must take $15 worth ?
A. He gave $10 in money, and then you had $15 which you
must take in clothes. Well, we marched up there and told them we
were going to some saloon to take a drink, and then we marched up
to that office and they locked the door ; they had got a contract and
they should loose if it was not taken out, and of course the boys took
and commenced buying goods wholesale and retail.
TESTIMONY OF RICHARD GREER.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What company are you in ?
A. Company M.
Q. Where did you come from ?
A. Baltimore.
Q. Who enlisted you ?
A. Mr. Ray.
Q. Is he a colored man ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was the bounty ?
A. He said that if we came here and were sworn in, the bounty
would be $350.
Q. How much was the State bounty ?
A. We were to have $100 from the State after the three years was
up, and $250 now.
Q. One hundred after the war was over ?
A. After the war was over.
Q. The State bounty was $250.
A. He said $350 on the bills.
Q. What kind of bills did you see ?
A. It was hand-bills.
Q. Can you read this ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did anybody ever tell you that the bounty to be paid now
was $300 ?
A. No, sir.
Q. $250 now, and $100 at the end of the war?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who paid your expenses ?
A. He did.
Q. Did he tell you he paid your expenses, or whether it came
out of your bounty ?
A. No, sir ; he did not mention any such words to us.
Q. You did not understand anything about it ? ,
A, No, sir.
Q. You did not ask any questions about it ?
A. No, sir ; I did not ask any questions about it.

202 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. When you came on here, how much bounty did you get?
A. I got, out of my first bounty — I got $25.
Q. Who paid you that ?
A. The paymaster.
Q. How much have you received of the second bounty ?
A. I received the whole of tire second.
Q. $75.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What has become of the rest of your first bounty that you
could not get? Can you tell ?
A. He said that the recruiting officer had it against me.
Q. Did you put your name or mark upon any paper in Major
Engley's office?
A. Yes, sir ; on one.
Q. Do you know what it was ?
A. No, sir ; it was after the names were put down. They put
our names down, and at the end of our names they put a cross-mark.
Q. What was that ; your enlistment paper. Did you sign any
order for any part of your bounty ?
A. No, sir ; I did not.
Q. Did you agree to give Major Engley any part of your bounty ?
A. Only for the two shirts.
Q. You bought two shirts ? What did you give for the shirts ?
A. I was to give seven dollars for the two shirts.
Q. Did you buy anything else ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Was it not six dollars ?
A. No, sir ; seven dollars.
Q. You are sure of that ?
A. Yes, sir. -
Q. Was this seven dollars taken out of your $25 bounty ?
A. No, sir ; it was taken out of the other.
Q. Out of the $75 then — which you understood from the pay
master had gone to Major Engley ?
A. Gone to Major Engley the recruiting officer.
Q. How much bounty do you understand them is due you now, or
will be when you come to where the regiment is stationed?
A. Well, sir, that bbunty was to be $150, that we were to get this
next time.
Q. You have received $75 and $25 and if you had that $50 which
Major Engley has, and the $150 which you expect to get, it will
make $300, and that will be more than you expected when you
enlisted. Q. You were enlisted in Baltimore ?
A. It was on the bill $350.
Q. With $100 at the conclusion of the war?
A. He did not say anything about that ; it was $350 he said we
were to get.
Q. Did vou not sign any agreement for $250 bounty — in the
State?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 203
A. No, sir ; in the State ? no, sir.
Q. Are you sure you did not ? Did not the Paymaster say he
had something of the kind ?
A. No, sir ; he did not say any such thing, sir.
Q. Did you make your mark on that paper. (Showing one.)
A. I made a cross mark at the end of my name — the same as it
is -put there.
Q. Was it read to you when you made your mark on it.
Q. [By Adjutant Whiting present.] Did you give that state
ment to the Captain ?
A. He wrote it down and put my name there.
Q. By the Chairman. You say now that the shirts were $7, you
told your Captain $6 ?
A. No, sir ; I did not ; $7 was what I was to give for the shirts.
Q. What kind of shirts were they ?
A. These are red striped shirts.
Q. D6 you know what such shirts are worth ?
A. They had been bought in Baltimore for twelve shillings — I
wore one when I came down there.
TESTIMONY OF COLONEL NELSON VIALL.
Monday, February 15.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. You are Colonel commanding the Fourteenth Regiment ?
A. Yes, sir ; Lieut.-Colonel, commanding. They gave me a
Lieut. -Colonel's commission. My Colonel's commission is from the
Governor of the State.
Q. Have you been in command of the regiment since its first
inception ?
A. Since its first inception ? yes, sir.
Q. As commander of the regiment, have you had anything to do
with the recruiting ?
A. Nothing ; other than that I have had when the three or four
first companies were forming ; occasionally a man would come to my
camp and enlist, and most invariably I turned him over to one of my
staff officers to enlist him, and that staff officer had the benefit ; or
the company officer as the case might be — in both cases. I had re
cruited some three or four men myself, and with the exception of
these in the first four companies, I have never had anything to do
with it. The men threw themselves in our way in our camp, as in
the Thirteenth, three (six) months, and we made out their enlisting
papers, and I was authorized to enlist, being the superintendent of
recruiting according to the army regulations. I could enlist men as
well as any one.
Q. What is the whole number of men that have been enlisted in
this regiment ?
A. The exact number I could not state now — rising seventeen
hundred. I have not had a consolidated report for some days, and
could not give the exact number.

204 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Most of your men are from abroad, and out of the State ?
A. Most of them are.
Q. Do you know how they have been recruited — by whom, and
in what manner ?
A. There has been a regular agency here, and they have been
recruited through these agents — Major Sanford and Major Engley.
Q. They have all been recruited through this agency ?
.A- Yes, sir.
Q. Colonel Viall, had you anything to do about the payment of
the bounties to these men ? Do you know how it is paid, and how
much ?
A. As I understand it, the men are to receive $25 upon being
enlisted and sworn in, and $50 upon being mustered in ; and the re
mainder of the bounty upon arriving at their destination. That is
all I know in relation to the system.
Q. Then you have no knowledge^of any contracts that these men
have made with the recruiting officers, in disposing of a part of their
bounty ?
A. In many instances, my men have signed away a portion of
their bounty. Those who come from remote places, signed away
their bounty in part. They have complained to me that they have
not received so much as the men who come from a shorter distance.
I have investigated the matter — making inquiry, and found these men
gave receipts for the money retained.
Q. Have you any knowledge of the men having been deceived by
the officer, in signing receipts for a larger share of their bounty than
they supposed they were giving ?
A. I only know the complaints of the men as they turn up in the
regiment, and whether they have reason to complain, or whether they
claimed to be ignorant at the time they signed these receipts is a ques
tion I cannot answer. But many have complained that they did not
receive what they ought.
Q. You have not had occasion particularly to investigate the
matter ?
A. I have made complaint to those parties, and they showed me
the receipt that the men who have complained have given, the receipts
or made their mark — either their mark or their names.
Q. In any case that you have particularly investigated, have you
or not, been told that the men were deceived and that they signed
away more of their bounty than they meant to, through their inability
to read the order that they signed, than what they supposed they were
giving. A. These men, those that came from a long distance, it has been
generally^ understood, that they should defray the expenses of coming ;
and in signing the orders, I have been told, in making the investi
gation, that they understand the exact difference ; but I have some
instances in the regiment, where these claimed afterwards that they
did not understand.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 205
Q. Have you, in any instance, been satisfied on investigation,
that these complaints were just.
A. I have thought they were not just in some instances.
Q. Many of them I suppose are unable to read and write.
A. Yes, sir; many make complaints that I have no doubt they
have no foundation for making, upon investigation.
Q. Is not that a very common thing in all regiments, that the men-
are unreasonable ?
A. It is natural for soldiers to complain unjustly, many times.
Q. You have no personal knowledge of any instance of fraud
upon any man by the recruiting agent — none within your personal
"knowledge ?
A. None that I swear to. I have had occasions to complain of
sales to the men, that were made in New York — parties that I was
perfectly ignorant of, and could not ferret them out.
Q. Sales made by the recruiting agents ?
A. By agents in New York.
Q. Sales ,of what ?
A. Watches ; that was the article that was sold there by partios
before the men came on, and proved not as good as represented.
They most invariably applied to me to father the thing, and tried to
get justice.
Q. Was tbat practiced to any considerable extent by the agent ?
•A. Quite a number of complaints were made to me in regard to it.
Q. What was the character of the watches ?
A. They were brass and slightly washed with white metal, and they
would become black in carrying three or four hours — averaged to run
about three .or four hours.
Q. Were they sold for silver watches ?
A. That I could not say what they bought them for.
Q. Do you know how much they paid for these watches ?
A. I only know what they say they charged.
Q. How did they pay for them — in money, or by an order ?
A. They say they paid for them by an order.
Q. Do you know of any watches of the kind being sold to the
men in camp ?
A. I had knowledge of parties I had reason to believe, outside of
the regiment altogether, that came to camp. I had occasion to eject
several such parties from camp, which were found peddling watches,
summarily. I have found everybody very anxious to follow them up
while they had money, and get all they could from them in various
ways. That is everybody — those hucksters who had no other inter
est than to peddle aboqt the camp, other than recruiting agents and
those interested in procuring men.
Q. By everybody, you mean the vultures ?
A. I accept that idea.
Q. I wish, colonel, you would explain to the committee, your sut-
tlery system ; if you have one, or have heard any, give some idea of it?
A. When I first commenced with the first battalion, I had a com-

206 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
mission as major. I always felt the necessity of having a party to
trade for the regiment, that connected itself exclusively with it, from
the fact that I kept my men within the lines. A party accosted me
on the street, and asked for that place, and I gave it to him, with the
understanding, he assured me that he had suttled for one or two regi
ments, previously while organizing the regiments here and that he had
paid $75 per month to the regiment ; that accrues to the regimental
fund. I gave him the sutlership to the battalion at that time, and
when we expected it would be only a battalion, and he remained as
sutler of my regiment until he sold articles strictly forbidden, such as
whiskey and intoxicating liquors to my men, and when caught in
that act, the result was mutinous conduct on the part of my men —
twenty or thirty of them — and I discharged the sutler.
Q. When was that ?
A. That was about two months ago. I then gave it to a man —
to two parties — Chace and Brown, who had always been in the regi
ment since its first company was organized. Chace was a Daguerreo
type artist, and Brown was a party who was willing to put on
chevrons, cross-cannon, and fit clothes to my men, to make them appear
respectable — as the numbers often came in very large, and I was
anxious to have every man appear properly. He did this because the
sutler could not make it profitabla enough to make it an object, and
he allowed the sutler something to secure this. Mr. Chace was a
Daguerreotypist, and had his apparatus on the Dexter training ground,
and sometime after Mr. Rathbun went away, I gave the sutlership of
the regiment to these parties upon the same tax. On organizing the
regiment, I did not propose to increase the tax until the regiment is
full. My object has been to apply the army regulations. It gives
the commanding officer the control of the funds until the regiment is
full, and after that I can appoint a council of administration. When
the regiment was full, I did. this as it was required by the regulations,
and it is now established.
Q. This Chace & Brown, do they continue at the present time as
sutlers ?
A. Yes, sir. The Colonel of the regiment could not take the
moneys of the sutler, and accruing from rations and taxes, when his
regiment is filled, as the army regulations demands that a council to
regulate the tariff of the sutler, and to attend to disbursing and man
agement of the funds. The Colonel has it optional with him who
shall be the treasurer, and the proceedings of the council are brought
to him after they have decided, and if he disagrees with the decision
of the council, and the council insist, it is left out to the next senior
officer or commander above the Colonel. The object, no doubt, of
the regulations is, to prevent any undue authority being vested in
one man.
Q. This council of administration is composed of commissioned
officers ?
A. It is composed of the Lieut.-Colonel, Major and senior Cap
tain. If none of the field officers are present, then the senior line

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 207
officers, and if none of them, then the Colonel shall act. He con
venes the board when he thinks it is necessary ; once of two months
I think it is exacted of him.
Q. During the formation of the regiment, not being able to ap
point such a council, you acted as treasurer yourself ?
A. I have done so ; yes, sir.
Q. But, if you please, state whether or not, at any time, the
sutlers appointed by you, Chace & Brown, and Rathbone, have been
interfered with by other parties ?
A. They have been shut up once. I received a peremptory order
to shut them up and eject them from the lines within an hour.
Q. Can you tell when that was, or about when?
A. I could not state the exact date ; but it was at the time, about
the time when the second battalion was preparing to move. It was
after I dismissed Rathbun, and appointed the other parties.
Q. You say you received peremptory orders. From whom ?
A. The Allotment Commissioner told me they must leave the
lines within an hour.
Q. Did you understand from him what was the reason of the
order ?
A. Some misunderstanding between the parties who were to sell
goods there and the sutlers. It implied that the sutlers had broken
faith in regard to abstaining in selling.
Q. Other parties had been into camp selling goods ?
A. Not at that time. My first battalion was supplied by the same
parties ; but not to my knowledge at the time : — on Dexter Ground
— the first battalion. Then when a second battalion was supplied,
and Mr. Chace and Mr. Brown were selling the same articles, why,
it interfered. Q. By Mr. Thomas. That seems to be a second party. Had
they a right to sell on the ground ? It interfered with the parties
there, and were there any other parties who had a right there ?
A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. How did the sutler interfere ?
A. The other parties had permission to sell there.
Q. Then the sutler did not have the exclusive right ?
A. He did not in this case.
Q. By Mr. Blake. How did they get this permission ?
A. . Col. Smith being an officer ot the State I had to recognize his
authority, and felt under obligations to obey the order.
Q. By the Chairman. As Allotment Commissioner, would he
have any official authority ?
A. No, sir. He was then in the capacity of aid to the Governor,
and I received orders frequently through the staff of his Excellency,
and was bound to obey such orders.
Q. Not as Allotment Commissioner ?
A. No, sir.
Q. This is Col. A. D. Smith ?
A. Yes, sir.

208 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Do you recollect who these parties were that went there to
trade under the patronage of Col. Smith ?
A. Mr. Barnaby and Mr. Snow on Westminster street — they
have been there.
Q. About when was the first time that they went there ?
A. They came there just previous to the sailing of the second
battalion. Q. What kind of goods did they sell?
A. Principally woolen goods, and boots and shoes.
Q. Gloves?
A. Yes, sir. Gloves of a kind ordinary fit for these men.
Q. What kind of boots did they sell to these men ?
A. A variety of styles. The ordinary variety that we find in
market. Q. Did they sell many of these long boots ?
A Yes, sir ; a great many of these top boots were sold — Welling
ton boots, quite a number of those.
Q. Will you state whether or not these boots were suitable or
not? A. They are suitable for winter weather. If they are only small
enough to allow the pants to cover, they can get about with them in
winter weather. Our men are tender from the knees down.
Q. Do you know whether they sold a large amount ?
A. I could not say the exact amount ; I have no means of know
ing, other than at a guess.
Q. Do you know enough to venture any opinion ?
A. I should object to venturing an opinion, from the fact that I
might be wide of the mark.
Q. Have you any knowledge in regard to the prices they received
from the men — whether they were ordinary and reasonable prices ?
A. Well, with the present advance in everything, it is pretty dif-
vficult to say what a reasonable price is. I should say that many
goods might have been sold a fraction lower.
Q. By Mr. Blake. How did they sell these gloves ?
A. Well, I am not positive what the prices of the gloves were.
I think a white woolen glove was sold for a dollar a pair — knit gloves.
Q. Did most ofthe men ;wear white gloves?
A. We exact of them to wear white cotton gloves, yet only on
duty — at dress parade or guard duty. Many of the men did invest
in a great variety — white leather or white woolen — most of them did
have the white cotton gloves.
Q. But in addition to the white cotton gloves, which is a part of
their uniform, they bought these others ?
A. I exact of the sutler to keep white cotton gloves, postage
stamps, paper, needles, thread, ink, cleaning materials, and those sort
of things mostly essential to the men, they must keep tobacco, a neces
sity that a soldier must have.
Q. Did these traders you speak of carry tobacco into the camp?
A. Yes, sir. I don't think they carried postage stamps.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 209
Q. Do you know whether they represented to the men that they
were authorized to sell these various articles, or any of them, and that
they were required by their officers to purchase ?
A. I don't know that they were. I don't know that I heard the
men say that they must buy.
Q. These traders did not come into camp, then, on your request?
A. I was unconscious that they supplied my first battalion, until I
received a note that the parties were coming to Dutch Island, and the
request that I should make them, comfortable.
Q. The sutlers were ordered to be dismissed at the time these
traders came into camp ?
A. About that time. Yes, sir.
Q. One was in connection with the other, I suppose ?
A. I could not say.
Q. The orders came from the same source — orders for admitting
the traders and dismissing the sutlers ?
A. They came from the same source.
Q. Have these traders visited your camp more than once ?
A. They have just returned from it ; from the sales of the third
battalion. Q. How long have they been there ?
A. Some eight or ten days.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Colonel, I should like to ask now, with a
view to see the occasion of the change, if the sutlers holding that
position now, kept the same articles, and whether there was any com
plaint that they did not supply ?
A. There has never been any complaint to me that the sutlers did
not supply. The present sutlers are prohibited from selling any liquid.
to the men.
Q. By the Chairman. The change was not for failing to supply
the articles needed ?
A. Not that I am aware of.
• Q. The two parties you have named, the one a clothier, the other
a shoe dealer or maker, did not sell tobacco ?
A. Mr. Huntoon did sell tobacco on the first visit that was made.
On the second visit they made an arrangement with the sutler for
him. He did not visit the men.
Q. The sutlers then have remained there during the last visit ?
A. Yes, sir ; they are still retained in that position.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then instead of traders, they were sutlers
and" kept their sutler's tent ?
A. The council of administration has been authorized to investi
gate the prices, and investigated their prices. The council books are
opened. Q. By Mr. Blake. During the presence of Barnaby and bnow,
the sutler's shops were closed ?
A. They were for two days, possibly for three days — at the out
side, it might have been three days. _
Q. By the Chairman. Have these been required by the council
of administration to pay any tax ?
27

210 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. The other party ? no, sir. .
Q. They have paid nothing for the benefit of the regiment I
A. We have received nothing.
Q. Colonel, have you any knowledge that the men have been
imposed upon, or defrauded, or swindled in any way by these traders?
A. I did, at one time, come from Dutch Island — and this is a
case in point— I only speak of it from observation. I arrived here in
the edge of the evening, and went into the Bank Eating House, and
got my supper, and a young colored man came in — and rising to pay
my bill, I asked to what company he belonged. " I don't belong to
any company," said he, "I am to get men to buy watches;" said I,
" I would like to have you get me in and show me the way." I en
tered the room where the sales were taking place and forbid them;
upbraiding the parties ever to sell those articles to my men — if they
did continue to do so, I should chastise them.
Q. Who were these parties?
A. , A man by the name of Chace — I did not know him before.
He was in the act of selling to my men — that were to be my men—
I had not seen them previous to that ; I was told that after I gave
that order (by one of the parties) no watches were sold._
Q. Were these persons selling watches connected with Mr. Bar
naby, or Hun toon, or Snow ?
A. Not that I am aware of; I could not say what connection
they might have hdd. I came from the Island only to transact that
which pertains to the regiment and then return, and my interview
was with the parties on Saturday night, and returned to the boat on
Monday morning.
Q. Will you state whether you were required to furnish these
traders with quarters in camp ?
A. I was requested to make them comfortable in quarters.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did they bring watches to sell ?
A. Not to my knowledge, no, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. What quarters did you assign them upon
their arrival there?
A. I first vacated my hospital tent and moved my sick to the hos
pital barracks, and gave them the tents formerly used for the hospital.
The last time I had four barracks emptied which were receptly left,
and they occupied one of those barracks.
Q. State whether or not, it was any inconvenience to you, and
did any of the officers of the regiment complain at your providing
them with their quarters the first time ?
A. No, sir ;, not to my knowledge. There was no inconvenience
to any of us in providing them with the hospital tent. I had received
this request to furnish them with a comfortable place previous to this,
and had expected them. I had intended to put them in the hospital
building that was being erected, but I was here in the city some two
or three days. On arriving back on the Island I found that the sur
geon had removed, and I then told them that the next best thing they
could do was to take the hospital tents. It remained there a while

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 211
after they left and I then had it taken down and turned in to the
quartermaster. Q. This hospital tent was not at that time of any use ?
A. Of no other use — no, sir. I would state in connection with
that, that upon the arrival of these parties a stove remained in the
tent, and my surgeon said he would like to have it — being very much
opposed to these parties — while I would like to have the stove remain.
I then said, " Doctor, your men can occupy a kitchen much nearer
the hospital for that purpose," and he denied that they should have it.
Not being accustomed to be dictated to, I made it a point, and told
him these parties were going there, and would occupy the stove.
Q. I had understood that it had caused some inconvenience.
A. If any inconvenience at all, that was the inconvenience, the
matter of making gruel on another stove — that was all. In acting
upon this matter, I acted from a pure sense of what I considered my
duty, without regard to my own feelings on the matter.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. It did not appear why these new traders
were brought in and the others suppressed and then opened again,
there being no objections to the regular sutlers — they furnishing the
articles needed.
Chairman. It appears that the control of the sutler's business in
this camp, had been outside of the usual authority. I wish to know if
that was the usage ?
A. In organizing the regiment under State authority, and as we
have been situated, I could not deny, nor would I assume tbat I have
exclusive authority. I would have suppressed the sutlership if com
manded by any officer acting in commission in the State, that I would
recognize — any officer attached to the Governor's staff — as I am ac
customed to receive orders through them. The Governor, in no
instance, has been exacting at all. He has always done justly by me
and by the regiment.
Q. I understand that, in admitting these traders — outside traders
— you have acted according to orders, and not upon your own judg
ment merely ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I suppose it is proper for you to state whether or not it was in
accordance with your own judgment or not, that these changes were
made? , A. I have never had occasion to complain in regard to this mat
ter ; feeling that while organizing the regiment, it was in embryo,
and as there was a regular increase of men every day, it was very
difficult to get at any regular tariff. It has never been done in any
regiment. It has been a matter of conference, either on the part of
the colonel, or on the part of those getting the regiment up ; but
when the regiment is organized, the duty is, plain enough, to conform
to the army regulations.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. But, this regiment has been fully mustered
into the service ?
A. By companies ; but in many instances we have ninety men

212 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
and five officers, and a portion of those five or six officers, those who
had not passed the examining board. When my first battalion went
away, I took every officer who had been passed, for the first battalion,
leaving the second a part of the officers who had been appointed, but
had not passed the board, but who were needed to perforin the duties
of the camp. When the second battalion went away, I was left
equally destitute of officers; there were but four officers, all told, for
the six hundred men. Now I am accumulating gradually, as the
examining board sends every few days an officer. Second lieutenants
have been many times in command of companies. Then I was
obliged to change as circumstances required — as an officer was sick —
until I had my complement of officers. The men come.in much faster
than officers, from the fact that the examining board reject so many.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Major Engley, has not passed the board ?
A. I think he has not done so, I am not positive. He has not
been under my orders ; I have never issued an order to him. He
has never assumed any duties in the regiment.
Q. By Mr. Hill. How did the prices of this last sutler compare
with the parties who bring goods there ?
A. I could not say ; in some things I might consider them exor
bitant; in others, very fair. It is a matter I have not meddled with,
as I have assigned them to a place, and they have kept themselves to
their particular quarters.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. It looks as though it was rather unjust to
those sutlers who were established on your acquiescence, and who
have had to pay a t.ax. It was most beneficial to those who furnished
supplies, and yet did not pay the taxes ?
A. In appointing sutlers, I consulted the wishes of the officers I
had with me. I did that because I thought best — because we required
harmony. They were well satisfied with these parties as sutlers, and
they were allowed to assume the place that the other man vacated,
some three or four weeks before. I had had so much trouble with
my first sutler, that I had decided not to have a sutler in camp at all,
as they outraged all rights.
Q. By the Chairman. These men have not sold any liquor in
camp, to your knowledge ?
A. Never ; no, sir.
_ Q. Has this change or interference with the sutlership made any
difference in the regimental funds ?
A. No, sir ; I did not think it would,' as the tariff was $75, we
received the regimental fund whether that sutler made a large or
small profit. It was the same until the regiment was full. Thai
was the understanding when he entered the place, and it would be
the same until the last company was mustered. Then this council
required of them to adjust the prices and fixed the tax. The regu;-
lations require that it shall not be over ten cents per head, and makes
certain provisions.
Q. Was there not a difficulty on the part of the officers and men
in camp in procuring such things as were requisite for their conveni
ence, without these traders coming in ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 213
A. My officers have access to the city once in ten days. We do
not allow passes to the men to leave from the fact that if I commence
the system, I cannot do justice to them all, and I had rather prevent
all passes, ,except in extreme cases, as death or sickness.
Q. Have they not opportunities, by orders and agents ?
A. Always, when the men went to Providence. I have a mail
bag also.
Q. At ordinary prices ?
A. They may not be able to buy these articles for credit. That
is the only difference. All soldiers and all men like to buy on credit,
than they will pay cash, and our men are peculiarly adapted to that
trade. . »
Q. By Mr. Thomas. These traders that came down, sold goods
and took orders upon the paymaster, if the parties had not the money,
and in that' they run the risk that the men may never finally be en
titled to draw the bounty from death or desertion. It is pretty small,
perhaps, if the colonel has never allowed them any furloughs.
A. My mqn are very well contented with that system. I don't
have two applications a day, I think. At one time during the sum
mer,, they were more liberal ; more particularly men in the State ;
now, if a man wants a furlough, he wants to go to New York or
Philadelphia, and some would go to Kentucky.
Q. By Mr. Hill. . Have you lost any by desertion ?
A. We have lost some.
Q. Of the black men ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Some of these men, before they went into
camp, were allowed to go back to assist in recruiting ?
A. Well, sir, they were allowed to go away by me on an order.
I gave an order as a voucher for clothing if I gave him up to go
away. Q. Then you have allowed some men to go away upon an order ?
A. I am authorized to do so to assist in recruiting. If the man
does not turn up, I account for him as deserted or on recruiting ser
vice. Q. Have you ever lost anyT of these men who were sent out to
recruit ?
A. Yes, sir; some of them have' not yet turned up. There nat
urally will be some such in recruiting a regiment.
Q. By Mr. Blake. How many men skedaddled off in tbat way?
A. I could not say. My last report of deserters was thirty-seven
all told. That was before the men out on recruiting service were or
dered to come in. They were all over York State and in the West
and of that thirty-seven we knew where nine of them were, and I
have since learned that they were in the hands of Provost Marshals
at certain points and have been sent to us and are in the command now.
Q. By the Chairman. Do you know how many of your men
have been out on the recruiting service at any one time.
A. A large portion of them are taken the moment they arrive.

214 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
When in camp, after being equipped with knapsack and clothing, and
with the request in writing that such and such men may go on recruit
ing service, and they are sent back to the agent.
Q. At what time does the pay of these men commence ?
A. From the time they are mustered into the service.
Q. By Mr. Hill. And then they are sent out to recruit ?
A. These men are not mustered into the service before they are
sent out.
Q. By the Chairman. Some of them have had their first bounty?
A. They receive no pay unless the State pays them, until they
are mustered into the service.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. They draw rations ?
A. Not while in the recruiting service.
[At this point, Colonel Viall explained the method of drawing
rations by the soldiers in camp.]
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then all these men on recruiting have
been once in camp ?
A. Not all ; no, sir.
Q. By Mr. Hill. What proportion of these have you lost who
were out, on recruiting service ?
A. I could not say. The parties who went out recruiting have
not returned. I have had a great many run away from camp. I did
not mean to be understood that the deserters were those who went
away on recruiting service. I do not think that the proportion is any
more than upon a fair average. I do not think that the men on the
recruiting service would be so liable to desert as men who- had been to
camp and found soldiering different from what they thought.
Q. By Mr. Hill. How did they get away ?
A. The principal portion of our deserters have been in camp up
here. Dutch Island is a place where we can call the roll and get all
the men in. They do slip off in boats, however, by hook or crook,
and get away.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. About that change in traders ?
A. If it had been in the service, under other circumstances, it
would not have seemed quite right. But in the State, parties have
been acting in connection with each other, or militia officers and all
have been anxious to advance the interests of recruiting, and not of
holding a commission.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. It was said that the sales of these watches
spoken of, that the orders given for them were witnessed by officers ?
A. I do not know how far that may have been ; I observed two
or three orders on the Paymaster, that were witnessed by the com
pany officers — that the men would go to tbe company officers to
witness them, and I really believe that the company officers did it
more with a view of making it valid than anything else, and not
thinking he, was doing any wrong. At one time, I met a man nego
tiating his bank account ; he put $60 in the bank, arid had drawn out
$20, and he was selling his $40 remaining, to another man, for the
man's note for $75. Well, his name was George Washington ; and
I asked George what he was about ; " I am going," said he, " to let

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 215
this man have my money out in bank, and he is going to give me his
,note for $75, and I shall make $35 on it." That operation the Lieu
tenant was going to see right, said I, " that man can never pay you
that money — if you get wounded down south, you can draw it from
the bank," and after explaining to him he began to understand, but
that idea of making the extra $35 was the thing. I upbraided the
officer, but I am satisfied that he did not suppose he -was doing a
wrong act, for I am satisfied that the man could, never have paid that
175. As regards the witnessing, they had no motive in it. I think
it was a matter of indifference or carelessness — merely do it to gratify
the men.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you know of these men being taken
advantage of?
A. I haye not observed the purchases ofthe men. I suppose you
might take pig iron into camp and sell it to my men.
_ Q. By Mr. Thomas. They buy partly because they can make a
piece of paper pay. )
A. My men are equally free with money. Col. Viall gave an
instance of a man who forged a check of the Allotment Commissioner
and got the money.
Q. By the Chairman. You have a brother in the regiment ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. A lieutenant ?
A. Yes, sir.
COL. NELSON VIALL— Recalled.
[Examined by the Chairman.] March, 23d, 1864.
Question. Please state in reference to your coming to Providence,
in December ?
Answer. I would say that about the 24th or 27th of December, I
came to Providence. I think it was the 24th, when I wrote that let
ter, I took it from my memorandum. As I did not know Luke Chace
from Adam, at that time, I learned the names of the parties who were
in the office, and made a note of it when I returned to the Island.
This book laid on my table, and I entered in it the complaints that
came from the different men from time to time — and these were noted
at the time they transpired.
Q. This letter was written by you — It is your handwriting ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was it written on the day of its date?
A. It was not, at the time of its date.
Q. When was it written ?
A. Some fortnight ago ; less than a fortnight ago. It was mis
dated from an inadvertency, on the 27th of December, the day when
I made a memorandum of the frauds that Luke Chace and Sheldon
practiced upon these men ; and, upon my. attention being called to it,
I rectified the matter at once in the presence of Mr. Bailey, a mem-

216 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
ber of the House, several evenings since. I then said it was taken
from my memorandum book.
Q. This letter is addressed to Wm. P. Sheffield ?
A. It is, sir.
Q. It was written within a week or two?
A. It was written within a fortnight.
Q. About the time it was presented to Mr. Sheffield ?
A. About the time it was presented to Mr. Sheffield. Yes, sir.
That, with other evidence of this matter.
Q. Jt was dated back to December, for what reason ?
A. It was an inadvertency. In taking off the memorandum, the
date of the memorandum is made the date of the letter.
Q. Was it written in camp ?
A. It was written on Dutch Island. Yes, sir.
Q. Why was this addressed to'Wm. P. Sheffield?
A. From the fact that I had a case of damages against me from
this same Luke Chace, and not expecting to be present ^to attend to
it, I left it in the hands of an attorney, with evidence sufficient to sat
isfy any jury that Luke Chace was guilty of what I accused him.
Q. Mr. Sheffield was your counsel ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. These are what you furnished him as evidence ?
A. That is what I furnished him. When I testified before as to
the names, I did not know the names, but have obtained them from a
man who was in the office when this altercation took place. I then
learned the names of the men that were present, and such are the
names that are embraced in that letter.
Q. This was a communication between you and your counsel to
inform him of the facts of the case ?
A. Yes, sir ; he assured me that he would look out for the case.
Q. So that that the purpose of this communication was to inform
him of the facts of the case ?
A. That, and no other idea in view.
Q. Had you any expectation that he would make it public ?
A. I had no idea that it would be made so, in any other way
than for my own defence, and the benefit of this command — my com
mand. Q. By Mr. Thomas. I should like to have you define that ex
pression ; " benefit of the men." It is important to know whether
that was intended for publication or not, and for the use of the Legis
lature. A. For the use of the Legislature? not at all. sir.
Q. Was there any understanding between you and Mr. Sheffield,
that this should be presented to the Legislature— made public, or was
it merely a private communication between you and your counsel ?
A. I had an acquaintance with Mr. Sheffield, and asked him of
my own affairs in relation to these recruiting agents, as they stood
then, and he assured me of his hearty co-operation in assisting me in
regard to the matter, I told him I expected to leave soon, and had

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 217
got to have some one to attend to this matter, if it was carried before
a -court, and this is lik,e a similar statement in relation to these men
that I have made before the Committee.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. I do not understand that we have quite
got at Col. Viall's idea about the use of this letter — whether it was
written for the purpose of publication, or for use in the Legislature ;
you began to say that this communication arose from engaging him
as your counsel, &c?
A. The circumstances of the case are like this : I never have
known Mr. Sheffield to be other than an honorable attorney in our
State. Q. By Mr. Thomas. You were acquainted with him ?
A. I knew him, from the fact of his visiting us in the camp, for
merly in the field — I never knew him intimately, and in applying to
him, it was from no other motive than to leave this matter in his
hands for investigation.
Q. By. Mr. Thomas. Now, I should like to have yon answer me
the question distinctly, without reference to Mr. Sheffield. Did you
write that letter for the purpose of furnishing it to be used for your
interest in the suit, or whether you furnished it for use in the General
Assembly ?
A. I had no idea or intimation that he was to use it before the
Legislature. I have testified to the same effect before the Committee.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You have not testified to the point you
make in that letter — you will remember that you did not give us any
testimony before you had followed it up with a letter ?
A. 1 testified, if I am not mistaken, that I visited Luke Chace's
place — I would say recruiting office — I related in detail the accosting
of the boy, &c. I had not learned the names — I could not have
given them to you then, because I did not know the men ; they were
recruits, and my command was upon Dutch Island, and these men
were retained here a week before they are sent down there ; I could
not have given the names then, had not a man complained to me,
and casually said, " don't you remember the time when you told these
men not to sell these watches ?" I turned to my memorandum book,
and referred to the memorandum in reference to Luke Chace, and I
wrote that letter.
Q. By the Chairman. Did you know the names of the parties
that you speak of in that letter ?
A." I did not. I described them as agents. I knew the names of
'the agents. I knew Sheldon, but did not know the given name of
Chace. Q. Did you at that time know that they were agents of Major
Engley ?
A. ~ I was not positive of it ; I do not think I was at the time I
testified before.
Q. You state in this letter that they were agents of Major Engley ?
A. Mr. Sheldon has informed me since then, that he was employed
by Major Engley to sell those goods.
, 28

218 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. When did Mr. Sheldon inform you of that ?
A. Within the last five weeks.
Q. You did not inform the committee so when you testified before
the committee ?
A. I met Mr. Sheldon in Brown's Daguerrean Saloon, and he
accosted me to know if I was particularly hostile to, him, because he
had not any ill will towards me. He said, when you accosted me
there, I had no other object to sell, but to follow my instructions ; I
was employed by Major Engley to do this work.
Q. Is that the only intimation you had that he was employed by
Major Engley ?
A. Other than that I have seen these parties continually in the
office and writing by order of Major Engley.
Q. Was that the same office where these watches were being sold ?
A. It is not in the same room. There was a room back of the
office in which -the goods were kept.
Q. Is it the same office ?
A. Yes, sir ; connected with it.
Q. What authority have you for saying so ?
A. The room is back of the office proper, and these parties were
employed in the office and in the sales room, where the sales were
made. Q. Well, that fact you knew at the time you testified before ?
A. I knew that these parties were there.
Q. Have you said anything to Major Engley about this sale of
watches ?
A. Yes, sir. I have objected to it ; I took ten men to his office,
each with a brass watch in his hand.
Q. At his office ?
A. I ordered a sergeant from Dexter Training Ground, to take
these men and report to me there. That was before the troops left
Dexter Training Ground. I came down to the office and found no
one there but Mr. Noyes, and he could give me no satisfaction, and
the squad was remanded back to camp and have not had satisfaction in
relation to this matter — none whatever.
Q. Do you know as a fact within your- own knowledge and per
sonal observation, that the watches that were sold by Sheldon and
Chace in that office were bogus watches ?
A. I do know it.
Q. Did you see the watches there ?
A. I saw a watch and it compared favorably with the class of
watches they were selling.
Q. Did you see the watches sold ?
A. In the act of selling, and I forbid the sale.
Q. You examined the watch yourself?
A. I examined the watch.
Q. And was it of the character you described ?
A. The watch bore a military device.
Q. It was what you call a bogus warch ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 219
A. Yes, sir ; I call it a bogus watch.
Q. Who was selling ?
A. Chace was in the act of selling, while Sheldon was waiting
upon some men to buy boots.
Q. To whom was he selling ?
A. To these same men embraced in that letter — that were in the
office. Q. He was not selling to any particular men ?
A. I could not specify the man.
Q. Did he sell the watch ?
A. I believe the man decided not to take it at my advice.
Q. That was the only bogus watch you have seen these men buy ?
A. The only one I have seen these men buy.
A. The only one I have seen myself, and that was accidental, by
being called in as stated in that note.
Q. Did you see any other watch of that character in their pos
session ?
A. I have seen fifty or sixty.
Q. Did you see any in the possession of Sheldon or Chace ?
A. I did not see any more there. I have fifty men who had pro
cured them.
Q. Your authority for saying that Sheldon and Chace sold bogus
watches to the men then, is the statements made to you by the men ?
A. Outside of the question, that I saw them in the act myself.
Q. If you did not see any sale —
A. I saw no sale — I prevented the sale.
Q. Aside from that, your only. authority is the statements or com
plaints of your men ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have your men stated to you that Sheldon and Chace sold
the watches ? >
A. These men are not acquainted with these recruiting agents
when they arrive, and they are kept ignorant of the names ; possibly
from intention, and possibly not, I will not accuse them.
Q. No matter whether they are ignorant or not — have they, as a
fact stated to you, that they purchased these bogus watches at that
office? A. Yes, sir ; most invariably, and they were told, in some in
stances, that they would make very good sergeants, and without a
watch a sergeant could not get along.
Q. You do not know by whom they were told so ?
A. I do not, I am merely stating now, what these men told me.
Q. And these men have not given you the names of the persons
who sold them the watches ?
A. Sergeant Bush, I think his name is on there, who was em
ployed for the purpose of a salesman, and generally employed in the
sales room.
Q. Where is he now ?
A. On Dutch Island — the names of the men are all there.

220 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Bush was employed to make the sales ?
A. He was employed by them in the sales room.
Q. Employed by Sheldon and Chace, or by Sheldon?
A. He was detailed by Major Engley, if I remember right ; I
have now the order for him ; I do not remember ; he may have been
a man taken immediately upon . arriving here, and employed in the
office. I had a sergeant Williams, who was detailed ou Major Eng
ley's order, for the purpose of attending to office duties up here — I
will not be positive about Bush.
Q. You have since been informed by Mr. Sheldon, that he was
employed by Major Engley ?
A. He informed me that he was.
Q. Has he told you, or admitted to you that he sold watches of
this character, that you described, as bogus ?
A. The intimation was, that he was employed to sell these goods.
Q. Too sell what goods ? ' Did he say he was employed to sell
good or bad watches ?
A. I do not know — he knew the character of the watches.
Q. I ask, because he has made a statement that he has never sold
any bogus watches, but watches of a good character and at a fair
price, and I wanted to know if he had made a different statement to
you ?
A. The statement he made to me, I got from him in Brown's
Photogragh Gallery ; he seemed to feel as though I had something
against him. I had always met him at the Quartermaster General's
office on good terms, and when I met him in the office selling these
goods, and with the repeated complaints of the men in mind, and I
found him at this, I felt indignant, and I told him that it was worse
than a mock auction room on Broadway, and I forbid them tamper
ing with the men, and when stung with the injustice of it the result
would be bad. Sheldon followed me down stairs, and said at that time,
that he was employed to do this ; it was not his own work that he
was doing, and, if I remember, he very cautiously left and went down
stairs, and from that time, until I met him in the Photograph Gallery,
I had not met him to speak with him ; I met him then on the stairway,
and, if I remember, he followed me up into the Gallery — he was de
scending — and wished to know if I had any feelings against him. He
said, " I left Engley's office right away, and I don't wish to be im
plicated ;" I do not remember exactly, but the implication was, that
he was employed to sell those goods on a salary, and he was employed
by Major Engley. I asserted that on his statement.
Q. The particular point that I want you to answer to is this : —
Whether he has admitted to you that he was an agent of Major Eng
ley or otherwise, and that he has sold any bogus watches ?
A. I do not remember that he did at the time.
Q. The conversation related generally to the goods in the shop?
A. Yes, sir ; to the goods in that shop, and merely spoke in gen
eral terms, though he knew well what those goods were.
Q. He has testified that he has sold goods as agent of Major Eng-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 221
ley, and at the same time testified that he sold no bogus watches
whatever — that the watches he had sold were of a good character and
worth the money ?
A. On investigation you can find out, and I will put $1000 dol
lars against as many cents that you cannot find one-eighth of the
watches sold but what are bogus, that have been sold in the State
here, from whatever source, and I do not know of any other source,
unless a man by the name of Harrington, sold some ; I think he
might. But for all those others, orders were given.
Q. We have been informed that most of the watch trade was car-
red on in New York, in some office there ?
A. Mr. Ballou told me he did sell some of these bogus watches,
and I complained to Mr. Ballou, on account of being complained to
by the men. I met him on Washington street on my return from
Washington, and I spoke to Ballou of the complaint of a man that
said he had sent money by him to the families of the soldiers and they
did not get it. Well, he asserted it was false, and the question came
up upon recruiting officers, and that many watches had been sold there
in Nevv York by him, and he admitted to me that he had sold watches
until Major Engley requested him not to sell, as the paymaster found
trouble in getting the payments, and did not want to retain the order.
He said, he did stop selling watches, and Major Engley took up the
sale of watches immediately here upon his stopping. This, Ballou
told me in conversation, and these are my reasons for making the
statements in my letter — simply to satisfy my own mind.
Q. Those names that you have given there, are the names of
persons who were present ?
A. These men purported to be there in the room when I was
there. The first man (Richard Green) called my attention to the
fact that he was present, and that I forbid the sale of watches, and
from him I learned the other names.
Q. Do you know whether either of those men have in their pos
session either of the bogus watches ?
A. I think one of them, when he testified, I think he said he sold
it for $2 or $3, I do not know, I merely called these men together
and got their names, and then dismissed them. I sent for them to
my headquarters ; I enquired if they remembered meeting me in this
place, and they all went on without any solicitation from me, and
stated facts that satisfied me that they were acquainted with the mat
ter, after which they were sent to their quarters without any further
conversation. Q. Have you any reason to give, Colonel, for not furnishing these
names to the Committee ?
A. I could not have known or placed my hand upon the names
of those present ; I merely went into the room and out again, in a
very short time, and I got them from this man, or I could not have
learned the names of the men that were there. I reported the fact
directly after it transpired.
Q. To whom ?

222 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. To His Excellency the Governor, and he assured me he would
take the matter in hand, and bring the men to justice.
Q. Do you know whether, since the time that you reported to the
Governor, any of these sales have been made ?
A. In my own mind I am convinced that a large number have
been made.
Q. Made by the same parties ?
A. I cannot swear to that, only from the appearance of these
watches, and the statements of the men that they have procured them;
but from what parties they procured them I cannot say.
Q. You have never, "as Colonel of the regiment, although you
have known of these facts for two or three months, you have never
taken pains to ascertain the names of one of these men who has one
of these bogus watches?
A. I could furnish, probably over fifty.
Q. But, have you obtained the names ?
A. I have made memorandums, repeatedly, of the men who had
made complaints to me about these watches. There is a memoran
dum speaking of Ballou.
Q. Will you not read it ?
A. John Jones complains that Capt. Ballou retained $18 sent to
his wife in New York, at 57 Thompson St. Those complaints, when
ever occasion required, in selling these watches, I have called atten
tion to.
Q. You saw Ballou ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did he say about it ?
A. I got no satisfaction from Mr. Ballou.
Q. Did he deny the fact ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And you dropped it then ?
A. Yes, sir ; I could pursue it no further. He held some $2200
from our State, and was running recruits into Connecticut. At the
time I came through New York, he assured me he could do better in
sending men to Connecticut.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Will you not explain what vou mean by
that remark about the $2200 ? *
A. Colonel Bailey was with me, and his business was to procure
that, and he did accuse him of having it ; and yet, I have learned
since, that he did obtain it ; but Ballou was not at that time recruit
ing for us, he was sending men to Connecticut, while he was holding
a commission from Rhode Island. He probably had the money legit
imately. Q. By Mr. Thomas. You stated that he had money belonging
to the State ?
A. It did belong to the State, as Col. Bailey informed me. I do
not know why he did not have it legitimately as agent of the State.
He was a recruiting agent of the State. Here is a complaint of
money obtained for a watch — don't know the name of the agent.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 223
Q. Did not furnish the name of the agent ?
A. No, sir ; I could not. It was impossible to hear all the com
plaints — but there have been complaints that I have felt conscien
tiously that these men were entitled to consideration.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you say that you knew about his hold
ing this $2200.
A. I only knew that he possessed an amount of that kind. I
make the declaration like this. Upon passing through New York a
part of Bailey's business was to see Ballou about this money ; as
Captain Ballou was supposed to be out of the interest of this State
and sending recruits to Connecticut. I was present when he requested
Ballou to come to Rhode Island, and make that thing straight.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did he admit of having $2200 or did they
parley about it ?
A. This was a casual remark that he had the money.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did he admit 01 deny it ?
A. I do not remember what transpired in relation to that, I do
not think he denied it. I think he promised tbe colonel — he was to
come to Rhode Island — I think he said in a few days. I do not know
what was done, as I said before, he accosted him in relation to this
matter, and he promised to visit Rhode Island, and straighten the
matter up.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did he by the use of any language imply
that he owed the State this money ?
A. I cannot say in relation to that. I do not think he denied it,
for they seemed to understand each other in the conversation, and
while the conversation took place I had no part in it.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You have a good many men in that regi
ment, who have not even reported to you ?
A., Major Engley is not in my regiment in any proper sense, and
there are captains and lieutenants who are not.
Q. By the Chairman. You have been looking in your memo
randum book to find the names of some persons who have purchased,
and who had possession of some of these bogus watches ?
A. I do not see any memoradums of those who have bought
watches here.
Q. Then you are not able to furnish the Committee with the
name of any one of your men who has pijcchased, what you call a
bogus watch, of the recruiting agents in this^Btate ?
A. At present I am not. I have no memorandum of it. I have
a great many men in the regiment that have had them. On learning
that the Committee had not got through with its duties, I applied,
and shall still do so, to procure the documents that are in the posses
sion of Mr. Sheffield, and turn them over to the Committee. [Re
ceives them.] Here are .the documents — statements that have been
taken by company commanders, and filed, and put into the hands of
Mr. Sheffield.
Q. Did you furnish these (a bundle of papers) to Mr. Sheffield ?
A. Yes, sir.

224 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Where did you procure them ?
A. I directed the commanders of companies to tell the men to
file their complaints through the company officers. It was from no
motive on my part, of distrust or disbelief of injustice on the part of
this committee, but I was assured by Col. Smith, that it had flashed
out. I have been three weeks on the Island without leaving there —
on account of the small pox ; I have had no opportunities of getting
to and from there, and have been continually applying myself to get
ting the disease under, so that I could get my command in shape
to embark. These complaints — word came from my family that a docu
ment was there, I hardly knew what it was — of this damage. I turned
my attention to placing the evidence of these parties swindling, strong
enough to justify me in accusing them of what I chastised them for.
Q. Did Col. Smith tell you that the Committee had flashed out ?
A. Col. Smith assured me of that on Dutch Island.
[See Certificate of Thomas Ray, on page 67.]
Q. I wish to ask you about this certificate of Thomas Ray. Do
you know him personally ?
A. No, sir ; I do not. These men are men boring me from week
to week.
Q. You know nothing about the facts of this case ? He says, " I
certify that I was compelled to take a watch for $25 by Major Engley
which was taken out ot my first bounty." That statement is indefi-
nate ; it does not say that he had not purchased a watch and given an
order ?
A. I have never dictated how the affidavits should be taken.
Q. These men might have been compelled by an agent and not
by Major Engley ?
A. I stand in a very unpleasant position. My object is to have
sufficient evidence of the complicity of these men, in my abscence —
in the event I am found guilty of injuring Luke Chace — a big scoun
drel in my opinion — and if I am caught in $3000 damages, I shall cer
tainly be able to show that these men are guilty of what I accused
them of. To have my name used in connection with theirs and ban
tered around the street, is not agreeable, although I am not able from
my social position to claim the patronage of the aristocratic. I don't >
care a cent to command men who feel that they have to be swindled
and abused. To state the names and circumstances and swear yon
saw yourself, is quite a difficult thing.
Q. Is there any way that Thomas Ray can be brought before the
committee and state his own case ?
A. These men are all on Dutch Island now. These are only a
small number of tbe complaints — they are from the third battalion.
The other complaints were brought to Providence some time ago by
my adjutant, and are probably now in the Paymaster General's hands
— it was some time ago — at least, I have never seen them.
Q. If there is any way in which you can bring these men before
the committee, we will hear their statements and investigate it as far
as possible.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 225
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you cause them to be made ?
A. I refer every man who makes complaints to the captain of his
company. Q. It was done at your instance ?
A. To relieve me from the continual complaints of the soldiers, I
refer them to their captain.
Q. Is there any one of all these complaints of which you can
speak definitely ?
A. I did not present them "expecting to stand and swear for them.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. I ask you if there is a single one in this
lot that you know particularly about, in your own knowledge ?
A. I do not call them to mind — any particular one.
Q. Were you present when either of these parties made these
written statements ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know of anything that goes to confirm this fact from
the language ?
A. From tbe language of the men.
Q. You often speak about the whole regiment — I want particular
cases ?
A. I have been giving the names of the men on the occasion,
where I can certify to the case, (Luke Chace,) but I have testimony
of names in the regiment that I do not now think of — names that I
can call up and say I know.
Q. Have you now the names of any of the twelve ?
A. No, I do not know as there was twelve.
Q. Have you a statement of either one of these men, a statement
that either of these men bought of Engley anything of this class of
goods, that leads to the idea that it was an unfair operation ?
A. I have.
Q. Do you know of any of these statements ? Is it in your own
knowledge in their case?
A. Only, in fact, I certify to.
Q. I refer to these papers ?
A. No, sir; These statements are papers from an inferior toa
superior officer, and a man has a right to bring them out as offered in
evidence. ' Q. By Mr. Thomas. I want to know, now, if there is a single
case of these, that are in your own knowledge, that the act was com
mitted? A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then I want to know if you were present
when these statements were made, and if you, by any conversation,
learned about their names ?
A. I do not remember the names.
Q. You know whether you were present ?
A. No, sir ; I was not. These were made at the quarters of the
officers to which these men belonged. These are not made to me.
They are required to make their complaints to their company officers
and hand them in to the adjutant's office.
29

226 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. That does not cover the point. I understand they were made
'at your instance and lately made ?
A. These last papers were recently made.
Q. Have you heard any of these statements ?
A. I could not.
Q. I now ask if you know by the language they used ?
A. I was not present, these were written by the officers of the
companies, not in my presence. They were written at my instigation ;
but this is the fact that they were referred to the captains of the com
panies for their complaints.
Q. That I understand was a general complaint ; but here was a
line of accusation being got up specially to show out this particular
case. I dont know as it is of an^ particular interest to us until you
get some information of your own knowledge. They did not write
them ?
A. Certainly not.
Q. You did not undertake to get any information of your own
knowledge, it will be presumed in any of these cases ?
A. Why yes, sir ; the first six or eight men is a case in point. I
can say they were present ; but as regards these men who brought
these articles how can I affirm it.
Q. You will notice in that statement that there is a grave charge
against the Commissioner ?
A. That charge should not have its weight ; I would- say.
Q. What right have you as colonel of a regiment, or as a man, to
make charges of that kind without' any foundation so far as you
know ?
I I have men who have sent their checks and they have been de
lays aree months.
Q.v , Have you seen the Commissioner in regard to them ?
A. I have frequently seen the Commissioner.
Q. Have you ever spoken to him about that check ?
A. I do not remember of talking to him about this particular one.
Q. Did you notice that ?
A. I don't think I had noticed that particularly.
Q. You say you have no personal knowledge in regard to these
several complaints ?
A. No, -sir ; I should be very glad to have those accusations prove
false, so far as I am concerned ; then I should know whether my men
were practicing on me or not.
Q. It is a little singular that charges of so grave a nature, and of
so loose a character, should be scattered by you before the public,
without  but I understand your explanation to be, that you did
not intend to make it public ?
A- "My object in presenting those charges in relation to this, was,
so far, to leave sufficient evidence which should justify me in, the
course I was to take.
Q. These were put into your counsel's hands, to prepare him to
defend you against what you considered an unjust suit ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 227
A. I believe that man to be sustained by those who should have
brought him to justice — I cannot help feeling that he was sustained
by parties who should have seen him punished.
Q. To what parties do you refer ?
A. I would say that the assistants of the Governor had sustained
him, and censured me for the course I had pursued.
Q. For what, in particular ?
A. Whenever I spoke of these men, I was told that I was injur
ing recruiting prospects in this State — when this man had a clear case
of taking ,$20 from a recruit — which he did ; I accosted him in rela
tion to it upon the street, and he says, " this is some more of your
swindling investigations," or words to that effect — in relation to the
investigation of the swindling of the men, and I was so incensed
that I knocked him down, and I can say that he was sustained
right off by these men who ought not to have sustained him.
Q. And so the Governor censured you?
A. He ? no ; the Governor did not.
Q. I ask you what particular thing he censured you for?
A. I stand censured for that crime — I acknowledge it, in striking
a man that I had no right to.
Q. Did the Governor censure you for striking that man ?
A. Col. Bailey was the man that took me to do for it.
Q. I understood you, that the Governor censured you?
A. I do not remember that I said so ; I was called to account by
Col. Bailey, and the order was written by the very puppy who prac
ticed them upon the men, which was a double insult to me. I have
had little to do in regard to this matter, in comparison with the re
cruiting agents.
Q. Did you say that you have made these statemer [a public
because those rascals w£re sustained by other parties that i. ' *ght not
to have sustained them ?
A. At the time this affair took place, where I met Chace and
Sheldon in the room where the sales took place, I reported that fact
immediately to headquarters.
Q. To the Governor?.
A. YesJ sir.
Q. What did the Governor say ?
A. He assured me if I found them guilty— found evidence— to
bring the men to justice, and he would see them (the soldiers) pro
tected. The Governor has always had the kindest feelings towards
the regiment.
Q. But you did not furnish him with evidence ?
A. I did not consider it my duty to furnish it to him. His in
structions to me were to get the evidence and bring them to justice ;
I supposed that in any course I pursued I should be sustained. _
Q. You did not understand that you were to furnish him the
evidence ?
A. No, sV ; that was not as I understood it.
Q. What do you mean, then, when you say this Luke Chace and
other parties have been sustained by the Governor ?

228 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. I do not remember that I have ever stated that they were
sustained by the Governor ; I have said they have been sustained
only by the assistants of the Governor. Col. Bailey has repeatedly
said to me, that when I complained of these men, I was interfering
with the recruiting of my regiment.
Q. The Governor has not told you so ?
A. No, sir ; I had never had an unpleasant word with the Gover
nor, until this last difficulty.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you ever make complaint of these
things to the Governor ?
A. I have.
Q. Give us his reply ?
A. I gave it a few moments ago. He told me to bring them to
justice — ferret it out and get the evidence ; and until quite recently
by the mere accident of a man's saying, he was in the room when I
was there, and forbid this, I never should have had the names ?
Q. When did you make this same complaint to Col Bailey ?
A. I have made complaints since the first battalion organized in
relation to the scoundrels whom I believed practiced upon my men.
Q. Then you mean before and since you made complaint to the
Governor. What was his reply ?
A. That I was prejudiced against Major Engley.
Q. You have made other complaints, besides those against Eng
ley. Aside from those practiced by Major Engley. Or do you mean
that all these things have been, in your mind, practiced by one man ?
A. No, I do not say, that all the imposition upon the soldiers have
been practiced by one man.
Q. Then I ask you, aid he make that reply to a particular case.
He could not have made that reply when you made complaints of
others than Major Engley ? *
A.^ In relation to the agents of Engley ?
Q. I mean any others than Engley ?
A. When it applied particularly to that office, it was most invari
ably replied that I was oppesed to Engley.
Q. What was his reply in other cases ?
A. When a watch peddler came into my camp besides those agents,
he got booted out.
Q. Now, I want to know what was his reply — what treatment
you received, what remedy was proposed when you made complaints
of others who practiced these things, than Major Engley. We want
to know whether he treated all others in the same way ?
A. I have had but few complaints, his was under my own control
excepting those which come from that office.
Q. You now finally mean that there were no complaints to Col.
Bailey, or the State Department excepting those cases of Engley ?
A. From the fact that when these nuisances came into my camp
I abated them.
Q. Do you mean to say that you have not made complaints from
other than Major Engley, because all others were remedied by your
self?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 229
A. I remember one complaint in reference to hacks in the vicini
ty of my camp, where they enticed my men from out of camp at 12
o'clock at night, and the Governor gave me permission to block the
street on the west side of the ground, although I did not carry the
thing into effect as it would be a great inconvenience to the public.
Q. Then the colonel ^lways declined to assist you in speaking of
this class of complaints ?
A. He has done so in relation to these agents. I had no other
motive. I was not prejudiced against Major Engley any more than
any other man. I made these complaints with the solemn conviction
that they were just, and that the men were being wronged.
Q. Have you complained about orders on the paymaster, and if
so, what did you do with those complaints ?
A. Orders on the paymaster, no ; I do not call to mind now.
Many of the men have complained that money has been retained and
that I had more than they had — to send away".' I think I have some
men in camp free as the mountain air, who were never slaves on God's
earth, who are represented on my roll as contrabands, and the pay is
not so much as to -the other class of recruits.
Q. By the Chairman. Have you tried to see whether those com
plaints had a good foundation ?
A. I have no other evidence than the assertions of the men
who lived with these men in the country where they came from. I
think there is one case in New York.
Q. I want to get at something definite about this. Will you look
at that ?
[A complaint that the man had not received what he should of the
second installment of bounty.]
Q. Against whom do you understand that complaint to be made ?
A. There are quite a number ot men who go up to the pay-table,
and find they do not receive what they expected, and freely hand
back what little there is due them, because they could not have the
whole. Q. If there is any complaint against any man in that paper, who
do you understand it to be ? Is that intended for a charge against
the Paymaster ?
A. Well, that man has no more bounty coming to him, (James
Thompson,) and he asserts it.
[The Chairman proceeded to examine carefully a large number of
papers, containing complaints of the men of the Fourteenth regiment
of various kinds.]
Q. Here is the case of Bristow Francis ; have you reason to be
lieve that there is a foundation for that ?
A. I do believe that these men have been deprived of their
bounty. Q. No, I mean this particular case ?
A. That complaint was made directly after the man came to
camp. Q. That he has been charged with a watch which he has never
received ?

.230 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Well, we have had men complain of goods charged to them
which they never have had, and it has been taken from their pay,
and there has been no evidence that they did have them. I have
been slow to accuse ; but the indifferent way in which these goods
have been sold. There never has been any change at all — all even
dollars — no such thipg as fifty cents — square change.
Q. Where is the man now ?
A. I believe he is in camp, he is in company I.
Q. Can you send him up to us ?
A. Yes, sir. We have these watches in the regiment, a great
many of them now ; men barter them about and consider them good
for nothing.
Complaint of sergeant John Jackson, Co. I, 14th Regt., charges
that $25 was taken out of his first bounty, when he had not' signed
any order for such an amount to be deducted — by Major Engley.
Statement of corporal Richard Clarke, Co. I, 14th Regt. Bill
presented for $11 worth of goods, -said to have been purchased of Mr.
Barnaby — never bought any goods of him.
Statement of Lawrence Payne, Co. I, 14th Regt. Compelled to
take a watch and pair of boots, which were messmates', &c.
Questions by Mr. Thomas.
Q. In reply to the letter of Amos D. Smith, 3d., about receiving
traders into camp, you will remember that I asked you a considerable
many questions upon this subject— you say here, " it having been as
serted that I have made a large amount of money, I would say that
I was never interested, &c. The first intimation I had of it, &c."
You mean that as substantially true ?
A. That was the first intimation I had that they intended to send
men to sell goods. My first battalion was supplied with goods with
out any knowledge on my part whatever.
Q. Parties came into camp to sell them goods ?
A. That battalion was on Dexter Training Ground, and a Major in
command of that battalion ; while the battalion was to leave, the first
battalion, under Major Comstock, was supplied here, and I was not
conscious of it.
Q. Who was the regimental sutler at that time ?
A. It was a man by the name of Rathbun. >
Q. At the time that these goods were supplied by otbef parties
in the streets, by order of Col. Smith ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did Rathbun keep these same goods that they bought in the
streets ?
A. I do not know to what extent. He kept the goods.
Q. Col. Smith says the weather had become very cold, and that
they wanted stockings and boots, and woolen shirts, and that the sut-
tler then did not supply them, and that they were complaining that
many of them had severe colds, and they were making more com
plaints, and when he entered the camp they asked him. if they could
not be supplied ; and he came down and told the Governor how

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 231
prevalent these colds were, and asked him what he should do; and
he said, perhaps you had better make some arrangement to have them
supplied, and that then he did make the arrangement with certain
parties, and that he reported to those quarters, and that they came
down there, and that they bought themselves and not through him.
Did you understand it that way ?
A. I could not tell what the arrangement was.
Q. What, part of the testimony do you contradict ?
A. I do not contradict any.
Q. You have just made the remark that Col. Smith supplied the
other battalion ?
A. Yes, sir ; I know that he did since.
Q. I want you to say from your own knowledge.
A. I only took his own word for it.
Q. Then you must contradict his own word ?
A. That he made this arrangement for the 1st battalion.
Q. If you mean to say th?.t he made an arrangement to come
down and supply these men ?
A. I mean to say that I knew nothing of furnishing the 1st bat
talion at the time.
Q. At the time, — you did swear that Col. Smith supplied. You
do not mean that he supplied?
A. I mean to say that from the tenor of his own letter he sup
plied the 2d battalion.
Q. I want to speak of this particular one.
A. He did not to my knowledge have any thing to do with the
1st battalion, any more than any other man on the street. I knew
nothing of it — nothing of the sale until he wrote me the letter
requesting me to make these people comfortable.
Q. Did you not know before he wrote that letter, that these par
ties were coming down there — asking y»ou to receive them ?
A. I do not remember of knowing anything about it until that
time. Q. Have you not had a conversation with him before that, ahout
the wants of the regiment down there, and have you not understood
from him distinctly that they were coming, and you knew the partic
ular parties and what goods they were going to sell, ahd was not this
letter following the arrangement you knew was made ?
A. No, sir ; I was not ; for when that letter came into camp, I ex
pected trouble in relation to it, and had it upon the arrival. I did
have since I remember — a day or two before, there was something said
in relation to it.
Q. Then you did know something about it before this letter ?
A. I am not positive now, but that I did have something to say in
relation to it ; but when he came into camp I placed him in my hos
pital tent.
Q. Then in fact you did know before you received this letter ?
A. About that time, sir.
Q. No, not about, you knew it before ; if you knew it at all. You
did not have this conversation after the letter ?

332 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No ; I think he said something in relation to it before. I
think he did now.
Q; You say here you know — that you knew nothing about- it
until you received this letter ?
A. There was nothing definite in relation to it. I did know of
his selling to the second battalion from him.
Q. You published this letter that you knew nothing about it—
that this matter was forced, upon you, and of course you mean to
imply that there was some unfairness ?
A. What I mean to say, Mr. Thomas, is, that I knew nothing
about it substantially, of the fact of his coming to the Island to bring
goods. Q. Of their coming ? you mean the traders then ?
A. Until I received his note ; that was the first information in
substance. Q. But you had had a conversation with him ?
A. There had been a conversation that he had furnished the
other battalion, and an intimation that he was going to furnish this.
Q. By Mr. Blake. How long before this ?
A. That was a very short time. I had no intimation that he was
going to establish these men there as he did, until I received this
letter. Q. By Mr. Blake. The conversation you had with Mr. Smith,
previous to this letter, was of a trivial character. It did not make
much impression upon your mind — you did not expect they were
coming in that shape — you did not know in what shape ?
A. I did not know in what shape.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. But you did understand that they were
coming down with supplies?
A. Something was said ; I do not know what, but that was the
only official notice. m
Q. It was not necessary to have an official notice ?
A. He had always given orders as a staff officer. Col. Smith
assumes that he has not lhe power. I have felt so, and I have felt
constrained to obey his orders.
Q. Have you an organization down there ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Competent to establish its own sutlery?
A. I thought so.
Q. Your testimony and his with regard to your mutual under
standing about these traders going in there do not agree.
A. There is no officer in the regiment but will bear me out in
saying, if was objectionable to me. I did not complain after they came
there in regard to the quality of the goods sold, as they will testify.
Q. By Mr. Blake. You stated on your first examination — the
question was asked you " have the prices compared," — you stated that
some of them were very fair and others exorbitant.
A. Yes, sir ; there is an article that is exorbitant for a dollar —
quite a number of them sold. Sutlers are as liable to charge exorbi-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 233
tant prices as any other men, and I was in duty bound to send all
such complaints to the Council of Administration.
Q. Now you say that you have no interest in this thing. In res
pect to a thing which I will just say has gone into — ¦  .
A. I never heard of it before this affair. The mustering officer
made an inquiry of me to know if I was interested in selling these
goods, and repeated accusations or intimations that the colonel must be
aware of it, or he would not tolerate it in his regiment.
Q. Was that trade going on different from what had then gone
through the sutler's hands ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you now testify that you had no interest in the profits or
results of the trade of these people ?
A. I do. I never stipulated to any arrangement or invested a
cent. Q. Have you ever had, or do you ever expect to have, any bene
fits from it ?
A. I did receive some clothing from Mr. Barnaby — as most every'
officer has some little items. I received a present from Mr. Barnaby,
but I did not suppose it was at all to interfere with my views in re
gard to the right and wrong, however.
Q. You received a present from Mr. Barnaby, who was one of
the traders that came down there with these goods ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Will you go on and tell us all the benefits you realized and
what else you expect to realize in consequence of having these tra
ders in camp ?
A. The regiment should realize a per cent, as upon all sutler's
sales. Q. Did the regiment receive nothing from these traders ?
A. No, sir. They did from the sutler.
Q. Have you of your own self, realized anything ?
A. Not other than I say, presents.
Q. There may be very small presents or large ones. The ques
tion may all be embodied in that single idea.
A. You might implicate almost everybody — my whole regiment
makes me a present. It is not to be implied that I 
Q. Have you not in fact received from each of these traders some
consideration either for kindness, services or permission ?
A. The present I received was asserting my kindness to him, for
making him comfortable in my quarters, and this was the very order,
I felt in duty bound. I have always said, I never blamed these
traders. Q. You facilitated their success ?
A. Yes, sir ; I made them comfortable. I felt in duty bound to
do so.
Q. By Mr. Blake. You did not feel any obligation ?
A. Not at all.
30

234 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Any other traders make you a present. I understood that
you received one from Mr. Barnaby ?
A. I have received from Mr. fiuntooti a pipe. I smoke tobacco
 a bamboo. What I have done has been .with an honest intention.
Nor did I ever think at the time that these parties would make me a
present for the purpose of buying me, for I was as clamorous at the
time as I am to day, as you know or can learn upon investigation.
Q. By Chairman. Did I understand you that you protested
against their coming into camp ?
A. No, sir ; I protested against the sale of certain articles that
they brought there for sale.
% Q. By Mr. Thomas. What articles?
A. Articles not necessary for men who were going into a warmer
climate — large top boots, and long hose and under garments that
would, probably, be cast off before they were five days at se&.
Q. Well, it has been said that you advocated their coming, and
did it to such an extent that your surgeon ¦ felt himself annoyed from
the coming of these parties ?
A. We ran against the surgeon by taking this hospital tent. He
said, " we cannot spare this tent." I showed him the order for it,
and said I, " doctor, it must be had." The next time he (Col. Smith)
comes do,wn, he tells me to put my sutler off in an hour, and a man
who was allowed to peddle in a basket, and never made any extrava
gant sales — a man who never sold liquor, and whom I never caught
in any exorbitant transaction ; a man who I had allowed to sell, sub
ject to the order of the sutler, who did not- think he hurt him any.
Col. Smith told this peddlar to clear out.
Q. Had not you previously made arrangements with Col. Smith,
that no traders should be allowed on the Island ? Did not you stick
up public notices that no traders should be allowed —
A. I had never stuck up any notices.
Q. Did not you show Col. Smith a notice made for public exhibi
tion ?
A. I never stuck up a notice in camp.
Q. Did yrou ever show Col. Smith a notice that you forbid traders
and, among other things, declaring that no traders should be admitted?
A. I do not remember of having the sutler's prices, to my knowl
edge, ever fixed. Everything to the sutler has been said verbally.
Q. Have not you made a sign in some form or other, for the
purpose of putting up to be read — I suppose at the landing of the
ferries — declaring that no traders were permitted to come upon the
Island, and into camp, and had not you made that arrangement with
Col. Smith, and in consideration of his paying others?
A. That is wrote them all — I say no.
Q. You never showed him any such sign ?
A. Not in connection with him ; I never had any such under
standing — never made anything — never had any other arrangement,
other than that they were welcome at my quarters as a friend, when
ever he saw fit to come and go. I am surprised.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 235
Q. Did the man who peddled with a basket sell boots ?
A. I think he might have done §o. I thing he took —
Q. Carried them in a basket ?
A. Yes, sir ; basket or carpet bag ; whatever he carries round.
He would take an order for these boots from the men, arid then come
to Providence and buy them. He used to peddle other things —
cleaning material for the muskets. He commenced it at Dexter
ground. He commenced it when I was raising my first battalion.
That man is known well by every officer, and his conduct was such,
and his woe-begone look that nobody could have a heart to turn him
off, unless it was the old sutler.
Q. Now will you testify — will you tell all you have ever received?
A. I testify that I have received presents of clothing. I received
— Mr. Snow made me a present of a pair of boots, and made me a
present of a pair of slippers.
Q. By the Chairman. I do not understand that Col. Viall
means to say now, that he disapproved of these men's coming into
camp at the time and manner that they did. I do not understand
you to say that you disapproved —
A. No, not particularly. That letter was sufficient.
Q. I do not suppose that you would have accepted any present, if
you disapproved ?
A. That letter was sufficient to make me satisfied with their being
sent there.
Q. Well, you did not object on other grounds ?
A. No, sir ; but when it was stated that I had an interest in it, I
attached that statement to that letter, to assert that I had not, nor
was I pecuniarily benefitted by it.
Q. Then you did not mean to say by publishing that letter — you
did not mean to reflect upon Col. Smith as being a party interested
in that trade ?
A. No other parties. The substance of that letter was what Was
brought about, by those parties — the first approach to my camp — when
he intimated an intention of sending them there.
Q. I want to ask you, if the first sutler you had there, you
turned out of camp because he sold liquor ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. It is within your own knowledge ?
A. It is within my own knowledge. I can prove it by evidence.
Q. What was his name ?
A. Rathbun.
Q. Why did you not permit him to stop on Dutch Island, when
not there trading ?
A. I gave him when I decided that he should leave— -I will tell
you. He had ample time when each company was paid off: he was
invariably present with Col. Francis and Col. Smith at the pay table,
at different times, and the last time he came down, I could not con
ceive of any object he had. I knew he talked — he abused me in
camp ; men reported to me, and I requested a sergeant major to have

236 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
him leave camp. The tug was on the other side and about to go off,
and if I remember right, the reply of Col. Smith was, " If he leaves
the Island I leave. We may as well have a funeral to day as any
other day," and he loaded his pistol then and there I am told.
Q. He would outrank you ?
A. I have been outranked there from the beginning. A recruit
ing agent outranks me in Rhode Island. For the abusive language
he used in the presence of the men, I ordered him off — he went off
the Island when they went. I could not forego the payment of my
troops for the case of a man that was objectionable to me. I do not
hesitate to say that he was as objectionable to the officers in the regi
ment who knew him — when I have had to get out of bed in the
middle of the night to suppress insubordination, caused by liquor, and
sold by him — that's enough. Capt. Gordon, who built the -buildings
down there, and who came down on the tug with me, passed twelve
of his men drunk and discharged them summarily. I was obliged, in
one case of insubordination, to lay out two men before I could sup
press it, for I had nine hundred men and only five officers, and at that
time the men were having it pretty much their own way. I told Mr.
Rathbun that I could not stand it then.
Q. It was not because he did not pay you more money ?
A. $75 was all I ever charged him — I never asked him any more.
When he came to me on Dexter ground, he said he had suttled for
two regiments with the consent of Gen. Robbins, and paid him $75.
It is necessary to have an exclusive trade, because you cannot have
the men running out of camp when they please.
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR S. P. SANFORD.
[The receipts referred to in Mr. Bailey's testimony having been
produced by him.]
Mr. Sheffiehi. In reference to this money, who paid it to General
Frieze ?
Major Sanford. I am not positive ; I may have done it myself. .
Gen. Cooke. Did I ever make any account against the United
States for these horses ?
Answer. I don't know whether you did or not. The accounts
were made out against the United States. They were always made
out in your office. I have never had any account that was not made
out in your office. I think, General, that on some of them, the ap
proval is in your hand writing. You must have known about some
of them. I could not tell who made them out. My impression is,
that Mr. Metcalf might have made them out. They were made out
from data that I never saw. I might have two hours notice to start
for Washington at night, whatever was wanting.
Gen. Cooke. Do you know whether I ever did see these accounts?
Answer. I do not. I never made out any of these accounts. I
may have presented the account to you for signature. In many of
the accounts, such as the Quartermaster General's supplies, the ac-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 237
count would be looked over carefully, sometimes by yourself, and
sometimes by your clerks. There were bills connected with this
State that you did make out — the forage bills. You recollect one
time you came terme and said you could not understand one fact ; i. e.
that the account at the Globe Bank was overrun by a large amount.
Did not this transaction take place at that time ?
Gen. Cooke. No, sir.
Mr. Bailey. The money did go to redeem the private indebted
ness ; and the accounts of the Globe Bank were not kept with the
Quartermaster General. I find among my papers some copies ren
dered to the department certified by Gen. Cooke, and presumed they
were made out at his direction.
Gen. Cooke. Major Sanford says they must be made out in the
name of the State in order to get the money.
Mr. Bailey. There is the evidence of irregularity as I contend.
The bills were rendered from the State of Rhode Island to the United
States Government, and receipted for.
Mr. Bailey. The fact that any such accounts existed should have
appeared on the books of the Quartermaster General. The impres
sion with the Committee was, that there was a disposition to keep
that account out of sight. There was an account for the purchase of
horses, and the losses accruing from the use of the moneys, were all
charged to the State ; and if parties made a contract to furnish horses,
the burden should have come upon them and not upon the State, for
the State had nothing to do with it.
Mr. Jackson. If you or I had been in the same position, we should
have adopted the same course.
Gen. Cooke. I don't see how you could arrive at any such con
clusion, because I was not called upon in submitting my cash account
to mention anything about, what was owing, that had not been paid.
But for fear I might rest under such an imputation, and take occasion
to state on 'opening my cash account, that the State owed the Globe
Bank so many thousand dollars, and that sum had been received of
the United States Government, but it was in certificates of indebted
ness. They were not worth par. When the time arrived we got
par. The transaction does appear on the book. You know, Mr.
Bailey, that you said at the time, " why : we should not have known
anything about it unless you had told us of it in the opening of your
account ?"
Mr. Bailey. Yes, sir, precisely so. The order of Secretary Cam
eron had no" reference to this transaction. It was under Governor
Sprague's administration.
Q. Have you either directly or indirectly derived any gratui
ty, pay, emolument or profits, either from recruits, recruiting
officers or from the State for recruiting services, or in any way or
account thereof, and if so, how much ? And what ? State the
amount of all you have so received, and from whom you received it ?
A. I have never received either directly or indirectly any gratui
ty, pay, emolument or profits from recruits or recruiting officers, if I

238 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
except a box of cigars, or some small favor of this nature from officers
sometimes in my intercourse with them.
1861. I received from the adjutant general during the year 1861,
for recruiting purposes and services, about one thousand dollars $1000.
I also received from the quartermaster and adjutant general for sal
ary for recruiting .and other services from April to December, during
the year 1861, about seventeen hundred dollars, $1700.
I received from Earl P. Mason for recruiting purposes in 1861,
two hundred dollars, which I paid over to quartermaster general
Frieze, $200.
I also received from the quartermaster in the year 1861, about
thirty thousand dollars, ($30,000,) which will be found properly
accounted for in the quartermaster general's report of that year.
1862. I received from quartermaster general Frieze, during the
year, 1862, as near as I can estimate about $1100. (My salary bein<r
paid by the United States.)
1863. I received from the quartermaster general during the year
1863, for recruiting purposes and settling accounts of the State with
the United States, about $2400. Of this sum about fifteen hundred
dollars was for expenses, settling claims of the State, and nine hun
dred dollars for recruiting purposes.
I received from Crawford Allen for recruiting purposes, two hun
dred and fifteen dollars, ($215) which two hundred and fifteen dollars
I paid to the enlisted men in addition to their bounty, including ex
penses paid to runners.
1864. I received from the quartermaster general during the year
1864, for expenses, settling claims of the State with the United
States ; salary as State agent ; for recruiting purposes and services
about sixteen hundred dollars, $1600.
1865. I have received for recruiting purposes, and for salary, ser
vices as superintendent of recruiting embracing a portion of the year
1864, about thirteen hundred dollars, $1300.
TESTIMONY OF PROVOST MARSHAL WM. E. HAMLIN.
[Examined by the Chairman.] February 18, 1864.
Question. State if you please, Capt. Hamlin, what your official
position is ?
Answer. I am Provost Marshal of the 1st district of Rhode
Island. Q. Have you any connection with the recruiting business carried
on in this State ?
A. None at all, sir. There was an order issued' by the Provost
Marshal General's Department, appointing the Provost Marshals re
cruiting officers ; but in this State and the State of Massachusetts, I
believed at the request of the Chief Magistrates of the States, it was
left with the State authorities. The Provost Marshals have no au
thority, at least in this State, and I believe in Massachusetts.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 239
Q. Have you had any occasion to know anything about the man
ner in which recruiting has been done in this State ?
A. I have had occasionally complaints of rases where parties who
came to me. I have some affidavits in my pockets that I took, and I
examined a case of some colored men. I don't know whether that
case comes under your notice or not. I have so much on my mind,
that I have nothing arranged ; here is a case of Mrs. Deborah Irons.
It is merely a memorandum made by Mrs. Deborah Irons living, in
Olneyville : (Reads the following .¦)
Mrs. Deborah Irons lives in Olneyville, near the Episcopal 'Church, (Waterman's
Lane,) states that her son Welcome A. Irons, a minor, enlisted in the 3d R. I. Cav
alry with his mother's consent. He was rejected by the mustering officer for being
under size. Seven weeks ago, last Thursday Corscaden, the recruiting officer took
Irons to Attleboro and enlisted him in the 58th Massachusetts regiment, Company G.
He is now in camp at Readville. The town of Attleboro gives one hundred dollars
additional to the other bounties to fill her quota, Corscaden has drawn the town
bounty $100, due Irons, and now holds it against Irons consent. The mother wants
to obtain this bounty money from Corscaden.
Cases of that kind and complaints of that kind come to me almost
daily. A woman will come and say that her son has been enlisted
without her consent ; that the recruiting officer got him drunk and
enticed him away, or induced him to enlist, and the habeas corpus
being suspended, you cannot do anything. If the U. S. Mustering
Officer comes to pass upon them, and rejects them, he is clear, and
that is the only way he can be freed.
Q. What is the complaint in this case?
A. This is a case where Corscaden obtained $100 due to the man.
In the first place, he takes a man belonging to this State, and carries
him to Massachusetts, and instead of allowing the man to get his
$100 bounty, he gets an order from the man and draws the town
bounty, and now holds it against Irons' consent. I sent for Corsca
den. I have some difficulty with such cases. You cannot find the
plea for what they do. He" is one of the men employed to bring in
recruits. He has a substitute office on High street. Here is a case
that has more properly come under your notice.
[Read case of William Leonard.)
I, William Leonard, of Gibson county, Indiana, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, am over fifty years of age. I do solemnly swear that I was enlisted in the
14th Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery, of Rhode Island, on the first day of Decem
ber, 1863; that I was rejected by Capt. Silvey, the U. S. Mustering Officer for Rhode
Island, as too old for the service ; that a squad of eleven rejected men from the 14th
Regiment, that these men were all sent from the camp to the city of Providence, and
quartered in Railroad Hall for about ten days, when we were sent for to go to Major
Knglev's recruiting office. Major Engley and Mr. Chace were present. They de
clined" to give us transportation home, and said that we must all go to Massachusetts
and enlist, where we could get $325 cash bounty, or they would send the whole of us
down to the Island— both Major Engley and Mr. Chace said this— I told them that,
having been rejected bv the mustering officer, I had no right to enlist anywhere else.
Mr. Chace said that Captain Silvey had no interest for the colored man. Major Eng
ley said that he wanted no more words about the matter— that if the men did not go

240 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
to Massachusetts, they must be sent down to the Island. Two of the men went away
to-day with one of the recruiting officers. One of them was named James H. Dubois,
the other was Jacob Ereman; they had both been rejected by Capt. Silvey. his
WM. E. h LEONARD
mark.
Witness : Geo. A. Holbrook.
Personally appeared before me the within named Wm. Leonard, this thirteenth day
of January, 1864, and made oath to the annexed statement, subscribed to by him as
true, to the best of his knowledge and belief.
' WM. E.HAMLIN,
Justice of the Peace.
Q. Who is this Mr. Chace ?
A. One of the recruiting men ; he belongs at No. 10, Custom
House street — Luke Chace. This man was taken, I think, at Capt.
Silvey 's office. (Reads Affidavit of John H. Courad.)
I, John H. Conrad, from Juniatta county, State of Pennsylvania, do solemnly swear
that I am twenty-one years of age ; that I came to Rhode Island for the purpose of
enlisting in the 14th Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery. Have been here about eight
weeks ; was examined and sworn into the service ; after my enlistment, I was attacked
with Paralysis of the faee, and was unfit for military service. Capt. Silvey, the U.
S. Mustering Officer, declined to muster me, and I was rejected from the service as
unfit on account of physical disability. After leaving camp, I went to Major Engley's
office, and talked with Major Engley and Mr. Chace, who is in the office ; I asked for
transportation home. There were about eleven of us present who had been sent for
to go to the office. Mr. Chace said that Capt. Silvey was an enemy to the colored
man, that he was a slaveholder, and was opposed to doing anything to help the col
ored man. Mr. Chace said'that we could not be discharged, and that we must either
go to Massachusetts and enlist, or he should send us all down to the Island. He
promised us $325 cash bounty, to go to Massachusetts, and said we must go this after
noon — I think it was Attleboro' or Readville, where he was going to take us— I
declined to go, but they have got my' name. The names of those Mr. Chace has
down to go to Massachusetts, are: Wm. Leonard, Wm. Hughes, Eben. Brown, H.
Dubois, Jacob Ereman, Isaac Maynard. Major Engley was present, and said that we
could get $325 cash down ; that if we did not go to Massachusetts and enlist, we must
all go down to the Island. The above named persons have all been rejected from the
service by Capt. Silvey, TJ. S. Mustering Officer, on the 31st day of December, 1863,
and since then, have all been retained here against our wishes.
JOHN H. CONRAD.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this day, January 12th, 1864, at Providence, R. I.
WM. E. HAMLIN,
Justice ofthe Peace.
We, the subscribers, were present in Major Engley's office this day, and were wit
nesses to all that w,is caid by Major Engley and Mr. Chace, and we certify that the
above statement of John H. Conrad is true, in every particular, as regards the threat
to send us back to camp if we did not go to Massachusetts and enlist,
WILLIAM II. HUGHES,
EBENEZER BROWN.
Witness : Patrick Davoren.
Providence, January 12th, 186 .
A. By Captain Hamlin. After this affidavit, Captain Silvey, re
ported them to the Governor, and Major Engley said that the affida
vits were not fair, because Engley was not present. Captain Silvey
said he did not intend to have anything unfair, and asked that I might
have these men appear before me in my office, and invited Engley and
Sanford to be presentt The time was appointed and the parties were
all present, except Major Engley who was sick. I made some pencil
minutes of the result of the examination.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 241
Headquarters Eirst District, State op Rhode Island, }
Provost Marshal's Office. i
Providence, January 13, 1864.
An examination of the following men held at the Provost Marshal's office of the
1st District : John H. Conrad, Ebenezer Brown, William Leonard, Joseph Johnston,
Isaac Maynard, Perry Ward, James Moseley.
Mr. Chace and Major Sanford.
The affidavits were read ; when Mr. Chase asked the question of the men, if he
told them that they must enlist in Massachusetts or be sent down to the Island. They
all answered that he did. Mr. Chace asked a number of questions of William Leon
ard ; Leonard adhered to his answer, and said, that last night Chace locked him and
seven others up in a room, and would not let them out even to pass their water with
out a guard. He told Chaee it was false imprisonment, he had not committed any
crime, but he was not permitted to leave the room. Mr. Chace said that he
thought the office was most comfortable for the men ; that the door was locked during
an examination to keep the men together. Major Sanford said, there was a question
between Captain Silvey and the Governor about holding rejected men, and that ques
tion having been decided this morning, that all the men would be sent home to-morrow.
The result of this examination was, that these eleven men that
were sent down to the Island, were either rejected for being too old
or too young, and they came up here according to agreement M'ith
the man who came from Ohio. They should have been sent down to
the Island, but instead of sending them there they were sent to Rail
road Hall and locked up. Major Sanford said this was entirely un
known to him : but Engley and Chace knew and kept them over
night. The next morning^ early, only 3 or 4 o'clock, they started
down to Massachusetts, and one or two of them passed. I sent an
officer down and ascertained how many of them passed, and that is
the sequel of those affidavits.
Q. Where are these men now, after this examination ?
A. I said to Major Sanford, that these men must go home at once,
and he said they should, and I think that the very next train, next
. morning, carried them aWay. The point was, why were these men
kept, except that these men wanted to get two bounties, and make
something on them.
Q, Have you heard of any other instances of this nature ?
A. I have had applications of another kind. A number of men
coming into the office and desiring to know when they could enlist
without being swindled. They did not like to go through this pro
cess of enlisting them. They did not know how much money they
were going to get, or anything about it. I have occasionally sent
them to Major Sanford, as he was recruiting agent ; but I don't know
what became of them. Here is the case of a colored man who came
to my office. (Reads the case of David S. Greene.)
Headquarters First District, State of Rhode Island, I
Provost Marshal's Office. , J
Providence, 186 .
I, David S. Greene, of Harrisburg, Pa., am twenty-four years of age. I do solemn
ly swear that I came to this city of Providence, the week before Christmas, to enlist
in the 14th Regt. H. A. Dr. Gardiner declined to pass me at that time, because I had
a Case He said that he could cure me and then pass me On Monday, the firs
of February last, Dr. Gardiner said that he would pass me in two days. I have had
mvuntform about three weeks ; I went with sergeant Bush to get the uniform. This
waVbetelwas swor^Tn I'got the uniform^ the State clothing department of
31

242 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
the Q. M. General. I was sworn in about two weeks ago, in company of about a
dozen others. I signed four papers. On Monday last, after Dr. Gardiner said that
he would pass me, they told me that I could go home. They gave me tickets for
New York, and the pass which I have. I do not know why they sent me home. I
concluded not to go that evening to New York. ^ g ^^
Sworn to before me, this day, February third, 1864, in the city of Providence.
WM. E. HAMLIN,
Justice of the Peace.
Headquarters First District, State of Rhode Island, j
Provost Marshal's Office. f
Providence, 186 .
(Copy.) Providence, Feb. 1st, 1864.
Pass the bearer, David S. Green, a rejected man from 14th Regt. H. A.
By order of
(•Signed) J- C. ENGLEY,
J. W. Noyes, Att'y. Maj. 14th Regt. H. A.
I certify that this is a true copy of the original.
WM. E. HAMLIN,
Capt. and Pro. Marshal.
I sent the man to Captain Silvey, the mustering officer, the only
man who rejects men, and he said he had rejected no such man.
Q. By Mr. Blake. His pass extends to New York only ?
A. His pass extends everywhere." It is a general pass. I sent to
know what that paper meant, and they said that the man had never
been sworn in, and that he came there and was waiting to be sworn
in. It has the appearance of a case — one of a class of. cases which
gets the officers round to get the bounty — then the man is sent off to
enlist and the bounty money gets into the pockets of the officers. It
is one of those things which it is difficult to get at. This pass was
directed to the Railroad Superintendent. That is the pass these men
carry to prevent being arrested by the Provost Guard.
Q. Is it usual to sign these official papers by an attorney ?
A. No, sir. I don't know that I have ever seen anything of that
kind. But there are a good many things not usual in this matter.
Some short time ago I had a proof of this. I can tell you a circum-
tance of a man on the bridge. One of these recruiting men, by the
name of White, he wears a hat with a straw cord around it, and these
poor fellows who came to enlist, call him a lieutenant or a captain.
This man White enlisted a man by the name of — no, a man by the
name of Raymond enlisted a man named Samuel Nelson Holmes ;
sent him down to camp, (why not in his uniform I don't know,) — ot
the cavalry camp I am now speaking — in two days he deserts. Infor
mation reaches my office, that the deserter Holmes can be found at
Plymouth, Mass. I wrote a letter to Provost Marshal Hatch, at New
Bedford, to have such a man arrested. He arrested the man and sent
him by the usual course to Boston and from there here, and I sent
him down to camp as a deserter. The commander of the camp Lieut.
Col. Parkhurst, inquires for Holmes' recruiting papers and they are
not to be found, and Parkhurst says, we cannot hold this man ; he
does not belong to the service ; we have no authority to keep him ';
and he is dismissed the camp. He starts for home and in a few weeks

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 243
perhaps — a couple of weeks after — this man Raymond is missing, the
recruiting man ; and information reaches me from , Col. Sayles that
something is wrong about Raymond. In about half an hour, I dis
patched one of my officers off to Taunton, near Mansfield to ar
rest the man Raymond, and get what papers he could find. I
wanted the papers more than the man, if I could find them. The
next train brought the officer back with this man. In his pocket
the first thing that was found, was the recruiting papers of Samuel
Nelson Holmes, who was dismis.sed from camp because his papers
could not be found ; also in this man's pocket was found a letter
addressed to Dr. Gardiner, and signed by W. T. Davis, Chairman of
the select men of the town of Plymouth, requesting Dr. Gardiner to
re-examine Mr. Raymond, with the view of having him discharged
from the service. The other letter requested the same of three other
men, with a view of having the men discharged from the service.
Beside these letters, was a free pass, signed by W. T. Davis, Chair
man of the select men of the town of Plymouth, for the purpose of
recruiting in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The evident intention was
for this man, under the appearance and guise of having enlisted the
men for the Third Cavalry, for them to run away and enlist in Mas
sachusetts. After I found these papers of Samuel Nelson Holmes',
I again sent Capt. Hall for Holmes, and he was arrested, and I have
him the second time. This Raymond, it seems, went to his father
and told him that he had certain papers in his pocket, and that, for
f 10 he would destroy them. This is the kind of business going on,
on the bridge every day. Now, the man foremost in this Raymond
business, is a man by the name of Gleason, as big a scamp as ever
went un-hung. This man Raymond says that Gleason — as soon as I
found these papers I sent for Gleason ; I asked him where those
papers were, and how many there were. Well, three had gone down
to camp, and I have the other in my pocket, and he said he would
look for it, and took half an hour and was very industrious ; said I,
" I don't believe you have it." I then took out the four papers and
asked what that meant, and he guessed that was a forgery. Colonel
Sayles was present, and said, "lam not fond of writing my name,
but that is my signature." " Now," said I to Gleason, '_' How did
this man Raymond get possession of these papers ?" Said he, " he
must have taken that down to camp, and the others out of my pocket."
The consequence was, that Capt. Gleason could not explain in any
other way, and I told Mr. Sayles that this was only a proof of what
I had suspected for a long time ; and I should have him discharged,
and I believe that, after a short time, he was discharged from the re
cruiting service.
Q. Is this Gleason now employed in the recruiting service ?
A. This man has worn a uniform, and called himself Captain
Gleason, and these poor fellows believe everything the officers tell
them, and don't begin to find them out until they first begin to be
swindled, and after the swindling has commenced, they have no con
fidence in anybody or anything. It has, probably, been more induce-

244 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
ment for desertion than anything that has occurred. Its veiy effect
is the loss of confidence in Government, and also in the men with
whom they were to deal. Finding that they have 'been swindled,
they believe that the wliole is a perfect bubble. The Third R. I.
Cavalry has four hundred men enlisted — I had over one hundred -
names as deserters, and a captain of one of the companies, one of the
most intelligent, told me that if I would add two hundred names it
would be nearer the truth.
Q. Now, a gentleman says that a uniform is furnished to all these
men? A. The State advances the uniform.
Q. And, is there any addition of money paying for recruiting these
men ?
A. $10 a head, and there you will find an enormous loss to the
State and General Government, by the loose manner in which this
has been done.
Q. Have you any knowledge, Capt. Hamlin, of any frauds prac
ticed upon the men by the recruiting officers themselves, or their
agents ?
A. Nothing that I can say of my own knowledge. I have seen
affidavits that were made out of one of the officers ; perhaps, if I
should say nothing about it, and refer you to Capt. Corton, of the
Third Cavalry, he could give you the information direct. He has
told me of men sent down to the Third Cavalry; of officers inform
ing the men that they had had so much money sent them, $25 — the
letter came, and they have actually waited for the letters to see them
opened, and have witnesses of the statement — " enclosed you will
find |25, and find but $10. I know nothing about it, however,
except what was told me. I must say that, as far as my official with the
officers of that cavalry is concerned. I have not met a more efficient
and faithful officer in taking care of his men, and in giving me timely
information of men deserting — more so than any other officer in the
cavalry. I do not know the man. I would, except in this connec
tion. I have a man in the guard house — James Lawton — who
enlisted in the Third Cavalry on the first day of February, why he
is not uniformed and sent to camp I don't know ; but, in the after
noon of the day he enlisted, he was taken by Charles Lawrence,
O'Rourke's partner, and a man by the name of Farrell, and carried
out to Pawtucket, and was there all day in Billiard Saloons, drinking
and amused until night they came in with him. He arrived here at
the depot just in season to take the cars and go to Norwich. Then,
Lawrence and O'Rourke's partner carried him to the Provost Mar
shal's office (the Connecticut Provost Marshal's are recruiting officers)
and they rejected the man on account of his age, but not despairing
of their case, they carried him to New Haven, and there received
$200. I sent to New Haven, and I have the man in the guard house
and O'Rourke, Lawrence and Grant — stiff legged Grant they call
him — these men all go by nick names, limpey, &c, his business is a
peculiar one. I agree with Major Sanford, that you cannot get the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 245
best men for this business — as Col. Sayles has said, " if a man is an
honest man when he goes into it, he will be dishonest before he comes
out." I can see no reason why this business cannot be carried on
more honestly. If a man is retained because he gets, a great number
of recruits ; if he gets ten recruits, and nine desert, I think the man
who only gets one who stays, is decidedly the best man. I think we
have paid too much attention to recruiting officers, and lost men by it
— they have raised the most men for the time on paper— -but these
paper names would all vanish in the next day, or two days. We
have paid too much attention to that class of men, and driven away
the more substantial men. I suppose I could give you a book full of
incidents of this kind ; ever since I have been in the business, the
mere matter of arresting deserters in my department, is about the
smallest part of the business, that is to say, the least trouble ; but it
is the constant complaints from fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters,
coming to the office in regard to swindling them ; enticing them
away, or getting them to desert, or something of the kind, swindling
thom out of their bounties.
Q. Cases of enlisted men who have been swindled and defrauded,
would not be so likely to come to your knowledge as these other com
plaints ?
A. No, sir; they are out of my reach. They go to camp and if
they happen to be able to get a pass to come up, why they may come
and make some complaint of it. I have had some cases of that kind
of late. In regard to the watch business that there is so much talk
made about, that I know nothing about only what I have heard.
Q. Have you heard any complaints of the men on that subject ?
A. I think not ; but generally speaking, the purchasing of
watches* would be when the men were getting ready to be paid.
Q. Do you think of anything else you could state upon the sub
ject? A. I don't call to mind. I think that if there is any way that
the committee can investigate the number of men that have been
transported over the different railroads here, to and from various pla
ces, at the expense of the State, and with uniforms that have been
here, and been uniformed and then rejected, it will be seen that
quite a large amount has been expended in that way.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. In what way would the State be responsi
ble for enlisting a man, and drawing on the quartermaster after he
has satisfactorily passed the examination of the surgeon ?
A. I am glad you spoke of that. We have an examining surgeon
appointed by Captain Silvey— Dr. Gardiner— and there have been a
great many of these men 'that have been to Dr. Gardiner and been
rejected, that have been taken by these thieves to Pawtucket to Dr.
Whitney. There has been a large amount of swindling done. Who
Dr. Whitney is, I do not know, or why he should have passed some
men that I have seen that have been passed as fit, I can't understand
—the thing has been done, and Captain Silvey has demanded it
stopped. A great many of these cases I sent to New York last week.

246 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
One of his veins was about as big again as the other variocose swell
ings. * He told me that Dr. Whitney would not let him take his
clothes off.
Q. What authoriiy has Dr. Whitney ?
A. Not the slightest that I know of. I do not know as I ought
to say so. Dr. Gardiner is a regular sworn officer.
Mr. , Thomas. Doctor Whitney was originally appointed by
the Governor of the State. I do not know his authority since then.
Q. By the Chairman. There have been cases then of men exam
ined by Dr. Gardiner, who have been rejected and then examined by
Dr. Whitney and received a certificate, and on the strength of that
certificate uniform has been furnished ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Now, if the examining physician has no
authority, and the man is sworn into the service, and the quartermas
ter furnishes clothes, I dont see where his authority comes from ?
A. I wish to be understood as not giving an official answer. I do
not know whether Dr. Whiting has authority or not. I know now
he has no authority ; but at that time (four or five weeks ago) there
was a good deaj done there, that Captain Silvey told me had no au
thority, and that Gardiner was the only authorized person. If this is
a part of the system to have two examining surgeons, one of which
passes a man after the other has rejected him, it ought to be known.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. And on the other hand, if not a^i official
surgeon, how many are finally mustered in by the mustering officer?
A. These men were not examined by Dr. Gardiner. These.
three cavalry men were examined by Dr. Whitney, and you will find
by looking at Dr. Gardiner's book, whether he passes or not; you
will find a large number of names rejected by Dr. Gardiner, passed
by Dr. Whitney in the Third Cavalry. I have a man now, by the
name of Pettis — over at the barracks — who claims that he enlisted,
and was drunk at the time — one day last week. I state this case to
show that I do not mean to, and I do not always take what the man
says. I am . satisfied that the man who had been to Dr. Gardiner
while in such a condition, did know what he was about, and I
exonorated Dr. Gardiner. But his father has been to see me several
times, and thinks his son ought not to be held, becausehe enlisted
when he was drunk. It took me a considerable part of the day to
examine the matter. I had several witnesses — every one of them
had been drinking, and all had drank with him, and most of them
were so full that they hardly knew what they were about. On ex
amining Dr. Gardiner, it appears that the man was sober when he
passed the doctor. He said he supposed him to be a drinking man,
and his mind was clouded, but he could answer questions intelligently
and was suitable to be passed. This man that was drunk deserted —
he could not be held to service, and so he was taken as a deserter.
Lieut. Riley — according to his • evidence, when this man came to
enlist, he gave him $5, and with that he asked the crowd to drink.
It took some time to make out the papers, and then he went to the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 247
surgeon. After giving the whole matter an investigation, I decided
that he was not so intoxicated that the man did not know what he
was about, and that the man should be held. It seems to be repre
hensible that the first thing these recruiting officers do, is to go with
a man and take a drink.
Mr. Thomas. That was the practice in the regular army ?
Capt. Hamlin. Speaking about the regular army, one of my .offi
cers took a man in Connecticut a week or two ago. A boy enlisted
in the third cavalry and stayed three days, and then enlisted in the
fourteenth regular infantry and was sent to Catlett's Station, and
comes back with a discharge paper, having got a part of his bounty.
Well, he was a deserter from the third cavalry and I held him as a
deserter until he was rejected by the mustering officer.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Suppose he was not rejected by the muster
ing officer ?
A. Then notwithstanding his discharge from another regiment he
would be held. I have a man on my books from almost every regi
ment we have sent away. I will not say almost all — as many as four
or five different military organizations in the State — the same man has
been in and out and that is the way that many of these men escape.
A man that is sworn into the service is on the rolls and held on the
rolls, until he is properly discharged.
Q. Anything else in connection with this matter ?
A. I don't think of anything else to call your attention to, al
though it is possible, there is so much of it that we cannot trace out
to any particular head. There are many cases which I would like
to have brought before the Committee, and have brought the parties
up; but I find that they are all managed in such a very slippery way
that it is impossible to do what I would.
Capt. Hamlin. Have you any idea of the Paymaster's checks —
the checks given to the Paymaster for bounties. Here, for instance,
is a colored man, John Smith, down to camp, and he buys a lot of
clothing of somebody in Providence, who goes down there and sells
it to him, and he gives a check on the Paymaster for the amount.
Then Mr. John Smith wants to buy a watch, and gives a check on
the Paymaster for that. Have you no way in which you can find
out the' different amounts that are taken from John Smith's pay in
this way — when he goes away, and who these checks are made pay
able to"? There has nothing of this kind come to my personal
knowledge. I think that, perhaps, Capt. Gorton can enlighten you
upon this point. I have little doubt that the moral effect of this in
vestigation has stopped a good deal of that kind of business.
TESTIMONY OF D. T. LYMAN.
Wednesday, February 15th 1865.
Question. State whether or not you had anything to do with the
payment of bounties to the 14th Regiment, in connection with the
Allotment Commissioner's office, and if so, what took place ? What

248 REPORTOF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
is the mode of paying bounties, whether any differences arose be
tween the men and the Commissioner in reference to the payment of
them ?
Answer. I had nothing to do with the payment of bounties, but
under the direction of the State Commissioner, did record in a book
kept for that purpose, their allotment of the balance of their State
bounty, which would be payable on their arrival at or near New Or
leans. Just before they left, we visited them in camp, in company
with the Paymaster General, as he was to pay them a part of their
bounty. After they were paid, they were asked what they would
have done with the balance that would be due them on their arrival
out ; invariably their answer would be (as they had as a general thing
anticipated the amount they were to receive,) "I want a pair of boots,
and I want to send all I have received home ;" and others would say
" I must have some shirts, and I want to send this (referring to their
money) to the old woman;" others wanted tobacco, &c; consequenty
the State Commissioner made arrangements with Mr. Charles Snow
to furnish boots and shoes; and Mr. Barnaby to provide clothing ;
and Messrs. Huntoon & Son to supply tobacco, limiting each dealer
to a certain amount, to be furnished each man ; they went, as a gen
eral thing, to make their purchases unaccompanied by an officer
to identify them, consequently when we came to make out the
eharges to each man, we found it very difficult in many instances,
to make the names agree on the allotment book with those ap
pearing on the bills of those that had sold them goods. In
making up these accounts charges were made to each on the allot
ment book, as the amounts were called off from each bill, after we had
finished calling off the names of each company we found quite a num
ber of names on the several bills that did not appear on the books,
leaving quite an amount unaccounted for. I don't recollect how much,
(the names were copied in this book from the company rolls,) in sev
eral instances the christian name would agree, but we could not make
out distinctly the surname, consequently there were undoubtedly
many mistakes made in charging amounts to the wrong person.
Q. Was it satisfactory to the men ?
A. The men did not like this arrangement for getting supplied,
saying they could obtain goods cheaper at other places ; others saying
that they thought they ought to have had more money advanced them
so that they could go and buy where they pleased, and not be com
pelled to buy of any particular person. Complaints were made by
them that they had been charged more for things than they agreed to
pay ; others that they had been charged for articles they had not pur
chased. Q. Have you reason to believe that their complaints were true ?
A. I have reason to believe that they might be true, because we
had charged goods to parties that we could not make out the names
distinctly ; there were a good many Dutch names to contend with.
Q. Do you know anything else in reference to the payment of
bounties, and to frauds practiced on these men ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 249
A. I know of a few that allotted their money to parties that paid
them much less than the amount of the balance of bounty, which was
I think about $150.
TESTIMONY OF ADJ. GEN. EDWARD C. MAURAN.
Monday, Feb. 9, 1865.
I hold the office of Adjutant General under authority of the State,
and have since March 10th, 1856.
Q. Wfiat are the duties of your office ?
A. The duties are not defined in our Militia Act. The common
law duties under military law are defined in the law respecting the
Adjutant General of Vermont, which will cover the general and all
other duties which are supposed to belong to the position of Adjutant
General of this State. The following is an extract :
" The Adjutant and Inspector General shall issue, sign and transmit all orders of
the Commander-in-Chief, and all regulations which may be established, and obey all
orders from him, relative to carrying into execution the laws of the United States,
and of this State. He shall be charged with all the correspondence between the Com
mander-in-Chief, and officers of the several States and territories, the Secretary of
War, the Adjutant General of the army, and other persons in official stations, on the
subject ofjnilitary affairs, and keep a record of such correspondence. He 6hall keep
a record of all orders and regulations, and cause the same to be published whenever
the Commander-in-Chief shall direct. He shall keep a roster of all the militia of this
State, with their residence, rank, and the corps to which they belong; the number
and date of the commissions of all commissioned officers, and the time when issued,
the number and date of all discharges, removals, deaths, and promotions. He shall
enter on record the number, name, and limits of each division, brigade, regiment,
squadron and company, and every alteration thereof. He shall make out, and issue
all commissions and discharges, directed by the Commander-in-Chief. He shall pre
pare and provide the necessary rosters, and books of records, the forms and blanks for
commissions, discharges, returns, and other papers required by the laws of this State,
at the expense of the State, and distribute the same to the officers and companies en
titled to them upon a requisition therefor. He shall make a return in duplicate of all
the militia in this State, with the arms, accoutrements and ammunition; one copy of
which he shall deliver to the Commander-in-Chief, on or before the  day of  ,
and transmit the other to the President of the United States, on or before the First
day of January, annually."
Q. Have all the military orders of this State been issued through
your office, and is there a record of them in your office ?
A. Of all the orders which have been issued through my office,
there is a record in my office. I know of orders which have been
issued outside, of which there is no record in my office. I have seen
such orders, and have copies of two or three, which are annexed.
(Copy.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, 26th Dec, 1863. j
Lieutenant E. C. Pomroy, Third R. 1. Cavalry. •
Lieutenant : — You will proceed with Capt. R. H. Perry to New Orleans, with the
first battalion of your regiment, making .preparations to take charge under Capt.
Perry, of the men of the Second Cavalry.
After arriving at your destination, you will make a report of the condition, &c, of
the Second Cavalry, with the prospects of your procuring a command.
Bv order of His Excellency the Governor,
(Stened) CHAS. E. BAILEY,
< lBIgnea> Col. and A. V. C.
32

250 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
(Copy.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, 15th Dec, 1863. J
Maj. J. J. Comstock Jr., 1st Battalion, 14th Regt. R. I. H. A.
Major :— The steamer Cahawba leaves New York Thursday morning for Newport,
which place she will reach on Friday. You will hold your command in readiness to
take the steamer here at seven o'clock, a. m., on Friday, 18th inst., you will, of course,
attend to all the details of the embarkation of your command, taking especial care in
the matter of your camp guard on the night of Thursday. The Quartermaster's
department will furnish everything that may be needed by your command.
His Excellency the Governor, is especially desirous that you should have your bat
talion promptly on the wharf at seven o'clock.
I am, Major, with best wishes for your success, and that of your brave men in the
field, Very respectfully, &c, truly, yours, CHAS. E. BAILEY,
Col. and A. D. C.
You will please report at this Department upon the receipt of this communication. C. E. B.

(Copy.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Nov. 4th, 1864. J
Lieut.-Colonel Frank Allen, Commanding Providence Marine Corps of Artillery..
Colonel : — Yon are hereby directed to send one piece of your battery to the Quar
termaster General's Department, at the Fall River Iron works Co.'s store, with a
detail from your company to work and guard the same.
You will have this detail commanded by a commissioned officer, and divide your
detail into reliefs, in order to have the guard available at any hour of the night or day.
You will also have a like detail organized and commanded in the same manner at
your Armory.
The above guards to be kept until further orders.
The Quartermaster's Department will furnish the necessary ammunition and trans
portation. By order of the Commander-in-Chief. CHAS. E. BAILEY,
Col. and A.D. C.
The Quartermaster General will also furnish the above detail with pistols and am
munition, on the requisition of the proper officer.
By order &e. CHAS. E. BAILEY,
Col and A. D. C.
Q. How many orders were promulgated through your office in
each of the years 1861, '62, '63, and '64 ?
A. In 1861 there were 103. general orders, and 145 special orders.
In 1862, 60 general orders and 246 special orders. In 1863, 47 gen
eral orders and 104 special orders, and in 1864, 11 general orders and
38 special orders,
Q. W)iose duty is it to settle the quotas of the State ?
A. I haye found in consulting with the Adjutant Generals of the
several States, that it ha» been made their duty by the several Gov
ernors, as they have informed me, that they have been a great many
times to Washington, upon that very business.
Q. Where are the various archives ofthe State kept, and who has
control of them ; where should they properly be kept ?
Ar They have always been kept in the office of the Adjutant Gen-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 251
eral, and that is the only public office where they should be. That is
the only military office of record in the State.
Q. Have the papers in reference to military affairs been put on
record in that office for the past two years ?
A. A few papers and printed orders have been sent from time to
time to this office, but all the papers, I should think have not been so
sent. Q. What proportion of them ?
A. A very small proportion, compared with what have been sent
previously. I have for the years of 1861 and 1862, a great stock of
/papers forwarded to me by the Governor ; in fact, he rarely kept one
of those papers more than a week and a half. When he had finished
his inspection and made up his mind what action he would take, the pa
pers went sent over, and the Governor said at tbe same time, you are
responsible for them and here is where they belong. I have received
but very few for the last two years ?
Q. Was any portion of the military of the State ordered on Guard
duty, at any time during the past two years ?
A. Not that I know of, officially, so far as relates to 1864. Un
officially I know that in that year, the Marine Artillery were on
guard at their Armory, and at their Quartermaster General's office, in
fact, one of the foregoing orders details a section of a battery to go to
that office. The Horse Guards were also on duty night- and day.
The previous year, (1863) a portion was on duty and the orders for
the defence went through my office.
Q. What was the occasion of this Guard duty ?
A. It was at the time when pirates were known to be off the coast,
sometime during the year 1864, and at the time of the riots in New
York. Q. Have you heard any complaints, or have you any information
about any complaint in regard to the payment of bounties to men ?
A. I have received one letter upon that subject. Capt. Cragin
wrote a letter to my office from the 14th Regiment, making complaint
in regard to his men. The letter I transmitted to the Governor. I
have a copy of it.
Q. When did you transmit it to the Governor?
A. It was in the last part of May or during the month of June,
1864. I transmitted the letter to the Governor upon its receipt.
No other complaints of that character have been made at my office.
(The letter annexed was read by Gen. Mauran to the committee.)
Copy of a Later from Capt. C. C. Cragin, transmitting list of names defrauded by recruiting
officers : Camp Shaw, Plaquemine, La., )
May 19th, 1864. f
Sir : I have the honor to forward the following list of names of men of Co. F, 2d
battalion, 14th R. I. H. A., who have been defrauded of ($50) fifty dollars or more of
the bounty promised them by the State of Rhode Island. In the expectations that
their claims will be admitted, and the fraudulent demand of recruiting agents denied,
I call your attention to the subject. If their claims are not regarded, I must bring the
subject before the General Government, by presenting my resignation as an officer of
the regiment, on the ground that the discipline of my men has been impaired by

252 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
fraudulent enlistment. That they have not received the full bounty promised them,
and that they have been otherwise deceived by unwarrantable assurances of furloughs,
&c. It is contended that the men were enlisted in gross violation of the 926th para
graph of the Army Regulations, which specifies " the duties of recruiting officers." I
append the names :
Sergt. Maj., G. Rice. Private, Simon Leonard,
Sergeant, Joseph Leonard, James Lewis,
David T. Browne. Richard Nichols,
Corporal, Grant Bailey, John Ozier,
Geo. T. Boulding, Delaware Prim,
James N. Jefferson, Henry Prim,
Robert McKeninis. Wm. Robinson,
Private, John H. Wilson, Joseph Rodgers,
Andrew Hamilton, Norris Scott,
Lewis Anderson, Thomas J. Steward,
Wm. P. Anderson, Wm. H. Steward,
Geo. Armstrong, James H. Taylor,
John E. Browne, James C. Thomas,
Chas. E. Champlin, Alexander Waterford,
Leonard H. Clarke, Benj. Warfield,
William Collins, William H. White,
Robert Couner, James Williams,
Orason L. Charles, Jacob Williams,
Wm. H. Desmond, Levi Williams,
Levi Cooper, William H. Woodward,
William P. Green, James Yates,
Thornton Harvey, Chas. Stephens,
Henry Howard, Nelson Young,
Chas. H. Lee, Moses Yates.
I have the honor to be, your humble servant,
CHARLES C. CRAGIN,
Capt. Uih R. I. H. A., Com'dg. Co. F.
Will you oblige me with an answer acknowledging the receipt of this communica
tion, and informing me what is to be done.
To General E. C. Mauran, Adjt. Gen. State of Rhode Island.
Q. Have you any information in regard to frauds committed upon
men in reference to the bounties, of your own knowledge ?
A. No, sir ; not of my own knowledge ; nothing but street talk.
Q. General, we want to know from you, how many men have
been enlisted since the 1st of June, 1863, into the service of the Uni
ted States, to be credited to the quota of this State, as shown by the
records of this State ?
A. There have been enlisted in R. I. regiments, 3,553 men.
In United States regiments, &c. - - - - 422 "

Making - - - 3,975.
Of these 3552 were enlisted for three years, and 423 for one year,
making a total of 3,975 men.
There were enlisted in the United States Navy since July 12th,
which is the only date from which we have kept any record in our of
fice, (because that was the time when bounties were first paid them)
217 men. There were also during 1863 and '64, 1118 men in ad
dition, who re-enlisted in the old regiments as veterans ; of whom
1,083 re-enlisted in Rhode Island regiments, and 35 in regiments out
of the State, and were credited to the quota of Rhode Island, making
1,118 men.
Q. Who were these men enlisted by ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 253
A. _ The veterans in the field enlisted themselves, or the captains
of their companies enlisted them. They enlisted under orders from
the War Department. Those in the United States service were by
U. S. officers of the army and navy ; a great many have been enlisted
at the Naval Academy; the papers come signed by Commodore
Blake ; I suppose they are enlisted by U. S. officers. Capt. Salisbury
enlisted most of the recruits for the navy, except those enlisted a"t
Newport. Q. How many have been enlisted by the state officers ?
A. 3,553, that have enlisted for R. I. regiments ; U. S. regiments
is another matter, although bounties have been paid to both.
Q. " Of these, how many were blacks ?
A. About half of the number were of the black regiment, and
more than half, something like 1800 blacks.
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, V
Providence, 23d Jan. 1865. \
The following appears on file in this department, Sept. 5th, 1 863 :
James C. Engley was commissioned by Gov. J. Y. Smith, as 3d Major in Colored
Regiment Heavy Artillery, and directed to report to Colonel Nelson Viall.
The commission was delivered to Gov. Smith Sept. 8th, 1863.
Commission accepted by J. C. Engley Sept. 8th, 1863.
AUG. HOPPIN,
Asst. Adj't. Gen.
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, )
Providence, Feb. 16th, 1865. j
Hon. Wm. P. Sheffield, H. of R. Rhode Island, Providence.
Mt Dear Sir : — In compliance with your request, I have the honor to infoi m you
that the first orders issued for the raising of the 3d Regt. R. I. Cavalry, was on the
16th of June, 1863, and for the 14th Regt. R. I. H. A., (colored,) on the 29th of
July, 1863. Very respectfully, your obt. servt.,
EDWARD C. MAURAN,
Adjutant General.

TESTIMONY OF UZZIEL GLEASON.
Question. Have you been connected with the recruiting service
in this State ?
Answer. When the war broke out, I commenced recruiting. I
went out in the Third R. I. Artillery ; got wounded ; came back,
and have been recruiting ever since.
Q. State what you know about the payment of bounties, and the
sale of bounty certificates, for the period since the Provost Marshals
have issued bounty certificates ?
A. The first there was paid was |50. That was about the first I
received. I took the order and went to the Quartermaster General.
This was for a three years man. It was $20 for a one year man. I
never enlisted a two years man. I have enlisted some thousand men
or more.

254 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. How did you dispose of the bounty certificates that you re
ceived at the Provost Marshal's office ?
A. For a considerable time back, they have been sent to Captain
Starkey — sold them to him. Starkey came there and he paid the
money. We supposed he was Paymaster, and he paid the money.
He was in Major Sanford's office.
Q. Did he pay more than the face of them ?
A. He paid $150.
Q. For what ?
A. For a recruit.
Q. That was the recruit's bounty ?
A. No, this was what we called the premium money. That has
been going on a month or more — since the first of January. Before
the first of January, I could not get my man passed at all. For
some two weeks I could not get the man passed. They seemed to
come down on me for some purpose.
Q. For three. $20 certificates, what did you receive ?
A. All that I had of the $20 certificates I carried to the Quarter
master General's, and got my pay there. The $50 ones I carried to
the Quartermaster General's and never received any advance at all.
Then I was turned out ofthe office and had to give it up. The $150
certificates I received $150 for from Captain Starkey. That was
since the 1st of January. I received $150 the face of the $150 cer
tificate since the 1st of January.
Q. Did Captain Starkey do anything towards enlisting the,men?
A. That was the order to take tbe men in there, and let Captain
Starkey make the papers out. Before that I used to make out my
own papers. I was ordered to leave off. I was ordered by Sanford
and Starkey. They told me that was to be the rule. Sanford told
me at all events that I would draw all my money through Starkey.
All he did was, that I carried the man there. He made out the pa
pers. Sometimes I would go to the Provost Marshal's office. The
contract made with the recruit he had nothing to do with. Some
paid $100 ; some $140 ; some we made $10 qn, and some $15 on, just
as we happened to make the contract. I received for the head mon
ey $10 or $15 besides paying the recruit. I took the recruit right up
to Captain Starkey, to pay him there in the presence of Starkey.
That was taken out of the $150 I received from Captain Starkey.
Q. Did you sell any certificates to anybody ?
' A. No, sir. Not except through Captain Starkey and the 15th
regiment. They used to pay the regular infantry $150. The same
to Starkey. As soon as he got returns from the Island he would go
the next day and get them. He paid the recruit a bounty out of the
$150. We had to pay the recruit extra. We paid that frequently,
just as we could make the contract with them. Some would go for
$50 and some for $100, and some would want the whole. They
got that over and above their bounty. In no case did I receive more
than the face of the certificate.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 255
FURTHER TESTIMONY OF CAPT. WILLIAM E. HAMLIN,
Provost Marshal First District. January 30th, 1865.'
I am Provost Marshal of the First District, in Rhode Island.
Question. What orders or authority have you received from the
Executive Department of this State, in reference to bounty certifi
cates, or the payment of the bounties ?
Answer. On the 27th of June last, I received orders from the Govern
ment for all recruiting for old regiments to be done through the office
of the Provost Marshals. New organizations, such as the battalion
for the Second Regiment, was recruited by the State authorities.
And about the same time, during the month of June or July, when
the men were to be brought for the old reginents, to be recruited
through the office of the Provost Marshal, we received authority to
give a certificate for a one year man $20 ; for two years men $40 ;
for three years men $50. That authority was not changed from the
time of the first certificate, dated the 16th of July, 1864, up to the
first of January, 1865. It remained in force during that time, so far
as any authority we had to alter it. On the first of January I re
ceived, through Lt.-Col. Neide, A. A. P. M. G., notifications that
the State bounties would be increased $100 each, on one year, two
years, and three years men. I am speaklhg now of State bounties.
The premium was to be increased for all men enlisted, whether for
one, two, or three years men. The certificates were to be $150 ;
that is to say, the same amount of head money was to be paid for a
three years as a one year man, and vice versa. From July 16th to
January 1st, I received no orders to change the value of the certifi
cates, although I had information, that they were sold to certain
parties for a much larger price than the face of the certificate. After
January 1st, 1865, the bounty was increased. A one year man re
ceived $200, a two years man $300, and a three years man $400
from the State. That order was annulled on the 20th of January.
I received notice direct from His Excellency that the quota was filled,
and tbat the head money would cease with the bounties on the 20th,
and there is no other order now standing on that subject. These
certificates were made by Capt. Chadsey and myself; we each had a
check book made. It is in this form, " the date. I certify that 
has been enlisted and mustered into the United States service, to the
credit of the quota of Rhode Island, and is entitled to the sum of
 ;" which was filled out if for one year $20 ; two years $40 ;
three years $50. After the 1st of January it was filled $150. I
delivered the certificate to the runner ; we knew no person in the
transaction but the runner.
Q. What was done with the certificates. Did they go direct or
did they sell them ?
A. I cannot remember the precise date, when I ffirst heard that
.these certificates were sold in the streets at a higher price than the
face of the certificate. One man sold a $50 certificate for $60,

256

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

another for $70. It lasted but a few days, however, before it was
generally understood that there were parties buying for $90 that is for
$50 certificate.
Q. Who were the parties that furnished them.
A. I only know from the parties to whom I gave the certificates ;
the names of Major Engley, Captain Starkey, Col. Francis and Col.
Jenckes. Those I remember — those four. I do not know whether
any others were prominent. There were parties connected with them
in their offices, but whether they had anything to do with the amounts
I do not know. One of the parties since the 1st of January has pur
chased these certificates in my office. When the runner would come
out he would take the certificates and pay the money — pay the face of
the certificate. Since the 1st of January runners have sold certifi
cates to Col. Jenckes in my office, for the face of the certificate. Col.
Jenckes has generally met them and has been in the office, apparently
for that purpose.
Q. Has he any place of business there ?
A. He has no place of business in my office — no connection with
the Provost Marshal's Department. He has come in the same as any
one else would, and if he would see a man with a certificate would
buy it for the face of it. That is generally understood that it was
for the face of the certificate. I took the number of certificates from
the stamp of my certificate* books, and found that I had delivered to
runners fifty-one 1 years men at $20, fifty-three at $50, and fifty-six
at $150. Captain Chadsey has also had the same system. How
many certificates he issued, I do not know. This is all that I now
think of in connection with the certificates, given to runners.
Names of Recruits enlisted in the United States service during the month of January, 1865,
at the office ofthe 1st District of Rhode Island.

January 2 .
2.2. 2.2.2.

NAME OF RECRUIT.

. . . Thomas Thapham ....
...Hugh Duffy 
. . . Martin L. Howard . . . .
. . .Daniel Tehan. . ......
. . . Francis McCaudemi . .
. . .James Smith 
. . .James H. Waterman. .
. . . . John Randall 
— Edwiu F. Abbey 
. . . James Harris 
. . . Patrick Rourke 
. . . Thomas Hamilton . . . .
. .Joseph A. Parrant. . . .
. . .Edward Franklin 
...Walter A. Tucker 
. . . Henry L. Battey 
. . . Charles W. Stearns. . .
...Charles W. Tucker...
. .Jotham C. Rockwood.
. . .Francis Donnelly 
. . . Michael Fitzgerald 

BT WHOM PRESENTED.

. ..Wm. N. S. Brown.
. . .John McCann.
...Clifford Fuller.
. . . Gorton, Cook & Co.
. . .L. C. Spooner.
. . .Geo. S. Appleby.
. ..John A. Francis.
. . .James Potter.
. ..Wm. N.S. Brown.
. ..Wm. N. S. Brown.
. . . H. T. Barbour.
. ..A. W. Corlis.
. . . A. W. Corlis.
. . . C. H. Morse.
. . .John Battey.
. . .John Battey.
. . . Gorton, Cook & Co.
. . .C. H. Morse.
. . . Gorton, Cook & Co.
, . . C. A. Fuller.
. . . Gorton, Cook & Co.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS.

257

10..10.. 10..10.. 11..11.. 11.11.. 11..11.. 11., 11.,
11. 11. 11.12. 14.
14. 17. 17. 17.
17.17. 18.18.18.19. 19.19.
20.20.21. 21
21.21.
21.
21.
21.
21.
21.

.A. Moor
.James Malone
¦ Charles H. Fuller 
. John W. Brown 
. James K. King 
, . John H. Williams
.James Crichton 
. . Patrick H. Ryan 
, . Almon W. Johnson. . .
..Gilbert Willis 
..Stephen Willis 
. . Frank Lee 
. . John Sullivan 
. .James W. Titus 
. .James T. Gillespie . . , .
..William Smith 
. . William A. Lincoln . . .
. . William Lambert 
..Thomas A. Spaulding
. . Elkanah Clark 
. . James Sullivan 
. . James Farley 
. .John Bailey 
. .Matthew Forsyth. 
. .John Martin 
. . Frederick Bradic 
. .John Lahey 
. .Joel F. Crocker 
. .Frederick Glover 
. . Wm. C. Parker 
. .Henry F. Gardiner 
. . Stephen A. Berry —
..Geo. S. Boutwell....
. .Jerry Lee 
. . Thomas Sagerson . . .
. .Henry Slocum 
. .John Robinson 
. . John McMillen 
. . Davis C. Burke 
. .William L. Dayton. .
. .Albert Robinson 
. . Orville P. Jones 

.S. Spooner.
.Charles S. Lawrence.
 Charles T. Rex.
. . . .Edward H. Hazard.
 Capt. Pollard.
....H. B. Cady.
 E. F. Prentice.
 H. W. Bennett.
 Gorton, Cook & Co,
 do. do.
, . . . . do. do.
 John Culin.
 Gorton, Cook & Co.
 S. C. Spooner.
, . . . . Chas. S. Lawrence.
 John S. Follett.
 Crawford Lincoln.
 C. S. Lawrence.
 do. do.
 Gorton, Cook & Co.
 Chas. S. Lawrence.
 H. B. Cady.
 Chas. S. Lawrence.
 do. do.
 Michael Martin.
 Gorton, Cook & Co.
 C.H.Morse.
 H. B. Cady.
 Chas. S. Lawrence.
 Geo. S. Appleby.
 T. B.Kimball.
 H. B. Cady.
 do. do.
 Gorton, Cook & Co.
 do, do.
 do. do.
 D. G. Greene.
 DeanLinnell.
 do. do.
 F. W. Franklin.
 John A. Francis.

. , . .Dean Linnell.
. Providence, R, I., February 10th, 1865.
I hereby certify that the above sixty-three names of recruits, is a correct transcript
from the records of this office, for the month of January, 1865.
WM. E. HAMLIN,
Capt. and Provost Marshal, 1st Dist. R. I.

TESTIMONY OF CAPT. LEMUEL T. STARKEY.
January 31st, 1865.
Question. Do you hold any commission in this State ?
Answer. I hold a commission in the 3d cavalry. I think it was in
October, 1863, 1 received it. The commission has never been revoked
and I have never resigned. I did ask for a resignation but have
not received it.
Q. Have you ever been mustered into service ?
A. I have not, sir ; not into the 3d cavalry.

258 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. What service have you been employed in ?
A. On recruiting service, sir ; ever since I have been here. I
came from New Orleans, the 47th Massachusetts, in which I held a
commission — served my time out and went into the recruiting service.
I belong in Massachusetts ; formerly lived here.
Q. For what regiment did you recruit ?
A. For the 3d cavalry, and since that for the old regiments that
were in the field, and this second regiment that has been forming of
six companies. I commenced in August, 1863, to recruit for the 3d
cavalry. I have put in some few individuals into the 14th colored
regiment within the last few months, perhaps five or six ; that is all,
and those went through -Capt. Chadsey's office.
Q. Under what orders did you go into the recruiting business ?
A. My first orders were the orders of Col. Sayles of the 3d cav
alry, to raise a company for that organization, which I did raise — com
pany C to commence with, and then I was commissioned by the Gov
ernor after that. I went to camp for the purpose of taking command
of the company, and was ordered back on recruiting service, and they
kept me on recruiting service till the regiment was full, and they
wished me to remain back after the regiment was filled. Therefore
I was not mustered into the regiment. Then my orders came in wri
ting from the Governor's office on recruiting service, in which I acted
under those orders. I think I have three written orders to act on this
service. Q. What compensation were you to have ?
A. The first orders when I recruited under Col. Sayles, were for
me to receive $10 a man in raising a company. After that, and after
the companies were raised up to C, D, and E, I received $10 a man.
After E was raised I received $159 50 a month, that was my pay as
captain of cavalry until the regiment was full ; then my pay stopped.
The agreement was that I should receive that on account of not taking
the command, because they preferred my staying back. I recruited
after that on another order. They paid me one months wages for
the 2d regiment. That was all the compensation I received for that
month as captain of cavalry. After the cavalry was full there was a
short interval before receiving this. I was out some four weeks doing
nothing. Then I commenced under another order. They were to
pay me $80, $100, and $110 for each man that I put in. I continued
on that I think until the 1st of January, 1865. Then they ordered
me to recruit and would pay $200 a man for every man that I would
put in, and I recruited up until I stopped some week or two ago.
Q. Did you cash any Provost Marshals certificates ?
A. I cashed all I received, sir ; whether by carrying the recruits
in myself or by having individuals bring the receipts to me and I buy
ing them. That was my orders from Major S. P. Sanford, superin
tendent of recruiting.
Q. When recruiting agents brought certificates to you, what were
they for ?
A. For recruits.
Q. Did they show the price on the face of them ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 259
A. They did. Those from January up to the time when we
stopped, showed $150. Before that they showed I think $20 for one
year men ; $40 for two years men, and $50 I think it was for three
years men. I will state what I paid for them. We paid $60, $80
and $100. Those were my orders to pay $60, $80 and $100, which
I have paid.
Q. Whom did you derive that from to buy them at that price ?
A. Major S. P. Sanford.
Q. What interest had he ?
A. I was ordered to go by his instructions from the Governor's
office. He was considered to be the general superintendent of re
cruiting for the State of Rhode Island. My orders all come from
Trim. If I went to the Governor's office, I was referred to him for
anything I wished to get.
Q. Could any person buy those orders or only a few persons ?
A. I understood that there were but few persons authorized.
These were Col. Jenckes, Col. Francis, Major Engley and myself.
That is as far as I know. I think Lieut. Occleston of the 15th U.
S., was recruiting the same. I understood so. This is what I heard.
I don't know for a fact. I have seen certificates made for the other
parties. That is why I spoke about it.
Q. Did Major Sanford derive any profit either directly or indi
rectly from this business ?
A. I don't know that he did derive any profit. He was paid wa
ges, I believe. This money we used for buying these certificates was
money furnished by individuals who brought them. It was not the
State's money that was used. If I bought them I used my own
money. Major Sanford furnished me with money from the National
Bank, (he has an account there,) which I paid back to him, and paid
him something for the use of it.
Q. How much did you pay for the use of it ?
A. I could not tell without my minutes and figures in regard to
what I paid out. I will look at my figures and give you the informa
tion. I have all the papers and figures and the bank account. I
should not thmk it would take me a great while.
Q. Did you know of his receiving any income or profit either di
rectly or indirectly before this arrangement ?
A. No, sir ; I did not.
Q. Did he furnish the money to others of these parties ?
A. That, I could not say. I have heard him say that he did, I
believe, to Major Engley.
Q. Did he say to anybody else ?
A. I don't think that he did. The bank where he got the money
was the old National Bank. I drew the money myself on checks
from there. He left accounts so that I could overdraw, and I over
drew considerable sometimes. I was obliged to.
Q. Have you copies of those orders for recruiting, that were
issued to-you from the Executive's office?
A. I think I have all of them, and will present them to you.

260

REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

Q. From whom did they emanate ?
A. I think they all emanated from Col. Bailey, by the order of
the Governor. That is my impression, sir. I have paid Major San
ford, as near as I can estimate, $950, over and above all sums which
he has, from time to time advanced to me, either personally or guar
anteeing at bank. From this sum, I expect to have returned to me
from Major Sanford, four hundred and fifty dollars, the balance I
expect him to keep for his risks, and use of his money advanced to me.
Dr. L. T. Starkey, in account with National Bank, Providence. Cr.

1864.

Oct. 25.

Check

29.

do.

Nov. 4.

do.

12.

do.

Dec. 12.

do.

28.

do.

30.

do.

31.

do.

Jan. 2.

do.

3.

* do.

4.

do.

6.

do.

7.

do.

9.

do.

10.

do.

11.

do.

13.

do.

1864.

Dec. 12.

Over Drawn.

28.

do.

30.

do.

81.

do.

1865.

Jan. 2.

do.

3.

do.

4.

do.

9.

do.

$200 00
100 00
90 00
60 00
300 00
400 00
60 00
120 00
429 80
350 00
40 00
530 00
21 00
750 00
189 38
18 75
150 00

1864.

Oct. 26.
Cash.
Dec. 16.
do.
28.
do.
1865.
Jan. 5.
Cash
10.
do.
11.
do.
$480 00
300 00
42 00
2000 00
1000 00
60 00
$270 00
328 00
388 00
508 00
937 80
1287 80
1327 80
628 80
Providence, February 28th, 1865.
Hon. Wm. P. Shpfibld,
Chairman, Committee on Finance, General Assembly.
Sir : — When I made my statement before your Committee, I stated that Major S.
P. Sanford had been paid by me $950 more than I had received at the time I stated
this. I assumed that the $950 would be retained by the Major, and I should obtain in
return one half of his salary for the period I named. Since I appeared before the
Committee, I have received from Major Sanford the amount of $950. It was my
custom while recruiting, to rely upon Mjrjor Sanford for means to prosecute the busi
ness. Sometimes I would be largely in his debt, and sometimes he would be in debt
to me. At the time I made my statement, when called before the Committee, the
money matters between us was as I stated. I wish also to state, distinctly, that Major
Sanford has not at any time been in partnership with me, nor has he or any one else
received a distribution of any portion of my profits, made while recruiting, excepting
Capt. Bicknell, of Third Cavalry.
Most respectfully yours,
L. T. STARKEY.
I certify the above and within statement to be true, to the best of my knowledge and
belief.
S. P. SANFORD.
ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 261
TESTIMONY OF CLIFTON A. FULLER.
I reside in Providence. I have been in the recruiting business two
years or more for almost all branches of the service.
Question. Did you recruit any for the fourteenth regiment Rhode
Island Heavy Artillery ?
Answer. Yes, sir. I acted under Major J. C. Engley. Most of
my work was in the Western States — Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.
Q. What arrangement was there between you and Major Engley ?
A. I was to work for him by the day. I had three dollars a day
and my expenses.
Q. On what terms did you enlist these men?
A. They were to have the State bounty. I think we were pay
ing $300 then. I don't mean to say that I had anything to do with
paying them.
Q. Did you agree to pay them $300 ?
A. No, sir ; not in all cases. They signed off their bounty ?
Q. Did you in any case pay that west of New York city, was there
any case west of New York city where they agreed to pay $300 ?
A. No, sir ; I do not know that there was.
Q. Was there any case west of Buffalo where they agreed to pay
$^50 :
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where, when and what was the case ?
A. It was in the city of Detroit, Michigan. I don't know as I
can mention the names, sir.
Q. Can you mention the names of one of them ?
A. Yes, sir ; William Whippee. I should suppose his enlistment
papers ought to be down street.
Q. How much money do you swear that you agreed to pay him ?
A. The agreement was with him for $250. That I swear to.
Q. Can you mention any other case ?
A. There were other cases but I cannot mention the names.
Q. How much was the least bounty you agreed to pay any per
son jn the contract which you made with these men ?
A. Fifty dollars, I think, sir.
Q. How many did you enlist at that price ?
A. Perhaps, twelve.
Q. Did you contract to enlist any for $75 ?
A. No, sir ; I don't remember that I made a contract for that price.
Q. How many were enlisted under an agreement to pay $100 ?
A. I think, perhaps, about the same number, twelve or fourteen.
Q. Where did you enlist these twelve men for $50 ?
A. They were at Indianapolis. They were brought to me by
parties that secured them in Missouri and Kentucky.
Q. Who brought them to you ?
A. There were agents ; one colored man by the name of Henry
Allen, worked for me at Indianapolis.
Q. How much did you pay him a day ?
A. I hired him by the day at first, and I then paid him so much

262 REPORTOF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
apiece for the men he furnished. For some I paid him $25, and for
some for $50 apiece.
Q. How did you know he had got them from Missouri or Ken
tucky ?
A. I took his word for it, sir.
Q. Do you say that $200, or as much as that, was paid to any
man west of Detroit ?
A. I say it was promised to them, sir.
Q. Who paid their transportation here ?
A. J. C. Engley, sir, I suppose, it was furnished to me by him.
The Governor made an order for it.
Q. How much per man was the transportation from Indianapolis
to Providence ?
A. I should say it was from $13 to $15 per man. I don't recol
lect the exact amount that was paid ; in fact, I did not pay it myself;
I did not know, but think I have heard say it was from $13 to $15
per man . I merely had an order, and I could draw transportation there.
Q. Do you know whether that transportation was ultimately paid
for by the State or not ?
A. No, sir ; I do not.
Q. Were you present here when any of the men were enlisted?
A. No, sir ; I was not.
Q. You did not know what took place ?
A. No, sir ; I did not. I heard there were complaints that men
were defrauded of their bounties, and that there were frauds. I came
home in January.
Q. Did you know anything about their being defrauded ?
A. Nothing more than what I heard by report. Nothing of my
own knowledge.
Q. And you did not know anything about these men being brought
from Missouri and Kentucky, except Sy report ?
A. Nothing more than the agent, or men, told me. I know that
we enlisted some that I understood were contrabands — that said they
were contrabands.
Q. Are you in the employ of Major Engley now ?
A. No, sir ; I am not ; I have not been for more than a year.
Q. Do you know how many men you enlisted in all?
A. No, sir ; I do not know the exact number.
Q. About how many ? more than one hundred ?
A. I should say so.
Q. Do you know how much bounty you promised to pay them,
not what it would average, but the aggregate sum ?
A. I do not know the aggregate sum.
Q. You are enlisting now, you say, and have been during the
time intervening ?
A. Yes, sir ; the last six or eight months.
Q. What was your process of effecting enlistments during the fall ?
A. We generally told the recruit what the amount of bounty
was. Through the fall and winter, up to the 1st of Jauuary, the
bounty from the State was $100, $200 and $300.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 263
Q. What was the hand money paid you ?
A. We have had a good many prices since I commenced in the
fall. I commenced in September. Then, we got $40 for a man en
listing for one year.
Q. How did you get that ?
A. I used to take one of my enlisting papers. We would take
the man to camp, (we were enlisting mostly for the Second Regiment,)
and make out four enlisting papers ; one we would return, and take
a receipt for the man, after we took him to camp, from the command
ant of the camp — that we had furnished the man to the camp. The
receipt and the enlistment paper we took to Col. Jenckes, with whom
I usually did my business. He would pay us $40. That was the
prices we got/in the first place. Finally we found some fault, and I
told him I thought they were paying more, and he said he would
inquire into it and see if he could pay us any more. Finally, I un
derstood he went to the Governor, and afterwards he paid us $50.
Q. Did you enlist any man through the Provost Marshal's office ?
A. Yes, sir. We used to put in men through the Provost Mar
shal's office.
Q. What was the process there ?
A. We used to get a voucher for the men that would entitle us
to $50 for one man for one year. Previous to my commencing it was
$20. In September, when'l commenced it was $50, $60 and $90.
I do not know as I ever put in a two years man. I would not be
positive about the two years price. One year was $50, and three
years was $90.
Q. What did you do with these vouchers ?
' A. Well, sir ; I sold mine to Col. Jenckes.
Q. Those vouchers entitled you to go to the Quartermaster Gene
ral, and get how much ?
A. I do not know, as they were made out to the Quartermaster
General. They were an order to get so much from the State —
— from the Governor.
Q. What did you get for them from Col. Jenckes ?
A. We used to get $50 and $90— the face of them ?
Q. Did he have anything to do with enlisting your men ?
A. No, sir.
Q. He had nothing to do with enlisting the men for which you
received the vouchers at the Provost Marshal's office ?
A. No, sir ; nothing that I know of ?
Q. Since the 1st of January, you have received vouchers ?
A. We have been putting in men altogether through the Provost
Marshal's department. We used to get a voucher for $150 for every
man we put in for a longer or shorter period.
Q. What did you do with the vouchers ?
A. I have sold some. At least, I have been paid by Col. Jenckes
for some, and by Col. John N. Francis for some.
Q. Did they have anvthing to do with enlisting these men (
A. Not that I know of, sir. I enlisted them myself.

262 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. You are enlisting now ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How is enlisting going on ?
A. It is a little quiet just now, but I think it will pick up in a day
or two..
• TESTIMONY OF CAPT. A. B. CHADSEY,
Provost Marshal of the Second District.
Monday, February 6th, 1865.
Question. Have you been engaged in receiving recruits from this
State for the United States ?
Answer. I have, sir.
Q. Have you received any orders from the Executive Department
in reference to the payment of bounties, or head money, to persons
who presented recruits ?
A. My orders were,, sir, in writing, from the Executive, I think,
and the first orders received were for one, two and three years men.
For one year men,' I was directed to give a voucher, to collect $20
from the Executive of the State. For two years men, I think it was
$30, and it may have been $35.
Q. Was it 'not $40?
A. It may have been.
Q. How much for three years men ?
A. It was $50 ; but we put in so few two years men, that it has
not become impressed on my memory. We put in only two or three
of that description. I am unable to state when the orders were mod
ified, and changed ; I think it was, somewhere about the first of Janu
ary ; the book will determine.
Q. What were the alterations made in them at that time ?
A. I think the alteration was from $20, $40 and $50, to $150,
without distinction as to the term of service. The order was to give
a voucher for $150, whether for one, two or three years men.
Q. Was this order filled up in the name of the man that brought
the recruit ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was it delivered to him ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was any other name, at any time, inserted in those orders?
A. Well,, sir ; I think there has been other names inserted in these
orders ; there were three or four men who sent their recruits to the
office in charge of runners, as they are called, and the man who
brought the recruit would say, Capt.' Starkey sent these men, or you
will make the voucher in his name ; or it might be, Major Engley, or
Col. John N. Francis. And when the runner, or man presenting the
recruit, has told us that the voucher was to be made in the name of
any other person, we have done so ; that was at their own election,
and at their own suggestion ; we never advised or requested them to
put in the name of any person.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 265
Q. Did Capt. Starkey, Maj. Engley, or Col. Francis have any
thing to do with the recruiting of these men, in the vouchers for
which their names appeared ?
A. I am unable to answer, sir, how much they had to do with it.
The recruits were procured outside of the office, and I have no cog
nizance of what was done there.
Q. Were those vouchers sold ?
A. Yes, sir ; they have been sold, though never to my personal
knowledge, except in one instance ; I have frequently heard of it.
The first intimation I had of the vouchers being sold, was when we
were giving vouchers of $50 for three years men, and that voucher
was purchased by the third person, before the man who had received
it had left the office. I did not see the purchase, but was told of it
before either of the parties had left my office.. One of the clerks, I
don't remember who, said, "These vouchers must be worth more
,xthan their face, this man has bought one, and paid $80 for it ;" the
face of the voucher was $50. Well, I enquired who had purchased
the voucher ; I was told that it was Chas. N. Gifford. He is a de
tective who is about my office considerably, but has no connection
with it. If it had been one of my clerks, or special officers, I should
have had an investigation at once ; but I thought, before having an
investigation with Gifford, I would go to the Executive and ascertain
why a voucher of $50 should be sold for $80. I went immediately
and ascertained that the amount paid on those vouchers had been
changed. " Well," I said, " is it proper that we should make a change
to correspond with the change you have determined on?" " No,"
said the Governor, " it is immaterial about that, you can go on and
give vouchers as you have done, for $20, $40 and $50, and we will
arrange that when we pay them." "Well," I said, " I felt very
much astonished to learn that a $50 voucher was being sold for $80,
and I thought there must have been some mistake, because I had re
ceived no orders to issue any vouchers for more than $50. If they
were worth more, I thought we should be apprised of it in the office,
and give them for the same as they called them." I also stated, that,
if the sum had been changed to a higher figure, I should never per
mit them to be sold in my office ; for the reason that the person
presenting the recruit should not be speculated upon. If the $80, or
whatever sum beyond $50 was to be paid, it should be paid to the
individual who brought the recruit, not to a speculator. He said,
" very well ; that would be very proper." And I said, " I shall take
that responsibility at all events, to forbid any speculation in my office."
I -called the clerks and special officers together, and stated to them
the fact of the voucher being sold foj: $80, when the face of it was
$50. I said, " I wish you to understand, each of you, that no trans
action of that nature will be permitted in this office ; if a man brings
a recruit and gets a voucher for $50, and wishes to sell it, he must
sell it to somebody not connected with this office, and some one not
in the office, whether connected with it or not. I will not permit any
speculations of that nature." This was when I came back from the
Governor's. 34

266 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Is it any part of your business to sign certificates for naval
•recruits ?
A. They are not certificates but vouchers. They are of the
nature of a certificate. Perhaps I can explain. There is a method
of forwarding recruits to Boston for the Naval Rendezvous — 'there
being none in Rhode Island — like this : What is called a transmis
sion paper is furnished him, and it reads something like this : "Capt.
Hazard commanding Naval Rendezvous at Boston, I herewith for- {
ward you John Brown, a recruit for the navy. Then follows his
description ; and I sign myself respectfully his obedient servant."
That recruit is taken from here to Boston and is examined by the
Naval Board. (We don't go into any examination of the man
physically, except so far as to ask him if he has any physical infir
mity that would disqualify him for discharging the duties of an able-
bodied seaman. We take his word for it, if we examine him here.
They would go through with an examination of him in Boston in any
case, and would not accept of ours if we made one). That man goes
forward with this paper which I have signed, or some one goes with
him and presents the man ; and if he is accepted after a surgical ex
amination, they retain him, and forward me a certificate of his enlist
ment, reading something like this': "I hereby certify, that John
Brown has this day enlisted in the Naval Service of the United
States, " addressing it to me. Then within a day or two, a voucher
comes to me, or rather an order from John Brown, saying that he
has appointed somebody to receive his bounty ; and upon the back of
that order I certify, (if it corresponds with the certificate I have re
ceived from Capt. Hazard and Capt. Knox,) that he is bona fide en
listed into the service of the United States Navy. Upon that I un
derstand his bounty is collected. I could show you those papers.
Those certificates and vouchers must always be filled in with the
name of the party who proposes to enlist.
Q. Are these ever signed in blank ?
A. Never in blank. I have been solicited to sign in blank, i. e. it
has been suggested to me, and I at once declined doing it. It was not
insisted upon. At one time I sent a deputy to Boston, with a letter
to Captain Hazard, informing him that I had appointed this, dep
uty to report at the Naval Rendezvous for the purpose of examining
men, or seeing the men who were presented for enlistment into the
Navy, and signing for me the paper which certifies that I presented
them for enlistment. To make the thing a little less troublesome* I
was aked if I would sign in blank, and let these papers go down — let
any runner put them in. I said, I would not do it, but would send a
deputy and let him see every man that was put in. John Nichols
was the deputy. He was there only five or six days, and since tjien
I have signed the papers myself, after seeing the men in the office and
taking their description, knowing that they were men physically quali
fied to enlist and discharge the duties of seamen in the Navy. I have
sent them forward with the papers to go from here to Boston, and
make application for enlistment. I have been solicited to sign a trans
mission ordei in blank.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 267
Q. By whom ?
A. It has been suggested to me, to know if I would do such a
thing, by Major Sanford. He said a man came to him and asked if
it was probable I would sign papers in blank, and " now I will ask
you the question," he said. I did not then know what these trans
mission papers were. I said, " I don't understand the proposition."
He. said, "the Provost Marshals of other States have got up the
system of what they call transmission papers. When there are no
naval rendezvous in their States, they send men forward with papers
addressed to the captains commanding the naval rendezvous, saying :
" I herewith send you (naming the man) the following man for en
listment in the navy," and then give his description, height, color of
eyes, hair and complexion, and just sign their names to it and then
let it go. He said, " some of them are signing those papers with
no name filled in as the recruit, trusting to some runner to pick up a
recruit, and fill the blank with his name and description." I said
that I never would certify that I forwarded a man, unless I saw the
man, and did forward the man. " WeU," said he, "it is done for
other States, and it was thought that you might do it." I said, " no,
sir : I would not do it." He said, " other Provost Marshals are said
to receive $15 for each paper that they sign in blank, and then it
goes forward — but they have not seen the man. When the runner
picks up a man, he puts the name in the blank. What would you
think of that ?" I said, " if a man should come to me with such a
suggestion as that, I should arrest him before he got out of my sight."
Q. It was an indirect offer that he would give you $15.
A. Yes, sir. Major Sanford said, " well, that is just what I told
him, that he had better keep away from yon." He told the man not
to come to me, but, he (Major Sanford) came to me, and made the
suggestions which the man had made to him. I do not know who
the man was.
Q. Maj. Sanford did not say who the man was ?
I A. No sir. It was intimated that I should have $15 for signing
the certificate in blank. I state the suggestion of the other man to
Major Sanford.
Q. When were these vouchers first given by you ?
A. The first voucher was given on the 29th of June — $50 given to
Uzziel G'leason for a recruit who enlisted in theNThird Rhode Island
Cavalry. The next was given on the same day to Lemuel T. Star-
key, for Daniel Rhodes, a recruit, who enlisted in the Third Rhode
Island Cavalry. They are all recorded in order in this book (reading
from book), there are 239 vouchers recorded in this book.
Q. How long was it before you were aware that a larger price was
paid for them ?
A. If may have been two or three days. I may have detected it
on the first day. I could not say about that. I will state that upon
calling upon the Governor, and stating the fact that a voucher for
$50, had just been sold in my office for $80, and that I had come to
inquire the reason^ and asking him if he had made a change in the

268 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
enlistment premium, raising the price from $50 upwards. He said he
had. Then I asked him if it would be proper for him to give me a
new order, and he said that would be unnecessary, I might go on and
fill the vouchers for thfe same sums as heretofore, and he would direct
the Quartermaster General, to pay on them such sums as he, (the
Gov.) had determined." He said : " I have been obliged to do this
thing as Massachusetts is paying much more head-money than we are,
and recruiting runners who get the men, ship them in at Boston,
because they can get more head-money for the men. These runners
have no interest that prompts them to put men in here, except what
they can put in their pockets. To save our citizens at home we have
been obliged to offer a larger amount of head-money. You can fill
the certificates as you have done, as it will not be necessary tp stipu
late the precise sum in the voucher, we can adjust that when they are
paid, as the men who receive the money will be required to give a
receipt for the amount. A. B. CHADSEY,
Provost Marshal 2d Bist., R. I.
[For the names of the recruits and the names of persons by whom they were pre
sented, for the month of January, 1865, at the office of Provost Marshal, A. B. Chad-
Bey, will be found at the end of this volume. |

REPORT OF THE. PROCEEDINGS AND TESTIMONY BEFORE THE
JOINT SPECIAL COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE THE
MANNER IN WHICH BOUNTIES HAVE BEEN PAID TO VOLUNTEERS
ENLISTED IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, AND MUSTERED
INTO THE SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES.
The Committee met at the State Auditor's Office, at 3 o'clock on Monday afternoon,
February 8th, 1863. Present— W. W. Blodgett, Chairman; Messrs. E. L. Blake, H.
H. Thomas, Bradbury C. Hill, and Thomas A. Whitman.
The Committee came to order, and on motion of Mr. Blake, seconded by Mr. Whit
man, J. C. Thompson was elected clerk. The Chairman submitted copies of sundry
orders, relating to the payment of bounties since last June, (1863,) furnished him by
the Adjutant General, — all the orders issued from the office.
General Order, No. 19, June 23, 1863.
General Order, No. 23, July 9, 1863.
General Order, No. 47, Dec. 29, 1863.
It was then voted to summon before the Committee, Paymaster General John N.
Francis, Major James C. Engley, Major S. P. Sanford.
After some further consultation the Committee adjourned to meet at 2 1-2 o'clock,
next day. SECOND DAY.
The Committee was called to order at a quarter before 3 o'clock ; Mr. Blodgett in
the chair. The Paymaster General was present, and upon his invitation the Commit
tee adjourned to his office. Paymaster General's Office.
All the members of the Committee present. John N. Francis, Paymaster General.
appeared before the Committee and was sworn by the Chairman.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 269
TESTIMONY OF JOHN N. FRANCIS. February 9th, 1863.
Question. By the Chairman. How long have you been Pay
master General?
Answer. I was elected on the 28th of February, or 1st of March.
I think my commission dates from the 4th of March, 1863.
Q. Did you enter upon your official duties that day ?
A. I did, sir, on the 4th day of March.
Q. And have ever since been acting as Paymaster General ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. As Paymaster General, has it been your official duty to pay
the State bounties to volunteers?
A. It has been so upon the direction of His Excellency the Gov
ernor. I would say, in connection with that, also, gentlemen, that
so strictly have I adhered to it, that I have paid no money unless it
was by direct order from the Governor, because I felt that I had no
right to, unless it was in regard to a general order, relating to men
entering the service as veterans. General public orders which came
from the department of the Adjutant General; but as it has been
here, no individual could get his bounty unless by special requisition
of the Governor, unless by general order, without a requisition.
Q. Do these orders come to you directly from the Governor, or
directly from the Adjutant General ?
A. " Well, mostly, sir, directly from the Governor. There have
been some few that have come through the Adjutant General ; but
few, I have no recollection of more than three or four that I may
have among my files — not more than two or three.
Q. Have you these orders where you can conveniently produce
them ?
A. Yes, sir. [General Francis produces them.] There is one
dated August 29th, 1863. I have some more in addition to that.
Chairman calls attention to the orders furnished him by the Adju
tant General, of June 23d, July 9th, and December 29th, 1863.
General Francis. This of June 25th, 1863, (the same with June
23,) is a general public order that was advertised and remained hi
the papers quite a while. I have a printed copy which I kept quite
a while. I asked the Governor if it was necessary to have another
order, to enable me to pay these bounties, and he said I was au
thorized to act by the general order, as in the case where the Pay
master General is directed to pay by the public order. [Refers to
special general order No. 42, the Paymaster General.]
Gen. Francis. This, Mr. Chairman, is a general order which was
issued to all men enlisting, setting forth the terms and conditions upon
which the State of Rhode Island paid the bounties. Of course, no
man enlisting could obtain this bounty. No bounty could be paid
until'the Governor had given me the number of men to whom this
bounty was to be paid. I should not have a copy of this among my
files. Now, follows under that order, a special order, No. 52, written
by the1 Adjutant General.

270 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Chairman. The Paymaster General is ordered to pay in accord
ance with general order No. 19.
Q. This is a special order ?
A. I think this is the first special order that was issued. There
may be one prior to that ; perhaps the one I let you haYe.
Chairman. No, this is subsequent.
Gen. Francis. That is the first ono, June 25th, directed to pay
the bounties of $300 to those named men. There is quite a story
about those men. We had to take their affidavits and have them
substantiated, before the Judges of courts in New Hampshire, to
show that these men were not there at the time they enlisted. These
men, twenty-one, made it very difficult, because, many of them I had
to look up. They got the bounty in New Hampshire, and claimed it
here also. There has been a considerable number of applications, I
don't believe there were over six that were paid.
Q. By Mr. Whitman. How did they claim this bounty ?
A. Because, though enlisting in the quota of New Hampshire,
on coming down here and re-enlisting, they claimed our bounty.
Some of the men were sworn in by general enlistment, but assigned
to no company. They came and re-enlisted here and were assigned.
[Mr. Francis stated the case of one of these New Hampshire volun
teers, who tried to impose upon him and secure the Rhode Island
bounty.] To "a member. They did draw the bounty in New Hampshire,
and tried to draw it here. Those who did draw their bounty here,
counted for the quota of Rhode Island.
Q. These orders were all for the payment of the full bounties to
the men themselves ?
A. Yes, sir ; that full bounty was to be paid in accordance with
general orders — $75 down, and $225, &c, at a future time.
Q. There are no orders from the Adjutant General Office, in re
gard to paying bounties to the 14th Regiment ?
A. No sir ; none at all.
Q. Suppose we come down to that regiment and take the orders
received by you, for the payment of the bounties in that regiment
from the time of its commencement ?
A. Well, sir ; I have the first order for the payment of that
money to men enlisted in the 14th Regiment, dated September 17th,
1863. Chairman. Reads —
" By direction of the Governor you will pay to Major Engley upon such recruits as
he will name for the 14th Regiment R. I. Heavy Artillery, $50 as an advance pay
ment of bounty, to be taken out of the $225 payment whenever the latter payment is
ordered to be paid. You will please report to this department on what names you
make the above payment. On Major Engley's presenting receipts for $25 advance
bounty, you will pay him that sum, and to the men giving these receipts said advance
will not be paid.
(Signed,) CHARLES E. BAILEY."
Mr. Thomas. Now, Mr. Chairman, I did not understand about
that sum of $25.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 271
Mr. Francis. I will explain. As I understand it, Maj. Engley at
the time when the order was issued, in obtaining recruits, through his
men, found some men living in remote places, whose families were en
tirely dependent upon the man for support, and whose relations were
such, that they could not well relieve him, and after he found that
was in the way, they say to the men "if you are disposed to go, and if
you want to leave any money to your family, we will let you have
$25 down, and take your receipt." Then the man would say. "That
will make provision for my family ; I will take that" and so Major
Engley would pay him.
Q. What is the meaning of this order : — " Such recruits as he
will name ? "
A. It means, he will bring a list of the names ; for instance ; 20
\ men ; he will bring me these men and their receipts or contracts,
" under which they were to enlist, and I would take them down, and
every day send a list to the Governor's office. They were all lodged
in that department.
Q. Now, Gen. Francis, is it possible for you to inform us how
much money you paid under this order ?
A. Under that particular order ?
Q. Yes sir.
. A. I hardly think it is, under that particular order. I can tell
you how much under all the orders.
Q. Your papers will show how much you paid under this order ?
A. Yes sir.
Q. The Committee wish to know how much of the full amount
is paid to Maj. Engley under this order of $50 to a man ; I don't
know how many — this order requiring the Paymaster General to pay
Maj. Engley $50, or each recruit in the 14th Regiment that he may
name ?
A. This order is to be paid as a part of the advance payment.
Q. To be taken out of the $225 payment, whenever the latter
part of the bounty is ordered to be paid ?
A. That is to say — $75 down as soon as they are mastered in,
and the $50 was to come off the last bounty payment.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Was $50 paid on the receipts by the men of
m. A. No, sir ; we paid them $25. The Governor was absent when
we enlisted the men and gave me a special order- to pay $25, and as
the company were mustered in, I paid them $50, and then $225.
That is as I showed you the other day, we have had to keep a sepa
rate account with each of these men, and can tell you the price every
man agreed to enlist for.
Chairman. I don't myself fully understand how, on Major Eng
ley's presenting these receipts for $25 advance bounty, you imme
diately pay him that sum, and to the men giving these receipts said
advance will not be paid.
Q. Whose receipts does that refer to ?
A. The men's receipts.

272 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. And that with $50 made up the $75 ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. $50 ofthe $75 was to be paid to Maj. Engley and the remainder,
$25, was to be paid to the men ?
• Mr. Thomas. I don't believe that was understood by the Com
mittee ?
Mr. Francis. I think I can make it plain. When these men came
in, for- which I paid Major Engley, — Major Engley might bring in
fifty names and I would pay him $50 for each of the men named,
and then I would pay him or certain others on their orders
$25. Such men as I paid $50, I paid down to come out ofthe $225.
To such as I paid $25 it left $200, and in the other $175. as the final
or last payment.
Q. By Chairman. This order seems to cover two things : First,
it authorizes, this order says the Paymaster shall pay to Maj. Engley
$50 on each recruit that he may name, which is to come out of the
$225 payment. Thus here, in the same order is another and inde
pendent thing it seems from this : — " that the Paymaster may pay $25
to Major Engley on the receipt ot the recruit. If he produces the
receipt of the recruit for $25, the Paymaster may pay the money to
Maj. Engley, but that $25 is to be deducted from the first bounty.
Q. $75 was the first payment?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then you still have two accounts with the
same soldier ?
A. Yes, sir ; that is right.
Mr. Blake. It would have been a little clearer if it had been done
at one order ?
Mr. Francis. If this had been at the beginning as afterwards, it
would have been better. We had little difficulty in forming one com
pany ; but when we had formed one company, and it was growing
popular — the people bringing in the recruits and then getting permis
sion to form a battalion — the recruiting went ahead greatly to my
astonishment, and the work was very great. I believe that is the
order which follows the $50 order.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. When was the balance of $75 paid ?
A. That $50 was paid when the company was mustered in, and
then the man was charged as having received $75, if his order for
$25 had been paid, leaving the $50 to come out of the $225.
Q. Under this order, you paid to Major Engley $75, $50 on his
own receipt, and $25 on the receipt of the recruit ?
A. No, sir ; I did not pay anything on his own receipt. What I
paid was on the receipt of the recruit.
Q. You don't mean that vou took the receipt of the recruit for
this $50 ?
A. Before you go any further, let me read you the form of the
contract. Q. By Mr. Blake. If I understand, you paid this order ?
A. Yes, sir ; I required of Major Engley to bring me the con
tract from the recruit himself, and then I would report to the Execu-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 273
tive Department, and pay him the money, then register them on the
record: I have some of these contracts here from Mr. Downing, and
various other men. Mr. Helme, I presume you know him, a very
energetic man. This was witnessed by Mr. Green, a Bishop out
there in Missouri.
"IstNovember, 1863. We, the undersiged agree ,to 'accept and be fully satisfied
with a bounty of $250 offered by the State of Rhode Island for colored recruits."
Here follows the signatures, witnessed by A. R. Green, Bishop.
Q. You have no other receipt than that contract for this $50 ?
A. No, sir. (Another.)
"Washington, December 21, 1863. We, the undersigned, agree to enlist in the 14th
regiment R. I. &c, and to accept and be fully satisfied with a bounty of S125 to be
paid by the State of Rhode Island." (Signed and witnessed.)
Here is one :
" New York, Nov. 14th, 1863. We^ the undersigned, agree to enlist for the bounty
to be paid by the State of Rhode Island, &c. A. ALDRICH."
Here is one of Mr. Downing's :
" Mr. John N. Francis. —Please pay to Geo. T. Downing for each of us $75, of such
bounty money as we may become entitled to from the State of Rhode Island. Each
said $75, is in consideration of expenses to be incurred in our behalf, for passage
money, &c. Washington, Dec. 21, 1863."
Mr. Thomas. There is no provision in this contract which bounty
this is to be taken from.
Q. By fhe Chairman. Well, the both of these sums, $50 and
$25, were taken out of the $225 payment?
A. No, sir ; not both of them out of the $225 ; $50 was taken
out of $225, and $25 was taken out of the advance bounty payment
— the first payment.
Q. This advance bounty refers to the first payment ?
A. Yes, sir ; we class it in this way ; first bounty payment and last
bounty payment. The first bounty payment means the $75.
Q. The next order ?
A. This is upon the other point.
Chairman reads :
"You will pay to Major Engley twenty-five dollars advance bounty, to be taken out
of the final payment of $225 dollars, upon the men giving orders for the same. You
will carry this arrangement out the same as the $50, reporting to this office the names
ofthe men so paid. This order covers all after this date."
Q. This order seems to be materially different ; it authorizes the
payment to Major Engley in the orders of the men, and in the other
case, $50 was to be paid whether they gave any order or not. This
being to their order, it was equivalent to paying it to the men ; but
the $50 was to be paid to the recruit ?
A. At the time when that $25 was paid, they were getting men
from the State of New York, at Albany, and all along the North
River, where the expenses were light, and as time rolled on they
cleaned up that region, and pushed along further, and increased the
expenses until they got down into Tennessee, and if they had been
commissioned to go on, I don't know but they would have had the
whole Southern Confederacy. 35

274 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. By Mr. Blake. This was an order in addition to the $50 ?
A. Yes, sir ; after the men came on from Buffalo and that way,
it was pretty expensive, and then they went down into New Jersey
and Pennsylvania, and they came in under these $25 orders ; a good
'many came in what we call clean.
Q. And this extra $25 was taken by the recruiting officer, from
the men, and not deducted by you ; you paid it to their orders ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Have you paid any except on the orders
of the recruit ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then, however the order reads, the prac
tice has been the same ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. $50 is paid independent of the order of
the recruit ?
A. Yes, sir ; I had the receipt of the recruit also — or his contract
to enlist for $250. I paid no other orders except on his receipt.
Q. I understood that you paid on that contract ?
A. Yes, sir ; the only evidence I had of the contract was the
man's signature.
Q. How could that accrue to the benefit of the recruiting officer?
A. By the difference between that and the bounty.
Q. By the order of the State it is to be paid to the recruits ?
A. There is a sample of a recruiting advertisement, issued in the
west. It reads : " Black National Defenders, &c." (Reads.) Mr.
Downing and Peter brought in some men. Peter made his contracts
with these men a little different. The Governor had fixed the chan
nel through which the recruits should come, with Major Engley for
his men to go to him. When Peter brought in his men, he made
his contracts of $50 to come out of the first bounty ; that is, $50
was to be paid to Peter, and $25 to the recruit, from the first bounty
payment of $75. Here was a misapprehension, or else it was likely
to deceive. They would ask, " how much bounty do you pay ?"
" $300." Then they would demur, I would read his contract and
they could not understand ; then I would say, " I will lay your case
before Major Engley, and I will bring Mr. Downing and have the
case adjusted ;" the result was, we had two or three meetings, and
after a while the men would consent, and the only difference seemed
to be whether it was from the first or last bounty payment. I told
Mr. Downing, after a while, that it was getting to be so much work
that it was a source of inconvenience, and I did not believe I could
do anything for him. He wanted me to see the Governor, and see
if I could not get him an order ; I did so. fhe Governor said he
could not open these channels with everybody ; there must be one
only. Then Mr. Downing proposed this way: " when I have more
men, I will tell you what I will do, I will bring my men all before
you, and I wish you to state distinctly to them, so that every man
pan understand." I said, " that will be a considerable work, but I

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 275
will do the best I can." He would bring down four, six, or eight to
my place of business, and when the papers were signed, then I would
talk the matter over and ask them if they understood that they were
to have $200, or $250, and how the money was to be taken out.
When some of these men came there bringing these bills— bills they'
had posted there, $200 and $250— they seemed- to understand that
the state paid $300 ; but, in consideration of these men bringing them
here, they would have it as they agreed, and they seemed to be satis
fied ; after a while I said to Mr. Downing, that it was imposing too
much on me, and he had better turn the men in to Major Engley.
Q. These men understood that this $50 was a part of their
bounty ?
A. Oh, yes, sir, — to come out of the advance bounty.-
Q. It does not appear, that they knew any thing about that it
was their bounty.
A. Oh, yes. Here is one —
" We agree to enlist for a State bounty of $250. The remaining $50 to be deduct
ed for transportation."
Q. I understand that. That is very different from the other con
tract which you read. That may be equivalent to an order from the
men for $80, as the other contract reads. I don't see how it can be
so construed. Very likely it was understood so ?
A. Yes sir.
Q. But take the writing itself and it does not appear that the
bounty was my thing more than they agreed to enlist for ?
A. Well it does not appear from the writing.
Mr. Blake. But the fact was that there was no such thing existing
as*a State bounty of $250.
Q. It might not have occurred to you who have been familiar
with all the facts, and knew how it was understood ; but to me, tak
ing the mere writing of these other contracts, I don't see how you
have on the face of it any authority to pay the $50 out of the bounty.
If they understood it all and there is no deception ?
A. It seemed to be clear that they understood it all. The Maj.
will remember that I told him the importance of having a distinct
understanding. I advised him, and- 1 guess he will remember that I
told him to take the men and talk with them and if they did not
understand they may have thought that the State's honor was com
promised. (Major Engley who was present was permitted to explain.)
Maj. Engley. A lot of men came from, the West, thirty in num
ber. One man says, "I am promised $225 and the State pays$300."
I went into the room and explained. The bounty here is $300; The
agents cannot afford to recruit you, and bring you here and give you
$300. With this understanding they all said it was right. Major
Sanford stood there and heard it all.
Q. Here is another order, No. 28. Order, Nov. 9, 1863. Reads—
" You will please pay on such men as may give orders for the same, $75, on account
of the final instalment of bounty, upon the same plan and under the same regulations
as the $25 and $50. „„,,
(Signed) CHAS. E. BAILEY, &c."

276 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Gen. Francis. The next order that follows is in relation to the
same matter ; but between these two, there is another order in rela
tion to another squad.
Chairman reads order 6th November —
" You will please pay Major J. C. Engley, 250 dollars each on account of bounties
to fourteen recruits, contrabands from Kentucky and Tennessee, rendering the names
of the same to this office."
Q. This is limited to fourteen particular recruits ?
A. Yes, sir ; there were but thirteen paid from this order. The
order was for fourteen, but when I came to the company, finding but
thirteen, I did not pay it, although the order was for fourteen — I held
the order in abeyance. This was where Major Engley got $250 out
of pocket. '
Q. Have you the contracts made by these 14th Regt. men, with
the recruiting men ?
A. They are among the papers. '
Q. I would like to see the form ?
A. They are in the same form as the others.
Q. Can you find them ?
A. I might find them, but it would take me half an hour ; if you
can wait, I will find them by to-morrow.
Q. You paid the $250 ?
A. *I considered that order as imperative, that I was to pay the
$250 for these men.
Q. You were under no obligations to investigate ?
A. No, sir ; I will tell you of this class of recruits, called contra
bands, as they have been called. I apprehend there might be njis-
understanding. I have questioned them. To these thirteen I paid
$50. I paid the first payment, and several of them came back and
asked me what it meant. He said he had but $50. I took him alone;
"where did you come from?" said I. "From Kentucky," said he.
" How long since you came ?" " Four or five weeks ago, sir."
" Who owns you there ?" " I don't know about you," said he. He
turned his head and off he went. Every one of these men that I
paid confessed it.
Q. Major Engley did produce to you the written contracts of all
these men, I suppose ?
A. It is my impression that he did. Most of the orders that fol
low, of that nature, were drawn in this form : [shows one.]
Chairman reads, giving the names of the men.
Gen. Francis. Here is an order, No. 24.
Chairman reads :
" You will by the direction of His Excellency the Governor, pay for such recruits
for the 14th Regiment R. I. Heavy Artillery, the sum of one hundred dollars, their
signature authorizing the same. This order under the same restrictions as Iprevious
ones. (Signed) CHAS. E. BAILEY, &c."
Q. This order seems to differ materially from the others. There
is no other order requiring their signatures. To whom do you un-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 277
derstand that that money is to be paid ? the order does not seem to
express. A. To Major Engley, sir ; I presume that order— he went to the
Governor and obtained a particular order. That was sometimes the
case, and particularly so with these contrabands. He would report
the case to the Executive. I don't know the circumstances. I pre
sume that he would obtain the order without reference to the method
in which they were to go on record, and then, when he brought in a
list of names they were paid for. That was the case, probably, in
this instance. _ He brought in a list of names ot what he termed $100
men ; upon this order I would pay, and report the names to the Gov
ernor, conforming myself strictly in every instance, to the first order.
Q. You understood this was payable to Major Engley?
A. Yes, sir.
Chairman reads order of Dec. 6th, 1863 —
" You will please pay for such recruits as may be furnished by Major Engley for the
14th Regiment R. I. Heavy Artillery, one hundred and fifty dollars respectively in ac
cordance with other orders and under the same regulations as the previous Davmeiits
of $50, $75, and $100. J
(Signed) CHAS. E. BAILEY, &c."
Reads order December 16, 1863.
" You will please pay to Major J. C. Engley, two hundred dollars bounty for the
following recruits," (naming nine recruits.) "Two hundred and fifty dollars to the
foUowing contrabands," (naming three.)
Q. Are these all the orders that you have from the Governor ?
A. No sir, they are not ; they follow along. I have confined
myself to these orders. He gave special orders occasionally when a
man would go to him and represent the circumstances in which he
was placed; if they were peculiar, the Governor perhaps would issue
an order to have $50 bounty paid him, or perhaps, the whole bounty
of $225. ' Then whenever these contrabands followed, or these high
priced men as we termed them, then the Governor always issued a
special order to cover these cases. I will state another case now.
Sometime in December, Major Engley, reported the names of twenty-
one which were termed $200 men. Upon his furnishing that list of
names, I took the names and declined any further connection at that
time. I wrote a letter to the Governor, saying that I have the honor
to inform him, that I had a list of the names of twenty-one men pre
paring to enlist in the 14th Regiment, and Major J. C. Engley fur
nished the sum of $200 which was demanded. In the absence of
any order (from the Governor), covering these men, I declined pay
ing them. The Governor writes in reply —
" Your letter is just received. His Excellency directs me to authorize you to pay
to Major Engley two hundred dollars to whom he may direct. Yours, Respectfully, &c.
I then paid him on these twenty-one men $200 each, and the Gov
ernor immediately then sent for the parties that brought the men in,
for an interview. He had them there, and put them under an exam
ination. What it was I don't know ; but the result was that in the
course of two or three weeks after, he handed me back $2,100, recov-

278 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
ered from these parties, from these twenty-one, to be given to these
men — adding $100 to their bounty. That is the only instance where
any attempt that I know of was made to take advantage of the cir
cumstances of these men, that has come to my knowledge, or of the
Governor ; and in that case the Governor took it promptly in hand, and
made the pajrties refund. I believe these were men living in the city.
Q. This money was paid by you to Major Engley ? $4200 under
this order ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. At the time you paid it did you take any contract ?
A. No sir, I took the names the same as I had taken the others —
just in the same way.
Q. There was no written contract between the recruiting officer
and the men ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You had these special orders varying from time to time, under
which you paid these bounties, of course there, has been no question
raised but what the Paymaster General has paid all the money under
orders, and from proper authority. I don't know whether it is best
to go through all these orders. Are there many ?
A. Yes, sir, there are a considerable many. I am perfectly wil
ling to show you, that all this money has been paid upon these orders.
Chairman. The Paymaster has shown us the orders of the Execu
tive. They vary considerably, not only in amount ; but they vary
in principle very much. Some of them are absolutely to pay to
the recruiting officer, and some to pay to him on the order of the
recruits, which makes a very great difference in the nature of the
orders. Chairman reads an order for ten recruits —
" December 9th, 1863. Please pay J. C. Engley, $250 each of the State bounty for
tbe ten following recruits — contrabands enlisting in the 14th regiment R. I. Heavy Ar
tillery. (This gives the namesof ten men.)
(Signed) JAMES Y. SMITH."
Mr. Francis. There is an order for paying a battalion.
Chairman reads^-
" January 15th, 1864. I am directed by His Excellency Governor Smith, to request
you to pay the members of the Second Battalion 14th Regiment, &c, $75 dollars ad
vance bounty, instead of $50 as heretofore. This will, of course, reduce the bounty
certificates $25."
Gen. Francis. What be refers to there is, the first battalion was
paid $50.
Q. This $75 was paid to the men, and not to the recruiting officer?
A. Yes, sir, to the men.
Q. That was all ?
A. No, sir ; I will explain, for instance, when it refers to $250,
when these men were mustered in they were paid $75 ; then he
ordered $75 more. Then he had been paid $150, and there was a
balance due him of $100, for which certificates were issued.
Q. Did you issue these certificates ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 279
A. Yes, sir ; would you like to see the form of these certificates
filled up ?
Q. By the Chairman. Not now. Are there any other orders
from the Executive,- bearing upon the payment of bounties to this
regiment ?
A. There is the first one which provided for the payment of the
first battalion.
Chairman reads — -
" December 15th, 1863. First Battalion, 14th Regiment, &c. Major J. J. Com
stock : — You will take the steamer for Newport on the morning of Friday next, at 7
o'clock. You will see that the arrangements for the payment of bounties are promptly
carried out as previously agreed upon, so that no delay shall occur for the embarka
tion of these troops for their destination. You will report to His Excellency the Gov
ernor on the receipt of this communication."
(Signed, &c.)
Q. That was $50 ?
A. Yes, sir ; there are other orders.
Chairman reads order, Oct. 22d, 1863 —
" Col. John N. Francis : —Pay the enlisted men in Co. C, $25 on account of the $75
payment of bounty.
(Signed) JAMES Y. SMITH."
Gen. Francis. For every company that was mustered in one
order followed similar to that.
Chairman reads order Oct. 6th, 1863 —
" You will proceed at once to pay Co. C, 14th Regiment, &c, their advance bounty
if the rolls are all right."
Q. This was paid to the men ?
A. Yes, sir.
Chairman reads order Sept, 21st, 1863 —
"To Co. D. By direction of the Governor, pay fifty dollars of the seventy -five
dollars advance bounty to Co. B, 14th Regiment, &c. Sept. 15th, 1863."
Q. That is where,the previous $25 had been paid?
A. Yes, sir.
Chairman reads order, Sept. llth, 1863 —
" By direction of his Excellency the Governor, you will please pay the 4th Com
pany of Colored Heavy Artillery, the twenty -five dollars advance, the same as you did
the first three Companies, taking the same precautions that the men pass the examina
tion of the mustering officer before receiving their pay.
Second.— To-morrow the 12th inst., you will proceed to the camp of the 3d Cavalry
and pay the men of the first two companies upon the rolls being properly made out.
Q. Previous to the date of this order of Sept. llth, had a part
of this bounty been. paid to this fourth company— paid to the recruit
ing officer ? „ ,
A. I cannot say, unless the $50 order you are alluding to bears
date prior to that — nothing had been paid, sir.
Chairman reads order, Sept. 1st, 1863 — ¦
"Bv direction of His Excellency the Governor, you will pay the men enlisted for
the 3d Company R. I. H. A., twenty-five dollars ; the same as the first Company, tak-
ing great care in examining the men."
Q. What does this mean ? What sort of an examination did you
have to make ?

280 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. It means this ; when they were enlisting men, they would
report, and the men were calling for $25 to be paid. Some com
plained that it was not paid as quick as they took the oath, although I
visited the camp twice a week — certain men might be under-size — I
considered it to mean any such men as Capt. Silvey would pass ; as
when we paid the first company, there were nine men who would not
pass Capt. Silvey's inspection. That was what was required in the
examination. In fact, the Governor appointed an examining board,
to see if they were entitled to pass, and I relied upon their judgment.
That was the general mode. I asked if the examining committee
had seen them and Col. Viall, and they were passed over to the mus
tering officer. If they were rejected after that by the U. S. muster
ing officer, there was no help for it. That is the reason why these
orders were so guarded. Another order he gave in relation to con
trabands —
" You will please pay Major J. C. Engley for four contrabands named below, when
you are satisfied on examination that they are such."
Of course I did not pay that order. I waited, and when the day
came, I asked the men, and I did not find- but two. Capt. Silvey
rejected two of them and the others both confessed that they had
been slaves.
Order September 1. Second part —
" You will allow the officer on duty in this city, &c."
Gen. Francis. There follows in between these orders very fre
quently, special orders which relates to certain men. " Pay such a
man $50 or $25, on account of bounty. Here is one such :
Chairman reads order, October 13th —
" By direction of the Governor, you will please pay to Wm. M. Bailey, two hun
dred and twenty-five dollars for private George Fuller Johnson, 14th regiment, &c."
Q. Mr. Bailey did not go into this business. It is endorsed by
him ?
A. No, sir.
Chairman reads order October 22, 1863 —
" Col. John N. Francis : — Pay enlisted men in Company C, 14th Regiment, &c,
twenty-five dollars on account of seventy-five dollars payment of bounty."
(Signed, &c.)
Committee adjourned to 7 1-2 o'clock, evening.
SECOND DAY  EVENING SESSION.
Question. By the Chairman. I think you stated that ail of this
money covered by these several orders you have shown us has been
paid to Major Engley, whether the order named him or not ?
Answer. Yes, sir, I did so state. He is the only person to whom
I have paid any money, other than to the man himself.
Q. The order dated September 17th, ordering you to pay Maj.
Engley out of the bounty of $225 payment, also contained another
order for the payment of $25 to him, on the receipt of the enlisted
men ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 281
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you the receipts of these men for that $25 ?
A. Yes, sir. (Produces them.)
Q. Those two documents are very different as you see, and it il
lustrates what I was speaking of. The other' on its face does not ap
pear to be any thing of the kind. It does not appear to touch the $25
or cove it at all.
Gen. Francis. Do you mean thus : Suppose it read $225 instead
of $200.
Chairman. Then I don't think it would cover —
Gen. Francis. I think it would in the sense which they meant to
express. •Chairman. Without any other light than this paper it would not
allow you to pay $100 to any other man ?
A. No, but it ought to be paid under the order. In the first place,
he (recruiting officer), elaborated in his contracts ; but it did not
mean really any more than this language.
Chairman. This is all plain —
" Received of J. C. Engley, twenty -five dollars which is to be deducted from our
bounty." There should have been an order from the men to pay $100 to the
recruiting officer, if this was the meaning. The moment he enlisted
he would be entitled so $300 ?
Gen Francis, produces another order —
" Please pay to Geo. T. Downing of the city of Newport, R. I., the sum of sixty-
seven dollars of the bounty money due us by the State of R. I., the same being in
consideration of expenses incurred by said Downing for passage money, &c,"
Chairman. That is all straight. ,
Gen. Francis reads another —
" January 23, 1864. Pay to the order of Ranson Parker, seventy-five dollars on
such bounty as may become due me by the State of Rhode Island. This order is giv
en in consideration of expenses incurred in my behalf."
Q. I suppose this man understood that the bounty was $300, and
that this was for expenses ?
A. In every instance, I suppose.
Q. Now, here is an order — an agreement, signed by two recruits,
in which they agree to enlist for a bounty of $200 ; the, other hun
dred dollars due to each of these men under the laws of the State,
was paid to Major Engley ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q'. When it was paid, you were satisfied from an examination of
the men, that it was paid to him by their order and by their consent ?
A. Well, in reply to that, I can only say that I had questioned
Major Engley very closely, in every instance, almost, to know if his
contracts were understood by the men ; he always said they were.
He said he had taken his men all into a room alone, and had taken
them privately, to prevent any difference or dissension hereafter.
Q. You did not examine the men themselves ?
A. Frequently, when paying them off, I asked them what was
36

282 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
the price they agreed to enlist for, and nineteen out of every twenty,
when I have asked the question of the recruit, has told the exact
amount, and that has been a matter of no little astonishment to me,
because I thought that some, after talking the matter over here, might
get different ideas ; but the truthfulness of the men surprised me.
Q. It does not seem to me that it would be necessary to go into
the question as Paymaster ?
A. No, sir ; I did this because the gentleman enlisting them (Maj,.
Engley) was the first man to say to me, " if there is any complaint I
wish to know it ;" and I always reported to him at once, if there was
any discrepancy. If a point was overlooked, we have always aimed
to make it right. Taking the whole thing clear through, to sum it
all up, I will venture to say, that you cannot take the same number
of white men and go through with them, without ten times the
trouble had with these. They would hardly be quite as honest as
the colored man.
Q. These agreements of this character, I would like to have
sorted out by themselves.
A. If you wish them, we could do that.
Chairman. There is an agreement, to accept, and be satisfied with
a bounty of $250. On the back is an order signed by Wm. H.
Helme —
"Please pay to James Jefferson or order, the sum of fifty dollars, the balance of
bounty for each of these enlisted men."
Another order —
" Pay to the order of J. C. Engley. HELME."
James Jefferson witnessed signature and agreement.
These men understood the necessity of Dr. Helme's ordering it
paid, but did not understand the necessity of the recruits ordering it.
Another — " Cleveland, Ohio.
We, the undersigned, agree to accept and be satisfied 'with a bounty of two hundred
dollars, besides the Government (U. S.) bounty. In this agreement the words twen
ty-five dollars are erased."
This was explained to be owing to the lack of proper blanks — it
was understood to be irregular.
Another— ' " Belleville, 111.
We agree to be fully satisfied with a bounty of two hundred and fifty dollars."
Another —
m " Providence, Oct. 2d, 1863."
This agreement is endorsed, " Pay to the order of James Jefferson, fifty dollars for
each recruit. We, the undersigned, agree to accept, &c, a bounty of fifty dollars, we
being contrabands from Kentucky and Tennessee." (13 signatures.)
Q. These are the men covered by the previous order referred to ?
A. I think they are the thirteen men covered by that order. I
am fully sure they are.
Another —
_, " New York, Nov. 21, 1863.
lhe undersigned accepts a bounty of two hundred and fifty dollars, the balance to
be paid to F. N. Ballou, for expenses paid for us."

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 283
Q. An order written apparently by Chas. Brown, to Goodrich the
recruiting agent, in which there was some inquiry into the charac
ter of the signatures, and the date and place of signing.
Another —
„„,„„, „„ , " November, 1863.
Pay Davis H. Turner fifty dollars ofthe bounty paid me for the cost of transporta
tion." r
, Chairman. Here are three orders signed by three recruits, all in
favor of Davis H. Turner, and all witnessed by S. P. Robinson. It
appears to be $50 which seems to have been altered from $25. The
$25 was erased and the $50 written.
(Major Engley was allowed to explain.)
Maj. Engley. _ The man (recruiting agent), said he must have
I told him if the men were satisfied we would pay it, and he
came back and said it was all right ; but I found that it was not all
right and we took but $25 from the men.
Gen. Francis. That is a point upon which a question was raised
and I paid him only $25 each. There were eight men.
Q. How did you ascertain this was wrong ?
A. Just the way you did. It looked suspicious.
Q. By the Chairman. The sum might have been altered after it
was signed ?
Major Engley. It was — and that was the reason it was not paid.
As soon as I ascertained it was wrong, I rectified it.
Chairman. Order. November 14, 1863 —
" Agreed to be satisfied with two hundred and fifty dollars, the balance to be paid to
R. Fessenden for expenses paid for us. (Witness,) ALDRICH."
Another — Providence, Nov. 3, 1863.
" Agreement. We, the undersigned, agree to enlist in the 14th regiment, &c, for
two hundred and fifty dollars. The remaining fifty dollars to be deducted for trans
portation, subsistence, &c."
Another — Washington, Dec. 26, 1863.
" The undersigned agree to enlist and be fully satisfied with a bounty of two hun
dred dollars, to be paid by the State of Rhode Island."
(Signed by two recruits.)
Chairman. We had collected a number of agreements by which the
recruits agree to accept a certain sum in full for their bounty. It
may be important to ascertain how much money has been paid in this
way, to whom and on what authority. All these I have seen, and
except those in my hand, provide for the payment of the balance.
The recruit orders it to be paid to somebody.
Mr. Francis. I can give you the aggregate, but I cannot give you
the amount of payment on different kinds of agreement.
(To Mr. Blake.) The Governor has given orders for various
sums, $25, $50, $75, $100 and $250.
Mr. Francis. Produced and read a letter from George T.
Downing, dated New York, Feb. 7, 1864.
Chairman. Gen. Francis is prepared to furnish a statement ofthe

284 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
whole amount of bounties paid to the 14th Regiment, the amount
paid to the recruiting officers, and the balance remaining on account
of bounties.
Gen. Francis. The 14th Regiment is composed of twelve com
panies of 141 men each, making 1692 men — not including commis
sioned officers. I deduct from this number, drafted men, and men
sent here from other States, which leaves 1580 to receive the bounty
of $300 each. It cost the State $474,000 ; of this amount, thus
far, there has been paid to the recruits themselves $180,000 ; to re
cruiting officers, $66,000. There remains to be paid to the men, as
the balance of their bounty, $228,000, which sum is to be paid to the
men, and not to the recruiting officers. The whole amount js
$474,000, of which sum, $66,000, has gone to the recruiting officer.
Q. Do you know what portion of that balance is to be paid to the
recruiting officers ?
A. No part of it.
Q. No part of it ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Of this $180,000 which has been paid to the recruits, do you
know how much has been in person and how much on orders coming
from them to you ?
A. Let me see if I understand your question. I should think it
would amount to full $180,000, perhaps less, $12,000.
Q. The balance has been paid on small orders given to traders, &c?
A. Yes, sir ; they have had the money either of me, or Major
Engley and his men.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Does this money, paid to recruiting officers,
include all that has been paid ?
A. That covers all the expenses of the recruiting.
Q. Do you know of any persons who have sold watches, or goods
of any description, to these men in the 14th Regiment, and taken
orders on the Paymaster?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is there any considerable amount ?
A. Well; there are a good many people — a considerable many are
engaged in that way. v
Q. Is that included in the $180,000 ?
A. By way of explanation, let me qualify ; a large portion of
these orders I never saw. I am in camp at the table paying the men;
the sutler sits there ; the amount due the sutler is thrown down,
marked $10 ; I say to the man, " here is $10 due the sutler ;" " yes,
sir," he says, " that's right." I say to another man, "here is a watch
you bought." "Yes," saj's he. " Shall I pay that? " "Yes," says he.
To another man I say, " here is a lot of stuff you bought." If any
man says it is not right, I say, "go to your Lieutenant and see if it
is right." I never paid a man's order where the order came through
him, who showed the slightest unwillingness, and I never paid an
order except in a man's presence, and with his assent to it.
Q. And you have no reason to suppose that there has been any

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 285
fraud practiced upon the men in any of these cases, to your knowledge?
A. Not to my knowledge. I, with Col. Smith, who has been
with me and has seen niy method, and when, at times, many men
would have been irritated, I have been surprised to see how I have
maintained my self-composure. I have talked to them pleasantly,
heard what they had to say, and then let the men have their own way.
Col. Smith, from the kindness of his heart, made an arrangement for
that first battalion to be furnished with boots. He furnished these
goods which were furnished by different parties, he took the bills of
these different parties and went down to the companies which were
drawn up by a sergeant to verify each man's account, and then the
amounts were brought to me and I penciled them on the margin of
the rolls, and I will exhibit these accounts to show you how I have
done the business.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What did you mean by one hundred
drafted men which came from other States ?
A. We had some drafted men, and the Secretary of War as
signed some men from other States to this regiment ; no bounties
were paid to them.
[Gen. Francis exhibited the company roll, which shows how much
is due each soldier for bounties, and how much is due from him for
goods.] This column shows all they have bought. They have made
me responsible for all this gratuitous work in payment of these boun
ties. I would not go through with this work again for any small
Consideration. Here were four companies to be paid at a time. All
accounts had been compared by two or three clerks, and were ex
pected to correspond. As to the watches, I think there have been
more watches sold in camp than anywhere else. I have not been in
camp when they were not selling watches.
Q. Has there been any complaint made by the men to your
knowledge of being cheated in trades.
A. Yes, sir ; there have been cases of that kind, when men de
murred against paying. I would ask them about the matter. I
could not find a man who had a watch — they would say they sold
them for three dollars, and gave twenty. There might have been
twenty-five cases of that kind.
Q. Has there been any recruiting officers connected with either
of these twenty-five cases ?
A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. In any case where men have complained of being cheated has
the mustering officer been connected with it to your knowledge ?
A. I do not know what may have been done, except what has
been done at this office. I estimate that there has been twenty-five
cases where men have claimed that they were cheated in buying
watches. These men that complained, invariably disputed the amount
due the sutler, and I found but one way — to open the sutler's checks,
and found the sutler was invariably right. I would count the sutler's
marks and hand the man his checks, and then tell him to go to his
Lieutenant and see if it was wrong. It proved right. We found

286 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
that these men who disputed the sutler's checks would dispute every
thing. To another man we would say, " you owe the sutler $8 — 'the
Major, $25." " Yes," he would say, " thafs right." Now I think
these exceptional cases, where they have been disputed, I think they
may be reduced down to less than fifty men. To my mind, it has
been a matter of astonishment that the thing has been distorted so
much. I think the officers in camp made a mistake when they told
them they need not pay for these things. I will give a case in point.
A man by the name of Bristol Francis — whose receipt I found to
night — he owed on his order twenty dollars for a watch, and ten dol
lars for money paid, and then he owed the sutler, thirty-eight dollars ;
I took thirty dollars on his order ; I then paid the sutler thirty-eight dol
lars, and gave him seven dollars and he went away and moaned over it.
The next time he came, he said he had been cheated of fifty dollars.
The lieutenant examined his checks and found it all right ; he was
noisy about it and wanted the lieutenant to come and see me about it,
and he said he would come, and I explained. Every time I went
there, he would send me a writing, and the next time I came I took
the writing and showed him how it was. " Now," said he, " I think
I understand it." Next time I found him, he said, " I suppose I
shall have to pay that twenty dollars ; they told me that I need not
pay it." I think he said, that I differed from him ten dollars. Said
I, " I will tell Major Engley." That was one of the most determined
men in the lot, and I think he told me that he had been encouraged
not to pay it.
(General Francis here related the case of a substitute from New
Hampshire who having received his money as substitute, claimed the
bounty of Rhode Island.)
Col. Smith and myself did the best we could to get the men to save
their money. We talked to them about putting it in the Savings
Bank. He has collected all the way from $3000 to $5000 for money
deposited with him to be sent to their families, &c. The night Co. K,
was paid off, twenty-two of their checks were stolen, and some
of them complained that they had money stolen from them that
night, and under such circumstances it is fortunate that they were
checks; Here is a case of a contraband — as high as $250 ; when I
came to pay him, he had all that was due him and more. Perhaps a
watch peddler would come down and sell him a watch, and the sutler
would have another claim, and when the company roll was called,
that man would not be called. When they asked the cause why they
were not paid, I had to say there is nothing due to him. I have an
order now for $42 from Lieutenant  , who went out in the 2d
battalion, and I guess I have one of these orders on file, for. more
than the whole amount of his bounty. He went in for getting every
thing he could and giving an order, and then he deserted, and they
have not caught him yet. There was another extreme case, as told
me by one who accompanied us : I went down to pay off, and found
a man whose wife of a recruit lived with him ; he went down with
us. After a brief interview, he asked, " how much money do you
think he had with him ?" He said, he " gave him $85." He had

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 287
but $75 bounty paid him at that time. He had bought cigars and
sold them for a dollar a box more than he gave for them, and increased
this funds by other sources.
Q. When a man enlists, do you give him a certificate for his
bounty? A. No sir. When men enlist and they make out the rolls — Capt.
Silvey certifies the rolls — then I take the rolls and compare them
with my record, and then I get my funds and get ready to pay and
await an order from the Governor. There is every phase of charac
ter to be found among that class of people. Sometimes there would
be a squad where every man had $75 du^ him ; and then another man
had spent nearly all ; but fewr of the latter however.
Q. Have you in any instance in this, or in any other regiment,
given certificates of the bounty before the bounty is payable ?
A. No, sir ; I never have issued a certificate of that kind ?
Q. I will explain why I ask that question. I have heard a story
in the street, that one person who had enlisted for some of the regi
ments, I think the 3d Cavalry, wanted some money, and the bountv
was not due. He had a certificate of the paymaster, and that certifi
cate was discounted by some friend of the paymaster's.
A. No, sir : that shows how things can be distorted for a purpose.
That was the reason why I let a man have twenty-five dollars. Those
cases were so common they annoyed me much. I had to send them
from the office, and what did they do ? They would go down to some
brokers or parties who had money and sell an order on their bounty,
upon such terms as they could agree. Some would ask where shall I
get this money that I want ? I said, " you must go to some man
who has money, who is willing to loan you or cash your order." I
did send one man to Stokes, and said, " I will give you a piece of pa
per to show that you are a veteran and that there is so much due you."
There were some men who had been in A. & W. Sprague's employ,
who said they could go to Amasa Sprague and he will give them the
money, and he would perhaps get it in that way or of some one else.
Some men would go to the Governor and say that their circumstances
were peculiar, and the Governor would issue an order to pay them.
Q. It is important for you to state this distinctly. Have you ever
done this with any knowledge or suspicion that there was any unfair
ness or any advantage taken of the necessities or imagined necessities
of the men, on the part of the men who furnished it ?
A. I have had no knowledge of what was done because in most
instances I had no means of knowing what the terms were any more
than of mercantile firms getting discounts, on their business transac
tions. Q. There has been no arrangements between you and any one
else ?
A. No, sir. That is to say, I am no participant with any parties.
I was sorry I ever gave any knowledge to men out side, that, there
was any thing due them, because it was so easily distorted. There are
some peculiar cases which arise that tries a man and you scarcely know
what to do, — women sometimes come in pleading and crying, and stat-

288 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
ing they were in a suffering condition. Col. Smith perhaps would be
here. The money is due and he would kindly advance a sum to
meet the wants of the women until the certificates were ready.
[This closed the examination of Gen. Francis at this session.] To
wards the close of Major Engley's examination on the 3d day, he
was recalled, and testified as follows :
Gen. Francis — recalled.
Chairman. Have you personally come in contact with the men of
this regiment ?
A. I have come in contact with every man personally — every in
dividual in that regiment on more than one occasion. I have with
twoJthirds of the regiment come in contact with them twice in two
payments — with the last or third battalion the first time. With the
first two battalions no dissatisfaction was expressed, and all the dissat
isfaction is confined to the last one or two companies of the third bat
talion and the sums disputed in the aggregate will amount to less
than $500. One thing further with regard to this disputed money
which is thus spoken of. Some men, quite intelligent men, would
come and the Major would talk with them, and ask them if there
were any colored men living in their neighborhood and if they could
go and get recruits — "oh yes ; they would say ;" " suppose I let you
have some money and go back, do you think you could get recruits."
They would say yes. Now, he would say, I will tell you what I
will do, I wil] let you take seventy-five dollars, and take your receipt
for you to go and get recruits and that seventy-five dollars shall
come out of your bounty, but if you do well I will not take it out of
your bounty. I have met with six or eight men who admitted that
they had had the money, and it was Major Engley's money. He says
that to every man he carried out his promise faithfully. " Where the
men earned the money he let them have it. When they were gone
three weeks, and spent the money, and did not bring any men into
camp, he took it from their bounty. That coupled with the other
statements I have made covers everything that I know of which
can be called dissatisfaction.
FURTHER TESMIMONY OF COL. JOHN'N. FRANCIS.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. Have you seen that statement. [Examines a copy of
the statement of Wm. Mercer.]
Answer. I have a copy of this statement in my pocket — of Wm.
Mercer. I would like to take this statement beginning at that por
tion which refers to the State bounty — of that portion that refers to
Major Engley I have no personal knowledge. He (Mercer) says,
"that, furthermore of the $300 bounty, which he was to receive when
he -was recruiting for the 14th Regiment, he has received only $75,
which was the first instalment." That is his assertion very plain, that
he has received but $75 which was the first instalment. Now Mr.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 289
Chairman I would like to show his contract for enlisting for $250
bounty, because he refers later in this affidavit to $300 bounty. There
is his agreement to enlist in the 14th Regiment for $250 bounty,
with other men.
Chairman reads — Detroit, September 3d, 1863.
" We, the undersigned, each agree to go to Providence, R. I., under the direction
of Capt. Works and Engley, and enlist in the colored regiment of Heavy Artillery
for a bounty of $250, besides such pay, bounties, rations and clothing as the Govern
ment allows.
Signed by William Mercer, and 10 others ; Robert Winn, Osten Miller, Calvin
Rouse, Edward Lasnett, Richard Studge, y William M Mercer (his mark,) George
M Washington, (his mark.)"
Mr. Francis. I would like to show the record taken at the time
(exhibits book.) Here is the amount $250. Here the $50 to come
out of the $225, $50 was to come out when they were assigned. Here
is a receipt dated August (it should be October 8th, probably) where
$25 was advanced. Providence, Aug. (Oct.) 8, 186 .
"Received of J. C. Engley, twenty-five dollars of my .bounty from the State of
Rhode Island."
I think there is an error in the date. This man admits of having
received $75 of his first instalment. There is a receipt given at
Terre Haute, signed October 27th, 1863 :
"Received of C. A. Fuller, this day the sum of forty-five dollars."
Providence, Nov. 2, 1863.
"Received of J. C. Engley, $20 in full for transportation of  , to Chicago, $18,
he balance of transportation for himself, to Indianapolis, $2."
There is a receipt dated November 13, 1863 :
Providence, Nov. 13, 1863.
"Received of J. C. Engley $175, of my bounty." (Signed) WM. M MERCER,
(his mark,) and witnessed by Mary Engley.
He came to Major Engley's house and he paid him $175. He
says further in his affidavit ; " The certificate of the balance of his
bounty, bears on its face only the sum of $85. There is the certifi
cate. When he went out with the battalion it was made out for
$1Q0 and certified to by this officer— State of Rhode Island, Jan. 20, 1864.
" It appears from the record of this office, we find the sum of one hundred dollars
due WilUam Mercer, a recruit for the 14thcol'd regiment, R. I. H. A., Co. E.
JOHN N. FRANCIS,
Paymaster General, R, I. Militia.
" I certfy that the above named William Mercer was duly enrolled in Co. E, Wth,
&c., and has been received into this camp, &c."
Turning this over, he refuses to sign and it is written on the back,
" J. M. A." (James M. Addeman,)
"Declines the settlement on the ground that the amount due is not sufficient, and
that he has not received his second bounty."
There is endorsed upon that —
" Due, John N. Francis, Paymaster General, $15."
Gen. Francis. That is mine ; I advanced the money to Col. Smith
37

290 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE1
for a pair of boots, $9, and he paid Mr. Barnaby $6. He had bought
clothes of Mr. Barnaby ; that is the way he gets at the $85 ; but the
certificate bears upon its face the sum of $100. There is the con
tract for $250 that I showed you, and he has had it appears $365.
Mr. Fuller who was engaged in enlisting for Major Engley, said to
day, that he had other receipts for amounts where he had advanced
this man money — lesser sums than those receipted here — $5, $10, $15
at a time. To show you how this is carried out, I will show you the
roll of Co. E, and how it is made up, and take this man's case. (Pro
duces it.) These men are marked here " $50 out of $225  ,"
" men enlisted for $250." Most of these enlisted for $300. All
these certificates came in from this battalion on the 12th of March,
and were paid to Col. Smith. All the men signing until you come
down to Mercer. I had paid Mercer seventy-five dollars, and Major
Engley fifty dollars, and seventy-five dollars besides on tbe other re
ceipts, making two hundred dollars, and there is his certificate for the
other one hundred dollars. These rolls and the book of course must
correspond, and would show an error at anytime when made. They
are made out with a great deal of care, and take a great deal of time.
So responsible a work is it, that I do not allow them to go out of my
office, until I personally examine them.
Take that deposition of David E. Howard, thrown in to day with
the two orders. I know there was but one order. The order was
in my office and I am ready to testify to it most fully. Then again*
he says he has made three applications for his bounty, and could not
obtain it. Now I will show you gentlemen. Here are the man'?
enlistment papers which bear date February 19. Here is the Gov
ernors order dated February 24. It reads — •
" Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General :
I learn through Major Engley that David E. Howard was enlisted by him for Quar.
termaster Pearce ; Engley has no charge of the recruit. I enclose an enlistment pa.
per and the certificate of muster, which will be proof of its correctness. His Excel
lency requires you to pay $150 of the $300 State bounty."
" Received $150 of John N. Francis, Paymaster General."
It was paid in fifteen minutes after it was presented.
Q. Was not that paying more than you were paying to others ?
A. I pay just as the Govornor ordered. When Howard first
called on me in the morning, I said I have no evidence that you are a
recruit, nor evidence that you are enlisted in the 14th Regiment. If
you will bring the necessary papers and order, I will pay you. Then
he went to Col. Bailey, and got his enlistment papers and I paid him.
This man was a recruit who had enlisted afterward, and would not
have been entitled, until ordered to be paid in the usual form to the
others. Then he would have had $75 ; but the Governor was liberal
and ordered him to be paid $50. I will testify further than this, that when
I paid this $50 Chace was by, and he says : " What are you going
to do with that order ?" "You furnishme the order (says Howard)
and I will pay it." Chace says West destroyed the order and I have
nothing to depend upon but your honor." "Well," says he "bring
me the order and I will pay it." As this order was drawn, the upper

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 291
part of the order represented a bill for services rendered by a Mr.
West, and went on to say what for, and that was acknowledged by
his signature, and below that was an order for $20 to be paid for the
above services. His signature appeared on the paper twice. When
the order came in Major Sanford was present, and I took it and says
here s an order, I want to show you in what form orders come to me.
bo 1 read it to them and I have a pretty good recollection of the
whole affair. Now says I there's a man who has had this service ; I
shall ask him about it and see if it is correct.
Q. Mercer did not deny that he had the goods ?
A. No, sir ; Mercer did not deny that he had the goods ; but
what he complained of was that he had a pass approved by the Ad
jutant and Colonel,, and that Major Engley took his pass and sent him
back to the Island. Mercer admitted that the bills were all right. I
do not know of any of these men that have received the bounty of
Major Engley, but what they complain— they say that the money
paid them by Major Engley was not to be a part of their bounty, but
their receipts show that it was. They say that the money was to be
received by them for recruiting services. (Reads the letter to Mai.
Engley dated November 13, 1863.)
Statement of William Mercer.
t> • „ * ur ¦ T r, ^ " CamP Smith, Providence, R. I.
Received ot Major J. C. Engley, one hundred and seventy-five dollars to be used in
recruiting men for the 14th regiment R. I. H. A., and if not properly used to be de
ducted from my bounty."
That's the way he heads his statement under his own signature.
TESTIMONY OF COL. AMOS D. SMITH, 3d.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. Explain, Col. Smith, what military office you hold ?
Answer. I am State# Commissioner for Rhode Island. I am one
of the Governor's personal staff with the rank of colonel.
Q. What are your duties as Allotment Commissioner ?
A. To receive moneys sent me from time to time from the Allot
ment Commissioners whom I send to the army, and to collect myself,
and to disburse the pay of the soldiers to the families of the soldiers.
Q. Receive their bounty or their pay ?
A. Their due whatever it is — their bounty or their regular month-
lJ pay-
Q. Explain what the arrangement is for the payment of bounties
to the men after they leave here ?
A. After they leave here there is sent to the proper officer — the
Adjutant of the battalion or whoever may be in command ; perhaps
the Senior Captain — it is in the form of a certificate. When they
arrive in camp each man signs his bounty certificate, it is witnessed
by the Adjutant and the camp is named, and they are returned to
me. I endorse them and draw the money fiom the Paymaster Genr
eral and disburse it as money allotted.

292 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. According to the direction and orders of the men ?
A. Their own direction, sir. I am merely a servant to the men as
it were* —
Q. You understand now that I wish to explain the whole mode of
procedure in reference to these bounties ?
A. The last bounty is paid to the men in the form of a Bounty
Certificate ; that is, it goes to them — it is sent to them in that form.
The reason is, that before we pay the last bounty we wish to know
that the men are in camp, and witnessed by the Adjutant or whatever
officer is in command, and after they are signed and witnessed, they
are returned to me and I send it in each instance by the Allot
ment Commissioner. He takes his book with him, and I take
their disposition of it upon a book, and to save labor he takes this
book and gives them a check. I instructed him, if they wanted it, to
let them have $50 and take their check for the amount, and give who
ever they send it to here — give them their check for the balance, and
return me the other check as cash, and then I collect the whole of the
certificate. Q. You collect the certificates ere ?
A. Yes, I endorse them all, sir.
Q. And disburse the money according to the orders of the men ?
A. Yes, sir ; according to their orders. Now I will state that
again. The men say we want money. Very well, you shall be ac
commodated. I told the Allotment Commissioner I would limit them.
Do not let them have more than $25 if you can help it — $50 at the
utmost. Let them have that money and let them sign that check as a
receipt — as a voucher. Then there is $125 left and he makes out another
check for $125 which the man takes and puts it in a letter for father,
mother, sister, brother or friend, and they come to my office and got
the balance. The $125 and $50, balance the certificate, and then
$125, dollars only to draw from the Paymaster General.
Q. On this system there is an opportunity for sharpers to discount
these certificates.
A. Well, they do sir, they have in New Orleans. ' They have in
the cavalry regiment. The men there have endorsed them over and
sold their checks, some of them, but not to such a degree as before.
In every instance I denounced it. I have told my commissioners of
it, and I have particularly presented to them the temptation placed
before them, but they never have yielded.
Q. Are these certificates payable without you endorsement ?
A. No, sir ; they take the risk and they buy them at the risk of
the man's desertion.
Q. How can these be sold in New Orleans ?
A. The man says here is the certificate, and he makes it payable
to the man he sells it to instead of myself.
Q . Mr. Thomas. He may have given two checks ?
A. Yes sir. Some of them have given five. The Paymaster does
not pay them until they are endorsed. It is their property after all.
And here is a man — in several instances down in New Orleans — the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 293
man says to another, " my friends have died and now I want to nego
tiate this ; I want to sell it." Well, the man bought it, for what dis
count, I do not know. It is something over which we can have no
control, because it is their property. If they propose or desire to
make it over to you or payable to your order, why they have a right
to do it.
Q. Has any money been put into your hands as Commissioner by
the men of the 14th regiment.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Can you state somewhere near the amount ?
A. Well, sir, I will state as near as I can. I have received from
them, I should judge, well on to $200,000. Take it altogether, I
should think one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand dollars,
perhaps more than that. The bounty certificates of the 2d battalion
. for the last payment alone amounted to $85,775, and for the £d bat
talion $78,670 ; some desertions and some deaths reduce it. This is
only two battalions and that their last payment. There is over
$165,000. I think I received $200,000 and upwards. I brought
here $23,000 as one time. Have over $3,000 dollars from each com
pany that has been paid.
Q. You visited these battalions yourself ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You were present when the Paymaster was paying them off ?
A. Yes, sir ; with the exception of three companies when I was
at Morris Island. Cyrus G. Dyer I appointed in my stead, or Capt.
Dyer he is now.
¦ Q. State whether or not you have heard any complaints from
these men of the 14th Regiment of their being defrauded out of any
portion of their bounty by recruiting officers ?
A. I have, sir.
Q. Have you had occasion to examine into any of these com
plaints ?
A. I have sir thoroughly.
Q. Did you satisfy your own mind whether the complaints were
well founded or otherwise ?
A. I am well satisfied sir, that they were unfounded.
Q. In every instance ?
A. Yes, sir, without an exception.
Q. Do you recollect any particular instance of complaints of this
kind? A. Well, sir, I know in the case of Mercer — I am familiar with
that, and there are others, but I do not know as I could call the
names of the parties, it was Wm. Mercer.
Q. Do you know this Wm. Mercer ?
A. I knew him sir, well. I know that this man had received all,
and more than he had deserved. I know that he was paid seventy-
five dollars first. I know that Major Engley has sent him away. I
have seen the paper that the man signed, agreeing if he did not pro
cure men — which he did not procure, as I understand Major Engley,

294 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
if he did not bring the men, that the money should be taken out of
his bounty. If he did bring the men he should receive that as a
present for his work. He went away to New York, was gone some
time, squandered money in drinking and excess, came back and per
suaded the Major to let him go again. He went and came back — no
men, and the Maj. found him up here in the Hollow, in one of those
houses of ill-fame in bed with a woman, and then sent him down to
the Island, taking the money which he advanced as his bounty. Well
the man's orders and bounty too — he has received more than $400
which General Francis will give you in detail.
Q. Who is this Wm. Mercer ? Do you know where he lives ?
A. I do not, I only know him as a recruit of the 14th Regiment.
Q. Do you know any thing about his reputation for truth ?
A. No sir, none of his antecedents — nothing only floating ru
mors t^iat he was a fast man, and men in the regiment that now I
could not name, looked upon him as a sharper.
Q. There is a statement or deposition which purports to be made
by him — the same thing has been printed.
A. This is the same as is in the papers — (after examination) — yes,
sir, Major Engley's books show that he did not, of course I cannot
vouch for the fact — but I have no reason to doubt the gentlemen who
say they did not, for where men have been away, and brought other
men, they have been dealt with fairly and gentlemanly.
Q. Do you know that Captain Alwyn ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that deposition in the Captain's writing?
A. Yes, sir ; I had two letters from him to-day, which is the same
writing. Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did this captain stand in some such un
friendly position that he would be likely to seek opportunity to make
this testimony ?
A. I should think he did. From his letter this morning I do not
know what reason he has for doing so. Unless it was that the men
— I do not wish to cast aspersions on his character.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. He is supposed to be one who wrote anony
mous communications to the papers respecting State officers ?
A. Yes, sir ; the correspondent who has written letters signed H.
Q, You speak of a letter received this morning ?
A. Yes, sir,
Q. Will you look at that letter ?
A. (Examines.) Yes, sir ; that is my writing.
Q. Will you explain the letter ?
A. I shall have to go back to the 1st battalion. They were clamo
rous, the men were. We could pay them no money. We were fear
ful that if they were paid they would desert. They came up there in
the mud above their shoes and over their shoes. They came to the
point of taking the disposition of their bounty. There were a hun
dred of them. They said they must either have money, or boots and
tobacco, shirts and mittens. I did not know what to do. I came

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 295
down and saw the Governor, and they said (I told him) that they
would not come away from the ground, unless they had what they
wanted. I laid the matter before him : Well, he says in his way,
" they must have them." " I shall get them, shall I ?" " Yes, sir,"
said he. I went right out then. That was the only consideration or
consultation I had given the subject. It came upon me quick. I
made my decision quick and acted upon it. I went to Huntoon's first.
I never knew the man and when I arrived there he was not there —
neither his son. His clerk was there and I told him these men want
ed tobacco, and I should like to have him furnish them, not to exceed
$5, each, and he said he would. Said I they will be coming in now.
I told him I would make arrangements to pay him. I went to Mr.
Snow ; I knew he had the best stock of cavalry boots in town and
everybody knows so who knows any thing about it. I went to school
with him. I told him that these men wanted boots. I told him to
"sell them as reasonably as you can." I then enquired who had fur
nished clothing for the soldiers, and I was told "Mr. Barnaby provides
that." Previous to that I did not know the man lived. Mr. Barnaby
was not in; his clerk was. I told him these men wanted shirts a
" good deal — gloves drawers and stockings and that I should like for
him to have the trade, as he had made the clothes for the soldiers pre
viously. He said he would lay it before Mr. Barnaby when he came
in. I then went to the camp ground, and Captain Fry took his men
down. I think Co. A. When he took in the men to Mr. Snow's, there
has been no dispute ; the other men let their men come down and go
in like sheep. They eame down and wanted boots — Mr. Snow
bought boots of extravagant sizes — 10's to 14's, sizes that he could not
sell to other men. Mr. Barnaby bought 40 dozen shirts; and they
come to me and stated that parties were down on the Island selling
these goods ; and said they, ""if I have this stock of goods and they
supply the men, certainly I cannot move my shirts or my extravagant
sizes of boots from 10's to 14's, but it would be a loss on my hands,
and I must sell them at auction." I had seen these men and told them
I would see that they were paid. That was the reason I wrote this
letter. Their sutlers, Chase and Bowen "said— "as Mr. Barnaby
has this contract, can't we sell caps." Certainly, said I. There is a
man selling caps there now. Says he, that's us. Said I, "if you are
selling caps, why come and ask me." Upon the strength of that they
bought goods, shirts, gloves, and then Mr. Coffin, he took his boots
down and peddler's trash— so that these men, had I not written this
letter would have suffered. I wrote Mr. Coffin in protection to
the men, (Barnaby, &c.)
Q. Who is Mr. Coffin ?
A. He is a peddler— not a sutler sir.
Q. Was fie in camp selling these goods then ?
A Yes sir- down on the Island. I sent that letter to Dutch
Island to Mr. Coffin. I think I sent it down by Mr Chace^my im
pression is that I did not put it in the office. Col ViaU was well
aware that the men were coming down, and I wrote him this after he

296 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
(Col. V.,) and been up the week previous, and I would'write him
about it. (Another letter ?)
This was a letter informing him of the fact that they were coming
and as it was now cold weather, I wrote that letter that they might
be as comfortable as they could be while there. It was no seeking of
my own, this furnishing goods to the men. It was their own seeking.
They were clamorous. They said they would not leave the ground
unless we did. We could not pay them the money, because if we
had we should have been minus the men.
Q. Mr. Thomas. You say that Col. Viall knew, previous to that
letter, that they were coming down.
A. Yes, sir. By the way, Col. Viall played me double. He was
saying " all right," "let them come," and at the same time he was
throwing his influence for Chace and Bowen, for reasons which you
may guess. He received, I do not know what, from them; but he said
he would see that they sold no gloves. I talked with him, gentlemen,
because I felt interested ; because I had said to Mr. Huntoon and
others, that I would see that they got their pay. Chace and Bowen,
wanted to buy tobacco of Mr. Huntoon; said I "take it," and so for
the 2d battalion. Mr. Huntoon sold his tobacco to Chace & Bowen. '
But these men (dealers), had got their goods — their shirts, &c. It
was in February, and March was coming on and they certainly could
not move their goods — their shirts and their boots on hand of these
extravagant sizes 10's to 14's, which none but colored men could
wear, and therefore I felt interested in protecting them. Therefore I
said, if you do this, I will see that you are paid — because it was not
of my own seeking, and it would require a great deal of persuasion
to do it for another regiment.
Q. Did you assume any responsibility for the goods to be deliv
ered ?
A. No sir, not really ; though Mr. Barnaby made out his bill
"A. D. Smith, 3d to J. B. Barnaby, Dr. — The others made them
out to Company A, &c. I told Mr. Barnaby that was rather steep.
I did not-like it. He will testify that I told him that I did not like
ti or think it right.
Q. Was there any understanding whatever between you and Mr.
Barnaby, or these traders, that you would be responsible for the price
of the goods ?
A. No, sir ; I told these men "sell as reasonably as you can. "
Q. Did you not in any way become responsible ?
A. No, sir ; I merely by word of mouth said I will see you paid.
Of course they said to "we shall look to you" and we said "when
we settle with the regiment" — the men want the goods and we will
see that you are paid — we had to say that.
Q. Individually you took no responsibility ?
A. Not at all, sir.
Q. Did you have any compensation at all ?
A. No, sir, nothing was ever said about it.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 297
Q. You have not received any thing directly or indirectly ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Nor any promise — you have no expectation of receiving any
thing '
A. No, sir.
Q. Mr. Thomas. Your reasons then for sending these men down
to sell, was because the sutlers did not , keep a supply ?
A. Certainly, sir. They had not the means to buy such a stock
of goods as was necessary to furnish those men, and then the arrange
ment was made before any — what I mean is the arrangement was
made right upon the spot, and there being other companies who said
they wanted the same. I told the parties they probably would want
them and they could have the chance to supply them. The reason
that I gave it to these parties, was not that I had any preference for
them above other men, but it was a great deal of work even to take
three accounts and consolidate them and put them upon the roll and
then pay them.
Q. Have you read that statement of Col. Viall ?
A. (Examines it.), That sir, is in any light — unequivocally
'false. He knew that we were coming and knew that we were to fur
nish the men with these goods — for I taked with him before that let
ter (of mine) several- times in regard to the matter.
Q. Did he make any objections whatever ?
A. None at all, sir. The only objections he mado were to the
boots. He said the legs were too long, and he himself advised Snow,
in furnishing the 2d battalion, to cut theirjegs down so that they could
get their pants in, for it did not look well on parade. That was after
the 1st battalion was furnished, and that was while the boots were
being made for the Second Battalion, about which he says, he never
knew they were coming until I wrote him that letter. He himself
had been into Snow's and told him that he had better alter them and
make the legs common size instead of high legs.
Q. Previous to this letter then the first battalion had been sup
plied by the same parties ?
A. Oh, certainly, yes sir, and that is where he made the objection
about the high boots, and he went in after that and called at Mr.
Snows, and himself suggested to Mr. Snow, the propriety of the legs
for the second battalion being made shorter.
Q. Have you any knowledge whatever as to the truth of the first
assertion there ?
A. Do you wish to know whether he has received any thing ! 1
know Barnaby gave him a whole suit * of clothes. I know that
Snow informed me that he had given him a pair of $18_ boots,
and what else he might have received I know not, sir. That nice suit
of clothes that he wears now is one that Barnaby gave him for his
kindness and attention while down there.
Q Did you know the sutlers that were employed in the camp.
A. Chace & Bowen ? I do sir. Those were the two parties who
came to me. 38

298 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did you order them out of the camp.
A. I ordered the Colonel to close them up, and when I went down
the second time to pay the second bounty, and from the fact that they
had repeatedly told that they would not sell those boots and shirts,
and the Colonel had said that he would see that they did not. When
ever we went down these things were placed aside, and as soon as we
left, they were selling. Well, I thought it not quite respectable. I
like an open enemy ; but when a man, tells me he will do so and so,
and does different, why it touches me. I went down there and I said
to the Colonel, those men are not doing as they agreed to do, and
they are selling these things after these parties had these goods, and if
they were furnished by these sutlers they were a loss to them, and it
was a reflection upon me as I had told them to go there and sell those
goods. I ordered them closed. Well, sir, he was closed that day,
and the next day until 10 o'clock.
Q. This letter was signed by you ss Allotment Commissioner ?
A. Yes sir : I gave him that order in my official capacity as Colonel.
This was a verbal order. Well, sir ; he came to Providence and the
Sutler. I had no desire to injure him or to do any unkind or ungen-
tlemanly act. I merely wished them to know that there was a power
in Israel. He came up to see the Governor and the Governor told
him it was in my hands. He came back and We had a talk, and he
told me that the thing should be all right, and though, sir,' I could have
removed the men from the Island, still I was magnanimous and they
opened the very moment we got through with our conversation, when
he gave me his word of honor as a man that those things should not
be sold. And I came to that very slowly. I did not seek notoriety,
neither did I desire at any time to show my authority. I seek to live
quietly. But there was this continued invasion of men landing when
he had put up a placard, that no men should land to suttle or sell their
goods. While to have them go ou, and know, that they were selling
articles that these men were looking to me for protection in, why per
haps I did as some members of the Committee might have done.
Q. You sent these traders down without any personal interest
whatever, and without any persons connected with the State govern
ment having any interest in it ?
A. Yes, sir ; I had nothing that actuated me but the good of
the men, and if it had not been the result of thoughtless action, I
never should have done it, because I was not aware of the magnitude
of the thing.
Q. You did it, supposing it to be for the interest of the regiment
and the good of the men ? *
A. Yes, sir ; and I believe, to-day, gentlemen, that seventy-five
per cent, rqore of those men have been kept from the hospital by
having those things— ^those nice boots and warm shirts — than there
would have been, had they not had them ; for if you could have seen
the men up there in their condition then, and. with the coughs and
colds they had, you would havo hastened for them. But had I con
sidered the magnitude of the thing, and the trouble in whatever

/
ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 299
direction you might look at it, it was going to cost, I should never
have entered upon it.
Q. Do you know anything in regard to the prices they were paid
for these goods ? Whether they sold them at a fair price or not-at
reasonable or ordinary prices considering the risk ?
i.- A; W/\nr ;T?n°^ fold boots t0 them for *9. which he sells in
his store for $9. He sold last week to the cavalry, boots for $8,50,
which he sells in his store for $9. I am not aware that either of them
charged any more than other traders would have done, and I am not
aware that their prices were exorbitant.
Q. Were the men required by any order to purchase goods ?
A. Not to my knowledge, sir.
Q. Do you know of any person having authority, who issued such
an order !
A. No, sir ; so far as I know.
Q. In your judgment, the goods that were purchased of Snow,
Barnaby, and Huntoon, by individuals, were needed and suitable for
the men ?
A. Yes, sir ; I should say so, for men who were to be subjected
to all kinds of changes of the weather and exposure, they are needed.
They felt the need of these articles ; but I did not know that some
bought skates to take with them down to New Orleans.
Q Who sold them skates ?
A. I do not know, sir.
Q. Have you ever heard ?
A. I have not, sir.
Q. Were they sold in camp ?
A. I do not know, sir. I could not tell. I know nothing about
it — merely a statement that some of the men had taken skates ?
Q. Do you know how much Col. Viall's sutlers paid for the privi
lege of sutling.
A. I do not know what these men pay; I know that Mr. Rath
bun paid him $75 per month, and whether there be any evidence to
go in about it or not, I can't say. Mr. Rathbun's reason for why he
was discharged, was because he did not pay the Col. a hundred dollars.
Q. Is this a perquisite of the Colonel, or is it paid for the benefit
of the regiment ?
A. For the benefit of the regiment. That goes into the regimen
tal fund — always so considered.
Q. Did you notice the endorsement on that letter ? (About Mr.
Coffir», 4c.)
A. Yes, sir. Well, sir, he told me that, that man should not come
on to the Island, nor no other man. This was his word. He showed
me a notice written ; put up by order from head-quarters forbidding
coming on the Island, and at the same time he was admitting men ; that
is why L wrote him that letter. You can see why I wrote that letter.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. He said he was trading from a basket ?
A. I know he sold boots, and if he (Coffin) carried them in a
basket, it must have been like Esop's basket-^very large. I have

300 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
worked hard for these men, and they have given me more trouble
than all the other regiments in the field put together. When Co. L
was paid off, thirty of their checks were stolen in one night. I will
-venture to say that, twenty-five checks were so lost — checks which in
a reasonable time I shall make them duplicates for. They steal from
each other. They practice those games which are not practiced in
other regiments.
Q. By all your connections with this regiment has there come to
your knowledge any instance of fraud or swindling practiced upon
any of the men by any recruiting officer ?
A. No, sir ; .1 do not know that there has.
Q. You say you have heard complaints among the men — do you
recollect any particular person that they have complained ofi as de
frauding them ?
A. Well, sir, it has been as varied as the men. This one would
say that he had paid his own transportation. Another would say
that he enlisted for $300, when, in fact, he enlisted for $200. An
other would say that Major Engley sent him off recruiting and did
not do right by him. Another would say this thing, and another
that. They were as varied as the men and their dispositions.
Q. Did most of these complaints relate to Major Engley ?
A. Well, sir, very many of them. As to the watches I think
many of the watches were Sold in New York. I think I have heard
the men say that a recruiting officer there sold them the watches, or
some one else.
Q. Did you hear the name of the recruiting officer in New York
who sold these bogus watches ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you heard any of the men say that any of those watches
were bought of Major Engley ?
A. No, sir ; I have heard that they were sold in a room adjoining
his office. I have heard one or two of these men say so.
Q. Have you seen this letter of Col. Viall to Mr. Sheffield ?
A. No, sir, I have not ; I have read this in the paper. [After
examining it.]
Q. Have you ever heard Col. Viall speak of that transaction ?
A. I have heard him say that the men had been defrauded, and
it was too bad ; but in the latter part of the letter he speaks of bring
ing an action against the State. I have never heard anything of that
kind. Q. You have never heard him speak of going into that office and
stopping the sales of watches, have you ?
A. No, sir, not in the office ; I heard him say that he had spoken
to Engley, and that Engley would stcfp it. It is something I paid
very little attention to, and did not, of course, expect ever to testify
in the matter.
Q. You have seen Col. Viall frequently since this letter was
dated, Dec. 27th, 1863 ?
A. Yes, sir ; I have seen him very often — probably twenty times
or more.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 301
maL^a's tS?made *° ^^ ^^ t0 ?™ in regard to **
A. No, sir.
Q. Has he to the Governor ?
had^eemndTei"110^^' *«*** *"" ^ to S^ that ^ ™"
he?Peawt tSIuetterf *"***" M™ * ** *** which
mit; tf°' S"f ; un1taJa8t feek> ™ m7 office, he stated that he was
going to write a letter-he said he was going to show some of
these parties in regard to these bogus watches. That was last week.
He stated that he was going to show up Luke Chace. He said he
was going to whip him again. He called him all sorts of names. I
said if he was as bad as he said he was, it was not worth while to
strike so vile a man. But he was determined upon giving him a
thrashing he was bent on writing a letter, and going to fhow him up
1 think that letter appeared in the Press of Saturday or Friday. I
think that that letter was written since he came up this time. I think
that is the letter he had reference to.
Q. Do you recollect whether he said he was going to write or
send ? ° &
A. He was going to write a letter. That was his statement. He
was going to show up these parties.
Q. Did he mention the parties ?
A. Yes, sir ; Luke Chace particularly — that seemed uppermost,
and the swindling operations generally ; I think he made that more
prominent. TESTIMONY OF LUKE S. CHACE.
Monday, Feb'y 13th, 1865.
_ Question. Have you had' anything to do with the recruiting ser
vice of the State for the last two years ?,
Answer. ITiave had little do with it, writing mostly.
Q. In what capacity ?
A. Clerk for J. C. Engley ?
Q. Were you familiar with the mode of enlisting men into the
14th H. A.?
A. . I was familiar with filling up the papers, sir ; that was all I
had to do.
Q. How were those men dealt with when they come to the office ?
A. As a general thing they came in reported their names, and
ages, which with a general description of the men were taken upon a
sheet of paper and passed over to me, and I would fill up the enlist
ment papers from that, three for each man.
Q. What was the practice about their signing orders for their pay
or bounty ?
A. That I don't know anything about at all. I had nothing to do
with it. I might sometimes have witnessed papers that were brought to

302 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
me by the parties to be witnessed. My desk was in one corner of the
room, and the desk where these matters were being transacted was in
another corner. I had as much as I could do to fill up enlistment
papers. Q. Do you know whether the orders were read to these men ?
A. I have heard orders read to these men, but whether in every
instance they were read I could not say.
Q. Have you, or have you not, heard a great deal pf complaint
from the men that were made to sign orders, without knowing what
they were ?
A. I have never heard a complaint while we were enlisting, till
after the regiment wa9 fall.
Q. Then you heard such complaints ?
A. I never heard the men say anything about it, I only heard the
rumors, the men seemed to be perfectly satisfied with everything that
was done.
Q. Was there a practice of putting men in a close room in this
building ?
A. We had a separate room that was assigned to them especially,
and it Was locked sometimes, whenever they became troublesome,
running back and forth, we were very busy, and would turn the key
on them. There was another door through which they could go out,
unless it was nailed up, they nailed it up themselves. I could not say
why it was nailed up, and I do not know positively who nailed it up.
Q. These men were fastened in this room ? How long were
they ordinarily kept there ?
A. That might vary. It would depend upon whether we could
get ready to take them away. We locked them up to prevent their
running through while we were busy. Sometimes in an urgent case,
we would let one out, and he would come back again.
Q. Do you know anything about any watches being sold to these
men in that establishment ?
A. I know that I sold one of the men a watch.
Q. Do you know anything about other watches being sold ?
A. I know that parties said that other watches were sold to the
men. Q. Do you know who owned those watches ?
A. I do not.
Q. Were you informed by any one that they owned the watches?
A. I could not swear that I was ever informed who owned the
watches. Q. You have no knowledge about the ownership of the watches ?
A. I have understood that a certain party says that he carried it
on. I understood that it was before the committee that were on this
business the previous session, last spring. Mr. Sheldon, I believe,
had charge of the business. It was all done in his name, at any rate,
that is, I understood it was.
Q. Do you not know that that business was Major Engley's, and
carried on by Mr. Sheldon ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 303
A. I do not, sir.
Q. You were not so informed ?
A. Mr. Sheldon acknowledged that the business was his ; said
that it was his ; claimed that it was his so far as anything that I know.
Q. Did you keep the books of Major Engley ?
A. My businesss was filling up enlistment papers. I kept no
books. Mr. Noyes was bookkeeper.
Q. Did Major Engley carry on business on his own account, or
was he interested with other persons ?
A. I could not tell you, sir ; I was hired and paid by him, and
knew no other party in the business. I received very few instructions
even from him, and none from any other party except Mr. Noyes.
Q. Do, you know anything ahout the mode of issuing transpor
tation ?
A. All the transportation I know anything about, I bought and
paid for with the funds, that I did a good deal of.
TESTIMONY OF COL- CHARLES E- BAILEY.
Tuesday Feb, 14, 1865.
Question. What office if any do you hold under this State ?
Answer. I am Aid on the staff of Governor Smith. I act as pri
vate secretary, but there is no appointment of that kind.
Q. Under what authority do you hold that office, and what is
your compensation ?
A. Under the authority of the Governor. The compensation is
$1500 per year.
Q. What are your duties ?
A. ' I have to attend to all of the correspondence of the Executive
Department, particularly the military, and do any other business that
the Governor orders me to do.
Q. Have you any knowledge of how the recruiting service in this
State is carried on, and how it has been carried on from time to time,
since you have been upon the Governor's staff. If so state how it
has been conducted from the commencement, what was the bounty,
who paid it, and who was superintending recruiting ?
A. As to the bounty, it has been changed so many times, I should
not be certain to give a correct answer, in regard to what it was a
particular dates. The bounty at the time the Governor first came
into office, I think, was $15. Afterwards, a bill was passed making
it $300 for three years. Then, at the time the enrollment act was
changed by Congress, making it allowable to place one and two years
men in the service, the bounty of one and two years men was made
proportionable to that of three years men. At that time there was a
$10 premium paid for recruiting, under a special act of the Legisla
ture ; after that the 14th Regiment came on the field. Authority
was given by order from the War Department, June 14th, I think,
for raising the first company, (the authority came by companies,) the
order was issued by the Governor just subsequent to the receiving of
the authority.

304 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. At what time was the order issued for the Third Cavalry ?
A. That was organized first, as a six months regiment, I think,
and afterwards the order was changed.
Q. When was the first order and when the second order ?
A. The first order was the last of June, and the second in July,
I think. Q. Do you remember whether it was before or at the time the
order came to break up camp ?
A. It was just before sir. The first order was for a company^
the next for a battalion and finally for a full regiment (I recur now in
relation to the 14th Heavy Artillery) of Artillery which was in Sep
tember, I think about the 5th.
Q. How many men were then enlisted ? .
A. One battalion had been filled of four companies. They would
not give authority for a battalion until the 1st company was filled, nor
for a regiment until the first battalion was filled.
Q. Under what arrangement?
A'. The first company was enlisted I think chiefly from this State,
by Dr. Wm. H. Helme ; they were enlisted and of course received
the whole bounty, all of them. The next company we got from out
of the State, mainly from N. Y., and perhaps other places, I think
that they received the whole bounty also, except perhaps an advance
that had been made by the recruiting agent which they got to leave
with their families, when they came on here, generally of $25, that
advance and order, was received from, and was therefore paid to the
recruiting agent. After that field and been pretty thoroughly gone
over, the men of course came from farther West and South. An
arragement was then made, by which the recruits should give an order
on his bounty for $50. This $50 was to cover the expense of transpor
tation and subsistence, and any other contingent expenses that might
be incurred in bringing them on.
Q. Was not Maj. Engley paid $25 afterwards to pay the expenses
of this transportation and subsistence ?
A. v There was perhaps a bill made out in that way, to cover certain
expenses, or head money, but of course the head money was not suf
ficient to pay, (witness was interrupted.)
Q. Was there not a bill of $25 per man ?
A.. I have seen the bill but can not say exactly what it was, I
think it was not of that amount.
Q. Resume your history of the regiment ?
A. Finally the men came from as far west as Ohio, and as far
south as Kentucky, and even Tennessee ; these of course, the $50 was
not enough. An arrangement was made by which the agent should
be allowed to take orders for $100. Finally they came I think from
Missouri, I understood so. Either $150 or $200, I cannot say posi
tively which it was from that State was taken. In some cases I un
derstood that contrabands were placed in the regiment, and in those
instances the men had but $50, it took $250 to get the contraband his
freedom and to bring him to Rhode Island. But in no case was a re-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 305
emit to be enlisted for the regiment unless he received $50 which
was at that time the highest bounty that anv colored man were re
ceiving from other States, generally they did not get as much. That,
I think, sir, would close up the 14th regiment. The next that was
enhsted was the 3d Cavalry. The enlistment of this regiment was
going on at the same time with the 14th Heavy Artillery, but the
Cavalry did not get filled up as soon as the other. The last company
of the 14th, I think, was about the 4th of April. The bounty to the
3d Cavalry was the regular $300 bounty.
Q. Was the head money $10 ?
A. I cannot say positively about that, without looking at the
record. Whatever was the established head money at that period,
was paid for those recruits.
Q. What do you mean by the record ?
A. I refer to the orders of the Governor, to the different depart
ments, in reference to paying head money.
Q. Where are those orders ?
A. Copies of them are in the Executive Department.
Q. Are they recorded in the Adjutant General's office ?
A. Not all of them, sir.
Q. Go on, with reference to recruiting last fall ?
A. The next orders were in the autumn of 1864, I think; in that
autumn the order for premiums was changed ; I believe that was
under the act allowing a special fund for bounty, and the arrange
ment was $20 for one year recruits, $40 for two years recruits, and
$50 for three years recruits.
Q. Were vouchers there to be issued by the Provost Marshals?
A. The Provost Marshals were to give certificates that the men
were mustered. That system went on for some little time, and, fin
ally, it was not found to be doing as well as it should. The premium
was not sufficient, compared with that paid by other States. The
Governor then employed certain agents.
Q. Who were those agents ?
A. The superintendent of recruiting was Maj. S. P. Sanford; he
did not come in as an agent of course.
Q. Under what arrangement was he employed and paid ?
A. He was employed as superintendent of recruiting and State
agent. I think his pay per annum was a Major's pay, about $225 a
month, I believe. His duties as State agent would be the collecting
of any accounts with Washington. Of course, if the Governor
ordered him on there, he would have to attend to that and also to
keeping things straight.
Q. Who else?
A. The agents were, Col. John N. Francis, Maj. J. C. Engley,
Col .H. C. Jenckes, Capt. L. T. Starkey, and, at a subsequent date, a
Mr. Ano'ell, I forgot his christian name. He was recruiting for the
first army corps on the same basis. I think those are all, sir.
Q. What were the duties of these agents ?
A. These agents generally had a corps of recruiting runners
39

306 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
under them, whom they kept in proper working order, and prevented
them having any competition among themselves, so that they helped
each other rather than worked against each other.
Q. What was their compensation ?
A. The agents, in the first instance, had, I think, $60, $80, and
$90, finally, the premiums for runners were fixed at $60, $80, and
$90, and the agent had $80, $90, and $100 ; and at the close of that
system, the premium for the runner was $150, and for the agent $200.
Q. That is, the agent had $50 per man ?
A. Yes, sir ; the agent had $50 per man for managing the busi
ness and taking all pecuniary risk, which he had to do in every case.
The State did not look back of the agent in case of any irregularity
of the credits, or anything of that kind. The agent then had to
return the whole money.
Q. By Mr. Jackson. Did he ever return any ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. In what case?
A. In the case of John Morris Jones. I can't remember the
runner's name who enlisted him. Maj. Engley was the agent who
returned the money. It was afterwards returned back again to Maj.
Engley, as the credit was established.
Q.s What regiment was that ?
A. I can't say positively, I think it was the 2d Rhode Island.
That comprised the whole of the orders up to the 26th of January,
in reference to recruiting.
Q. Have you been in any way connected with the business of re
cruiting in this State, or in any way directly or indirectly received
any gratuity, emolument or profit from that business ?
A. To the first part of that question, I should answer, that I had
no connection, except as my opinion was asked sometimes in regard
to certain points, and the propriety of doing certain things, I, of
course, have had knowledge of the system as it has been working,
but in no other way, and have issued the orders under the direction
of the Executive. That is part of my duty in connection with carry
ing on the correspondence of the Executive Department. To the
second part of your question, I should answer, decidedly, that I had
not received any gratuity, emolument or profit from the recruiting
service. ,
Q. How were these bounties paid to the 14th regiment ? What
was the system of keeping accounts ? Did the Governor issue orders,
for instance, to the Paymaster General in relation to it, or how were
they paid ?
A. They were paid under orders of the Executive. I mean this
to refer to the sum that was to be taken from the recruit upon his
order, the payment to be controlled by the orders of the Executive.
Q. But there were other orders issued by the Executive ; refer
to this file and see that there were certain amounts to be paid upon
orders of the men. There were two classes, one ordered to take so
much from the bounty, and the other to take so much upon the order
pf the men ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 307
A. The understanding was, that when a man gives an order in
each case, he makes an agreement. The enlistment paper is not the
agreementthat I refer to, it is the first agreement or contract of en
listment with the recruiting officer, that would not be strictly termed
an enlistment paper.
Q. Suppose men contracted with the officer to enlist for $50
bounty, what would be the mode of paying that bounty ?
A. The man would be paid the bounty for which he agreed to
enlist, and the recruiting officer (Major Engley) would receive the
balance upon proving the agreement to be in accordance with the
orders of the Governor.
Q. I want to call your attention to the bounty and head money
to navy recruits, that had been enlisted since the 1st of September.
How was that paid ?
A. Those at Newport were enlisted under one arrangement,
which was, first, to be $20, $40, and $50, or $60, $80, and $90, I
can't say under which arrangement it commenced ; finally they were
paid $150 premium ; that commenced a little before the ist of Janu
ary. The copy of the order is probably in the Executive Department.
There was one order issued as to navy recruits, when the bill was
paid with a certificate of the recruit's enlistment, and approved for a
certain amount. No order was generally issued as relating to the
navy recruits.
Q. Was there any order in relation to army recruits upon that
subject ?
A. I think there was.
Q. How were bounties paid to navy recruits ?
A. In Newport, they were paid by certificates being issued by the
Paymaster General for the regular bounty ; Col. Smith, the State
Commissioner, was sent to Newport for that purpose.
Q. What compensation did Commissioner Smith get for his
services ?
A. None, except the regular pay of his office.
Q. What is his office ?
A. State and Allotment Commissioner. Then there were cer
tain navy recruits enlisted at New Bedford. Those who paid the
bounty upon regular certificates being filled out in proper form and
presented to Commissioner Smith who paid it. Upon receiving the
certificate of the mustering and upon the credit of the man, the pre
mium was paid to the man who presented it ; $150 I think was paid
for the New Bedford recruits; I think there were none enlisted pre
vious to that arrangement. At Boston there were certain Naval re
cruits enlisted. The arrangpment there was that the Boston recruits
were paid the bounty by agents sent down there for the purpose of
paying them. The agent was J. W. Hill. He paid out the bounty
upon receiving a regular and proper certificate.
Q. Who drew the money from the Quartermaster General s de
partment ? ~„„„
A. D. J. Peirce. He drew I think $200 premium.

308 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did he draw it himself?
A. Yes, sir ; that is he receipted for it in every case, and if here,
drew it personally.
Q. Is there a man by the name of Peck connected with this busi
ness ?
A. I don't recollect any such man.
Q. Who received these moneys from the Quartermaster General
and Paymaster General. Were any received and paid directly
through the Executive Department ?
A. The moneys that were drawn from the Quartermaster Gen
eral's Department for this purpose were returned to the Executive
Department. Q. Who were they drawn by ?
A. They were drawn by Senator Hill to the amount of $10,000
and by Col. Francis to the amount of $10,000 ?
Q. What did they do with it ?
A. They returned it to the Executive, who returned it to the
General Treasurer, and had it credited to that account.
Q. What was the occasion of doing that ?
A. Because all moneys received have to go to that department.
The money was drawn from the Quartermaster General's department
for the simple reason that the Paymaster General could not issue
bounty until he had a properly vouched certificate. It was placed in
the hands of this gentleman who goes to Boston, and does not pay it
until he receives a proper certificate which will draw it from the Pay
master General ; on his return here he draws it from the Paymaster
General and returns it to the Executive, who returns it to the
General Treasurer.
Q. Did not an employee of the Executive Office draw a large
amount of money from the Quartermaster General's Department ?
A. Well, I don't know what you mean by the term employee.
Q. I have been informed by the Quartermaster General that there
was some person who drew a large amount of money from that
office ?
A. I think not, sir. I don't remember any orders of that kind
that were issued, except perhaps to myself for salary. It may have
been that the receipts for the head money were sent to the Depart
ment and drawn by this party. Of course those receipts were vouch
ers for the Quartermaster General. It may have been that this party
did not always present himself to the Quartermaster General to draw
that head money ; when he was here he always drew it himself. When
he was not, the amount was sent to him, on his receipt. In every
case he receipted to the Quartermaster General for the money re
ceived. Q. Under what arragement was recruiting carried on for the 15th
Regular Infantry in this State ?
A. The last time the officer recruiting for that regiment was sta
tioned here it was carried on by his receiving a fixed amount. Lieut.
W. B. Occleston was the recruiting officer. He received the

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 309
amount paid to the runner, which he was obliged in every instance to
pay out to the runner, and Lieut. Occleston being a salaried officer,
it was not thought proper to pay him any premium for his services.
Before drawing this premium he was obliged to show receipts that he
paid it out to the runner.
Q. Was he put in all respects upon the footing of the runners,
and not upon the footing of the special recruiting agent.
A. The first time he presented his bill for four men he was placed
upon the basis of the agent, it being a misunderstanding, and he hav
ing supposed he could draw that amount, and he did I think pay out
that full amount to the runner; in fact, I have receipts to show that he
did so. Thus he still acted on the basis of the runner although he re
ceived $110; in all other cases he was treated as a runner.
Q. Does he continue to recruit under the same basis at the pres
ent time ?
A. Since my return from Washington I have not seen any bills.
I know there was some trouble in relation to a Sergeant he had here,
who was caught in issuing bogus exemption papers to men coming in
from the country, and the Governor requested that he should be re
moved. Q. He was in the service of the United States ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. The Governor had no control over him, had he ?
A. I believe the local authorities of the State have control in such
cases. Q. Did Lieut. Occleston have any control over the Sergeant,
other than his being a superior officer ; he had no power to discharge
him ?
A. No, sir, but he could have had him returned to his regiment at
the Fort undoubtedly. The Sergeant was J. W. Nye, I believe.
Q. Is he a son of Senator Nye of the U. S. Senate ?
A. I don't know that he is, I never heard it before. The fact of
his issuing this certificate is beyond denial. It was a certificate claim
ing to exempt certain men from liability to the draft. It was signed
"N. B. Squills."
Q. Do you think it was intended to be a certificate ?
A. The fact of this board being established there was reported to
the Governor by one of the United States Provost Marshals, as being
a board regularly established and doing a very good business. Capt.
Chadsey reported it.
Q.' Do you mean to say that the Governor refuses to give Lieut.
Occleston any head money ?
A. I do say, that for a certain time he did decline to have any re
cruiting done here by that recruiting officer, while the sergeant re
mained here.
Q. What amount of the bounty of the 14th regiment was paid to
Major Engley.
A. I am unable to give you the amount, sir.
Q. Have you the means of information ?

310 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. That information should come from the Paymaster General's
department. Q. I want to enquire about the vouchers in the Quartermaster
General's and Paymaster General's departments. Did they have fur
ther charges ?
A. The Paymaster had a bounty certificate.
Q. They pay nothing but what is upon order of the Governor ?
A. They pay either upon special or general order of the Gover
nor, but still have to take their vouchers. They have the bounty cer
tificate or else pay upon the roll where the recruit receiving the boun
ty receipts for it.
Q. If orders are issued, where are those orders and where are
they preserved ?
A. I cannot say where the orders are preserved, they have to be
presented to the Paymaster General.
Q. Would they be filed in his office or in the Executive Office.
A. They would not go to the Executive Office.
Q. Then they would be filed in the office of the Paymaster Gen
eral ?
A. I cannot say, sir, where they would be filed.
Q. By Mr Jackson. What was J. W. Hill's pay as Paymaster
General in going to Boston.
A. He was not acting as Paymaster General. He was acting as
Pay Agent. He has not received any compensation yet, sir.
TESTIMONY OF JAMES JEFFERSON.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What is your name ?
A. James Jefferson.
Q. Where do you reside ?
A. In the city of Providence.
Q. What is your business ?
A. I am a barber by trade.
Q. Have you been engaged in the recruiting business in this
State ?
A. I recruited for the 14th Heavy Artillery ; I did from the com
mencement; I believe I have a right to claim the first recruit that was
put into that regiment.
Q. About what time was that ?
A. It was about the first of August, I believe — somewhere near
there. Q. Early in August ?
A. Yes, sir ; I do not know as I could give the date. I know
we had some meetings in July, in which we considered the matter
among thecolored people, and by the time we had made any progress
it had got into August.
Q. By whom were you employed in this business?
A. At first, when I went into it, I cannot say, I was, really, em-

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 311
ployed by anybody. That is, I called on the Governor, at the request
of Dr. Helme, and they were about giving up the idea of raising a
company, It was only a company we contemplated raising at first.
I told Dr. Helme that if the Governor would issue an order estab
lishing a company, and open a recruiting office down street, that
there would be no difficulty in raising a company — the people did not
believe they were in earnest. Then, without further consideration,
at the suggestions of Dr. Helme, I went to work to see if I could
induce men to join without having any consideration. At the first
effort a few did join, or went and volunteered. I didn't know as
anybody got any head money. Soon after that, Dr. Helme told me
there were $10 a head allowed for recruits, and I thought I would go
in with him and do whatever we could.
Q. This first man that you recruited, you got no head money for?
A. I did not. I do not know as anybody did. It was merely
some who volunteered. I merely urged and suggested.
Q. Did Major Engley have anything to do with that ?
A. Not that I know of — at the time, I did not know that he had
anything to do with them ; because I had not heard of Major Engley
at that time, and so I continued on.
Q. How many were there that you enlisted in that way ?
A. There was not more than half a dozen enlisted in that way — ¦
very few consequently after that.
Q. They were people that resided here in the city ?
A. Yes, sir. Then. I went on with Dr. Helme, and recruited
through the State, and got what men we could, understanding that
there were $10 head money to be paid.
Q. The men received their full bounty, did they not ?
A. The men received their full bounty, and' the expenses of re
cruiting was taken out of this head money — what profit there might
be, there was nothing to divide — afterwards Capt. Ballou came here
and became acquainted with Dr. Helme, and I was employed by them.
Q. You were employed by them ? Did they pay you by the
day, or did you share the profits ?
A. I shared the profits. I had a fair understanding that whatever
was made — I knew what the expenses were, and whatever we got I
knew what the profits would be, and it was equally divided, so far as
I settled. Finally, after running along in that way, I met Major
Engley in New York city. He was then recruiting there — had some
men engaged there, and he came to me, and he asked me how_ I was
working, and I told him. He said you can make nothing in that
way. I told him, " no, I cannot make anything." Said he, "I will
give you a better offer than that, I will give you $7 a man." I
asked him particularly was this $7 clear of all expense, and he said
"yes." All the men I could find in and about the State of New
York I turned over to him, and when I come to have a settlement I
found I had to pay expenses out of that $7, in part of New York,
New Jersey, and New York city. He said the Governor would not
pay any part of the expenses from New York city to Providence.

312 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Many of these men cost me as high as $60, and I found I was run
ning behind, and after running over my account, I found I was
running $400 or $500 behind. I told him the State did not want me
to pay the expenses.
Q. At this time what contract did you make' with the men ?
A. I gave them three hundred dollars bounty.
Q. They paid no part of the expenses ?
A. Not that I am aware of.
Q. You took seven dollars out of the head money and paid ex
penses ?
A. Yes, sir ; and the balance I do not know where it went. Maj.
Engley alwajs paid me the seven dollars.
Q. And he paid no expenses ?
A. None at all, sir. I found frequently, men that' I had sent,
would not be passed through. I made inquiries here and they did
not pass. I did see them sometimes in camp and I asked them
about it, and it was explained that the Dr. had suspended them for a
day or two. After being suspended, somebody else had taken them
up and they had drawn the head money and I would lose it.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Did you know why these men were suspend
ed ?
A. I suppose the Dr. had some doubts — they might be unsound
for a few days but would get sound. I spoke to Major Sanford about
it and he told me I ought not to be out of pocket. I told him I would
like to recruit and he told me you can recruit for yourself then. I told
him, I did not know but what Lhad rather do it in that way and then I
would Jsnow what I was doing. I went to Major Engley and told
him, and he did not see that I could exactly recruit for myself, but,
said, he would make some arrangement that would satisfy me better,
and then I learned that they were charging the men some per centage
off their bounty which paid expenses.
Q. These men that you were recruiting ?
A. Not that I had heard of. Not of these men, I speak of; but
other parties were recruiting and stating to me what was doing and I
spoke to Major Engley about it. He said whatever the men
would go for — if they would go for $275 or for $250, I could take
them for that. So I believed I could get one or two men for $250,
while I was recruiting in that way, and of course that would help to
cut down my losses while I was at work with some I had already re
cruited. I asked him then as I had been working for him to allow
me to have these men to assist me, they being acquainted with the
country and could induce their friends and he did let me have three.
I paid theii expenses from here to Albany and Troy, wherever they
would go and whatever the cost was I paid them so much a man, and
the balance of the profits I concluded to have myself. Well, just as
I got the affair in operation, he suggested to me to go to St. Louis,
and that there was a better field open. I told him that I ought to be
allowed to remain ; I had got a going but he insisted, I should go to
St. Louis, and he said, if you go, these men now at work for you

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 313
shall go with you, and whatever you send here shall be credited to
to you, and also promised me whatever I should want. He was go
ing to start with me and I was to meet him here in the front of this
building, the recruiting office. I came and waited until it was time,
within two minutes, when Major Sanford appeared, and Major San
ford asked me why I did not go, with him (Helme) ; he said it was
all the same — Sanford said this. When I got to New York I under
stood he was out particularly with Major Engley. I went to St.
Louis, and me and Dr. Hehneoperated there, and while there I got a
squad of recruits and sent home. When I got to Albany I thought
I would see how things were there, and they presented me a bill of
expenses and returned five of the seventeen men who they said were
returned to Major Engley, or me — I settled partly-r-I had an order for
$10, which I had got oPDr. Helme on the Quartermaster. I got that
order in part payment and came here to Providence. When I came
to Providence I called for these men. These men he said had turned
them over to their own credit and he had paid $10 a piece to them for
them. I told him I had been to all the expense and I thought I ought
to share the profits. Said he you went off to St. Louis and therefore
I don't think you ought to have anything. I thought I ought to have
the profits on all men gained by men whom he knew were employed
by me. I asked him then "will you not pay that bill ?" Said he "no
I will not."
Q. Do you know to whom this amount of money was paid to ?
A. The head money was to be paid to him, and the $50 was to be
paid to me, but he would not pay the expenses and the only ground of
dispute was my right to the men. I believe there was no dispute as
1 to what was to be paid.
Q. Did he pay any thing to these agents of yours at Albany ?
A. He said he did. They said he did not ; and they say the only
money received, was the money which I gave and the order. I had
the letter of one sergeant Schoolmaker ; he gave me a letter from
 , who, he says, was expressly turned over by another man —
Hogans, in Troy — that I had ordered him to turn them all over to
him, and when I returned I would settle with him ; of course he
looked to me for a settlement.
Q. Did you settle with him ?
A. With that man, I did.
Q. And paid all the expenses ?
A. Yes, sir.
• Q. How did you pay these men in Albany. Did you pay them
by the day ?
A. I paid them so much a man ?
Q. How much did you pay them ?
A. I paid them for the men that they got for $250, the sum of
0 each, and paid all the expenses.
Q. You got fiftv dollars, minus their expenses ? _
A. Yes, sir. That is, I did not get it ; but I should have had it.
Q. Who was Hogans ?
40

314 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. He was a man living in Troy, who I used to get a man from
occasionally. I told him when he had a man to turn him over to the
sergeant Schoolmaker and Sergeant Jones.
Q. Which he did turn oyer?
A. Which Sergeant Schoolmaker acknowledged that he did re
ceive them from him, and wrote a letter to Major Engley to that
effect. Q. They were your men ?
A. Yes, sir, they were. Engley is the only man I had anything
to do with that did not come up to the square. I worked with Capt.
Ballou, and as far as we had any understanding at all, he always set
tled what he agreed to, and Dr. Helme did with the exception of a
little account outstanding, which I have not seen him about because
he was away, and I have no fears for that when he comes. I then
had some little account about some men that we disputed about when
we went to New York. I finally agreed to settle when we went to Mary
land. I went to Maryland expecting to find him there; and by the advice
of some friends I went to Washington in Virginia. I telegraphed to him.
I telegraphed to Mr. Magraw in Washington, that if he had any trans
portation, I wanted to get some from him. I had two or three re
cruits that I sent to him, and he held on Engley's account. These
men were forwarded on to him. He told me I could take the men
with the understanding that whatever they would go for would be
their pay, and that was fifty dollars. I did get one man who consented
to go for fifty dollars, and none for less than that. There were some
for two hundred dollars, and one that came for one hundred and
twenty-five dollars. However, this man came for fifty dollars. I had
two men at two hundred dollars, and I told them that this bounty was
to be taken out ; there was a perfect understanding. When I got
here, he asked about the fifty dollar man, for whom I had sent an or
der. He generally took the men and asked them what they had
agreed to enlist for and they should have it. I was not present when
this fifty dollar man was asked.
Q. By Mr. Blake. This man who agreed to go for this sum, did
he understand the State bounty ?
A. Yes, sir : he is intelligent, and I think he did ; but if he did
not, this was not my fault. When I got here, he (Engley) said, this
man has not got sense and was a little foolish, and Major Sanford said
he would have to have the same bounty that the others did. I said,
whatever was right, I would do, and I suppose when the settlement
was made that the man got two hundred dollars. He said, the man
says he did not agree to enlist for fifty dollars. I stated to him that
he did, and we did not agree. When I came back, Major Engley
told me that you would not allow but one hundred dollars to be
taken out. This man came from Washington. He did not say any
more. He said he wanted to see me in a few days, and that was all
I heard about it. The inference I drew, was that the man did not
get but fifty dollars ; so when a settlement was made with him on that
account, after making out expenses, I understood that I had some

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. • 315
thirty dollars coming to me, and when he figured it up he brought me
some eight dollars in debt, charging me three dollars a day for the
man who forwarded the men, which I thought was pretty sharp. Said
I, " you know Colonel, that I am about three hundred dollars short."
I think I had done as much in the meantime. I said, " I promised
the Governor when I started that I would stick to it to the end." I
told him I thought it rather hard, because as I told you he had not
lost any money with me. I finally wrought upon his feelings and he
finally gave me ten dollars. He asked me to give him a receipt and I
told him I would give him a receipt in full for work in Washington,
with the understanding that I had not settled for the work in Troy.
He said, he told me he would not pay any more.
Q. He brought you in bis debt ?
A. He brought me in debt ; I thought he owed me thirty dollars,
and he did owe me thirty dollars. I gave him a receipt for ten dollars.
He made out the receipt himself for me to sign. I saw it .covered all
and told him that if he made it out for recruits in Washington, I
would sign it.
Q. How many men have you procured in all ?
A. I can hardly tell now. I might come very near it, if I looked
over my accounts. But the manner in which they were recruited it
would be hard for me to tell. For instance, I sent on a man recruit
ing for Dr. Helme. Wherever I was recruiting that would be put
down to Captain Ballou here.
Q. Sanford put it down to the credit of Captain Ballou and Dr.
Helme, and he paid ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Helme, he paid ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How much did the men procured by you pay ?
A. Nothing, except in the cases I speak of. In New York three
men fifty dollars, and those that I got on from Washington.
Q. Did you get any men from St. Louis ?
A. Yes,* sir ; when I was with Dr. Helme.
Q. How much did they deduct ?
A. Fifty dollars. It cost- twenty-one dollars to briiig them as far
as New York, to say nothing about the expenses on here.
Q. Did these men recruited by you understand what the State
bounty was?
A. Yes sir; I made it a point in St. Louis and Ohio and
wherever I got men I made it a point to state to them that we were
allowed by the State but ten dollars, and that ten dollars head money
was to cover expenses, and this deduction was to cover all expenses
and pay me. They understood it and voluntarily assented to it.
Q. 'Have you known any instances of any man in the 14th Regi
ment who has been deceived in regard to the amount of the bounty
that the State pays ?
A. I cannot say, sir, that I know of any case.
Q. Have you sold to these men any watches or other property i

316 REFORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir ; I have never sold anything.
Q. Have you known of any persons trading with them and taking
orders ?
A. I do not know, myself, of any case of that kind.
Q. Have you any personal knowledge of fraud, or of swindling,
practiced upon the men in the 14th Regiment ?
A. No, sir.
Q. All you complain of is the treatment of Major Engley, who
has not performed the contract he made with you ?
A. I do not think he has, in regard to that case, in New York
particularly. In fact, I did not come here to complain of that. It is
merely the facts I state which are drawn out — I don't come to make
complaints. I was a sufferer, and I supposed there was no redress,
and I remain so.
Q. In fact, you consider that Major Engley has not performed
the contract he made with you ?
A. Especially in regard to that case in New York.
Q. Have you any personal knowledge of other men treated in
that way ?
A. Several colored men told me that they had been.
Q. Do you know of any men who have refused to work at this
business, on account ofthe treatment of Major Engley towards them?
A. Yes, sir ; I saw a man working at the west ; I don't know
what to call his name — that big man in New York — Delaney. They
told him they wanted him to stop, and he said Engley would not
deal fair after that. He said very hard words about him — said he
was a swindler, and asked him to turn my men over to Massachusetts
or to Connecticut ; I told him it would not do. I told him that I
had. promised Governor Smith to do all I could to fill that regiment,
and, beside, I had some State pride of my own. I had the Mayor of
Albany send for me about the matter, and the man where I was
boarding told me I was a fool, and he wanted to find out the residence
of the men, and told me I should have one hundred dollars for all the
men I could get.
Q. How much money would Major Engley have received for the
men furnished by you ?
A. I could not tell how much.
Q. Can you make an estimate, and come within the truth ?
A. I don't think I can.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Is there any way in which you can tell ?
A. Perhaps I could if I looked over my books.
Q. I would like to have you ascertain and tell us ; you can take
time for it; also, I would like to have you state how much money he
paid on account of those men ?
A. I have not kept any regular accounts. I was more interested
in getting recruits than anything else. That is the reason why I
have been so loose about money matters. Some times what recruits
I would get, I did not keep a particular account of. I might look
and find all the men I had recruited ; but I might not be able to fix

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 317
it whether they were turned over to Ballou, or to Dr. Helme, or to
Major Engley.
Q. By Mr. Blake. How was this transportation from New York
paid — the. recruiting of troops in New York — do you understand how
that was paid ?
A. I understand that the State paid the expenses from New York
here. Q. The transportation from New York to Providence you did not
pay? #
A. No, sir ; I used to do this — I was so much out. Sometimes
we sent recruits on that would not pass. He said so, that he would
have to send all recruits - back that did not pass ; so that if recruits
were sent here that did not pass, whoever sent them would have to
pay the expenses back. (To Mr. Blake.) All" that I ever sent I
had to pay out of my own pocket. There was one instance— a Mr.
Hamilton, editor of the Anglo African, I got him to interest himself
in his paper. I paid him out of the $7 I got for the men, $4, — no,
at that time I got but $5 — it was $5 or $6 — rno, I paid him $4 for
every man he could get, and while I was gone up to Albany, or some
where, he got six men and sent them on to Providence. That was
to Dr. Helme's account. They were not to Major Engley; but,
however, these men came on, and it seems as if there did not but
one out of the six pass. Well, then, I was working through Major
Engley at that time, but through a mistake they were forwarded to
Dr. Helme. When I learned that, I said these men were to go to
Major Engley, and when he learned that, he was willing to turn them
over, so this expense was made, and Major Engley would not receive
them because they were sent to Dr. Helme. Dr. Helme was willing
to allow the $10. I paid Mr. Hamilton his $4 each. I had had to
feed them. Hamilton had been paid, and the whole amount was $41
for expenses, and out of this $41, I received $10.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Then, you were picking up recruits for Eng
ley? A. Yes, sir, and I told him he ought to pay transportation for these
men, one way or the other. I did not think it was fair to throw it all
upon me, but he said Dr, Helme had taken them, and he made other
excuses. The way he reasoned, was, when I sent my dispatch, he
thought it was not fair and would not receive them. I told him the
Doctor would not have any charge against him, because I felt that he
had acted as I would have acted after receiving the despatch.
Q. By Mr. Blake. You were not furnished with transportation ?
A. Sometimes I had a ticket presented to me ; when I didn't, I
had to pay my own way.

318 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Interrogatories from ihe Committee to Governor Smith.
STATE OE RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Depabtment, I
Providence, March 1st, 1865. J
Hon. Wm. P. Sheffield, Chairman, Src, House qf Representatives, Providence, R. I.
Sin : — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this
date, and, in compliance with the request of the Committee therein expressed, I en
close herewith my replies to the questions asked.
I am, sir, very respectfully, ytiur obedient servant,
JAMES Y. SMITH,
Governor of Rhode Island
Question No. 1. Under What law or authority did you create the
office of Private Secretary and Superintendent of Recruiting, and fix
their pay ? And from what fund and by what authority did you or
der them to be paid ? And under what law or authority were their
duties defined ?
Answer. I created neither of the offices of Private Secretary or
Superintendent of Recruiting. Finding that the offices of Private
Secretary and State Agent were recognized as existing, and were so
paid for by my predecessor in office, I continued them. Upon the
written request and earnest recommendation of my predecessor to re
tain the State Agent. I did so, entrusting to him the duties of Su
perintendent of Recruiting, which he had heretofore exercised under
the former State Administration. I found these officers indispensible
to my aid. In connection with this question please see papers an
nexed, marked A, B, C, D, and E.
(Copy. A.)' "Washington, D. C, May 20th, 1863.
Hon. James Y. Smith, Governor elect, $-c.
My Dear Sik : Maj. S. P. Sanford has succeeded in getting from the Government
five to ten thousand muskets and their equipments for your re-organized militia. Our
experience ih obtaining favors tif the Deparment, is to keep all such tci ourselves, lest
other States make similar claims, and thus, in future, cut off Rhode Island applica
tions. May I beg ypu to so instruct the different State officers.
Major Saliford's indefatigable efforts has succeeded in this, as he has in almost every
other application which the State has succeeded in obtaining of the Department. I
commend him to your consideration, as one indispensable.
I am, respectfully, &c.
(Sighed) WM. SPRAGUE.
A true copy.
Chaeles E. Bailet, Col. ind A. D. C.

(Copy. B.) Washington, July 18th, 1862.
Sik : I respectfully request, for the benefit of the military service, that Major S.
P. Sanford be directed to report to the Adjutant General of Rhode Island until further
orders, for duty connected with recruiting.
Major Sanford is a field officer, Eirst Regiment, Rhode Island Light Artillery.
He has been acting under the orders of the Colonel in this capacity. The new
order requires for his continuance in this service ; special orders from the War De
partment. The field officers of volunteer regiments Light Artillery, not being used

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 319
lI?ntiletnfildot0radVantage'.Maji>r ?anford has' in consequence performed valuable ser-
hiiL nf ™ ,G°Tern™e°t.J ™* the State authorities requires his assistance, which,
being of no detriment to the service in the field, and saves expense.
Will you please cause the necessary orders to be issued to him in Providence.
very respectfully,
Hon. E. MnsdTAHTON, Secretary of "War. WM' SPEAGTIE-
Official copy, (Signed; Thomas M. Vincent, Assistant Adjutant General,
Official copy,
Charles E.- Bailey, Col, and A. D. C,
[Copy. C] Providence, Sept. 22d, 1863.
Sik : On the 21st of July, 1862, at my request, Major S. P. Sanford, 1st R. I. L.
Artillery, was detailed to report to the Governor of this State for duty in raisiug a
new quota, which service was to be performed in addition to his duty as a recruiting
officer for his own regiment-
In the discharge of his duty up to the present time, Major Sanford has recruited
more men for his own and other regiments, than all other recruiting officers in the
State detailed from the army.
Major Sanford is now co-operating with the State authorities, having been entrusted
by my successor in office with the duty of raising the negro regiment in this city,
which now numbers between six and seven hundred men, and owes its success to the
activity and energy of Major Sanford.
I hope you will not permit any change to he made in these arrangements, as, in my
opinion, any such change would be highly detrimental to the service.
I am led to make this suggestion, because his superior regimental officers (two of
whom are now in this State) appear to be dissatisfied with his duties in connection
with the colored regiment, and I earnestly desire that, at this juncture, you should
fully understand the case.
Very respectfully, your obt. servt.,
(Signed) WM. SPRAGUE.
To Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.
War Department, Washington, D. C., Sept. 25th, 1863.
A true copy.
Official copy,
Chakles E. Bailey, Col. and A. D. C.
(Copy. D.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Adjutant General's Office, \
Providence, Dec. 7th, 1861. )
Special order, No. 137.
You having been appointed 2d Major, 1st Regt. R. I. L. Artillery, you will imme
diately take charge of the recruiting for the Batteries now forming, and those also in
the field, and will report progress directly to the Commander-in-Chief every morning,
until further orders.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief.
(Signed) AUG'S HOPPIN,
i Assistant Adjt. Gen.
Major S. P. Sanford, Is Regt. R. I. L. Artillery, Providence.
Official copy,
Charles E. Bailey, Col. and A. D. C.
(Copy. E.)
Adjutant General's Office, )
Washington, D. C, July 20th, 1862. J
Major S. P. Sanford, 1st Regt. R. I. Artillery, Providence, R. I.
Sir : At the request of His Excellency, the Governor of Rhode Island, you will
please report to him for special service, in recruiting the new quota of volunteers from
the said State.

320 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
This official service will be in addition to your present duties as recruiting officer.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant.
By Command, (Signed) • THOMAS M. VINCENT,
Assistant Adjt. Gen.
A true copy,
Charles E. Bailey, Col. and A. D. C.
Question No. 2. Under what law or authority were created the
offices of special recruiting agents, which should have priority or pre
ference in authority or compensation over other persons employed in
the recruiting service ? And under what law or authority was any
recruiting officer before the present session of the General Assembly
paid for obtaining recruits, a greater sum than ten dollars head money
and the necessary transportation and subsistence of the recruits ? „
Answer. See acts of the General Assembly, passed February llth
and 12th, 1864. Also Resolution of the General Assembly, passed
special session August, 1862. - No persons employed in recruiting had
priority or preference in authority or compensation over others em
ployed. Persons employed, did have an advantage over those engaged
in the business of recruiting as a business, who were not deemed wor
thy of appointments on account of irresponsibility. The action of
neighboring States obliging me to make constant changes of the sys
tem of recruiting in order to compete successfully in obtaining men.
Question No. 3. Did you early in September, 1863, appoint and
commission J. C. Engley ,*a major in the 14th regiment of H. A. ?
And if so, while he was in commission did you authorize any head
money or compensation to be paid to him for enlisting recruits, and if
so, how much in the aggregate ?
Answer. I did commission J. C. Engley as major in the 14th
regiment R. I. H. A. At the commencement of recruiting this regi
ment, I allowed him to draw ten dollars head money. I afterwards
allowed thirty-five dollars per man additional, as compensation to aid
him in causing men to be brought from distant points.
pr.]
(Copy of order to Paymaster General.)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, March 21st, 1864. J
Col. John N. Francis, Paymaster General.
Colonel : His Excellency directs that you pay to Major J. C. Engley, for such
recruits as may be enlisted by him for the 14th R. I. H. A., whatever balance of §300
there may be after allowing the amount for which the said recruits agree to enlist for,
to their credit on your hooks.
Very respectfully, your obt. servt.,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY,
„„ . , Col. and A. D. C.
Official copy,
Charles E. Bailey, Col. and A. D. C.
Question No. 4. Did you issue an order on or about the 24th of
March, 1864, to the Paymaster General, directing him to pay to J.
C. Engley the difference between the bounty for which the recruits

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 321
for the 14th regiment contracted to enlist and $300, and to pay to him
the balance of the bounties of the recruits to their credit upon the
books of the Paymaster ? And if so, upon what authority or law did
you issue that order and for what service was it to pay ? '
Answer. I issued an order on the 21st March, 1864, to the Pay
master General, a copy of which is annexed, marked F. This order
was designed to cover a few specified cases, and had no reference to
men that had been registered as enlisted men by the Paymaster prior
to the date of the order.
Question No. 5. Did you issue an order to the Paymaster Gene
ral to pay J. C. Engley $30,625 for transportation, subsistence and
expenses of the men enlisted by him ? If so, will you name the ac
count upon which this order was made ? And state the contract un
der which the money was paid ?
_ Answer. I approved a bill and ordered it paid for $30,625 for en
listing 875 men for the 14th regiment, including expenses, transpor
tation, subsistence, &c, by virtue of the authority conferred by the
acts of the General Assembly, of February llth "and 12th, 1864.
Question No. 6. Did you issue an order either verbal or written
to the Paymaster General to pay J. C. Engley $11,011 for 102 men
(deserters and discharged) and' if so upon what authority was this
order issued or tbe payment made ?
Answer. The men referred to were I presume paid for under or
ders issued previously, or from time to time to the Paymaster General.
They embrace men enlisted from the commencement to the comple
tion of the regiment. Mpst of these men were suspended by Captain
Silvey, U. S. Mustering Officer, whose caprice and refusal to muster
men that had passed the examining board and Surgeon often times al
lowed men to remain in camp two or three months. Ih many instances
men suspended from one company would be accepted in another.
Men deserted oftentimes after the first suspension and owing to this
fact escaped arrest ; they were probably enlisted and clothed and will
be found upon the record at the Quartermaster General's office.
Question No. 7. Was an order issued by you to pay to Engley
any amount of head money for recruits under date of October 24,
1864, and. if so, upon what authority was that order issued and for
what service ? •
Answer. I issued an order to pay J. C. Engley a sum of head
money for enlisted recruits October 22, 1864, a copy of wbich is an
nexed, marked G. The authority upon which this order was issued
was that of the War Department of the General Government for re
cruiting services. [Copy. G.]
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c.
Executive Department, )
Providence, Oct. 22d, 1864. j
Brig. Gen. D. C. Remington, Q. M. Gen., Rhode Island.
General : I am instructed by His Excellency, Gov. Smith, to request you to pay-
Major J. C. Engley twenty-six hundred and forty-four dollars, ($2644,) the same be-
41

322 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
ing the $2 premium allowed by Government on 1322 men, enlisted by him for the
14th Regt. R. I. H. A.
I am, General, very respectfully yours,
(Signed) CHARLES E. BAILEY.
1 s ' Col. and A. D. C.
Official copy,
Charles E. Bailey, Col. and A. D. C.
TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN GORDON.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. What is your rank ?
Answer. I am Captain in the 3d Rhode Island Cavalry.
Q. You are now in the regiment ?
A. I command Company E.
Q. How long have you been connected with this regiment ?
A. Since the 1st of October.
Q. Is this the first Rhode Island regiment you have had any con
nection with ?
A. It is.
Q. Have you any knowledge whatever, in regard to any men that
have been practicing fraud upon recruits — by recruiting officers.
A. I have, sir. I have here a written statement of my first
Lieutenant. Q. You state the facts that you know of your own knowledge ?
A. On the 4th of January a man by the name of Martin Kit-
tredge came into camp, in charge of a Sergeant of transportation, and
brought down a letter addressed to Lieut. Thomas ; on the back ofthe
letter was an endorsement : — if this man is received into camp pay
him the inclosed ; if not, keep the money until I come down.
Signed, L. T. STARKEY.
Lieutenant Thomas opened the letter in my presence. The letter
contained ten dollars. Some short time afterwards the Paymaster
General came down to pay the men fifty dollars bounty, on whatever
was due them. The State bounty amounted to fifty dollars each man.
In some instances $65. Some received ten dollars. This man was
charged twenty-five dollars on the pay roll, and the man declared he
had had but ten dollars, and that was the ten dollars that Lieutenant
Thomas had paid him. I questioned the man about the amount, and
he said he had only received ten dollars. That Captain Starkey
when the ten dollars was first paid, promised twenty-five dollars,
and had only sent in the letter ten dollars. I investigated
the case ; went up to the Paymaster General's office and said
he had paid twenty-five dollars to Captain Starkey, and he re
ported to him that the man had given an order for fifteen dollars.
I questioned the man about it, and he stated he had only been in
America a short time. He came direct to Providence, and was re
cruited. He knew no one, and was only here two days. He did not
give any order, for there was no one to give it to. I can't make it
appear feasible that Capt. Starkey should write, that it should be paid
to the man, unless he was received into camp, and yet to pay fifteen
dollars to some other man, and the Paymaster General pay him.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 323
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you mean to say that he paid fifteen
dollars before ?
A. The ten dollars was to be paid.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. And the fifteen dollars was paid before ?
A. That I cannot say.
Q. Did you see the order ?
A. I have not. I did not know as there was any order in ex
istence. Q. Did not the Paymaster have it ?
A. No, he had not got it.
Q. He had it, you understand. You said there was an order
from some man ?
A. That, Capt. Starkey stated to the Paymaster, that some man
held this order, and Captain Starkey paid it — had paid the man, and
still the man had not got the order.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. That was the question ? The fifteen dol
lars was paid ; he paid it to some party ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Although he could not trust the ten dollars until he came into
camp? A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did Captain Starkey give the name of the person he paid it to?
A. I have not seen Captain Starkey. It did not appear at the
Paymaster's. It only appeared there that he had paid twenty-five
dollars. It did not appear that the Captain had paid it ; it only ap
peared that it was paid.
Q. On the Paymaster's books ?
A. Yes, sir, on that man's bounty.
Q. Where is Captain Starkey ?
A. On the bridge, here.
Q. Is he in the recruiting business ?
A. He is in the recruiting business.
Q. Is he connected with the regiment ?
A. I believe he holds a commission as captain.
Q. . Has he been mustered in ?
A. He has not.
Q. Do you know the name of this man ?
A Martin Kittredge. The man declared he had only been two
days in Providence.
Q. Where is the man now ?
A. In camp, mustered in to my company. There was a great
many cases came up at the time ; but most of them the Paymaster
settled. He said there were errors. In three other cases the Pay
master handed up $25. He handed back the money and I paid the
man. He said it was a mistake.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was it held by some recruiting officer ?
A. Yes, sir ; botli of them.
Q. Was there any account of this ?
A. Two were Capt. Starkey's.

324 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Is there any other case that you have any knowledge of?
A. Yes, sir; about eight other men — either seven or eighty men
all enlisted by Capt. Starkey, whom he had detailed on recruiting.
Those men came into camp and made a declaration. Three of them
declared before  that Capt. Starkey charged them three dollars
for getting fifteen dollars increase, by the Governor's order.
Q. Explain the fifteen dollars increase ?
A. When the regiment first began to be formed, the first install
ment was $10. When they came into camp they each received $10,
and consequently, when it was increased to $25, they all had to re
ceive $15. They had only to go to the Paymaster's office and get it.
Capt. Starkey represented that they could not get it without his
assistance, and they all agreed to give him $3 each for getting it.
Q. What are the names of these men ?
A. Battelle, Rhodes, Cole and Sunderland — four men.
Q. Can you give the names of the others ?
A. I cannot give the others.
Q. Did these men give Capt. Starkey an order ?
A. They gave him the order, and he went to the Paymaster's
office and got it cashed, and he handed them the money, deducting
$3 each.
Q. Did they authorize him to go to the Paymaster's and get the
bounties ?
A. I don't know ; I presume that it was only by sending an order
for their bounties, that he could get it. I don't know how it was
done. He had nothing to do but to walk across the street and draw
the money. I have drawn the money for fifty or sixty men.
Q. You have the names of the four men ; are they in your com
pany ?
A. They are in this battalion, in company F — Captain Scott's
company. Q. Have you heard Captain Starkey say anything about these
cases ?
A. I have not had any conversation with him.
Q. You have heard only the statements of the men ?
A. That's all.
Q. Are there any others that you know of?
A. Yes, sir ; I was in the office some weeks since, in the office
of Mr. Searle, and a man came in and made a statement that while
Major Burt was recruiting, there was a man who had lost the use of
one of his eyes. A man by the name of Blanding took the man who
had lost an eye — I don't know which eye. He took him before Maj.
Burt, and Mr. Blanding made an arrangement with the man, that on
account of the loss of his eye, if he got him into the service, he was
to be paid $200, and that Major Burt was to receive a per centage, I
believe, of at least $50.
Q. Did they get him in ?
A. They got him in ; whether he has gone or not I do not know.
Q. Do you know whether he was mustered in or not ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 325
A. I do not.
Q. You don't know whether he drew the bounty ?
A. I do not.
Q. Do you mean to say that the man was to pay $200 for being
got into the service ?
A. For being got into the service ? that was the arrangement.
I suppose they represented to him that he was incompetent to perform
service. That is not the case ; a man that has lost his left eye, that
does not render him incompetent.
Q. Had he been rejected by the examining surgeon ?
A. I do not know anything about it.
Q. To whom was the $200 to be paid ?
A. To Blanding.
Q. $50 was to go to Major Burt ?
A. To Major Burt.
Q. This was for the Third Cavalry ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Was not that ''the same case that was of
fered as a substitute ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know who examined him ?
A. I believe Dr. Gardiner examined him ; I do not know.
Q. You understand that this money was paid by him ; you stated
it was paid ?
A. No, sir ; I never heard that. I don't know the one-eyed
man's name. I have heard it, but don't remember.
Q. Is there any other case, Captain, that has come to your
knowledge ?
A. No, sir ; I think not.
TESTIMONY OF LIEUT. THOMAS.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. What is your name ?
Answer. Amos G. Thomas.
Q. You hold a commission in the 3d cavalry ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long have you been in the regiment.
A. I commenced recruiting with the regiment on the last of Sep
tember to the 1st of November, — recruiting for the regiment.
Q. You have been employed in that business ever since ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You have been mustered in and are now in the exercise of a
Lieutenant's command.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know of any frauds that have been practiced upon re
cruits. A. I do not.
Q. Have you had occasion to know any thing about any regiment
except the one you are connected with ?

326 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you heard any complaints among the men in your regi
ment of being defrauded.
A. I have heard complaints of that kind. I had one complaint
that was brought to my notice. I was then at that time in charge of
the nucleus of a company, "now mustered in. I was in camp in com
mand of this nucleus and received a letter from Capt. Starkey for Mar
tin Kittredge enclosing ten dollars to be kept until Martin Kittredge
comes into camp. I kept it until he was mustered in and was received.
I did not know as he would be received by the mustering officer. I
kept it and then tendered the money in the presence of witnesses.
Capt. Gordon aud Assistant Surgeon Wightman — not now in camp,
and one or two others. Why, said he, I expected twenty-five dollars.
Here is only ten dollars. I also got no note inside, and I got Capt.
Gorton to witness that fact upon the envelope, and I have that still in
my possession. If I had known the nature of this board, I should
have produced the envelope. I have it amongst my papers in camp.
I gave the man ten dollars in the presence of the officers. He stated
that he was to have twenty-five dollars. I told him I knew nothing
about that. The man who sent him down and enlisted him drawed
this money and he might look to him, fifteen dollars was then due him.
Q. Do you know how Captain Starkey accounts for the difference ?
A. I understand he gave the Captain an order for $15 to pay the
Captain. The Captain has that order. I have not seen the Captain,
but he now holds the order, so he tells me.
Q. Is that the only case you have had occasion to know about?
A. This is all the case I know anything about directly — where it
was brought to my notice. There were some other cases that Cap
tain Gordon brought to my notice — all hearsay.
Q. You know nothing more than what he has stated ?
A. Nothing more.
Q. ' You don't know of your own knowledge whether this trans
action between Captain Starkey and Kittredge was an open transac
tion or not ?
A. I do know, sir.
Q. You only know the man's statement and Capt. Starkey's state
ment ?
A. . Yes, sir, that's all.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN B. PEARCE.
[Examined by Chairman.]
Question. You are in the llth regiment ?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Q. Acting as Quartermaster ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long have you been in that regiment ?
A. Since the 1st of October.
Q. Have you had anything to do with recruiting for that regiment?
A. No, sir. I have recruited two — David Howard, and another
man by the name of Nokey.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 327
Q. You recruited David Howard ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you taken the head money, as they call it ?
A. No, sir ; I have not.
Q. What did you have to do with his case ? What are the facts ?
A. Well, sir, some time in November, David came to me recom
mended very highly by Mr. Lamed and by a letter from Col. Pitman.
He was .personally recommended by Mr. Larned as being a good
man to have in the Quartermaster's department. I saw David's wri
ting ; he wrote me a letter soliciting the position. He wanted to be
Quartermaster's sergeant, and that had been promised to another
man, and he could not have it. I told him I would give him a posi
tion as clerk for the Quartermaster, where he would not have much to
do but to write. He took a week to consider, and finally made up
his mind that he would not enlist. It looked as though the regiment
would be on Dutch Island all winter. So it passed over, and I got
a Quartermaster's sergeant and clerk, and about all my assistants. A
few days ago, David came and said to me, he had made up his mind
to enlist, and he wanted to know if I could give him a position. I
told him, I could not give him the position I had offered him before ;
but I thought I could find him a position that would suit him. I
wanted to go down to the Island, and I knew the adjutant, and told
him I knew of a good man to take charge of his department, and he
consented to do so. I talked with the Colonel about it, and he gave
his consent, knowing Mr. Howard ; and I don't know what day, but
a week or ten days after, I came and told David we would enlist him.
Knowing it to be the custom for all outside parties who were picked
up, I would get some one else to do it ; and sometimes I did not want
to enlist myself for fear I should interfere with the regular officer, and
I told David I would see Engley, or go into Engley's office and tell
him I should get a recruit. I happened in, and he said, " all right,
send him over." " I wish," said I, " to get the $10." About the
time he was going over, we met this man West, somewhere near the
Quartermaster General's office. I had seen him up to camp Smith,
and I knew he had been in the habit of making out enlistment
papers, and had been down with the men to get them clothed, and
took them up to camp, although I never knew how he got his pay.
I asked him if he would not take him over to Engley's office and
have, him enlisted. I told him I should expect the head money, and
and they went off together. I supposed the papers were made out,
and something like a couple of hours afterwards I met West, and he
says, "your man did not pass." I was very much surprised, for he
was a healthy looking man, and smart, and I did not see how it could
be. It was some little trouble. He said, " you can say to Dr. Gar
diner that if he is not very bad, he is going on light duty, and he had
better pass him if he could." The next news I heard, I got a letter
from David, and he said he had not passed the doctor ; but through
my friend Dr. West, by paying $20, he could get passed ; and went
on to state that he was being swindled, and I thought so myself. I

328 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
thought if a man could pass by paying $20, he certainly could pass
without paying $20. I showed the letter to the Colonel. I thought,
perhaps, he would get up before David had taken any further steps.
He would take him before Capt. Silvey, and see whether he could
retain the $20. When I came up he had enlisted, been clothed, and
mustered into the service. I went out of town on Saturday, and the
Colonel then said he would attend to that part of the business, and
see that he was not defrauded of his twenty dollars. He would see
that he had his full bountv. This morning I heard that he had some
little altercation about it in the street.
Q. Have you seen West to-day ?
A. I have not seen him since the day I talked with him, and the
doctor had not passed Howard. He is a rnan I never spoke with
more than two or three times.
Q. You did not say anything about this case to-day ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know whether Engley employs hirri or not ?
A. No, sir ; I do not. This recruiting is a part of the business
that I have not had anything to do with ; I have not paid any atten
tion to it. I have heard a great many stories, but know nothing
about them personally. I have heard complaints from the men.
They would hardly know — when a man goes to receive his bounty,
and expects $75, and, perhaps, gets twenty-five dollars — how they
made it out. Major Engley has advanced him $25 and sent him re
cruiting, and in the room of $300, he ought to have $500 or $600.
He says recruiting, if it paid, should pay $25 or $30. I bring in
eight, ten, or twenty men, and they agree to give me $10 a head.
These men go in, and finally, exhaust the field of labor and get no
more, and the man is sent down to the Island. When he goes to
receive his pay, he gets no head money for the men he enlisted, and,
on many, had the expenses charged to him.
Q. Do you know of your own personal knowledge of any instance
where a man has been defrauded or swindled in any part of his bounty?
A. No, sir ; not to my knowledge, no ; mere heresay from the
men. I know David's case and it looks as if it were a perfect swin
dle, but I don't know that that has been done.
Q. Is this a pretty general complaint in the regiment ?
A. • Well, there is quite a lot of them, quite a number of them.
Q. They think they have been swindled by recruiting agents ?
A. Yes, sir. I heard one man say that he had but twenty-five
dollars of his whole bounty left, and he would like to see Major Eng
ley and make him a present of that.
Q. Have you known of any parties selling watches to these men ?
A. I only know of one — yes I do of two circumstances. Some
time, perhaps six weeks ago I bought a watch of a man by the name
of Brown who sold caps up to the camp and gave him twenty-five
dollars. I thought it was a gold watch when I bought it but it proved
not to be, and one of the recruits offered me forty dollars and insisted
on buying it at forty dollars I told him I would not sell it to him.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 329
I did not tell him I thought it was not worth forty dollars. I took
the watch down to the Island and traded it with one of the Lieutenants,
— (he knew the watch before I had it,) for a coat. I had a coat of infe
rior sort which did not fit, and I said I will give you my watch and
coat and five dollars for it. The next thing I knew, he had sold the
watch to the man who wanted to buy it of me, for forty dollars. The
officer's name was Dyer. The other case was a man by the name of
Harrington. He sold a young man a watch — my clerk — and he
gave him an order on his bounty for the watch and I witnessed the
signature to the order. That watch I should suppose was worth
the money he agreed to pay for it. I forget the price. It was some
where about thirty dollars. I have seen men who have had watches
that they paid twenty dollars for, and thirty dollars, that I would not
give three for.
Q. Did they know where they were purchased ?
A. They bought them of the recruiting' agents.
Q. Do you know whether they bought them at Engley's office or
not? A. No sir ; I do not know.
Q. Do you recollect the names of the. men who had these value
less watches ?
A. No, sir, I never knew the names of any of the men who have
made complaint of being swindled. There is one man I do not re
collect his name, he is at work in the Commissary's storehouse, I could
pick him out at any time.
Q. He is now in camp ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When are you going to sail ?
A. We are under orders now.
Q. Has the steamer arrived ?
A. She is expected daily, I suppose.
Q. Have you any further knowledge in regard to any frauds at
the present time ?
A. No, sir, not at all. I have heard men say they were induced
to buy fifteen dollars worth of clothing in the recruiting office. They
were informed that the clothing would be charged any way whether
they took it or not— such as shirts and light kind of clothing.
Q. Was it such clothing as was necessary ? _
A Well I suppose it would be well for tbem to have that clothmg.
q! Do you know how much they paid ? If a fair price ?
A. No, sir, I do not. •
O Do you recollect the names of those men .'
A. This man in the Commissary Department was one of them.
I do not recollect his name.
42

330 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL ENGLISH.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. Where do you live ?
Answer. I live in Warwick.
Q. Have you been in the service of the United States ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. In what regiment ?
A. The 12th Rhode Island.
Q. When did you enlist ?
A. The 1st of October, 1862.
Q. Who enlisted you ?
A. Well' the man that brought me and made out my papers was a
man by the name of George Allen (not watchman) and a man by the
name of Benjamin Newhall. I don't know whether he was a watch
man or not.
Q. State what are the facts and if you have been imposed upon ?
State your story ?
A. They were paying $418 bounty in the town of Warwick, and
they were paying $508 bounty here, and I came up here to get this
big bounty. I came to a fellow named Kimball who brought me to
enlist and Fpassed the Doctor. It was a three years Doctor who passed
me and they did not like to have a three years Doctor examine the nine
months men. So I was waiting for a recruiting officer and this George
Allen came up and said " how much will you get for volunteering ? "
" How much do you want," said he ? Said I, " I want $20." Said he,
I could not afford to give that much $20. I will give $10. I am for
getting $508. There is no man in here that gives that and I wanted
to go where I could get it. Come along, says he. No, says I. I
have my name at a boarding house and I want to be there to-night.
I will get you some supper, said he. I did not know about his fetch
ing — first thing I knew he brought me to the watch house and locked
me up. I did not know what to do — I got the damper to the stove, and
I tapped the stove and he came down and two more watchmen and
brought me up and took my money away. In the morning he came
and asked, would I enlist. Said I that is what I came for, but I don't
want to be made to. Said he how much money had you last night.
$14,40, said I. Said he, you just got clear — he said I got into good
hands and he gave me $9, and he went out and come up there after a
few minutes and said he had been finding three dollars more, and I
said I guess you will find the whole. He brought me along a ways and
said I, I want to go and enlist ; said he, I can enlist you just as well as any
body. I thought he had no right, but he told me he was an officer
and it was all right. He came along and just as I got outside of that
watch-house (Doctor) Newhall was there with a buggy — a one horse
buggy, and he wanted me to get into the buggy and I did not want to,
and he wanted Allen to make me go in. I told Allen I would not and
he, Newhall, said why not make him, and says Allen I can't make
him if he don't want to — (I got in) and he brought me up I think

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 331
near to the City Hotel to some big liquor store. Newhall asked me
if I would not like some, he said he paid and I took a glass of brandy
and he brought me up stairs. This recruiting officer on from (Hart
ford road) he is an agent, he says.
Q. What is his name ?
A. They call his name John Tallman. There was two of them.
The other came in with a piece of paper. Said he, I wish you would
attend to your own business. Said I, I don't want to enlist for New
port, I want to enlist for the city of Providence and $508 bounty.
That is what I want. Well, Allen whispered to him, and they talked
it over and whatever Allen whispered to him he wrote ; well, I signed
the papers and he brought me down to where they were examining
them, and swearing in the Newport folks. I thought it was Provi
dence, and I did not know any deceit in it. I told him I did not
want to be sworn in until I got my bounty. Said he then youhavegot
to be. Here is (50.) I did not want to be sworn before I knew
what I was going to get. I thought it was all safe enough of course.
So I got swore in and came up again to this place and John Tallman,
told this Newhall to pay me, and he would pay him. Well, he brought
me up to camp and gave me fifty dollars and ten dollars for volunteer
ing ; and I asked him when I should get the rest, and he said I had got
all I should get. I applied at different times to Captain Eddy and
the Captain always told me he had no time. I lost day after day try
ing to see him and I could not, and my woman used to come every day
expecting to be paid off every day. It was every cent I had. I had
a cow and good barn and every thing went right to loss.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. How did you lose it ? What did you mean
by losing a cow, &c?
A. I will tell you ; she was away, and had nobody to look after
the. house, only a little girl, and she was only twelve years old. I
had cabbages there which we were saving ; I "had potatoes, and they
all went to loss — the cabbages all rotted.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Your loss of cow and barn had no connec
tion with recruiting ?
A. No, sir ; but through 'listing I lost it all.
Q. Did you ever get your bounty ?
A. I cot $100 when I got out to Washington, and I sent home
$90 or $95, and kept $10 or $5 ; I guess it was $5.
Q. You got all your bounty ?
A. That's all I got, sir.
Q. You got $50, and $10 for volunteering, and $100 when you
got to Washington ?
A. Yes sir. ,
' Q* That's all the bounty you were entitled to.
A. I enlisted for $508. ' .
Q. Who was to pay that, the town or city /
A! Well, the city.
O What town did you enlist tor .'
A I enlisted for the city of Providence ; if that was the last words
I ever spoke to him— that I should be enlisted for the city.

332 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. But the papers were returned for Newport, and you were
sworn in for Newport ?
A. Yes, sir, I guess I was.
Q. How much bounty did Newport pay ?
A. I believe $156 down. Can't tell exactly. I don't think I
had liquor enough down to not make me know what I was about ?
Q. Do you read and write yourself ?
A. Yes, sir ; but I am not a very good reader of writing.
Q . Did you examine the papers yourself ?
A. I did not. I never saw the papers until I was out in Virginia.
Q. You found out then that you had enlisted for Newport ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. At what time did you find it out ?
A. Just after getting out there. I was expecting it along and my
Colonel sent Captain Hamlin a letter about it.
TESTIMONY OF FREDERICK N. SHELDON.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. What is your residence ?
A. Providence, 113 Power street.
Q. What is your business ?
A. I have no business at present.
Q. Have you had any thing to do with the recruiting business in
this State ?
A. I have, sir.
Q. When did you commence in that business ?
A. Iwillnotsay positively, I think on the 12th or 14th of October
last. Q. In what capacity ?
A. Major Engley. I was in his office one day and Major Eng
ley asked me, it I would like to go away, for him, I told him yes.
He said that he had some men in Watertown, just beyond Rome that
wanted to come on to Providence and that he was unwilling, well he
did not express it in that way, but I took it to that effect — that he was
unwilling to trust the money there and he wanted me to go to Water-
town and pay the transportation and buy the tickets for the men.
Q. Tickets to New York ?
A. To Providence. I went to Watertown.
Q. His proposition to you was to go to Watertown to bring on
these men ?
A. Yes, sir ; send them on.
Q. Pay their transportation ?
A. Pay their transportation.
Q. Did he furnish you the money ?
A. He did, sir, $100.
Q. How many men were there ?
A. When I arrived in Watertown there were seven. If I remem
ber right it -will not exceed one or two men from that, sir. Only two

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 333
of those men eventually belonged to Major Engley. The other
five out of the seven were under a Mr. Ray.
Q. Who is Mr. Ray ?
A. He was a colored man who had been recruiting for Mr. Sisson
and I endeavored to bring the whole of the men through ; but not be
ing recognized by Mr. Ray, who being a colored man at work for Mr.
Sisson, one of Mr. Engley's agents, he would not turn those men over
to me. I met him in the street, the principal street of Watertown and
he showed me this telegraph. » Turn your men over to nobody. "
This was sent from Mr. Sisson to Mr. Ray, not to me, to send these
men forward. That dispatch was for him to go with these men to
Rome himself. He showed me that on the principal street.
Q. Sisson was in Rome ?
A. He was just out of Rome but would meet him on the arrival
of the train that night. When I met Mr. Sisson, he says if I had
heard that these men were yours and had known who you were, I
should have made no objection. Says he, you take them now and pay
their fare and I paid their fare and they came through to Providence
with them. lam very certain there were seven men.
,Q- How much was taken from their bounty ?
A. That I don't know, sir.
Q. That was between them and Major Engley ?
A. Yes sir — passed out of my hands.
Q. How much did Engley pay you ?
A. My expenses and two dollars a day for my services. I must
take back a little of that. That is the agreement he has not paid me
yet. Q. These were colored men for the 14th regiment ?
A. Colored men for the 14th regiment.
Q. Were they all enlisted ?
A. That I could not say sir. These men came on here and I
swore them in — but I will not say whether I swore those men —
I swore in quite a number — two hundred and fifty or three hundred
men as Justice of the Peace on a commission from the General As
sembly signed by the Governor.
Q. With a bounty of $250 dollars. Is that what you mean ?
A. I do not know, sir. I merely paid their transportation.
Q. After disposing of this batch of seven men, what did you do ?
A. I went to Baltimore, sir.
Q. Did Major Engley employ you to go to Baltimore ?
A. He did, sir. ,
Q. Did he pay you by the day, or agree to pay you ?
A. There was no difference in the agreement sir, nothing said.
Q. Did you get any men in Baltimore or Maryland ?
A. I got two men in Baltimore.
Q. What agreement did they make ?
A. Those were not enlisted by me, sir. All I paid was their fare.
I made no agreement with any man whatever. I merely paid their fare.
Q. Your business was merely to come on and pick up the men that
had been recruited by other agents ?

334 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Yes, sir ; had the money in my pocket to pay their transpor
tation. Q. Is that all you have ever done in the way of recruiting ? Have
you ever recruited any men yourself ?
A. I have never recruited a man, not the first man.
Q. Have you been employed in Major Engley's office since that
time ?
A . I have, sir.
Q. Are you now there ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Up to what time were you in the office ?
A. I could not say exactly. I think some time in January, sir.
Q. Were you employed by the day ?
A. By the day, sir.
Q. It seems that you have sworn in quite a number as Justice of
the Peace ? Did you work by the day in that, or did you have the
fees. A. Well, I made three arrangements with Major Engley, and I
never accomplished any thing out of any.
Q. State if you please what arrangements were made ?
A. My first arrangement was with Major Engley, when he came
to me to go to Watertown, I came to know if he wanted a job. I M'ent
for him and there were no arrangements (for pay) or any thing of the
kind. On my return he says, I would like to have you go away
again and I will give you two dollars a day for your services, and I will
pay your expenses or I will give you three dollars a day and you may
pay them yourself.. I asked what he meant, and he said my hotel bills
— in that light. The next arrangement I came home and he said that
he was very sorry but he wanted me to go to work for him and swear
in these men as Justice of the Peace. I swore in two lots of men,
it was the 13th day of December, I think. I think on Sunday ; at
any rate on Monday and Tuesday I swore in — no it was before that,,
that is — the last time I got home he wanted me to swear in men as
Justice of the Peace and I swore in two lots.
Q. Was he to pay you for swearing them in ?
A. He agreed to pay me 12 1-2 cts. I told him I thought the law
did not allow of my taking short of 25 cts., but if there was going to be
a good deal of it I was willing to compensate him if he would give
me the business and I would not swear them in short of twenty-five
cents. I swore in a good deal of men until I went away to Balti
more. I spent, some time in Baltimore and thence to Fortress Monroe
— met Engley's brother at Norfolk — name was A. F. Engley.
Q. What was he doing, recruiting ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. About swearing in these men have you received any pay from
the men ?
A. No, sir ; not the first cent.
Q. Have you from anybody ?
A. Weill have nothing, unless Major Engley considers it in pay
ing me by the day.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 335
Q. Do you knew whether he has been paid any fees for swearing
in these men ?
A. I do not. I know one thing I got a pretty good game played
on me.
Q. Do you know any thing about any trade with these men, these
recruits ?
A. I do, sir.
Q. Property that has been sold to them ?
A. I do, sir.
Q. I wish you to state all you know about that. Have you sold
any watches or other property to any of these colored recruits ?
A. I have, sir.
Q. How many watches have you sold ?
A. I will not state positively either twenty-nine or thirty-one sir.
Q. Where was this done ?
A. That has been done in Weybosset street.
Q. Was in Major Engley's office ?
A. No sir, it was in my office.
Q. You have an office separate from him ?
A, Yes, separate from him in Dyer's building, as agent.
Q. Agent for whom ?
A. The person that furnished the money to me.
Q. Who" was it ?
A. Major J. C. Engley. I did the business as agent, sir.
Q. What kind of watches were these watches, sir, and what price.
A. Four watches were sold at thirty dollars and the balance at
twenty-five dollars — good running watches, furthermore I told the
men. Q. Did you buy the watches ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Who bought them ?
A. That's more than I can say.
Q. Who furnished them to you ?
A. The Express Company on a check given me by J. C. Engley,
that's before I knew any thing about the transaction.
Q. You did not order these watches ?
A. No, sir. I never bought but one watch in my life, and that I
¦have in my pocket. I know they came from New York but I did
not know the parties.
Q. Do you know what the prices of the watches were ?
A. I know that forty watches cost $494. He gave me a check to
the express office to get them.
Q. Fortv watches cost $494 ?
A. Yes,"sir, I think it was forty as near as I can get to it. I
would not swear whether it was forty or thirty eight or forty-two.
Q. Were the watches all alike or were they of different quali
ties? A. There were different qualities. Here is one watch that belongs

336 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
to me. That is one of the $25 watches. That has been worn for
five months.
Q. Is this one of the best watches ?
A. No, sir, that is not. That is a second quality watch.
Q. What does such a watch as that cost ?
A. You must figure. I don't know what he paid for the differ
ence. I never saw any bill sir. It is not like the watches Mr. Bal
lou sold those men in New York.
Q. Were these watches you sold for Major Engley all good
watches ?
A. As far as I know, sir. I sold three watches with broken crys
tals to men who were bound to have them, late at njght, when I could
not get other crystals put in, and I told them if they would bring
them in, I would have other crystals put in. I have always told
these men if these watches would not go, I would have them fixed.
The men asked me if I would' give them the money back. I told
them no, for the reason I could not give money back that I did not
receive. Q. They asked if you would, provided they were not satisfactory
at the time ?
A. I told them, no. I would exchange a watch and give them a
watch that would be satisfactory ; but how could I give a man money
when I did not receive money.
Q. You took their orders ?
A. Yes, sir, I took their orders and I never received the first red
cent on any man's order.
Q. And these orders went into the hands of Engley ?
A. Eventually ; — they went into the hands of Mr. Chace and
Mr. Noyes, his clerks.
Q. What were the prices which they (the men) paid for these
watches ?
A. Twenty-five and thirty dollars. Four I think at thirty as I
said before.
Q. Four at thirty, and twenty-five dollars for the rest ?
A. I think it was either three or four.
Q. By Mr Thomas. You spoke of sixty watches ? Were not the
whole sixty sold.
A. No sir.
Q. What was done with the rest of the watches ?
A. I suppose they were in Major Engley's possession. I do not
know where they are.
Q. Did you deliver them to him, or were they never in your pos
session ?
A. No sir ; I did not deliver them to him for the reason that part
of them was in my own place in which I was doing business, under a
commission which I received from the United States government, as a
retail fancy goods dealer. I think it is No. 23, next door to the Bank
of North America, — room No. 3.
Q. You mean you have a license ?
A. I have a license, sir, which I have paid for to the United

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 337
States government, to carry on business not to exceed twentyfive
thousand dollars a year.
Q. Did you sell any other property besides watches ?
A. I did, sir.
Q. What things ?
A. I sold shirts.
Q. Flannel shirts ?
A. Woolen, both over and under, buckskin gloves, mittens, com
forters. Thats all, I think — and boots.
Q. Did you sell them on your own account or on the account of
Major Engley ?
A. I sold them and took the receipts in my own name for the
bounty. Q. Took the orders ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was this trade on your own account entirely ?
A. As agent. It was not so in all the receipts I received. All
the receipts I received were simply N. Sheldon. But I don't see
how it could be any thing different but agent where I was working for a
man by the day.
Q. ' You did not invest any capital ?
A. Not the first cent.
Q. Did Major Engley buy the goods ?
A. He and me bought them together.
Q He furnished the capital ?
A. When I went and bought goods I had to take the bill back
and pay it after I got the goods for myself. I am not in a situation
in this State to buy a lot of goods on credit
Q When did you take out your license ?
A. On the 12th day of December, I think it was, sir.
Q. Who paid for that license, Major Engley or you?
A. I paid for it myself, sir, through him ; Major Engley advanced
the money to pay that. He gave me the money last night.
Q. You obtained this license merely to trade for him ?
A. As agent ? I do not say his agent, or anybody's else ; you
can draw your own inferences.
Q. Can you make any statement (I do not care about your
going into the particulars of this trade) of anywhere near the amount
of all the goods sold under this license— state the whole amount of
sales of various kinds of goods, either in addition to, or with the
. watches ? •
A. With the watches, altogether, it amounts to $1,836 00, I
think, a little short of $50. „ ™ . -^ , ,
Q.' Now, can you state the amount of profit Major Engley has
made ? You say you worked by the day. Can you state the amount
of profit $ajor Engley has made on that trade ?
A. I cannot, but I will give you what I think. I don t thmk
that with what' goods there is remaining on hand, if he was to sell
those goods to-day, that he would clear $500. That's my candid
opinion. 43

338 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. His trade has stopped now ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What is the value of the goods remaining on hand ?
A. I should say $800 ; and he has not sold any more than what
has paid for what he bought, but his profits will be on what he gets
for the goods he has on hand at the present time. I don't think that
he has made 

Q. That would make the profits
A If he could get $800.
Q. Are they valuable goods, or what is the character of the goods?
A. The goods that remains on hand with him, are principally
shirts. I think about three or four dozen gloves, about twenty pairs
of mittens, two or three comforters, and the balance in watches.
Q. How many watches are there on hand now ?
A. I think he has on hand now, something like eighteen or nine
teen, I would not say positive. If I was at my house I could tell just
what he ought to have. Whether he has disposed of any since I left
him, that's more than I can say.
Q. These shirts are of a good merchantable quality ?
A. Yes, sir, I should say they were.
Q. What were the prices which you received from these men for
these shirts ?
A. Those shirts were $2,50 and $3 apiece — $5 and $6 a pair.
Q. Do you know what such goods cost at the stores here in the
city? A. I know what I have bought ; I have bought some of them ;
and shirts that were sold for $2,50 apiece, I have paid $2,50 for at
the stores. But our principal trade, while I was there, was in boots.
Q. What kind of boots did you sell ?
A. I bought the best boots I could buy, such boots as I have been
informed that Snow, on Westminster street, was selling down to
camp for $9 a pair. These boots I bought of Allen J. Brown, at
$5,50 and $6, and we sold them for fifty cents profit on these boots —
that's all we ever charged.
Q. Let me see if I recollect rightly what you have stated. The
whole amount of sales which you have made, including watches, was
about $1,800 ?
A. Yes, sir ; it will not exceed $1,900.
Q. And the profit, in the form of goods on hand, is worth about
eight hundred dollars ?
• A. Yes, sir.
Q. In selling these goods, did you sell to the men before they
were mustered into the service ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did they muster men in here, or al the
camp ? Did you not sell men goods here after they were sworn in ?
A. I sold them after they were sworn in, and not after they were
Clustered in.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You have not been to camp selling these
goods ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 339
A. No, sir, I have not. My clerk has been to Dutch Island and
sold shirts, goods and drawers.
Q. In taking orders, there was some risk that the orders would
not be paid ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. This profit was without regard to orders or risks on orders ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. If any of the orders should not be paid, the profit would be
less ?
A. Yes, sir ; I can show you one now, it is not worth two cents.
Q. Whose loss was that ? yours or Major Engley's ?
A. I don't know whose loss it is, I have not lost it.
Q. He has not settled with you yet, and you have a claim for
wages ?
A. - 1 have a claim for wages, but there is an attachment on that.
Q. Whose attachment ?
A. John N. Francis. Major Engley cannot settle with me, be
cause everything is attached that he owes me.
Q. When you went off abroad as employee for Major Engley,
did he pay your fare on the railroads ?
A. He did, sir ; and my hotel bills.
Q. Did he furnish you with transportation ?
A. Yes, sir ; all the transportation.
Q. From the State ?
A. I do not know whether it was from the State. He gave me
an order on different railroads.
Q. How were the orders signed ?
A. They were signed J. C. Engley. I have one order in my
pocket now. [Shows it.] " Providence, Eeb. 11, '64.
Mr. Edwards : Please furnish the bearer one ticket from New York to Providence,
and oblige, Yours, truly,
B ' J. C. ENGLEY, Major, &c.
[Shows another, used when he went to Watertown.]
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Could he give ypu orders on different
railroads out of the Slate, the same as in the State ?
A. Yes, sir ; (the one above mentioned,) to the agents of the
Western railroad, Mr. T. L. Green, to furnish transportation, and
charge to J. C. Engley.
Q. Whose writing is that ?
A. That was wrote by John L. NoyeSj the book-keeper, and
signed bv himself. _ ,
Q. Did Chace have any connection with the trading business
at all? , . ',..,.
A. Mr. Chace came in there several times, and assisted me m my
business. Q. He worked there in your business ?
A. Yes, sir, and with me.
Q. Did he make any sales ?

340 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. I think Mr. Chace sold three or Four watches — I am very
certain he did.
Q. Did he sell any other goods besides watches ?
A. I could not say ; you get into a small room with a dozen or
fifteen men, and it's hard work to tell what is doing — especially col
ored men. I know he sold some watches.
Q. You kept an account of sales ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Could you not tell from your account, what sales he made in
your absence ? Mr. Chace knew what your arrangements were with
Engley ?
A. He ought to know ; for the reason that I received an ordel
from Major Engley to turn over everything, orders and everything
to Mr. Chace.
Q. To turn over orders and goods ?
A. Yes, sir ; orders and accounts of everything I kept.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you have a written order to do this ?
A. No, sir ; verbal.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Mr. Chace used to be in there along with
you, assisting you ?
A. Yes, sir ; he wrote all the receipts.
Q. He is in the employ of Major Engley ?
A. Yes, sir : in his employ.
Q. Do you know of any frauds practiced upon any of these re
cruits by Major Engley, or his agents^ with his knowledge or consent?
A. Not that I know of. I have never heard of the first one, and
I have never seen anything in my presence. I have seen a great
many men come in, and I have seen Major Engley, time and time
again, pay $25 of their bounty ahd take their orders for it, and not
get the first cent, and then, at the same time, there is men that has
come here and enlisted that would give something, and I never have
seen him give them a cent.
Q. Do you know whether Major Engley employed a large amount
of money or not ?
A. I do not understand you, sir.
Q. Whether he employed a large capital or not ?
A. I think he has, sir.
Q. Do you know where he obtained it ?
A. I do not know, sir. I will tell you where I think his money
came from — through his wife, who lives in Foxboro, just out of Bos
ton. It was the private capital of his wife.
Q. Is she a woman of fortune ?
A. With some money, I don't 
Q. Colonel Francis did not advance him any money that you
know of?
A. I know all the orders that I sold for, Col. Francis paid right
over to him.
Q. He paid them immediately ?
A. When they were carried in, sir ; I cannot swear to it, because
I don't know.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 341
Q. You took these orders before their bounty was payable ?
A. I did, sir.
Q. But, Col. Francis paid them without respect to the time when
the bounty was payable ?
A. I can show you an order that the clerk sold goods for, and we
never could find the man.
Q. What was he, a deserter?
A. I think he signed a false name.
Q. Why did not Col. Francis pay this ?
A. He paidit, you know, and then it came back to him, [shows
the above mentioned order,] for when he paid off the men he could
not find any such man.
Q. Then it was paid back to Francis ?
A. Yes, sir ; paid back to him again, because he did not find the
man. I will bet that if Major Engley, to-day, wants $5,000, he will
get it, or $10,000.
Q. Major Engley, then, in carrying on this business, if he wanted
money at any time to advance to his agents or recruits, he could
draw on Col. Francis for any amount he chose to draw ?
A. I do not know. We could carry in all the checks and all the
papers, and then there was head money from the State. There was
three or four ways to commence it as soon as he did carry and show
it to the proper authorities.
Q. Francis did not wait until all this bounty was payable, he ad
vanced it on Engley's credit ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who pays them?
A. Paid at the Paymaster's office when these men came home.
Q. Does Engley do it ?
A. No, sir ; but his clerks do it.
Q. Have you stated all you know with regard to any trade car
ried on with these recruits by Major Engley, or under Major Engley?
A. As far as anything that I think would be of any advantage to
you to know. I will say one thing with regard to Major Engley.
The expenses have been very heavy; he has brought men from
Chicago, and from the west, and rather than lose a man he has sent
them there to M  , thirty at a time, and paid their board from
Saturday night until Monday morning — until they were examined.
Another thing, if Major Engley had been smart as some men would
have been, he might have made more money than he has. Some men
would not have furnished these rejected men with transportation back.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Was he not bound to furnish these men with
transportation ?
A. If he had done the same as the rest, he never would have fur
nished hundreds upon hundreds of men. I suppose he sent two
hundred and fifty or three hundred men back to their homes, because
they could not pass, and nine-tenths of these men I could have taken
to our border States and got them through.
Q. Have you told all you know about any frauds or swindling,
upon any men that has been practiced ?

342 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. I do not think of any thing. I do not know of any swindling
or any frauds. I don't think I can give you any further information
than I have.
TESTIMONY OF G. M. HOPKINS.
[Examined by Chairman.]
Question. What is your name, residence and occupation ?
Answer. G. M. Hopkins, 290 Hay street, Providence, Rhode
Island.
- Q. What is your occupation ?
A. I am not doing any thing at present.
Q. Have you had any thing to do with the recruiting business, in
this State ?
A. No, sir ; nothing whatever.
Q. Have you been in the employ of any of the recruiting agents
in this State ?
A. Never, in the recruiting business ?
Q. In any business ?
A. Yes, sir, I have.
Q. In any way connected with recruits ?
A. Not connected with any recruits whatever, in the light I look
at it, it'is not in recruiting. I have been selling goods to the soldiers.
I do not understand that that is recruiting.
Q. Have you sold goods on your own account to the soldiers ?
A. No, sir, I have not ; not since I have been in this line.
£). You have been in the employ of Engley?
A. As I understand it, my agreement with him was that I should
go in company, and that I should receive one third of the profits.
Q. What business ?
A. Trading. That was, in shirts and all kinds of goods for the
soldiers. Q. Did you take out a license to trade ?
A. I did not sir, they took out a license — my partners took it out.
They considered me in the end a clerk, and I received a clerk's pay.
Q. When you went in you understood it was to be as a partner ?
A. I understood it so — we were to be partners as I understood,
and he was to back me so and so. After I got through I did not re
ceive any thing but a regular salary, and that was one dollar and a half
a day. Q, What did you do ?
A. Well, I sold the goods. What I mean, I sold shirts and army
goods through and through — I travelled. What I mean by army
goods — gloves, mittens, shirts and comforters, all through and through,
and no other kind of goods.
Q. Did you go to the camp and sell them ?
A. I did.
Q. Did you buy the goods ?
A. No, sir, I did not. I went in with Major J. C. Engley, and

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 343
the Boston train was delayed, and I did not start with Major Engley
until next morning. That was — I cannot exactly tell when — I think
it was in December — because I travelled through to camp. I went to
Boston with him and bought goods. I went into three establishments
— four establishments.
Q. What is the whole amount of trading that you have done ?
A* That is a thing which it is pretty hard to tell. I should guess
pretty near the same as Mr. Sheldon did, eighteen hundred or nine
teen hundred dollars, if not more, goods were sold — there are goods
on hand at the present time.
Q. These sales were all to the soldiers, ?
A- Yes, sir ; every one of them that I know of. I do not know
after I turned my goods over into his hands.
Q. How about the amount of sales made by you altogether ?
A. This was done inside that building, and down to camp. $1800
or $1900. I should not think over and above thati
Q. You took orders.
A. I did, sir. I took orders down there to Dutch Island — I
should think they amounted altogether to three or four hundred dol
lars. Q. Down to camp ?
A. Yes, sir, at Dutch Island. The great risk to run at that
time was, that false names were given a great many times. If I had
not been too smart for them it would have been worse than it was.
That was an order I took, which Mr. Sheldon showed you— ~with a
false name.
Q. Those were the sales you made. Had they any connection
with the sales made by Mr. Sheldon.
A. Altogether— It was the same thing, I took my goods from
his department. I took just what goods I thought was right.
¦ Q. These sales were not in addition to Sheldon's ?
A. No, sir ; not in addition. The goods were sold by him at tbe
office, and by me at the camp.
Q. Do you know of any trade separate from this that Sheldon has
already testified to ?
A. No, sir ; I do not-^any except what I have been with — off and
back ?
Q. On your own account ?
A. No, sir; on account of Major Engley, and that has been trav
elling in this line of business.
Q. In whose name were these goods bought ! Whose name did
he buy them in? How did he have them marked ?
A As I look at it, he sent them over the road to 1 . J. Sheldon,
acrent, and marked the boxes so. I suppose he was understanding me
as a clerk, though I supposed I was in partnership.
Q. What were the profits made by Major Engley on these goods,
right -through and through, so far as you know ?
A. One hundred to one hundred and fifty per cent. Some eighty
per cent. Some one hundred per cent.
Q. Was this over and above all expenses ?

344 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. That, is more than I can tell — what those charges were I do
not know any thing about.
Q. That is, considering the expenses and what you are going to
lose ?
A. If a man is travelling in camp his expenses are very heavy.
Q . You mean then,on sales actually made, the profits ranged from — ?
A. From $100, $75 $150 per cent.
Q, That is considering the goods all sold ?
A. I speak of profits on goods actually sold — I cannot say ex
actly — here is goods on hand, and you did not know what they will
bring. Q. Are you selling any now ?
A. No, sir ; nothing at all whatever.
Q. By Mr. Blake. I understand that these orders were given on
the Paymaster ?
A. No, sir, they were given on Major Engley, and to F. Sheldon.
Q. These orders were in the form of receipts ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. That receipt is taken to the Paymaster, and he cashes it ?
A. Yes, sir, I suppose so.
TESTIMONY OF EDWARD DORRANCE.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. What is your name, Mr. Dorrance ?
Answer. Edward Dorrance.
Q. You are Commissary ?
A. I have been Commissary since the 14th regiment was started.
Since its formation I have been with the regiment.
Q. Have you had any thing to do with the recruiting business ?
A. Not at all, sir. " •
Q. Do you know any thing of your own personal knowledge,
in regard to any fraud or swindling, that has been practiced upon any
of the men in that regiment ?
A. Well, I knew some things, I suppose. I know of a man that
has bought watches at this office 4rere, Major Engley's office, that I
would say would cost $4,50 or $5 a piece. When the men first
came into camp and showed them to me, they said they gave thirty
dollars for them. I have been told by the sergeant that it was in the
office, they told him there that they cost four and one-half dollars a
piece. They were watches that if you carried a day or two, they
would turn all black, and stop, and would not go — as cheap a watch
probably as could be manufactured.
Q. Do you know of whom they bought these watches ?
A. Well, some of them told me that they bought them of Sheldon.
I think it is F. J. Sheldon — the one who used to be -here in the Quar
termaster General's office — in his department. And then some of
them said they bought them of Engley — that Engley advised them to
take one of them — they needed one, and wanted one, and it was just
what they wanted, and they ought to take it.

ON BOUNTY* FRAUDS. 345
Q. Did they pay Engley ?
A. They gave the man an order on the Paymaster, for thirty dol
lars, and signed a receipt for thirty dollars. I have known them to
be paid and taken out their first instalment.
Q. Have you seen any of these orders which they signed ?
A. I do not know as I have seen any order signed. I know no
more than they told me when the Paymaster come up to camp — after
they got their pay they came down and cursed a little because they got
cheated so in their watches.
Q. Were these orders paid by the Paymaster?
A. I think they were, sir. They were deducted from the bounty.
Q. Did you hear them make complaint to the Paymaster ?
A. I do not think I did. The first time I heard of it, that they
made complaint, it was down on the Island, in some companies there.
I was at this camp, and one day a lot of recruits came in, and they
had these watches, and one or two came into my building and wanted
me to look at them, and see what I thought they looked like. I looked
at the watches and asked them what they would give me to tell the price.
Then they would carry them a day or two longer, and say it would
not go, and it would be all black — turn black.
Q. The watches were worthless ?
A. Well, I do not want a great many of them at any price. I
never knew but one man that ever dealt honorably with any of these
men for watches, and that was John C. Harrington. He sold a good
many watches. He is Drum Major of the American Brass Band
here. Q. Do you know that Engley sold these watches, in any other
way than from the fact the men said so ?
A. I do not.
Q. Do you know the name of any man or men, who said they
bought watches in the office ?
A. Engley I believe advised. I cannot recollect but one man.
Q. What is his name ?
A. Andrew B. Conard.
Q. Did he pay Engley for his watch ?
A. Yes, sir ; he was up here with me. He was in the Hall, while
I was in Railroad Hall, and the company got paid off down to the
camp, and when the company was paid, he was up here with the
money. He did not get his pay of course with the company. His
. money was left on the Island. I went over to Gen. Francis for his
money The General said he had left an order and he had taken out
the pay for the watch. The sergeant asked if he had taken out the
pay for the watch he bought of Engley, and Gen. Francis told him
if he had given an order for watches to Engley, he had taken it out,
and it was a poor time then to find fault, after he had given an order.
Q. General Francis told him so ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you see his watch ?
A. Yes, sir.
44

346 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Was that one of the bogus watches ?
A. It was one of these burners.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you know the names of any of the par
ties who sold watches in Major Engley's, and who represented them
as his property ?
A. Well, it appears so, that Mr. Sheldon and Captain Ballou —
he had a Commission from the Governor in the 12th regiment, and
went to recruiting, and it appears so that when he commenced recruiting
they commenced to give orders — it appears that Ballou staid in New
York and sent on recruits, and sent on watches to this office, and Bal
lou stated to the sergeant that what he gave was $4,50 a piece for the
watches in New York.
Q. Did you haye this from the sergeant ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What is his name ?
A. A. Sergeant Bush. He is on the Island. He was with .
Major Engley there some timo ?
Q. There is some other party you have not mentioned that was in
Engley's office ?
A. Ballou did not remain here. Engley it appears was in the
office. One of the recruits it appears thought he was obliged to have
them. It was Chace that was in the office.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you knew whether Chace or Sheldon
opened the office or kept the place.
A, I was told this Sheldon and they, were all concerned together.
I was told by Colonel Vial, he went in on Saturday I think. He
came up on Saturday night and Sunday he came over to the Hall,
where I was, and Mr. Luke S. Chace happened to be going along,
and so the Colonel saw him, and the Colonel says, there goes a sneakr
and says he I met a soldier when Iwas in Barber's Eating House, and
I think he said while he was eating a soldier came in there, and the
Colonel asked him " what are you doing here, have you enlisted, " or
some thing of that kind. He says, no, I am here to rope in the re
cruits to buy watches. The Colonel asked him where it was, and the
Colonel told him he would like to see the place, and this recruit took
him up and showed him where abouts it was that they sold the watches
and he says that L. S. Chace was there making out the orders all
printed on the Paymaster, and telling them that they had better take
the watches. Mr. Chace did not see the Colonel ; he only stopped
to see what was going on. There were lots of boots and shoes, and
shirts and a lot of such stuff.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you understand that, that was a part
of the Executive Department of the State ?
A. They stated that some of the bounties were paid there. They
said that a man was obliged to have fifteen dollars worth of clothing.
I understood, no longer ago than company M, was paid off, when the col
ored ladies of New York presented a flag to their battalion ; you
recollect that a lot of non-commissioned officers of the 3d battalion
came up to receive it. Well, company M, was paid off a few days

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 347
before, so one of the corporals came to me Saturday morning, and he
says " Adjutant. " He called me adjutant. I was acting here at that
time, signing for clothing for the battalion. Says he, are men obliged
to have fifteen dollars worth of clothing from that office. I said, no,
sir. Said he, they done it to me on the Island and took it out of my
bounty. . Q. Did he say who did it ?
A. Major Engley's office. In that office, he said.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. I want to know how far he knows?
A. They had — you probably know where his office is. There is
a little entry that runs in back of his office, you come up over Taft,
Steere & Co.'s Dry Goods store, and as nigh as I can find out, there
is where they had the room.
Q. You were in the camp at the time Barnaby, Snow and Hun
toon went down ?
A. I was there when the 1st battalion came up. I never have
been at Dutch Island. I have always been up here. Brown had a
place where he sold boots and shoes and always sold them at rea
sonable prices, and so when the first battalion was going off —
Q. Was not Brown selling with authority ?
A. He had, by the Colonel. He was Sutler. He was selling to
company E. Colonel wanted him to bring in trimmings to coats and
caps, and after a while he took in Chace with him, and after a while
when the 1st battalion came up here to embark, the allotment com
missioner came up there and saw all to once. Capt. Fry and he,went to the
Major and wanted his men to come down street here, and get shirts, and
boots, and shoes. The allotment commissioner, and Barnaby and
Snow, was there so that they could.get their cash. The men came down
and got what they wanted, and all they had to do was to take their names.
That was why Captain Fry and he went to the Major, and then the
whole company came down.
Q. Do you know of your own knowledge that the allotment com
missioner required them to do so ?
A. Required them to do so, no more than he gave them the
cards where to go and they used to come down in squads.
Q. Do you know any thing about the prices paid ?
A. Well, I believe at that time they were a little human. They
were not quite so bad as they have been since.
Q. Did they buy better than they could buy of Brown ?
A. No, sir.
Q. How did these men get out of camp ? Did they get released
by the order of the commissioner ?
A. Major Comstock gave permission — Mr. Brown sent him to
him to know what it meant — he talked with me and I said I did not
know what they were about. He said they did not want them, (the
goods). Capt." Fry came to Major Comstock to get them to go.
3 Q. What did they charge for boots ?
A. Nine dollars a pair. They were long Wellington top boots.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Where did authority to sell come from ?

348 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Capt. Fry went to the Major, and the Major said, I believe
there is no objection — So Mr. Snow would have fifteen or so
come into his shop, and then more.
Q. Can you state where the authority came from for these fur
loughs. Was it by his instigation or did some one ? —
A. Well I understood that Capt. Fry let them come.
Q. Have you been present at the sales of watches ? .
A. I never have been present, because they always got them be
fore they came to camp. The men came to me finding fault about
some of these men. They used to call them damned swindlers.
Q. By Mr. Hill. Did it make any dissatisfaction in camp ?
A). Well, it did not make it very pleasant sometimes.
Q, Have you known of any complaints from the men of not re
ceiving all the bounty they were entitled to ?
A. I know of one man, he came to me — his name is Wm. Mer
cer. He is a man that started about the time the regiment first began to .
form, and was recruiting from that time. Well, there was one day, in
December ; the Colonel gave him a pass to come up here, and he comes
up and goes to Major Engley's office, and says to Major Engley, "I want
a settlement ; I would like to get a settlement." Major Engiey turned
round, " have you got a pass ?" " Yes, sir." " Let's see it," said
he, and he looks at his pass, and takes it and puts it into his pocket,
and goes up stairs and tells Mr. Chace to bring that man to me.
Well, Chace brought him over to the hall, and I heard Mr. Chace's
story. He said he was very abusive over there, and was saucy, and
all this kind, and abused his pass. I heard his story and he went out.
After he went out, Mercer began to cry. I said, " Mercer, what are
you crying about ?" Said he, " I Want to know what I am put here
for." Said I, " Chace tells me that you have been abusive." Said
he, " Adjutant, I'll tell you just all I have said, he says, I came up
this afternoon — it was Saturday in the afternoon — and went to see
Major Engley, and asked him for a settlement. He said I have
brought, I think he says, fifty recruits. I have paid out about $200
to get these men, and he has got a gold watch of mine, and he says,
because I have asked him for a settlement, he has sent me over here."
Said he, " that's it, that's what I said, and there's a man that came
up with me, Mr. Rice, you can ask him." When he came in, I
wanted to know, for the sake of the man, whether I should keep him
there or not. If he had not done anything I was willing to let him
go. When he came, I asked him if this man was abusive over
to .Engley's office, and all he said he did was, he went to Major
Engley and asked for a settlement, and Major Engley would not give
hiiji any settlement, but took from him his pass and sent him here.
"Well," I says, to Mercer, "how many recruits have you sent?"
" I do not know," says he, " here's my book." He took the book
and showed it to me. On it was — there were many such places — so
much for lodgings and breakfast, and supper ; so much'for transporta
tion. This was on his book. I do not know how much it would
amount to. He said he thought it would amount to $200. I did not

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 349
reckon it up. He said, " I can't get no settlement, and he's got my
watch." Q. Well, what became of him ? How long did you keep him ?
A. Well, by that time, I told him he could go home to his wife.
He is a pretty nice sort of a colored man— he is a very good man.
I said, " you can go and see your wife, and keep away from that
office, and when the Colonel comes, I will see about it." I told hirn
to report to me the next morning at eight or nine o'clock. The next
morning he did so. When he came, I said, " you can go back and
report to me at six o'clock this evening. The next morning you can
go down on the Island and see the Colonel, and see what is to be
done." So he went down on the Island, and what he said to the
Colonel I do not know ; but I spoke to the Colonel when he came up,
as to how it was about such things. Well, his complaint was, that
Engleydidn't pay him for getting the men. Benjamin Greenborough,
, in Co. L, I think he is, Mercer told me that he had got eight men, and
Engley agreed to pay him so much apiece, and he had paid transpor
tations, &c, for these men, which amounted to about $300, and he
could get no settlement with him.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. That is another man?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Not the same one ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you send off the man you were speak
ing of before he made a settlement ?
A. -He is on the Island now, that is, I suppose so.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Of course he belongs to this battalion?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. This was an enlisted man whom they had sent out to recruit ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you heard complaints from any man that he was cheated
out of a part of his own bounty ?
A. I have heard complaints that a man was cheated out of all his
bounty, he said so.
Q. Who was that?
A. I could not tell you his name, I have forgotten his name.
Q. Did he say who had done it ?
A. Major Engley, I believe, he laid it to. The man had been
off recruiting. When he started off to get some recruits, he got
some recruits for Major Engley, and he let him have $10. He sent
the recruits down, and come down and got more money. He kept
getting money, and he used to keep sending orders for money. Maj.
Engley told him when he got through recruiting, that he would make
it all right, and when he came up the day the company was paid off,
I believe the Paymaster took it out of his bounty.
Q. How did" it get to the Paymaster ?
A. He used to give orders. He would say to the Paymaster,
" for value received, I promise to pay J. C. Engley." He would
give it to the Paymaster. This man signed it, and I suppose Engley
witnessed it — on some of his official business.

350 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. He would know what he signed ?
A. Yes, sir, most of them — a good many of them could read and
write. Q. What name were in the order ?
A. His name was in the order— I could not think of all the
names. Q. Have you known any instance of any man's being deceived
as to the amount of his bounty, and cheated out of it in that way ?
A. I cannot say. I know what a man told me, and that's all. He
swore he gave an order for $10, and when he came to pay it, it was
fifty dollars.
Q. What is his name ?
A. This man- — his own son saw the order* — he has been with the
regiment. It was at the time that Co. L or M  . He said
when the order was wrote, there was a very fine ten put in, and
then, afterwards, it was altered to fifty.
Q. Who was that order in favor of?
A. Well, I could not say ; Mr. Adams told me, down here with
the Quartermaster General.
Q. The man, himself, did not tell you ?
A. No, the man did not, he was down there, and his son told him
of this. " I thought it was rather rough," he said. One man was
crying ; I believe he told the colored preacher he tried to get some
body to take his $25 and carry it up to him, and make him a present.
He might as well take the whole---that was all there was left.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Have you any information from your own
direct knowledge ? That is the most important ?
A. I will give you these names : Mercer, is in camp. Green-
borough, is in Co. L. A. B. Conrad, the man there who bought a^
watch. Q. By Mr. Thomas. When do you understand that this battal
ion will move ?
A. We expect the transport every day. The Quartermaster told
me he expected it. It will, probably, be here Monday or Tuesday, I
should think. James Birch is a man who has been in the office of
Major Engley.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you know of any traders of this city
that have been told by any of the State authorities, not to sell goods
to these men ?
A. Well, Mr. Charles Bowen, down here, — the Allotment Com
missioner, — Mr. Bowen told me, one morning as I came over to the
hall — I used to come in and get a key to go out back — I came over
one morning and got the key of Mr. Bowen, and he says to me, says
he, " I have been stopped from sending goods on to Dutch Island."
" You have, says I, " how's that ?" He says, " Col. Smith has called
here and ordered me to stop them ;" " and," said he, " I and he had
a hell of a row about it." He told me that Smith told Bowen that
he had guaranteed about forty dozen of those shirts; that is, the firm
of Bowen & Clarke. His name is Charles W. Bowen.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 351
Q. Guaranteed for what shirts ?
A. Forty dozen shirts that Mr. Barnaby had sent somewhere and
got, for the benefit of the battalion.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Can you state what is the largest amount
of clothing you have known any soldier to buy ?
A. There is a man in the second battalion, I believe, who drew
$94 worth of shirts.
Q. By the Chairman. How many shirts did he get for $94 ?
A. I don't know, I believe they were $11 a pair.
Q. Flannel shirts ?
A. Such as the sutler used to Sell for $6 a pair.
Q. Of the same quality?
A. Yes, sir ; full as good shirts as they were selling at $11 per pair.
Q. The Allotment Commissioner did not have to guarantee the
sutler, did he ?
A. Oh, no, the sutler was shut up there once by order of Colonel
Smith. • J
Q. By Mr. Thomas. By order of Colonel Smith?
A. It appears as though the Colonel (Viall) did not find the
Governor had given the order,
Q. Were traders and other sutlers shut up ?
A. Yes, sir ; he could not sell, Col. Smith had guaranteed on
them and wanted them to be sold.
Q. How do you understand that Col. Smith guaranteed this?
A. I understood that he was to guarantee forty dozen of these
shirts — that's the way I understand it.
Q. How did Col. Smith insure himself?
A. I do not know ; I cannot suppose. A man eould draw any
quantity of stuff, and all he has to do,is to take his name on a piece
of paper, and they charged the man, and they got their pay of the
Paymaster. Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then they did not give orders at that
time ?
A. No, they did not give orders the same as the sutler ; you only
have to have a good black face, and if it is not beyond $300, you can
have all the boots and shoes you can buy. The sutler -could not get
an order — selling at one-quarter prices. Gloves at a dollar a pair
were sold by them.
Q. What kind of gloves ?
A. Well, cotton gloves, such as the sutler was selling at a quarter
of a dollar.
Q. What was a fair price for the gloves the sutler sold ?
A. Quarter of a dollar.
Q. White cotton gloves ?
A. White cotton gloves, such as the soldiers wear,
Q. Who sold white cotton gloves for a dollar ?
A. Barnaby.
Q. Col. Smith guaranteed the payment ?
A. Of course, that is, with shirts — go in there and take all you

352 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
want, the bounty is'good for it. Capt. Gorton has been down there
a good deal. He has seen a great many things sold by them.
Q. Did these men receive any orders to purchase these things ?
A. Well, I guess if the second battalion — if. these men ever came
on when the second battalion had been there,, they would have shot
them all. There was considerable dissatisfaction.
Q. By the Chairman. Do you know whether these men were
informed that they were required to buy, by their officers, to purchase
these goods ?
A. They were not required as I have understood it.
Q. Do you know whether it was so represented to them to induce
these men to buy goods of Barnaby, and the others ?
A. I do not think they were. No, sir.
Q. I did not ask whether they were required, but whether it was
so represented?
A. No, I don't know as I do. These officers, as a general thing,
have been against Barnaby. When I was with tbe second battalion,
one man took $94 worth. I believe others had $50 worth.
TESTIMONY OF ROBERT FESSENDEN.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. State your name and residence ?
A. Robert Fessenden, Valley Falls, Rhode Island.
Q. You have been engaged in the recruiting business for the 14th
Regiment ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When did you commence ?
_ A. On the 16th day of September. I left Providence on the
night of the 16th.
Q. By whom were you appointed ?
A. I was not appointed by any one, I was employed by F. M.
.Balou, as an assistant.
Q. Where did you commence operations ?
A. In Poughkeepsie, New York.
Q. Did you have any other agents associated with you ?
A. Two colored men by the names of Charles Allen and Wm.
Ladd, and a man by the name of Wynkoop, his first name I can't
remember. Q. Were these men employed by you or Ballou?
A. Ballou forwarded them to me as assistants.
Q. Did you work by the day ?
A. I enlisted ten men for $300 bounty and took the $10 head-
money — my expenses were $43. They received $300, every man of
them so far as I know, up to the 26th.
Q. Where did you find these men ?
A. In Poughkeepsie, New York.
Q. Where did vou leave them ?
A. At F. M. Ballou's office, in New York.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 353
Q. Where did you go next?
A. I next had an interview with Major Engley, in his office in
Providence, on the the 27th day of September. I said to him, that I
had been to work for Ballou some ten days, and had made but twelve
or fifteen dollars ; that is, we were to share the profits, and I asked
him then, if we could do any better. He said to me, you had better
try the western part of the country, for instance, Cincinnati, and de
duct from the bounties, as the expenses will be $25. If you can ar
range military rates, $17.75, and whatever men you get, I will share
with you the profits. If there are many men that you obtain, that
don't pass, and we have to forward them back, send them back, and
we will share that expense — of course to be deducted from the gross
profits. I left the city on the 29th of September. I arrived in New
York, and left for Cincinnati on the 2d of October, and went to Lex
ington, Kentucky on 7th day of Oct., and after getting twenty men to
enlist — to agree to go with me, was stopped by the Provost Marshal.
On the 13th I left Cincinnati, and arrived at Providence on the 15th
day of October, and Major Engley refused to pay for my expenses as
he agreed to, so that I was $75 out of pocket.
Q. How many men did you obtain ?
A. I obtained no men. The Provost Marshal stopped me, and
that preventedme getting home the men, because Burnside was build
ing a Railroad in Kentucky, one hundred miles long, from Nicholas-
ville to Knoxville, and he had an Assistant Adjutant General at the
front, and one at Cincinnati, Major Addison, who give me a carte
blanche to go where I pleased. Captain I, of the 7th regiment had
received orders to impress all colored men for this service ; and as soon
as the Adjutant General at Cincinnati heard the news, he stopped them
all, and prohibited bringing men from that department, as every con
traband was needed for bringing the road from Nicholsville, one thou
sand men to every mile. So that prevented me from getting my men,
and made me $75" out. I should have got thirty-five to forty men.
I had men already to go the morning I left Lexington. The men had
agreed to come with me for $250 each, as per Major Engley's in
structions. There was no difficulty at all in getting men. The ex
penses from Lexington to Cincinnati were $3, and I had made arrange
ments with the agent of Pennsylvania Central Railroad to. furnish
transportation at $17.75 from Cincinnati to Rhode Island, and I should
have got $50 for every man I brought here.
Q. Did you go back ?
A. . No, sir.
Q. Have you been in the business at all since that?
A. Yes sir ; I was going on to tell. October 20th, I went to
Wilmington, Del., and found there, that, through a mistake, Capt.
Ballou had a man there bv the name of Aldrich, and I stopped there
from the 20th to the 29th", without knowing there was an agent there
and without obtaining a man. He was enlisting men for $250. I
came back again, and November 5th I went to Baltimore and obtained
three men— four men that I enlisted for $250 apiece, which would
45

354 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
be $50 profit, deducting expenses. My expenses for the trip were
$49,39. The gross profit provided all passed. I had to pay one
man's expenses back to Baltimore, making the gross expenses about
$65, against $200 gross profit. Each man was enlisted with the un
derstanding that he was to enlist in the 14th Regiment R. I. H. A.,
and that he was to have $250 bounty.
Q. Did he understand what the State bounty was ?
A. Yes, sir. The $50 were to be deducted for expenses incurred
in transportation. They said that $300 was $270 more than they
were getting in their own State, or Washington, D. C. I got each
man at a State bounty of $300, and told them I should be obliged to
deduct $50 to pay expense of transportation and subsistence, and, in
case they did not pass, to -pay their expenses back, and with that they
were perfectly satisfied with $250. I could give you the. names of
each man, as they were endorsed on the back of the order. I ob
tained the order from C. C. Felton, President of the Wilmington
and Baltimore Railroad to Mr. Crawford, of Baltimore, to furnish the
transportation. The names were Wm. Young, James Baldwin, Wm.
Fisher, Lewis Smith.
Q. Did you settle with them, and did you get the bounty ?
A. That is something I never had any thiag to do with. After
the first trip that I took for Engley, and he refused to pay me the $75,
I never have had any thing to do with him. I quit him as a scoun
drel. Ballou was never in connection with Engley, any more than
that Capt. Ballou was the first man who started it, and Major Engley,
who entered the business as State agent for recruiting, in the Rhode Isl
and Heavy Artillery. I know nothing about it. If he was in com
pany with him, it was diamond cut diamond. Capt. Ballou came
home with the 12th regiment, and made a statement to the Governor
that a certain number of colored men might be obtained in Kentucky
to count, as part of the quota of this State. The authority was imme
diately issued to organize a company of Heavy Artillery — colored men.
Capt. Ballou went on to New York, and Major Engley, who was clerk
for Major Sanford, received authority to go to New York, and see if
he could not do something. He went, and the same week that he
secured three, Captain Ballou obtained forty-seven. Then they saw
that Captain Ballou's capability for recruiting colored men, was so
much superior to their own, they kept him in that position, and that is
all that kept Ballou in that position to the time he left.
Q. Did you in any instance, pay any. money to the masters of
any slaves ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You would be likely to know it ?
A. I was in Baltimore, in a State exempted I believe in the Presi
dent's Proclamation ofthe 1st January, 1863,, and I recruited men in
Baltimore. This very man that I told you of, James Baldwin. I
will tell you the circumstance. I never made a cent out of the
business. I will confess every thing I have done in it. James
Baldwin came to me at a restaurant of Richard Burkes, corner of

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 355'
North and Fleet streets, in company with another man that I had to
assist in recruiting, a man living in this city. Johnston stated the
case, that James Baldwin was a slave, owned by a man out of  ,
twenty-two miles from Baltimore city, that the slave came in with
an old man also a slave, on a load of hay, that he ran away from the
old man and came to the restaurant. He came to another man on
Saratoga street, and wanted to go into the army if possible. I said to
him that I could take him on Rhode Island if he wished, and I put
him down to this same man. I have forgotten bis name. I could re
member I suppose to-morrow. After he had been there twenty-four
hours I furnished him transportation, furnished his name to Mr.
Crawford, took him ahd the agent, who recruits, and whose name is
in the books with an order of Major Sanford and forwarded him to
Rhode Island. I do not know whether he (agent), is a runaway
slave or not. I neither know nor care.
Q. Do you know of an instance where money was left you ?
A. This James Smith and Lewis Fisher. I was in Baltimore on
the 20th of October, and went to the residence of William Fisher
and ascertained that he had received $50 of his $75 bounty money,
and had forwarded it to his wife.
Q. What is the actual expense of getting a man from Kentucky
here ?
A. The actual transportation ? it would take forty-eight hours to
bring them here, or two days travelling night and day. The expen
ses of transportation, $19,75 for fare in the cars right through to
New Yorl5>— to Providence. Then, there would be in two days,
about four meals, because you could not make stoppages and get meals
any oftener. Full fare is $25 from Cincinnati ; I paid that for my
own fare on : then the expense of four meals at the railroad stations —
the only place you could get them — $2 more, making $27.
Q. If you had succeeded in getting these men through ?
A. If I had forty men at $250, it would have been $2000 of
course, gross profit ; half of that, not quite half, because I should
have got them through at $19,75, which would make $21,75, and
one out of four didn't pass ; one-fifth would have to be deducted for
gross expenses. .
Q. Do you think more men could have been obtained it you had
recruited them and deducted less ?
A. I do not think there could at that time— the State would not
have allowed it at that time.
Q. Afterwards it 
A I recruited up to the 25th of December. All my recruiting
was done for F. M. Ballou. On the 12th of December, I started for
Washington, and kept two men at Baltimore. I paid for five men
on the 28th of December, $200, $40 apiece; I paid to a man named
Richard Colson, of Baltimore, I paid him the cash the way I bought
Q ' They were delivered in New York ?
A. They were delivered in Washington city. I worked two

356 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
months at $3 a day and my expenses. I bought the men of Richard
Colson. They were men brought by him from Virginia. Some
came from Norfolk, and some from still further south. He was
obliged to pay their expenses from Norfolk, ($5,) and pay their
board a day or two, and I paid him $40 apiece. He was obliged to go
down and get them. They went to Rhode Island. I delivered them
to Ballou. I don't know anything about where they went to, except
to Rhode Island.
The Committee adjourned until Thursday, Feb. 18th, at 2 o'clock.
TESTIMONY OF HON. WM. P. SHEFFIELD.
[Examined by Chairman.]
Q. Have you any knowledge of any frauds that have been prac
ticed upon enlisted men in this State other than that which you have
already laid before the House of Representatives.
A. " I have no personal knowledge of any frauds having been prac
ticed upon any man that has been recruited into the military service
of the United States from this State.
Q. Have you in your possession any documents or proofs of such
frauds. A. I have within my control, not within my possession, one paper
only in relation to the recruiting of men — that I remember of — in
this State, and that I have shown to one or two members of the Com
mittee ; I don't know which, I have shown it to Mr. Thomas. I
have also — within my control not in my personal possession now, it is at
my room, a paper which is not signed, and it is I suppose a statement of
evidence which has been before this Committee — a statement of the
evidence of a witness who has been examined before this committee
— or rather whom I am informed has been examined before this com
mittee. Q. Did you say you have that in your possession ?
A. I have it in my control.
Q. Will you furnish it to the committee ?
A. I have no objection to doing so.
Q. And this other document of which you speak ?
A. I will show it to you any day when you want it.
Q. Will you furnish it to the committee ?
A. It is an order from Luke Chace to Colonel Viall, and a state
ment of Colonol Viall upon the back of that order. I suppose that
Col. Viall wants the original papers ; but I will furnish it to the com
mittee with the understanding that I am to have the original papers
on leaving copies. I will furnish the paper or a copy of it to the
committee; I do not want to with-hold any thing in my possession.
I will say that I became acquainted with Col. Viall in Washington.
I was at his tent, I should say, repeatedly. I don't know how many
times. My relations with him were such, that I should think he
would feel free to call upon me for any thing that I could reasonably
do for him, at any time or in any place. He came to my house a

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. . 357
week ago last Saturday in Newport ; we had some conversation which
was introductory and which appertained to a personal matter, which I
need not refer to. He suited that he desired to do what he could for his
command ; that he had the best of feelings for Gov. Smith, and no dispo
sition to do anything which would injure him ; but he, felt that it was his
duty to his command to do what he could to expose the frauds which had
been committed upon them, and he thought that Govern Smith would
take no exception to his doing what he could to this end — and I thought
so too — and he deemed it his duty to make statements in reference to
these frauds, which had been committed by the recruiting officers, and
he thought that when they came to the knowledge of Governor
Smith, he would at once dismiss them. I remarked to Col. Viall that
if there was any thing that he would .put in writing, I would see that
it was used for the purpose he designed, and would see to bringing it
to the attention of the General Assembly. He said to me that he
had statements of the men then made out, and I told him to send
them up and give a statement of his own, and I would see that it was
put into the proper train. I believe that was the substance of the
conversation. On Friday morning last I received these papers from
the hands of a person whom I supposed to be the Chaplain of the
regiment, and presented most of them to the House that morning.
The Colonel went into some matters between Luke Chace and him
self. Q. You are Counsel for Colonel Viall ?
A- I am not. I stated to him I wonld be if he desired it at any
time; I told him I would do any thing I could. I told him I would be
his Counsel ; but I did not understand that I received these papers for
that matter. I understood that they were received for the purpose of
investigating these frauds. He told me that Col. Van Slyck was his
Counsel. He expressed a very great desire to. do what he could for
the good of his command, and he wanted these frauds thoroughly in
vestigated, and the matter sifted out ; he expressed a great interest in
this. Q. These were not put into your hands as his Counsel, to inform
you of the nature of his defence and the action ? —
A. I did not understand it so. He stated to me then, that Col.
Van Slyck was his Counsel, and I said then you do not need my help.
If you do, I think I said, you shall have my services without money
any without price. I have a great regard for Col. Viall, and I was
ready to assist him — to volunteer in the matter.
Q" Did you notice the date ofthe letter ? (Dec. 27, 1863) ?
A. I did not look at it at the time. Col. Viall showed me his
memorandum book afterwards and told me that the letter bore the
date of some memorandum in his book. This letter was furnished to
me on Friday morning.
Q. Was that the source from which you received all of these docu
ments which vou have offered to the House ?
A. I think I received one of them from Col. Viall — the deposi
tion of Howard, I think I received that from Col. Viall himself. I

358 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
don't know how that is. I think he handed it to me himself, but I
am not sure. If he did hand it to me, I received it on Friday at that
interview. But certainly I did not receive those papers as Counsel.
The purpose I received them for, was for the purpose of aiding in the
investigation of these frauds that had been committed upon his com
mand, and my only delicacy in not bringing that paper (the Chace
letter) before the House at all, or before the committee, was because
it referred to a matter in which I might be Counsel hereafter, and that
it was not proper to bring the matter in that paper before the House,
and then it referred to the' matter of Col. Bailey's order to Luke
Chace, and I thought I was notnecessary tp bring Col. Bailey into the
matter. Q. By Mr. Thomas. I ask you why, in receiving these papers
for the purpose of investigating these frauds, did you think it proper
to present these papers to the House, rather than to this committer ?
A. I did so, for the reason, I will give. I had heard the committee
complained of, and if people thought I had these papers in my hands,
they would say on the one hand that I wished to thrust at somebody in
the dark, and would do secretly, what I would not do openly. On the
other hand it would be said — and I should subject myself to the imputa
tion of the want of courage, to bring the matter to the public, and still
further I thought it a more proper way — to bring the papers regularly
before the House, and to have them referred to the committee by the
House. Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then, if any member of the House should
have a deposition put into his hands upon this subject, you think in
stead of handing it to the committee, it should be presented to the
House ?
A. If it was proper to present the deposition at all, in my judg
ment, it would be proper to present it to the House, and have it refer
red to the committee by order of the House.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Then I ask, if you think it the best way to
give publicity to these matters in this way ?
A. That would be a mere matter of opinion, and perhaps I am
not an expert competent to testify upon such a subject.
TESTIMONY OF JAMES A. BOWEN.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Question. Where do you reside ?
Answer. North Providence.
Q. Have you been engaged in the recruiting business for the 14th
regiment. A. I have picked up men in different States for this regiment.
Q. How long a time were you engaged, when did you commence
and when did you cease operations ?
A. I commenced in November I think. I had been in the recruit
ing service ever since July, and at that time I commenced recruiting
for the colored regiment. ,

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 359
Q. About what time were you appointed , or employed in this
business ?
A. I went in one way, on my own responsibility. I was recruit
ing on the Park, had a tent there, and was recruiting for the 3d Cav
alry. Mr. Hill came to me and advised me to engage in recruiting
for the 14th regiment. On his representation I went with him. It
seems he had made an arrangement witoh Major Sanfprd in which we
were to get men in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and bring them
here, and we were to receive the $10 per man, paid by the State and
$25 that they were allowed to deduct from the bounty of the recruits
and Engley would see that that was collected by his receiving one
third of the profits.
Q. He took one third of the profits ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who paid the expenses, and who took the responsibility ?
A. He was to assume one third of "the responsibility. Well, we
went after some men.
Q. It was a partnership then ?
A. As I understood it. Recollect I had not seen Engley or San
ford. The arrangement was made with Sanford. I am apt to mix
Engley with Sanford.
Q. Was Sanford to deduct one-third the profits ?
A. Engley was to do the business and take on third. Whether
Sanford had a share I do not know. We were to look to Engley.
Q. What did you understand about it. Was it Engley or San
ford? %
A. I understood it was to be Sanford; but it seemed afterwards
it was to be Engley. I did not know Engley at the time. Hill did
not know him in the transaction 5 we made the arrangement with
Sanford. I am telling you what I understood. This is second
hand. We went after some "men and were gone some weeks. We
went to Philadelphia and came back. We stayed at Philadelphia a
while, and then HiU went to Trenton and succeeded in getting nine
men. We brought the men here and did not take orders from the
men for $25. I think in that first lot we took orders by the men for
$12, and received $10 head-money.
Q. Why did you not take the $25 ?
A. We could not make the arrangement with the men. The
men thought that it was too much. As I understand it Engley kept
one third of that money, making no allowance for expenses.
Q. He kept one-third of the gross proceeds ?
A. Yes, sir. I came on from Philadelphia, after some time, leav
ing Hill. I was dissatisfied with the arrangement Individually I did
not know Engley ; but Sanford I knew, and took my men to camp,
and proposed to put them in, in my name. Then I understood that
Sanford had an arrangement by which I could not collect this money,
without his partner's doing the business. I went to the Governor to
see if I could have it so arranged that the orders for the men I re
cruited, could be cashed without the money being paid to Major Eng-

360 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
ley. I could not see the Governor, but I saw the clerk Col. Bailey,
who did his business, who told me he thought I could make such an
arrangement, and he would see the Governor. The next day I went
there, and he refused to make the arrangement because he thought
it would take too much trouble. He said he placed the whole ar
rangements for recruiting in Major Sanford's hands, which was per
fectly satisfactocy, and that I' should have to report to Sanford and do
the recruiting through Sanford. Then I talked with Sanford and we
had an understanding, yet it" was not really a contract — that Engley
was to cash our orders, Hill's and myself, or cause them to be cashed,
and he would retain the $10. If I brought ten men at $25 each,
Engley kept the recruiting fee of $10, lie gives me $25. Engley got
$100 for my transaction.
Q. Engley cashed the orders ?
A. I took the orders to him and he cashed- them. He can get
them cashed in five minutes. I think in the lot I refer to first there '
were eleven men — two rejected.
Q. What of the $2 government bounty ?
A. He got that — $12 per head. I may as well state that he got
$10 apiece for all the men who were sent by them who have gone
out for him. He has either been in partnership with them as I have
done or else he has kept the $10 for the trouble of cashing the orders
as I understood.
Q. By Mr. Blake. It was an easy matter to get an arrange
ment provided, he could have the $10.
A. I tried again and again to ge't the $10. I thought it unjust.
I asked Engley why he did not cash my orders. He said because
Major Sanford did not instruct him to. I took them to Major San
ford and he had the audacity to refer me to the Paymaster. I asked
the Paymaster and he said it was necessary to get Sanford's approval.
Q. The great objection was that he could not keep the accounts ?
' A. That was the stated objection ? Probably the objection was
that they would not get so many $10.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. But they got more than $10 in some cases ?
A. Yes, sir, they got what they could swindle the men out of.
When I made the seond arrangement^ Sanford took the $10 and on
the other arrangement —
Q. Before that he had one-third of the profits ?
A. Yes, sir, Engley, I mean — ,*
Q. Did he take it, when the arrangement was for one-third of the
profits ?
A. One third of it. I think therenwas only one lot brought.
Q. Under this second arrangement with Sanford how many did
you send in ?
A. I think I brought thirty men. I mean Hill and myself ?
Q. They were to pay transportation to New York ?
A. They were to take the $10 and pay transportation from New
York, afterwards they made me pay it.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Did they charge you any transportation?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 361
A. Yes, sir; every cent of transportation, when they found that
our State did not pay it.
Q. Did they furnish any subsistence money for these men that
you recruited ?
A. Yes.
Q. When men were recruited by you, were they correctly in
formed as to the amount of the State bounty ?
A. Every mari I ever brought to Rhode Island — that was sent to
Rhode Island — understood everything as thoroughly as I could ex
plain it to him.
Q. No man was deceived by you, or by any person in your
employ, to your knowledge ?
A. To my knowledge there was not.
Q. After the men arrived here, did you ever know of any dif
ferent contract made with them by Engley ?
A. No ; I had some men come here that had $25 more deducted
out of their bounty than they thought they should have ; but Engley
did not make any contract with them.
Q. How did he do that ?
A. Changed their orders to $50.
Q. Do you know whether these orders were paid by the Pay
master ?
A. I think they were. They were put on Engley's books as
being paid.
Q. They were signed by the men ?
A. It was done by Engley, without the knowledge of the men.
This lot was eight men recruited in Philadelphia. He (Turner)
brought these men — brought them to Engley's office — Engley con
nived with him, (with Turner,) who brought them. The original
order that Turner made out, Turner told me, was made in Philadel
phia, for $25. He told me that he told him they were all mine — I
don't say he told him so — he told me that he did.
Q. Do you know if there were several orders on one sheet?
A. That, I could not say. Turner brought these men here for
me. I was to receive $25 apiece. Engley paid him $25 apiece, and
told him to go off and get some more. Engley has since refused me
any compensation. I was interested in the men. I went to camp,
and I learned that every order was for $25. They had signed orders
for $25, and expected to receive $275. I knew the orders had gone
in against them for $50, and they received $250 instead of $275.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What was the reason you could not draw
the $25 ? ...
A. Because the men had made their orders out to Turner, and
Engley had paid them. There those orders were, and he had paid Tur
ner for my men and Turner did not pay it to me. Engley tampered
with Turner, or some of Engley's agents. It was down in the office.
Turner came here in good faith.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. It may be said that you lost through Tur
ner, your agent ?
46

362 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Through Engley, by whom Turner had been tampered with.
Q. Have you the names of these eight men ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I wish you would furnish them ?
A. Letter, Nov. 10th '63. Brought by Turner, for Hill, Brown
& Co., William F. Robinson, Henry Thomas, John H. Price, Wil
liam Jones, William George, Ralph Sears, John Thomas, Charles
Thomas. These, probably, came from Salem, New Jersey. What
drew my attention to this was, that I was looking on Engley's books,
and I found that orders against these men had been made out for $50
on his books, and then I asked the elerk, and he said the orders were
made out, and then I asked the men, and they said they had no such
orders ; and then after I told the men that they were made out at $50,
they persisted that they were not, but at $25. I afterwards asked the
men, and they said they never received what they agreed for ; and
some intelligent ones, in the presence of a commissioned officer of the
regiment, Lieutenant Aldrich.
Q. Did you sell any watches to the men ?
A. Did I ? no, sir ; since they have been mustered into the
service. Q. Nor here in the office ?
A. Occasionally, the men I brought with me, bought a watch.
Q. How did they pay for the watches ?
A. They gave me an order on their bounty.
Q. Have these orders been paid by the Paymaster ?
A. I don't know ; they were cashed by Major Engley to me.
Q. All that passed through Major Engley ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did Major Engley share the profits of these watches ?
A. No ; the understanding with Major Engley was, if these men
were mustered out, deserted or died, I should be responsible ; so that
I ran some risks.
Q. What were the prices of the watches ?
A. $20, $25 and $30, according to the quality. Most of those I
sold were good grained watches — silver watches — watches that gen
erally retail for $22 to $25. If these men, for any reason, should be
rejected, I must lose — the order would be good for nothing.
Q. These men that you sold watches to could have told the time
of day by the watches ?
A. Yes, sir ; I warranted every watch I sold. I never had but
two watches come back to me and I satisfied those men. I might as
well say that Major Engley refused to accept orders for $25 after that.
He told me that orders must be for $50, because it created dissatis
faction among the men. Others had $50 taken out, and mine were
recruited for $25.
Q. Among the agents you mean ?
A. Yes, sir ; among the agents, and among the men too.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 363
the Tmfrth^'^l met *\$Z ""i* r00m of the House of Representatives, on
State Audftn^nffirUary^11-th' "J1.0" the fifth day, Friday, February 12th, at the
riiLlfwnL v ',,a°d m T£ ]nstanoe adJ°"™d after brief sessions. On the
sixth day, Colonel Viall appeared before the Committee, Monday, February 15th.)
TESTIMONY OF JOHN ANGELL.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Tuesday, February 16th, 1864.
Q. Where do you reside ?
A. I suppose that a man's residence is generally claimed to be
where his wife is ; North Providence. I was born in Smithfield, but
that has been my home most of the time within a year or two.
Q. You call your residence North Providence ?
A. Yes, sir ; I suppose that is what would be claimed, although I
never voted there.
Q. Have you been, during the last year, in any way connected
with the recruiting business ? If so, state how ?
A. _ I have furnished men. I have been off in different States
and districts, forwarding men to recruiting officers here ; I don't
know what you call them.
Q. At what time did you commence ?
A. It was about the first of October, I cannot remember exactly,
although I have a book at home which will show the exact date ; not
far from the first of October.
Q. For what regiment have you been recruiting?
A. For the 14th R. I. H. A. principally.
Q. Have you done anything for any other regiment ?
A. Oh, yes ; in other States.
Q. None in this State ?
A. None in this State that I know of. That was the story I told
the men, and that was purported to me to be the case — the 14th.
Q. You have been at the same time recruiting for regiments in
other States ?
A. That, I was not aware of. I think after I commenced sending
men that were turned into Connecticut, I did nothing for Rhode
Island ; with that part of it I had nothing to do.
Q. They were all colored men ?
A. Yes, sir ; for this State.
Q. State in what capacity you worked, and by whom employed ?
A. I made a bargain with Captain Ballou ; I was at work for
him. Q. Francisco M. Ballou ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was the arrangement between you and Captain Ballou?
A. I was paid so much per day and expenses.
Q. Beginning now, as well as you can recollect, at the beginning,
state where you commenced operations ?
A. What do I understand by that ? where I got the first lot of
men, or the manner in which I came to engage with him ?
Q. You may state the latter first if you please.

364 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. I was conductor on the Third Avenue Railroad, New York,
and Captain Ballou and a nephew of mine came on board my car
and introduced the subject. I have forgotten whether on that or the
next day, I got a short furlough and went to his office, and he said
what he wished, and told me his business. He also stated that he
understood I was pretty well acquainted with a good district in Penn
sylvania and Maryland for this business, and he stated that he wished
to make some arrangements with me to go, and we very soon made a
bargain. I started, I think, the day after this was arranged with him,
and went by the road to Harrisburg, Chambersburg, Greencastle,
Hagerstown, Williamsport and Martinsburg. That was my first
journey out. I picked up 
Q. Where did you find the first man you recruited?
A. The first man I found between Martinsburg and Charlestown,
in the State of Virginia.
Q. What description of men were they ?
A. Well, quite a number of them were slaves at the time I found
them ; but we made out their free papers for them very quick.
Q. About how. many men did you find there ?
A. The first I found in Virginia ; I forgot whether it was ten or
eleven. I brought no men with me. I made arrangements with
them, and found them on the other side of the river, and when we
got to Chambersburg we received an addition there of contrabands of
earlier date, of some who came to Pennsylvania on the raid before.
I think when I left Chambersburg I had seventeen.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What did you mean by making out free
papers ? Did you do anything more than get them out of the State ?
A. I did not make any arrangement with their owners, I drew
up no contract until I got into Pennsylvania.
Q. What was the arrangement you made with these you got ?
A. Those I got from Virginia, they agreed to sign papers to enlist
in the Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, upon the receipt of $100
bounty ; the rest of their bounty to go to certain parties in the State
who engaged to take them.
Q. Did these men understand this State's bounty ?
A. Yes, sir ; it was all explained — $300 for those who enlisted
here. They would probably, also, have a full statement to them in
every respect. The men who enlisted in Harrisburg, Chambersburg
and other places, I stated to them that they should have $300 minus
their expenses.
Q. He gave more in Virginia ?
A. This whole matter was left optional with me. I found other
States in competition. Massachusetts men were there, and Maryland
men. The most I found the Maryland men were giving was $100,
and I adopted their plan ; but in Pennsylvania, I always told them
that they could have $300 minus their expenses.
Q. Did you encounter the agents of Massachusetts in Virginia ?
A. I encountered none in Virginia. They did not work in Vir- i
ginia. As I was saying, they adopted a safer plan than I did, as far

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 365
as personal safety was concerned. They would go as far as Wil-
liamsport, some of them, and some as far as Greencastle, and get a
couple of colored men to go across ; instead of that I went across.
Q. Were these Massachusetts agents paid, did you understand ?
A. I did not understand at that time. I have had an inkling of
it since. Q. If you know what the system was, I would like to have you
state ?
A. I don't know whether that is a fair shake or not. It was
made me as an offer to go to work. If I must state, I will. If it is
relevant to this case.
Q. I don't wish you to state — to press the case. I ask because it
may be important in this view of it. I wish to know how the system
adopted in this State compares with that in other States, and whether
.for that reason you will state ?
A. There is no injury to me. I do not wish to do injury to
another party. I think the plan here is not quite as liberal in this
State as others ; because, in other States they are giving bigger boun
ties, and offering greater inducements to agents.
Q. Were the agents paid out of the bounties, did you under
stand ?
A. In a measure they were, not fully. The same plan was
adopted in Massachusetts and Connecticut, that was adopted in Rhode
Island, excepting it was a little more liberal ; the bounties were larger
and gave greater scope.
Q. What is the reason they did not succeed as well in other
States ?
A. I don't see but they did. Connecticut has filled two regi
ments while we were filling one.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. I think you are mistaken about Connec
ticut ?
A. She is on the second one, and I understand that is filled.
Q. By the Chairman. Well, you got across the line with these
men — helped them there, and entered into a contract of the descrip
tion you have named?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And you say that in no instance were the men deceived in
regard to the amount of bounty the State paid ?
A. No, sir ; not one man that I ever recruited. It was with a
fair understanding. I usually conversed with those who came into
the room and stated the case. " Now if you are willing to go for
that, here are the papers ready to sign ;" and I always called in some
competent person to witness the papers.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you pay them any money there ?
A. Never a man, excepting men at work for me.
' Q. Bv the Chairman. How about transportation ?
A. I attended to the transportation.
Q. When you say you paid them nothing — ?
A. I mean I paid their expenses. I did not consider that paying
them anything.

366 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. You paid their expenses from Chambersburg?
A. From wherever they were taken.
Q. I am speaking now of this first batch of men ?
A. I paid all the expenses from the place they left in Virginia.
Q. Do you know how much expense ?
A. Various sums. That would be hard to come at.
Q. Estimate it as near as you can?
Q. By Mr. Blake. How much does it cost to send a man from
Greencastle to Providence ?
A. We can just as well come at it exactly as any way. I can
tell you to New York. I never sent any here to Providence. From
Greencastle to New York the bare fare is $7.30 per man. Then we al
lowed so much for meals. Whatever they wanted they furnished.
Some parties that were with me came straight through, and would
have little expense of meals. Others would get to Harrisburg just in
time to lose the train, and to be detained a day.
Q. Were these men accompanied by the agent ?
A. Yes, sir ; I most usually came with them myself to Harris
burg. Very frequently we were detained, and had to pay board a
week. The most that I ever did was to pay board for two weeks,
lacking a day.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Have you heard, or do you know of any
of these parties finding fault at the deduction from their bounty after
they got here ?
A. I never heard of such an instance. In fact, I know less of
business here than any person. All the time they were mustering
here I was away down in that country, and I knew nothing about
things here. I know of one instance, of a contraband who came
here, and left his mother and sis,ter in Virginia. He soon got
a furlough and brought home his money, and said he did not get the
bounty he expected. I tried to find out what it was — it was a little
less than $50 — arid he stated that all the bounty he got was $50,
when he was to have a little better than $275 — $300 with expenses
out, and he got the money.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. I don't see how he got it. I fancy no
man could get back unless he went to recruit ?
A. Oh, yes, there were, whatever the case might be. I ascer
tained the next time I came on that he had received the $300 bounty,
minus the expenses.
Q. By 'Mr. Thomas. I suppose these expenses were an order
sent with the man?
A. That I cannot tell anything about.
Q. By the Chairman. These first seventeen men enlisted for
one hundred dollars ?
A. Oh, no ; this same batch ; those that I got from Chambers
burg, were to receive $300 minus their expenses. Those that I got
from Virginia $100 each.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. In sending those from Virginia to any
destination, from Pennsylvania did you call them contrabands ?
A. Yes, sir.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 367
Q. By the Chairman. In crossing a river it made a difference ?
A. Oh, certainly ; there was a great deal of risk in crossing the
Potomac. '
Q. Were any of these men sent back that were not accepted ?
A. Yes, sir ; out of the seventeen men brought on the first time,
there were three rejected, and one of them, what you call suspended.
Q. Three rejected, and what was done with them ?
A. I saw them after they got home.
Q. Who paid their expenses back ?
A. Captain Ballou.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Was this when Ballou was in company with
Engley ?
A. I cannot tell you when that was.
Q. Did you know Engley in the business ?
A. I did'nt know exactly what he was. I knew there was one
here who attended to the mustering in, and being paid for it ; what
position he held, I did not know until long after. I was employed by
Capt. Ballou, and looked to him.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You did not send any men to Rhode Island ?
A. No, sir, I sent them to New York. I did not send men any
where further than that.
Q. Have you mentioned all the men you obtained in that region
of country ?
A. Oh, no.
Q. About how many men did you find in that part of the
country ?
A. I could not tell in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania — I
could not tell exactly, and I don't think I could if I had my book, for
I don' t think they are in the book I have at present.
Q. Is there any considerable number ?
A. Yes, sir, quite a number.
Q. Near what amount was the bounty that these men agreed to
enlist for ?
A. I always engaged them there at $300., with expenses out, ex
cepting men recruited in Virginia.
Q. Was there any definite understanding with the men, as to how
much the expenses were ?
A. There was not ; that was arranged afterwards. I promised
$300, with expenses out.
Q. What was done afterwards, was done by other parties ?
A. By other parties.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Can you in that connection tell how that
A I supposed from a fund, and that there has been a price estab
lished by the State— so much to a man. That part of it, I never had
anything to do with, and never made inquiry.
Q But this fact you do know, which is very material to the en
quiry—that no man who enlisted was deceived as to the amount of
bounty that he should be paid.

368 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. No, sir, they never were. I never enlisted a man, but those
I sent. Q. Were there many of the men that you sent forward, that were
returned for any reason ?
A. None but a few previously mentioned ; three or four were
rejected out of the first seventeen ; in one other lot of seven, there
were two rejected ; in another lot of ten, one was rejected here.
Q. Where was he from ?
A. He was an old contraband from Virginia. I think he was.
Q. Was he sent back ?
A. Yes, sir, sent back from here.
Q. You don't know where he went to ?
A. I never saw him afterward, and I lost four men in New York.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. They probably went to some of these
States you said paid the best ?
A. I do not know where they went to ; they probably went into
the navy. We got into a melee at New York with the rabble. I
lost four, and saved seven. Of that eleven, four were from Missis- '
sippi, three from Florida, two from North Carolina, and two from
Richmond. Q. By Mr. Thomas. How did you. know, you have never been
down there ?
A. I was willing to take their word, because they had not been
North long enough to learn to lie. Eleven smarter boys I never saw
together, or better behaved. They seemed to be pretty well posted
on the doings there in Florida.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Upon the scale you refer to, I do not see
why you should not take all the bounty ?
A. The further off, of course, the less they wer* paid.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. You say that in Pennsylvania, their expen
ses only were deducted, but if they crossed from Virginia, they had
but $100.
A. I did not go tb Mississippi for these men. I had a man there
in Virginia after them, and bore his expenses and they were ample.
Q. By the Chairman. Had any of these men any expenses but
travel and subsistence ? There were your own expenses and services ?
A. There was this ; you did not expect that when I went I should
pick up every man myself. We employed men to work for us, just
as men do in buying cattle, and we paid them so much ; some I paid
so much a day. In some instances I have had a cart and a man on
it, and in one case, the expenses were $9. Those were expenses.
Q. Well, my questions would cover all those expenses — the ex
pense of agents, &c; but I mean were there expenses such as buying
the master's right to his slave — money to police officers — payment of
money to other people beside those of your own agents ?
A. Not as connected with the business, as I know of.
Q. Were any of these men bought ?
A. No ; I never paid money to their masters, from the fact, that
I never could catch their masters in Pennsylvania.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 369
Q. Did you not go into a slave State yourself?
A. Oh, yes ; I went into Virginia and Maryland.
Q. You did not encounter the owners of any slaves ?
A. Oh, no, sir ; it was not them I m^s after. Doubtless, I en
countered a good many, but we did not hold much conversation with
them. Q. I wanted to get at some idea of the expenses of the recruiting
business ?
A. You might just as well ask what were the expenses to go
to New York and buy a lot of ship timber. You might find it one
price at one time, and quite different at another. So here you might
go out and find a lot of men ready to go right on, and at another
time you would have to wait two oi- three weeks.
Q. I meant if there was payment of money to the master of a
slave, payment to officials in order to get the man through ?
A. I never had any payment of that kind to make.
. Q- By Mr. Blake. You never knew that any of these agents
you employed to get the contrabands, paid anything to their masters ?
A. I never knew that they did. I was never cognizant of it,
and never suspected them of it. If they did it must have been a
losing business.
Q. Payment for the slaves • would be a legitimate part of the ex
penses ? Did you go into Kentucky?
A. I did not.
Q. Illinois ?
A. No, sir ; only Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
Q. Can you state somewhere nearly the number of men you sent
on to Ballou ?
A. Well, I can think of  lend me a pencil. In one mo
ment I can come somewhere near it. I can think of fifty-nine now.
Q. Of these fifty-nine men, can you state pretty nearly how
many were rejected and sent back ?
A. Well, I do not think of but seven, and one of those, as I said
was suspended, and that I do not know whether he passed in or not.
I heard, on my next visit — I heard in New York when I sent the
next lot, that he passed, that is, with these here. If he was sus
pended, allowing that he passed, that would leave six rejected.
Q. These expenses of obtaining men and forwarding them to
New York, were paid by you ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You kept an expense account with Ballou ?
A. I kept an expense account.
Q. Can you give us the expenses ?
A. That, I cannot give you now. I lost one of my books on one
of my journeys, which I told you of, which .contained all the names.
I lost it, probably, in the cars. That contained a part of my expense
account up to that time.
Q. You might tell the aggregate ?
A. I could not tell it without my books, I could not make any
statement. 47

370 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. At present you have no impression on your mind as to the
aggregate ?
A. Not the least. I could not come anywhere near it.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did it cost $25 a man ?
A. I should judge it did.
Q! Suppose, Mr. Angell, that at leisure, you find out the amount ?
A. I think I can give you the expenses from the time I began
this book — from such a date, exact.
Q. If you can do so, just do so ?
A. I will send it to you by mail, or by Mr. Collins — I will send
it by him.
Q. Are you in the business now ?
A. I am not, sir. I am on the sick list.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Why did you discontinue, you have stated
how you commenced for this State ?
A. That, I never knew. I do not know when it was discontinued
for this State. That I never knew anything about. I know as little
about the matter in the State as a man can. The reason I came
here, I came sick, or, doubtless, I should have been in that vicinity
now — perhaps I should. I could tell you nothing about matters here.
When I got men to New York, I considered them off my hands. I
never brought a man through to Providence.
Q. You did not always come to New York yourself?
A. No, sir ; I used to come sometimes.
Q. After getting the men to New York, was there any extra ex
pense there ?
A. Yes, sir, big. Well, towards the last we had to employ the
police force to protect, in New York, the men and ourselves.
Q. By Mr. Blake. You had to have a police force to take the
men from the railroad depot to the office ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I suppose that was quite necessary where there was competi
tion. A. Once I got handled pretty roughly, but came out alive.
Q. By the Chairman. In the operations of other agents, have
you any knowledge of any instance where the recruit was deceived
as to the amount of bounty that the State paid.
A. I never had any such knowledge, no, sir.
Q. So far as yotjr knowledge extends, did the agents at all times,
and at all places, represent truly what bounty was paid ?
A. Yes, sir, so far as I know ; I never thought of investigating
that. They might have been deceiving all around me and I never
knew, because with other agents I had little to do.
Q. Can you tell how much other agents offered ?
A. Their bounties seemed to be unlimited. I have known an
agent for Massachusetts, pretending to be recruiting for a cavalry
regiment, at the time we were offering $300, offering one man $550.
Q. Do you know when it was to be paid ?
A. I did not know any thing about it. I told them I thought it
was a lie.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 371
Q. Did they raise a colored cavalry regiment in Massachusetts ?
A. I believe so.
Q. Did you understand the man who paid these great bounties —
whether it was a state or town bounty ?
A. Why, he told the whole bounty they gave probably.
Q. Mr. Angell, have you known of any instance of men who
have been forwarded to Providence and rejected here, and sent back
as far as New_ York without any provision for their expenses ?
A. Yes, sir, but I can give you but little information about it. I
recollect men of whom it was told me that they were rejected here in
Providence, who were furnished with funds to' get back as far as New
York, or a ticket, and no provision was made for their getting any
farther. I recollect several instances. Who sent them back, or at
whose expense, I cannot tell. That was something so out of my line
of business, that I had no chance to know much about it.
Q. That was Ballou's?
A. These men were not his ; I have no instance in mind where Capt.
Ballou had men that were rejected when he did not pay the fare back
to where they came from. I never knew an instance. I recollect
one instance in particular. I cannot tell the name or the date. I
remember being in New York. I think I had been on home, or on
the way back to Pennsylvania and Maryland, and finding a man at
Ballou's, asked who it was, and he said it was a man rejected here
and lived, I think, in Indiana, and was anxious to get home : and
had nothing to get home with ; there had been no provision made.
I never questioned further. I afterwards understood that Ballou saw
him paid through.
Q. When you engaged men to come you engaged to carry them
back ?
A. That was always in the agreement, that if they were rejected,
their fare should be paid back.
Q. That was the agreement. Was it in all cases carried out ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. As far as you had a personal connection with them ?
A. Yes, sir ; I always satisfied them. Three of those men that
I said were rejected, were the most faithful workers I had, after I got
back. Q. Did those men go back in uniform, those rejected men ?
A. Go back in uniform ? no, sir. They don't get their uniform
until after they are accepted. No, sir. I always felt considerably
hurt. I maintain that those were three of the bulliest fellows as were
ever sent on — those same rejected men.
Q. Why were they rejected ?
A. I never understood, and they never. I have not the least
doubt, that if you take those men to-day to Boston, and they would
pass without a word. They were three remarkably rugged men, and
I never could understand why they were rejected.
Q Have you ever been present in Providence, at the examining
surgeon's office to witness, or kne^ anything about the proceedings
there ?

372 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. Never ; I always adopted the plan of examining the men
myself before I started.
Q. Who was the examining surgeon here ? Dr. Gardiner ?
A. I cannot tell. He used to be 
Q. He might reject men that had a fine external appearance.
Did a part of the bounty get into his hands ?
A. I took that view of it — I questioned these men at the time.
They were without families and had no encumbrances — only just
themselves, no one dependent upon them. One was a blacksmith,
and would be called a good one even in New England. When I
found they were sending men to Connecticut, I tried to get these
men to go on, but they would not face it again.
FURTHER TESTIMONY OF DR. JOHNSTON GARDINER.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Thursday, February 25th, 1864.
Q. Have you examined your books and papers any further since
the time they were examined here ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Will you please to state what you have discovered with regard
to this case of Howard ?
A. When I was here I could not explain it satisfactorily to my
oWn mind, how this thing could take place. Being satisfied that that
was my signature, and I did not find any solution of it until the next
morning. I was thinking of it while I was abed, and I thought^
perhaps, if I should look on the other books I could find some clue,
getting some names or persons there on ¦ that day. So when I got up
I looked at the cavalry (artillery) book, or the white book, as we
call it, and there I found this name, the name of David E. Howard.
Q. Explain how you keep your books ?
A. I keep — that is — what we call the colored regiment's books,
and this man's name was not there.
Q. How many books do you keep ?
A. There are four now — only three for using. I keep one book
for the colored regiment, and one for the artillery, and also a book
for cavalry — that is not here. There were two men inspected that
same day, I find on the (artillery) cavalry book.
Q. And they are in the artillery ?
A. Yes, sir; quite a number.
Q. Turn to your book and show us ?
A. Here's the entry on the 19th — David E. Howard — you will
see it is the same age and same occupation.
Q. Whose hand- writing is this ?
A. My son's hand-writing. He recollects the circumstance, and
says there were two together. You will see that one of these men
was rejected for varicose veins. He recollects these men coming to
gether. My son recollects it more perfectly. That was on the 19th,

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 373
and when I was here last we had inspected all these down here, but
I could not remember them.
Q. What has become of this white man ?
A. ^ That is the question, where he is. I can have no other ex
planation — this man was sent there for that purpose, and it was
designed. Q. Do you recollect of examining this man, and of passing him
under the name of David E. Howard ?
A. Of course, I recollect those two men. I know for a certainty
he is one of the men, and I must have called his name David.
Q. But did you recollect independent of the book ?
A. I recollect of this man's coming, and recollect it more thor
oughly in my mind, for my son calls attention to the fact, that he
was just going ' out or intending to go out, and these two were the
last men. I recollect of examining these two men, of course ; I do
not know who they were. They were not men I personally knew —
not one of them of course.
Q. Could you describe the men ?
A. They were middling sized men, and this man was with the
other one, and appeared to be perfectly healthy, every way. There
was no peculiarity about it. He was not very old, neither was there
any difficulty about his being too young — middling aged man — no
trouble on that account. I remember of examining two men. There
have been scores of recruits examined — so many that I could not,
after I turned my back upon them, tell one from another. You take
any one of these other men, and I would not be able to give a minute
description of him.
Q. By Mr. Blake. The one you enlisted the other day was Ed
ward E. Howard ?
A. No, that is the man, David E. Howard. I recollect perfectly
about the hernia. It was not a case very conspicuous. I had to
take the scrotum in my hand and put my fingers on it, and I could
feel the intestine protruding slightly in the scrotum. Then I was
careful to lay him down on the floor and see if it would go back.
The way would be to lay him on the other side, and it would slip
right back of itself; that would be proof positive that it was hernia.
This West was with the man.
Q. What time in the day was that ?
A. ' I think it was in the middle of the day — I guess in the after
noon  I guess about 2 o'clock, perhaps, and he took the man very
quietly. Some will be very angry because a man is rejected, and he
did not seem to remonstrate. I stated emphatically that he was a
good man if it was not for that. That was the end of it. He went
out and I saw him no more ; of course I could not explain how I
signed those papers. I was just as much astonished as any one could
be, to find my name on the papers of David E. Howard, when he
was rejected. Now I can see and know the explanation. He must
have been a white man.
Q. [Refers to book.] What does this mean ( " By whom en-

374 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
listed ?" There is such a blank as that in the army regulations — and
if there was time to put down who enlisted him, it would be under
that column. We put down Major Sanford as enlisting David E.
Howard ?
A. He did not come there. He is the head of that office. He
is one of Major Sanford's men. We ask them whose they are, and
we know that these light artillerymen are Major Sanford's men.
Q. Then you had to put this down ?
A. We should put it down, but it is such a monstrous sight of
writing that we don't do it so much. Now if we had been fortunate
as it is on this page — to put down who brought this man 
Q. Do you know who brought him ?
A. No, sir, I do not ; Clarence, perhaps could tell you. He
recollects more about it.
TESTIMONY, OF CLARENCE GARDINER.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Q. Are you the son of Dr. Gardiner ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Are you in his office ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Occupied there to keep his books ?
A. I am studying with my father, and while there and not study
ing, I take the books and enter the names of recruits brought in.
Q. Will you look on this book ?
A. That is my hand-writing.
Q. Is that in your hand-writing, David E. Howard ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you recollect that man ?
A. No, sir ; I do not recollect the man. I recollect the circum
stance when brought there. He was brought with this man by the
name of Barnes, who was rejected for varicose veins.
Q. Who brought them ?
A. I do not know. He was Major Sanford's man — it was not he
that brought him. I asked who was the recruiting officer, and he
said Major Sanford.
Q. Had he any papers ?
A. Yes, sir. The'reason I recollect, I was going to Pawtucket,
and going in the twenty minutes to four train, and was getting ready
when father had these men come in, and that detained me until the
next train, and made me recollect.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. When they bring the men, jlo they bring
recruiting papers ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. The recruiting officer's name at the bottom ?
A. It is sometimes signed and sometimes not. The blank is
always left, and as father only has to certify to that 
Q. Did you examine the papers of this man ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 375
_ A. No, sir ; only to take off the name, where born, age, occupa
tion ; that is all that is stated on the papers.
Q. Where did you get the information that these men were for
the 1st Artillery ?
A. By asking the man who brought them.
Q. Was he a recruiting officer that brought them ?
A. Yes, sir ; not a recruiting officer, but one of these men who
run around.
Q. Have you seen him before or since ?
A. Yes, sir ; but I do not recollect who he was.
Q. Do you know Luke Chace ?
A. No, sir ; not by name. I should- probably know his name if
I saw him.
Q. Do you know him ?
A. Yes, sir ; from the fact of having several conversations with
him in the office.
Q. How should you describe this man who brought him ?
A. I could not give a description, I only recollect the circum
stance, from the fact, that they came in on Friday ; I was not there
much that day. These are the only two men that came on that day
but while I was there they came, about three and a half or four
o'clock. Q. Edward E. Howard ; is that your writing?
A. That is my writing also.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Would you know this man if you should
see him — should you recognize him ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. How was he dressed, in citizens clothes ?
A. Yes, sir. v
Q. Did he have anything of a military dress about him ?
A. I do not recollect. I could not say as to that. If Norman
R. Barnes could be found, he, probably, could tell you who brought
him. Q. Did you make that entry, sir.
" A. I entered it, and wondered at the time if he was related to the
Barnes' in Smithfield.
Q. Did you get from him his residence ?
A. Only the place where he was born — that was stated on the
papers. .
Q. Do you recollect a man coming into the office at that time
and getting a certificate for a man who had lost a certificate ?
A? A certificate for a man who had lost his papers ? Yes, sir ; I
recollect that circumstance, it was Monday morning. _
Q. Cau you state whether that was the man who brought in this
Howard? „,, , -,
A No sir • I could not. That was a colored man— no, it was a
man 'who came' there with two colored men, and wanted certificates
for both of them, or brought certificates, saying that the papers had
been lost. He was not the man that brought them. The man who

376 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
brought the colored men, wears a beaver hat with crape on it. He
brought the two negroes on Monday morning. I know he did not
come with these two men.
TESTIMONY OF DR. JOHNSTON GARDINER— Continued*
Q. You are still of the opinion, Doctor, that you have not made
out two sets of papers — that is — a set of papers for David E. Howard,
a white man in the battery, and another set of papers for David E.
Howard, a colored man ?
A. Oh, my dear sir, I should not think of doing anything of the
kind. There has been no application for any such papers — no person
has been near me and said a word about them. I only want to say
emphatically, I have never seen the papers, and I never have had
any ; all that has been done I have done in this way : we would, in
spect, in Custom House street, a dozen or twenty, or sometimes over
thirty in the morning, all belonging on this colored book.
Q. Do you go to the Custom House place to make your exam
inations ?
A. I do now ; I used to do it on the Dexter Training Ground.
I have had three places. Dexter Training Ground, then here at the
office, and when I came round to see the sick men at the barracks, I
would go in at this place.
Q. You believe the papers signed by you were the papers brought
by this man ?
A. I have no doubt that some one brought the papers there for
this man, who had 
Q. No, the papers you signed for the man in the first artillery ?
A. Certainly, sir ; supposing, and having no doubt but what the
man was going with the first artillery.
Q. Have you any information that there is not a David E. How
ard in the artillery now ?
A. It would be a singular coincidence, but it would not be im
possible. Q. But that is your signature ?
A. Yes, sir ; unless you apply this signature to another paper.
Q. But you have not given but one ?
A. I have not given but one paper on that artillery book.
Q. And but one in the other ?
A. No, sir, of course not.
Q. Then the other man — is not that your signature ?
A. Certainly, sir, of course.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Wm. West testifies that he sent the papers
up to yoii, and that you signed them by his sending you his name ?
A. Oh, no ; there was never a paper signed that way. Let me
tell you, I have inspected men over there, sometimes fifteen or tAventy,
and we would write off the names, — perhaps the time would expire
for me — then I would take those papers, — I did three or four times,
took all the papers up — he left the papers there ; some were not all

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 377
filled ; it required a good deal of writing to fill them. I would
place my signature to the papers, and then compare the papers with
this list — every one — and I never gave a paper in my whole life. If
anything was sent there, as this man speaks of, I never saw it, and
this man knows it.
Q. By the Chairman. I understand you to say that you have,
in some instances, examined the men and entered them on the book ?
A. Yes, sir ; but I have not signed the papers. I have had to
step out, — had to go away, — and then I came back afterwards and ex
amined the papers and compared them with the book.
Q. And if you find them accepted on the book, you signed the
papers ?
A. Exactly.
Q. Are you' sure you did not do the same in this case ? Those pa
pers were brought back to you, you looked on the book — saw that the
man was not rejected, and you signed the papers ?
A. I am perfectly sure of it.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. But you have just testified that in some
instances you have done so ?
A. But that was when I had been over there. This was at the
office. Q. This was at your office that he was inspected?
A. There has been no such man sent there, because I would
remember it in a moment if it had been so in three or four weeks. I
know for a certainty that there is not a vestige or shadow of truth in
this story.
Q. I wish you would explain to the committee how you are paid
for all these examinations ?
A. The way I have been paid for all these examinations is by an
appointment which I had two years ago.
Q. Who pays you ?
A. Capt. Silvey. The money comes through Capt. Silvey.
The United States appointment was in this way. I had been exam
ining for all the old regiments, and because Capt. Silvey wanted me,
they put me on to this new regiment. I did not want to — I would
rather not. The Governor wanted I should, and they arranged that
if I had time I should attend to it, and so I have inspected all the col
ored men. I would say that I did not get any more pay whether
they were rejected or passed. It makes no peculiary difference to
me whether a man passed or not.
Q. You examine the man and if he goes off into Massachusetts
you are paid the same ?
A. I am paid the same and no more.
Q. Do they pay you by your own book ?
A That is the way they do with the colored book. I told Capt.
Silvey right up and down that I would not take them unless they
paid me in this way. I told Capt. Silvey so, and the Governor
thought I ought not to. The Adjutant General and Capt. Silvey
agreed to it. These men belonging here, who come to me are stripped
and examined, are what I am paid for.

378 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. The Governor does not enquire what becomes of the men.
He takes your book, and whatever is there he pays. ?
A. Well the Adjutant General pays. I never have been to the
¦ Governor at all. The Adjutant General was anxious that I should
take the colored men. It was hot weather and I was not very well;
I had as much as I could do, and I was not solicitous about it, and he
said you had better — the Captain and the Governor thinks you had
better do it. I went to Capt. Silvey, and he said you had better take
it, and the Governor said you had better take such an hour and do
it. I then saw General Mauran and told him I did not wish to, but
I wanted to know what evidence I should have to produce in order to
get my pay ; for if I have to send to all the regiments in the south
ern states to get certificates, (I have done it before), I'll not under
take it. That is the way I did when I first began, and so I am paid
as I have stated.
TESTIMONY OF DR. JOHNSTON GARDINER.
Q. You are examining surgeon for all recruits ?
A. Well, I dont't know. I am examining the recruits for the
State of Rhode Island. I have understood that the cavalry out to
Pawtucket, and some other places, are examined by somebody else ;
but then I have been examining surgeon for two vears.
• Q. Look ft that paper?
A. Yes, sir ; this man's name I find on the book marked rejected.
Q. By Mr. Hill. Is that your signature ?
A. It looks like it.
Q. Do you recollect signing that paper ?
A. I have no recollection of it, whatever ; that is, I don't know
when it was signed ; I only know that it looks as though I signed it.
Q. Do you recollect signing any paper of that kind last Friday ?
A. The book will show I have signed. Some one might have
come with a recruit that I knew, and I have taken the recruit into the
other room to go through with the examination, and this person may
have entered the name on the book. It is possible that some one has
been in who had a recruit to examine, saying, " I will enter the name
on the book," or when I came out, entered the name on the book. I
might possibly have passed the man in that way, whose name is not
on the book.
Q. Do you recollect examining any recruits last Friday ? You
don't recollect, now, independent of your book, of examining any
recruits on that day ?
A. No, sir, I do not ; though I think very probably. My im
pression is that I did examine some one or two, Friday or Saturday,
and I do not know, but one each day. The book, — unless some
name has been omitted, — will show. I recollect well the first time I
examined the man. I have no exact impression of the man, more
than any other recruit. The first time I ever heard of the man, and
I have never seen or examined him since, until I hear that he has

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 379
been sent there with papers. There has never been any papers sent
to me, and they were never signed in my office. I never heard of
the case until Captain Hamlin asked me about it, and then I showed
him the book.
Q. What do you think was the difficulty?
A. I thought it was incipient hernia ; that is, according to my
best recollection.
Q. The man did not know anything about it ?
A. I did not think it was safe for him to go. Still, when I passed
upon him my son was present, and happened to be in the office, — he
is eighteen or twenty years old, — he made this entry on the book at
the time, and I never have heard from this man, in any way, since.
There (showing the book) is the man Howard'; my son wrote it*
down. There was three men, Geo. Johnston, John A. Field and
John Brewster, those were all I knew. If there has been any man
in there, he has come there and his name has not been entered on the
book — it is a mistake.
Q. John A. Field was a white man ?
A. No, sir ; there are no white men on this book. The whole of
this is for the colored men.
Q. This is Edward E. Howard ?
A. This is David E. Howard. That was put there wrong. He
(my son) made a mistake, and meant to have put it there right.
Q. That first man was accepted ? here is one that is rejected ?
A. That name, — that Edward E. Howard, — means the same
man. That is David E. Howard, I have no doubt.
Q. Do you recollect the man ? should you know him?
A. I don't believe I should ; I see so many colored men, I could
not tell one from another.
Q. Won't you look at this man ?
A. I should merely guess that I had seen him before. All I can
say, gentlemen, I have never heard of the man since. I should just
as soon have supposed anything else, as that I should find this man's
name on my book again. There never has been anybody there -with
that paper." I have never heard a syllable of it, or seen a vestige of
any paper, and what to make of it I do not know. On reflection
about it, ,in the middle of the day, I thought if any man had been
there — the only conclusion I could arrive at, and this is only a hy
pothesis, that somebody had brought a healthy man with the papers,
and got me to sign them, with this man's name to them, and that I
had signed them. I did not recollect at all this man's face ; I should
not recollect a man whom I passed a week ago, and if, a week hence
you send me a man who comes to represent David E. Howard, I
should not know the man. That is all the way that I could solve the
difficulty was, that some sound man had been presented and passed
with this man's papers.
Q. By Mr. Blake. It seems to be a common thing to examine a
man one day and pass him another ?
A. I will explain. There might have been a dozen cases, perhaps

380 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
more. I should think not over a dozen, if any, in the course of a
year, present at inspection, and there would be a little venereal sore,
a little shank of it, and these men wanted to go, and I would tell the
recruiting officer, " you take them to the doctor and get them cured,
and when they come to me well, I'll pass them ; I cannot pass them
until they are cured." Sometimes they would apply to me, and
sometimes they would go to another doctor and get cured. If it was
a trifling thing, it would not take a great deal of time, as a general
thing I would put on caustic, and, perhaps, in a week they would be
sound ; perhaps, in three or four days they would come after they
had been under treatment, not quite well, and I would not dare to
pass them. But this man, there never has been a vestige of anything
* of that sort on that man, and I should as soon think of cutting off
my head or my arm, as to have signed a certificate after I had re
jected him. This was a case of not any doubt ; neither was there in
my recollection, a single rejected man who had his papers signed
afterwards. Q. He says you told him he was a good man otherwise, but this
difficulty would reject him, and that he assisted you to put it up ?
A. I believe this man West was there and I might have spoken
to him about it.
Q. Do you consider hernia incurable ?
A. There is a man in Boston, a quack doctor, who pretends to
cure it. I never attempted to cure it, because —
Q. You never told West you could cure it ?
A. I never thought of such a thing no more than I thought of
cutting my head off. He said never a word to me about him, about
the man. No either individual, positively, has ever asked me to sign
a certificate for a man who had been rejected, and I never even
thought of it.
Q. Was this hernia very evident ?
A. No, sir, it was not very conspicuous. It was down to the bot
tom. I was not expecting it, but I found a difficulty that would pre
clude him from the army, and I at once rejected him, and never have
heard a syllable from him since and have never been requested to pass
him by any living being.
Q. Did you show Mr. West how it could be put up ?
A. My dear sir, I never said a word to Mr. West about it. It is
possible he might have gone into the room to see him.
Q. Did you intimate to Mr. West that the man might be accepted
afterwards ?
A. No, sir, never a syllable. I have had cases where there was
some doubt as to the size of a man. There was a young man presen
ted to day, that although he measured tall enough, when I came to
see him in a state of nudity, there did not seem to be enough of him
to do anything, and I had my doubts, though he had a strong consti
tution, and I sent a note to Capt. Silvey's office to get his opinion.
Whenever a case of that kind occurs I take this course perhaps, but
of this man, I never thought of sending word to any body, and I

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 38l
rejected him, and that was the last I heard of him until Capt. Ham
lin showed me this paper. I have studied upon it a good deal to know
how my signature was obtained to it.
Q. That name was signed when it was brought to you?
A. I should think it was. If I do not find the name, I ask why
they don't have the man's signature on, and sometimes in a few rare
instances, they put the name down in my office ; generally they bring
the signature.
Q. Your book shows that one man was examined on the 19th ?
A. Yes, sir; only one man.
Q. Who is this man, John A. Field ?
A. I should like to know. I thought whether this man did have
one name in the paper, and put in the book another name.
(Mr. West was permitted to ask.)
Q. Don't you have a front office and a back office ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you not have the man lay on the floor?
A. Yes, sir ; and when he laid down on his back it went back
itself. Q. Don't you recollect asking me to come in ?
A. I have no recollection — very likely. There was a man there
to-day that had a disease, and the man who brought the recruit
wanted to see him, and was astonished when he saw him.
Q. Haven't I brought you up four or five men for you to doctor for
this Syphillis ?
A. I believe you did three or four for Major Engley — three or
four men that had these troubles. I have had, sometimes, fifty come
at a time, and I have told Major Engley I did not want anything to
do with them, — I would talk with Captain Silvey about it, — whether
some one else had better not take care of them than I. But this
man had got nothing of this kind. ¦
Q. Did I not pay you for curing these up ?
A. Major Engley paid me.
Q. Did not I bring you the money, and you told me you would
doctor them as a citizen ?
A. He paid me. Major Engley did — you were the gentleman I
suppose. (Further Examination by the Chairman.)
Q. Do you know Luke Chace ?
A. I do not know that I do, I have no recollection of such a man
now. Oh I know Mr. Chace that is over there in the office, a clerk,
I did not know his first name.
Q. Has he been in your office a good deal ?
A. No sir ; he was never there but very little. Perhaps he was
never in the office but on some business of dispatch. I believe two
or three times he brought up a paper for, perhaps, half a page of

382 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
names. Sometimes he came with twenty or thirty. Sometimes I
have had to sign them of a Sunday, and stay at home from meeting,
when he has been in a hurry.
Q. Did he ever study in your office, this Mr. Chace?
A. Never, an hour ; I do not know but little about him.
Q. He has had your signature a great many times ?
A. Oh, yes, sir, of course. He would come over with his papers,
for instance, we would examine a dozen men, and let their names all
be entered on here, and those that had any disease, that would be
noted, and they would be at once rejected, and then the sound ones
would be signed. Sometimes we have taken these papers — perhaps,
half a dozen, and bring them there and have the papers made out.
This man, whose name is Chace, I am not acquainted with in any
other way.
Q. After you have examined that signature carefully, have you
any doubt about it's being your signature ?
A. I should not think of doubting it ; I believe I told Captain
Hamlin that that was my signature.
Q. But you thought Mr. West came into your office once since
the time he came with Howard ?
A. I think he was there once, and that, I did not recollect when
I first saw Capt. Hamlin — this book was open, and he saw the book.
Q. At that time this correction was not made ?
A. No, sir ; my son Clarence made it.
Q. What I want to call your attention to is this, — was this cor
rection before the time that the man was brought up ?
A. It must have been made after. Clarence would know, because
when he came to look at the book, he made that alteration. Let me
see. I think I said to Mr. West when this second one came to me,
" well, this is a good one ; he is not like the other man." Was there
not some such allusion ? Did I refer —
(Mr. West did not know.)
Dr. Gardiner. It seems to me I said, " this is a good fellow." —
Mr. West asks, Do you recollect my naming to you that he was
not going to lifting much ?
Dr. Gardiner. I do not recollect whether you said so or not. I
rejected him.
Q. By the Chairman. Did that make any difference ?
A. No, sir, none at all ; there never —
Q. Doctor, it seem that on the 19th there was only one man
examined and ha was accepted ?
A. Yes, sir, it seems so.
Q. Did any one come with him ?
A. That's what I was enquiring about — if there was any other
man, I cannot recollect. I have so many of them come. There was
one came to day, and two or three others came with him — an officer
and one other man I could recollect ; my impression is, that at the
time this man came in on the 19th one colored man was inspected,
and it seems to me, another man came with him. Then there was

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 383
some recruiting officer, I don't recollect who it was. All the way I
could solve the mystery — either my name was like a case we had last
spring —
Q. Who wrote that name ? Clarence ?
A. _ I don't know. That don't look like his writing. He would
know in a, moment; I studied upon it, and then I thought Mr. West was
there again, and I thought I had not signed this while he was there.
Then it occurred to me that some sound man was sent there and I
passed him and his name was not entered. There might be a sound
man brought and passed bearing, the same name on the papers. I
might look them over and pass him, and say he was all sound, and
then these papers might have been taken and given to this man, but
I never examined this man a second time.
Q. Doctor, is it possible that you signed the papers of any other
man, and then that went on your book ?
A. Well, that's what I am trying to solve.
Q. If there had been any other name, would it not have been
here? A. That is what I am trying to account for. The person, know
ing it, must have said, " I will enter this name." I might have
examined the man and signed the papers while the man put the name
on the book ; but I have no recollection of that, however, at all.
This is all the way — that some well person was brought for this man
Howard. I should not know him from him. I should not recollect
the names to-morrow of some persons who were there to-day.
Q. You have no recollection of examining any person on the 19th,
except this man on the book ?
A. I have no recollection, distinct, from what appears on the
book, and that, I take it for granted, must be correct ; but that is all
the way I can account for it, unless somebody did get my signature
on paper, and then kept the signature and applied it to this man.
That, possibly, might have been done ; but I have been very careful
how I sign my name.
Q. Did you ever sign your name in blank on these papers?
A. I never did.
Mr. West asked if the Doctor ever knew of a case of hernia that
was cured ?
Dr. Gardiner. There might have been a case. Dr. Miller said
there was a case — but it never came down. But a decided case of
hernia never. I am just as sure it would be rejected as I am alive.
[The Doctor told of a singular case of John Zitki, who had a
double hernia that Dr. Miller trussed up until, in time, it did not
appear and for which Dr. M. induced the Adjutant General to pay
for a $10 truss. "I should think," said Dr. G., "that this man
might go to Boston and pass."] Then, within a short time, I have
had two cases where I have been requested to sign a second set of
papers. They would say the papers were lost. I said to a man, "if
you give me a certificate that those papers are lost, I will sign." I
have This certificate, alleging, positively, that those papers are lost. I
believe there is one set of papers down on Dutch Island.

384 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Mr. West asked if Dr. Gardiner had ever rejected a man with
hernia, and then passed him afterwards ? He thought the books
would show that to be so.
Dr. Gardiner. I have said that such things had been done.
Q. By the Chairman — to Dr. Gardiner. You mean after exam
ining a man with any doubt ?
A. Yes, sir ; that has been done, one case in five hundred. I
believe we had a man that Ave deliberated whether or not it would be
best to pass him, and I wrote a note to Captain Silvey. Sometimes
the man has held over until the npxt day, and sometimes until after
that. There was one man here to-day, who was round here all the
forenoon, trying to make out that he was big enough. He said he
was stout enough, and could do a great deal, but he did not get
passed.
FURTHER EXAMINATION OF DAVID E. HOWARD.
Questions by Mr. West.
Q. Do you recollect of a man's going out of the office with you,
or right after you, one day when you had been in the office ?
A. I could not say whether there was or not.
Q. Did you make any bargain with a man to be examined in
your place ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you tell anybody that you would rather give $50 than
not go ?
A. No, sir ; I believe that was a proposition you made to me.
Q. I did not ask you no $50.
A. You said that Dr. Miller would ask that much.
Q. Have you not said that you had rather give $50 than not go,
since then ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Do you recollect seeing colored men sitting round in the office ?
A. Yes, sir ; I have.
Q. Do you recollect seeing one twice ?
A. Yes, sir ; I have seen this man that I have always seen round
there, all the times I have been in there.
Q. By the Chairman* Do you know any of the names of these
men ?
A. No, sir ; no man that I have met in there, except this man,
I have heard the name, West. That's the only name. I believe one
not in there, a brother of Mr. Noyes, was there sometime ago.
Q. Do you know a colored man by the name of John A. Field ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By Mr. West. Do you know of any colored man examined
on Friday ?
A. No, sir ; I never heard of any.
Q. By the Chairman. Now, David, do you know who got that
paper for you ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 385
A. When I saw it, it was in Mr. West's hands. That's the first
I knew about it.
Q. Did he tell you when he had it ?
_ A. I asked him if he had it ready, and he said he had got it
signed. Q. By Mr. West. Don't you know that the Doctor's name was
there when you put your's there ?
A. I think it was.
Q. By the Chairman. Who made that pencil mark there ?
A. Mr. West marked it for me to write on, but I did not observe
it much. Q. Did you see him make it ?
A. I guess he made it — simply drew across with a pencil, and
told me to write.
Q. You are sure the Doctor's name was on it then ?
A. I would not be positive ; I think it was, I would not say posi
tively ; but that was my impression. I think I remarked at the time
that it was all right.
Q. Why did you not use the same papers you had before ?
A. They were left with Dr. Gardiner ; I saw them laying on the
table with something wrote on them — the three laying together and
something wrote on them — what it was I could not see.
Q. Neither Chace nor West explained to you how they got these
papers ?
A. No, sir, they did not say anything about this, or the other sets
of papers at this time.
Q. You don't know how they were obtained ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You had nothing to do with it whatever ?
A. No, sir ; only I know that it was obtained — the Doctor's
name signed when I saw it last.
Q. Did West, or Chace, or any of them tell you they would get
the papers for $20 ?
A- I don't know as they did.
Q. Did they speak of the papers ?
A. He (Chace) said this West would cure me and fix me all
right. Mr. Chace said that when we were in the other room. (To
Mr. West.) I went in the other room separate ; I did not go into
the other room but once.
FURTHER EXAMINATION OF JAY WEST.
Q By the Chairman. You saw Howard sign the order you say ?
a Ygs sir.
Q. Did' he sign it more than once?
A. No, sir.
Q. In more than one place f
A No, sir ; not to my knowledge.
Q. By Mr. Blake. This $20, I suppose it to be, the $20 on the
order ? 49

386 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. I did not read it, and that's all I know of it. What he gave
Mr. Chace, sir, I cannot say.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. What became of this order after it was
first written ?
A. Mr. Chace took it.
Q. Have you ever had it ?
A. 'No, sir.
Q. It has never been in your possession at all ?
A. Not until I got it from Mr. Chace.
Q. That was — Friday the order was given, and you got it Sat
urday ?
A. Yes, sir ; Mr. Chace took and carried it away. Col. Viall
came in Saturday when I was in the office alone; he came in and
said you must not stop $20 of that man's pay, it is Avrong.
Q. Now, I want to know when you first saw that order — when
you first received it ? It was not paid ; when did you first receive
the order, after it was written and signed ?
A. After I went with Mr. Chace to the Paymaster General's
office to get it.
Q. Mr. Chace handed it to you on Saturday ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Had Mr. Chace any interest in that order ?
A. Yes, sir ; one half was his.
Q. Had he done any service requiring that ?
A. Not at all.
Q. What was the order for ?
A. For passing, or getting him through.
Q. But, Mr. Chace did not do anything ?
A. No, sir ; he did not do anything.
Q. He had half?
A. Yes, sir ; Mr. Chace wrote the order.
Q. Did you perform any medical services ?
A. ,Yes, sir.
Q. Was the $20 for that ?
A. The $20 was for getting him through, — a part of it for that —
I was to have half.
Q. . What was Mr. Chace's interest ?
A. Because, he was to write the order and get it paid. He
named the order in the first place — take an order.
Q. Now, is Mr. Chace for Mr. Engley, or does he work on his
own account ?
A. I suppose him to be clerk.
Q. Was you working on your own account, or how were you
working ?
A. I was working for Mr. Engley.
Q. Both were working for him," and both had half an interest in
the order, — what interested Engley ?
A. Mr. Engley did not get any pay on this man, — he belonged in
Providence.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 387
Q. You and Chace were working for Engley, — you got nothing
for your work, and you were both to have $10? Do you say this
order was in part for medical services ?
A. Yes, sir ; it was for medical services.
Q. You saw the order ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You asked Mr. Chace to write it ?
A. I asked Mr. Chace.
Q. If you enlisted him, how came he to know that he wanted to
give an order ?
A. Mr. Chace was in the office, and Mr. 
Q. How came he to know there was any order to be made ?
A. Mr. Chace proposed it. I told him this man had not the
money. I think he said to him when he came into the office, "have
you come to enlist?"
Q. Will you say directly how came Mr. Chace to know that the
order was to be made ?
A. I told Mr. Chace that I could not doctor him for nothing, and
he proposed making an order, and I told him he said he had no
money, and he says make out an order and take it out of his bounty.
Q. Had he already passed the doctor ?
A. No, sir ; he had not.
Q. He had been there and been rejected ? How did you get his
signature on paper? s
A. I sent a man up to the office after I made out the papers, and
Mr. Chace took the order and went off. I made out three papers,
and a man in the office came in, and I sent him up to the doctor with
them and told him to say that they Avere from West, and he went out
of the office with the papers.
Q. You say he went to enlist and did not pass examination, and
you got the Doctor to sign the papers ?
A. Oh, I sent the papers up to the Doctor.
Q. You say he was not examined?
A. No, I sent up the papers.
Q. Any writing with the papers ?
A. I sent the man up and told him to tell that West sent them up.
Q. Let's know how long a time he was under your treatment ?
A. Three days.
Q. Did not he sign the recruiting papers on Friday ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. On Saturday you sent up the papers ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. That's one day. He did not pass examination on Friday ?
A. He did not pass on the 16th.
Q. On Saturday he passed examination by sending up the papers,
and the Doctor signed them ; and the papers came back signed ?
A. Yes, sir ; I sent up the papers, and they came back signed.
Q. Is that a common way of getting a physician's certificate ? ,
A. I have sent papers up before to Dr. Gardiner, and he signed

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
them without any man with them ; also he has rejected a man, I
think, with hernia before, and then passed him.
Q. Did you cure the man in these two days ?
A. No, sir. v
Q. How did you expect he was going to pass the second day ?
A. How did I expect ?
Q. On Saturday, — two days afterwards, — you sent some papers
with this man's name, and the Doctor signed them as being the
proper man. Now, did you cure him ?
A. No, sir. s
Q. How then did you expect he should pass in two days after ?
A. Why, he passed him the same as though being cured in two
days, as a good many others.
Q. What, after he has rejected them ?
A. He has rejected them, and then passed them afterwards.
Q. What did you do to this man ?
A. I put up this hernia and gave him some liniment to bathe it
with, and did it up and put a belt round.
Q. By your prescription, something was going to be done by
which you suppose the Doctor would pass him ?
A. I did not suppose the Doctor would have anything more to do
with him, only to sign the papers.
Q. Can you furnish this committee with the man who carried the
papers ?
A. If I could see him I could.
Q. Don't you know his name ?
A. I do not ; we have any quantity of loafers.
Q. Then, is the Doctor accustomed to sign any papers for any
individual man you send ?
A. No, sir ; I don't think he would. I have paid the Doctor a
good deal of money.
Q. That would be no reason why he should pass a man for you
that he had decided should not pass ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. Do you know John A. Field ?
A. No, sir.
Q. In consideration for this order you have one half for medical
services, and the other was for putting him through ?
A. The other half was for Mr. Chace.
Q. Will you tell the reason why it was withdrawn from the Pay
master and destroyed ?
A. Colonel Viall came into the office Saturday, and said it was
wrong. He said, " you must not stop any orders on this man's
bounty." Q. Col. Viall did not have anything to do with it ?
A. He said that it was wrong, and I told him if it was not right
I would giAre the order up.
Q. When did you get that order from the Paymaster?
A. Saturday,

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 389
Q. Mr. West, has there been any understanding between you
and Dr. Gardiner, that you. would send a man and papers to him,
and that he would approve them,— this last time, or at any other
time, — at any time ? ,
A. He has doctored men. I have been with a man, and he would
look at him and say, " you send up that man's papers to-morrow, and
I will sign them," and the man would no^ go up at all.
Q. He had looked at the man ?
A. ^He had looked at the man and rejected him.
Q. Do you mean to say that he has rejected a man and after
wards passed him ? Has it not, sometimes, happened that a man
was considered suspended, and the Doctor neither accepts nor rejects
him ?
A. Yes, sir, them cases ; well, I refer to them and the others
also. Q. Do you say also, that Dr. Gardiner ever rejected a man for
hernia, and afterwards received him ?
A. I think he has, and I think it can be found on his books.
Q. Has he done it for you?
A. I do not know as he has done it for me in particular, I cannot
say. ('
Q. Can you say that he has not done it for you ?
A. I do not know as he has for me.
Q. Do you know that he has for any person ?
A. I am quite confident it is on his books so.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Will you tell the character of the order ?
You have testified to the amount of the order ?
A. I did not read it. Mr. Chace passed the order to me and
says, " put your name there," and he puts his name there. I did not
read the order ; ahd then he took it and put it into his pocket. I did
not read, and cannot tell a single word of the order.
Q. Have you not told since yesterday, that there was no account
for medical services, — haven't you said there was no such word
there ?
A. I did not see any such word there as medical.
Q. What was your particular business to leave in the cars ?
A. I was leaving to go to Washington.
Q. Had you designed to go if this did not occur ?
A. Yes, sir.
- Q. Did you see Mr. Chace last night ?
A. I saw him when I was coming out of the depot.
Q. Did not you see him on board the cars ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you see him at the cars ?
A. No, sir, I did not.
Q. He was there looking for you, and you did not see him ?
A. I was going to Washington.
Q. Were you going on services for this man who was looking for
you? A. No, sir.

390 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did not Major Sanford engage you to go ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Were your family with you ?
A. Yes, sir. •
Q. Were you designing to come back?
A. Yes, sir ; expecting to be back in ten days.
Q. You were not going on recruiting services ?
A. I was not ; neither Major Sanford nor anybody have not asked
me to go for them. I did not know that Mr. Chace had been up
here. Q. You had seen Mr. Chace last night ?
A. I saw him last night at the depot when I was coming away.
I saw Mr. Swan there. On Saturday afternoon I met Mr. Chace
on the sidewalk.
Q. Did you hear that Mr. Chace took a $75 order beside the $20 ?
A. I never have.
Q. A single point you have not made clear, — those cases who
have been passed after they were examined and not accepted when
examined ?
A. He has passed men so before, sir.
Q. For you, has he ?
A. Not for me specially, — I have known liim to do it.
Q. How many times, — several times ?
A. I do not know, — four, five or six times.
Q. Have you paid the Doctor considerable money ?
A. Yes, sir ; I have paid him a considerable.
Q. What for, for doctoring men ?
A. I have paid him when I have gone there.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Who furnished you with this money that
you paid a considerable of ?
A. Major Engley. I have $4, $5, $8, $10, and I don't know
but $15.
Q., What was that for ?
A. For doctoring them fellows. I cannot recollect who they were.
Q. Was it not on that account that you thought you could get
him to pass this man ?
A. I don't know as it was on that account. I think he would
pass a man as quick for me as anybody.
Q. Do you think he would pass a man any quicker for one per
son than for another ?
A. I don't know as he would.
Q. By the Chairman. Now, I w'anj to ask what is your
opinion about what you have heard the Doctor say ? Do you believe
the man you sent up with the papers, personated David E. Howard
and was examined ?
A. Do I think he did ? No, sir, I do not.
Q. How do you think he came to sign them ?
A. I think he signed the papers.
Q. You heard him swear that he did not ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 391
A. Yes, sir, I did.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. If you did not read the order, how do you
know it is destroyed. Mr. Chace gave it to you— how do you know
it was the order ?
A. He told me it was the order. I was going to hand it to Col.
Viall. & &
Q. It is a most remarkable circumstance that you destroyed it,
and was so anxious to get it out of sight ?
A. Mr. Chace told me it was the order, and I took it to hand to
Col. Viall.
Q. You did not design to carry the paper to Col. Viall before
you knew what it was ?
A. I destroyed the order that Mr. Chace got me, and I did not
know whether it was a $20 or $75 order.
Q. Ypu knew, sir, that gentlemen were about, and that your
family were in the cars when you were about to leave in the cars for
Washington ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Not on board the cars at all ?
A. No, sir.
Q. They were going with you ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you go on board the platform on the cars?
A. I went on board the cars on the left track this way, and car
ried my things in. My wife was standing on the platform. I told
her I was going out on the back side, and she said, " I am not going
to stop here then," and she went as far as the fence, and I went fur
ther down and did a job, and she coming up to the platform to get
into the cars, when Mr. Swan spoke to me. That's the way I was
going to get into them.
Q. By the Chairman. Mr. West, do you know that Dr. Gar
diner, — you say that, in a number of instances, he has accepted men,
after they have been rejected, — after he had rejected them ?
A. Yes, sir ; he concluded to re-examine them, — orders had been
taken from them.
Q. Do you know that the Doctor had any share, in any way, in
these orders ?
A. I do not, no sir. Major Engley has sent me up there with a
man to doctor and told me he has paid him.
Q. In that case, did he really' doctor him, or has this money been
paid under the head of doctoring, but actually for something else ?
A. No, he has doctored men.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Do you mean that the Doctor took these
payments for recruits, and that you, in fact, performed the medical
services? A. I doctored them and he furnished the medicine. I have been
up there the same day when I have been up with one, two or three
men who had the syphillis, and he took and causterized it,— burnt it
and put on some mercury powders, — calomel, I thought, and he then

392 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
gave the men some pills to take inside, and he has told me to see to
them. To-morrow, he would say, do you do so and so, and day
after to-morrow bring them to me.
Q. In this case you did not take his advice at all, but doctored
them yourself?
A. No, sir.
Q. Then it seems you and the Doctor were in partnership, — you
took care of the patients?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How many of your family were going in the cars ?
A. Two besides myself.
Q. Your children ?
A. Yes, sir ; one child.
Q. Where was the child when you left ?
A. The child was not far. We all went out together, and they
went as far as the fence on the common, and then, after that, we all
came in together. \
Q. Did not you know there were several officers looking after
you for a long time, and you saw them in the depot ?
A. I did not. I did not know there were any officers looking for
me last night. I did not think of the thing. I went into the depot
and put my carpet bag into- the cars to secure my seat, and came out
and stopped there with my wife.
Q. How long were you gone from the cars ?
A. I think ten, — I don't know but fifteen minutes. Then I came
back into the cars where I put my things in. I went into the
car on this side track, and put it on the seat to secure it, and
then I got out and stood there with my wife. I told her I was going
out back, and then she said I am not going to stand here, and I went
out to the fence and did my business, and then come back to get into
the car.
Q. When did you tell Mr. Chace to make that order, and was
this man present when you told him to make it ?
A. I did not tell Mr. Chace when to make the order.
Q. When was the first time you told Mr. Chace about this ?
A. It was on the second morning, Thursday, I think — Friday.
Q. When did he sign the order?
A. The naxt morning ; the next day in the forenoon, I think.
Q. Did Mr. Chace write the order in the office in Custom
House street ?
A. Not that I know of; I did not see him write the order at all.
Q. Did he come to the place with the order all written ?
A. He did, sir. He came into the office and told me to sign — me
and this boy.
Q. Had' this boy previously given the order ?
A. He did in the other room ; they had a conversation in the
other room.
Q. By Mr. Thomas. Did you tell this boy that the doctor would
not pass him, and that you could cure him and get him passed for a
certain sum of monev ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 393
A. I don't know as I told him about passing him.
Q. Did you tell him the doctor would not pass him, and another
doctor would cure him for a certain sum of money ?
A. I told him that Miller would not cure him for less than $50.
Q. You told him the doctor would not pass bim ?
A. , Yes, sir, he knew that.
Q. Did you have any private conversation with the surgeon after
he had examined this boy ?
A. _ No, sir; yes, sir; in private. He stood in the entry and I
told him this boy was going into the Adjutant's department, and would
have no lifting nor straining to do, that there was no hard work to be
done. He was a good writer, and Col. Viall was anxious to have
him to go. Col. Viall has told that he had been trying to get him
two or three months.
Q. Can you tell any reason why this boy has not drawn his ad
vance bounty as other men have ?
A. I cannot.
Q. Do you know he has tried to get it, and has not succeeded ?
A. No, sir ; I did not know he had been there for that.
Q. You know that all got their pay?
A. I do not know that all do, some of them do. This man be
longed to the city of Providence, and I don't know when he was to
get his pay.
Q. Don't you know that by the Governor's order, he is to have
$25 on being sworn in ?
A. No, sir ; I knew he were to be paid $25.
Q. You did not know but what they paid it to all ?
A. Yes, sir ; I knew that there was some he would not pay it to.
I think that a man recruited in this city, Major Engley would not
pay him $25 or $75.
TESTIMONY OF JAY WEST.
[Examined by the Chairman.]
Tuesday, February 23d, 1864. j
Q. What is your name ?
A. Jay West.
Q. Jay?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where do you reside ?
A. In Providence, I call it my home. I used to keep house here.
Q. Are your family here ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What is your business ?
A. What do you mean, what is, or what has been my business I
Q. What is your occupation ?
A. I have been at work for Major Engley.
Q. In the recruiting business ?
A. Yes, sir.
50

394 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. How long have you been in Major Engley's employ ?
A. I don't know exactly.
Q. Can't you tell when you commenced ?
A. No, sir ; I did not set it down.
Q. Can't you tell pretty nearly ?
A. No, sir ; I could not, Avithout asking them. I did not set
anything down.
Q. You are employed by him ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What does he pay you ?
A. Major Engley gives' me just what he has a mind to. I see to
the clothing of the men, and returning of them to camp. He has
given me what he has a mind to.
Q. Have you enlisted any men ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Does he pay you for that ?
A. Major Engley ? no, sir.
Q. Don't you take any pay at all ?
A. I haven't from the men I have in.
Q. Have you taken head money in any case ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Has Major Engley always taken it ?
A. Yes, sir ; I have taken receipts for the money, and carried the
men up to camp.
Q. How many men did you get enlisted ?
A. I should think two or three hundred.'
Q. How much has he paid you for it ?
A. At one time he gave me $5, at another time $10, at another
$20 or $25 at one time. At one time he gave me $50, and I gave
him $20 back.
Q. That makes $70, is that all ?
A. I don't know but he has given me $10 twice — I don't know
but he has.
Q. Is that all he has paid you ? Does he owe you any more?
A. I don't know.
Q. You don't know Avhether he will give you any more or not ?
Do you know whether he will or not ?
A. He asked me one day what my bill was, and I told him I did
not know, as I had any bill. He said he did not want me to work
for nothing.
Q. You have taken nothing from the men, you have enlisted?
A. No, sir ; not a cent.
Q. Have you sold any property, watches or anything else to
them? A. Watches or anything else of no kind, whatever, I haven't.
Q. What was 'your business before you went to Major Engley's ?
A. I was with Major Jenckes, on Market square, as long as he
stayed there.
Q. The same kind of business ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 395
A. Yes, sir ; I was with him eight or nine months pretty near.
Q. Do you know a colored man by the name of David E.
Howard ?
A. Yes, sir ; I believe that's his name. His name is Howard.
Q. Did you make out that paper ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that your hand writing ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And that ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And that ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When did you make out those papers ?
A. Last week.
Q. The day that they are dated?
A. Yes, sir ; I think I did.
Q. Where did you find this Howard ?
A. The Quartermaster brought him to me.
Q. Quartermaster who ?
A. The Quartermaster of the 14th Regiment. Quartermaster
Pearce. Q. Did he tell you that he wanted to enlist ?
A. The Quartermaster told me that he wanted to enlist.
Q. Howard told you so ?
A. Yes, HoAvard told me so, after he brought him to me.
Q. After making out these papers, what did you do with him ?
A. After making out those papers. I went up to Dr. Gardiner's
with him.
Q. Was he examined there by Dr. Gardiner ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was he rejected ?
A. He did reject hjm.
Q. Why did he reject him ?
A. He said he did not hardly dare to pass him. He had got a
small breach or hernia. The doctor called me in there to see bim
before he rejected him, to see the place, and showed me how to put it
up. I think he was laying on the floor, if I mistake not.
Q. The boy? »
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Lying on his back ?
A. Yes sir • and he got up and showed me the difference. The
doctor satisfied me that there was hernia there — there was something,
it was a very slight strain, or hernia enough to have put it down
hernia. _ . , , , .
Q. Did you leave the doctor's office in company with the boy ?
A. I came right out after him.
Q Did you have any conversation with David ?
A Yes, sir ; I told the doctor, that he was going to have only
light' work to do— that he was going in the Adjutant's department.

396 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. That was after the boy left ?
A. He stood in the door.
Q. You came away with the boy ?
A. I came away when the boy came away. I told him I would
see the doctor.
Q. What did you say to the boy after he came from the doctor's ?
A. I told him I would see the doctor. The boy said he did not
know why he did not pass. I told him I would see the doctor again,
and told him to come round to the office in the afternoon.
Q. What did you tell him to come round for ?!
A. I told him I would see him again.
Q. Did you tell him what you were going to do to him?
A. I don't think I told him.
Q. Did you tell him you were going to cure him ?
A. Not at that time.
Q. Did you tell him you could put him. through, or something to
that effect ?
A. I did afterwards.
Q. Where was that ?
A. I think that was in the office.
Q. After he came down to the office — in your office ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. ^Did you tell him you were going to get him through, or ex
pected to ? ,
A. I did not tell him that. I told him I could put that up for
him, and if he did not strain himself it would not trouble him.
Q. How much did you ask him for it?
A. I asked $20.
Q. Did you put it up for him ?
A. He laid down on his back and I put it up, and put a pad on it
and put a bandage on it.
Q. Where did you see it done ?
A. I have seen it done in the New Haven Hospital.
Q. Did you put any medicine on it?
A. I put on some liniment. It is a strengthening liniment.
Q. What is the name of it ?
A. I think it is Cowe's— I think that's the name.
Q. Of the man or the liniment ?
A. Of the man ; yes, sir.
Q. Well, after binding up the boy, what then ?
A. He said before this, that he had not any money to pay for fix
ing it. He told me this. I told him to come round again next day,
and he came round again next day in the morning. I did not do
anything to him the same day he was at Dr. Gardiner's.
Q. It was not the same day ?
A. No, sir ; I think it was the next, day, the 17th — the 17th or
18th, — I cannot say whether it was the next day or day after. It
was one of the two days, I believe.
Q. When did you next see the boy ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 397
A. I saw him in the morning, the next day in the morning.
Q. That would be the 18th or 19th ?
A. That would be the 18th. I think he did not come round at
five o'clock. I think I did not see him at all then.
Q. What did you do on the 18th ?
A. On the 18th he came in in the morning, and Mr. Chaco was
there, and Mr. Chace says to hfm, "are you going to enlist?" He
says, " I was going to, but they would not have me." He says,
"why, what's the matter?" "Well," says David, "I have got a
strain." Mr. Chace turned to me and said he, " can't you fix it, or
cure it?" I told him I thought I could. He says he has got noth
ing to pay for it.
Q. Mr. Chace suggested an order, did he ?
A. Yes, sir ; and took him into the other room, — there were two
rooms, — and had a conversation with him. When he came in he
says, " that's all right, you fix him up and you will have half of it."
Q. You were to divide the $20 ?
A. Yes, sir ; we were to divide.
Q. Had you said anything to Chace, previous to this, about the
boy? A. Not before he came in.
Q. You had not seen him at all ?
A. I had not seen him. Chace suggested, in the first place, to
give an order, I think he said for $50 ; I told him no, I did not want
$50, but I thought that $20 would not be much out of the way.
Said I, " he has not the money," and afterwards* he had a conversa
tion with him.
Q. I wish you would explain to the Committee why that $20
would not be out of the way ?
A'. Well, I thought $20 would not be, I did.
Q. What did you do that would be worth $20.
A. Well, I put up this hernia for it, and he made an agreement
with Mr. Chace.
Q. You did not say anything, about that to him ?
A. Not till after Mr. Chace had.
Q. You did not name the price ?
A. Not until Mr. Chace did.
Q. You did not, previous to Mr. Chace ?
A. No, sir ; Mr. Chace first named it.
q! Did Mr. Chace write the order then ?
A*. No sir ; he told me to go on and fix up the thing. I think
that 'wfs the afternoon following, when the boy came into the office
gQ.' Was it the next day that Mr. Chace wrote the order, or was
it the same day ? .
A. It was the next day that he brought the order in.
q! Where did he write it ? _
A I suppose at 81 Westminster St., I do not know where he
wrote it.

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. Did you see the order ?
A. I saw it when he handed it t9 me. He took it and told me to
put my name there and his here.
Q. Did you ask Mr. Chace to write the order ?
A . No, sir ; he proposed that himself.
Q. Did you tell him you did not know how to write an order?
A. No, sir ; I did not.
Q. Now state what that paper was that he brought in ?
A. The order ? I did not read it. I saw the $20 right above
where I put my name. Chace handed the order, and says, " you
put your name down." He handed me this piece of paper. I wrote
my name and passed it to him, and he did so, and Mr. Chace folded
up the paper and put it into his pocket.
Q. You say you signed your name ?
A. I signed what Mr. Chace told me to. I could not tell you
the writing.
Q. Where was the $20 ?
A. Right above where I signed my name, on the right hand.
He says, " you sign your name there ;" and I did so, and he says,
" sign your name," (to Howard,) and he did so.
Q. Did not you know it was a bill for your services ?
A. I did not know, I suspected it was ; I did not know, because
I did not read it.
Q. Did you understand that it Was a receipt that vou were sign
ing ?
A. Yes, sir ; I understood it was a receipt.
Q. Did you read the order ?
A. I did not, sir.
Q. Did you read it ?
A. No, sir ; I did not read any portion of it.
Q. Did you know what it was ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You did not read the order?
A. I never have read it.
Q. Who took the order after it was signed ? Who was it made
payable to ?
A. I suppose it was made payable to Major Engley.
Q. What makes you think it was made payable to Maj. Engley?
A. All the orders I had ever seen made out had been payable to
Major Engley ; that is why I supposed that was the case.
Q. Has Major Engley ever advanced you any money on that
order ?
A Q
A Q
A Q
A Q

This last one of Mr. Chace's ? no, sir.
Has he paid Chace any money on it ?
Not that I know of.
What did Chace do with the order ?
He went off with it.
When did you next see the order ?
The next day.
Where ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 399
A. At the Paymaster General's.
Q. It was left at the Paymaster General's office ?
A. Yes, sir ; that's where I got it.
Q. Who was with you ?
A. Mr. Chace went and got it himself. Col. Viall came in and
says, " you must not take $20 of that boy's pay, because it is not
right, and as far as I am concerned there shall be nothing stopped."
" Have you an order on him," said he. " No, sir," said I. " Has
he signed one?" Mr. Chace made out an order. " Where is it,"
said Col. Viall. " Mr. Chace took it and went off with it," I said.
Said. I, " do you want I should get it?" He said, " yes." I came
out into the entry. He says, " if* you have expended any money,
you shall hav<*it paid to you." "I had not paid any money," I said.
said Col. Viall, " I don't want to make any fuss, but you must not
stop $20 of that boy's pay." Said I, " where are you going, Colonel ?"
" To dinner," said he. " How long shall you be up there ?" said I.
" About half an hour," he said. Said I, " I will go and see if I can
find it, and bring it to you." I came over to 81 Westminster St.,
and said to Mr. Chace, " I want that order, — Col. Viall wants it."
" Viall?" said ho, has nothing to do with it. I said, " I don't want any
fuss, I would like to have the order." Said he, " it is over to the Pay
master General's, and I am going right there." He went OA'er in
the course of ten or fifteen minutes, — ten it may be, and he went
and asked the Paymaster for that order. The Paymaster told him
where it was, and I took it and came down to the Bank Eating
House, where Col. Viall was going to eat his dinner, and asked the
man if Col. Viall was there, and he said he had been there at dinner,
but was gone. Said I, " do you know where he has gone ?" and he
said " no." I went directly from there over to the office, and took
the order and put it in the stove.
Q. You did show it to Col. Viall ?
A. The Colonel was not there.
Q. What did you put it in the stove for ?
A. To burn it up and have it out of the way. I did not want
the money. I did not want anything to do with it.
Q. The order was not payable to you ?
A. I never read the order, — I presume not. There never was
any order made payable to me, — one half belonged to Chace.
Q. What right had you to destroy it ?
A. I don't know, — I did destroy it.
Q. Does Chace know you have destroyed it ?
A. Does he know I have destroyed it ? I think he does.
Q. Did he not tell you to destroy it ?
A. No, sir.
Q. He never authorized you to destroy it ?
A. I do not know whether he asked what I was going to do with
it or not, I cannot say certainly. I don't recollect whether he told
me to destroy it or not. I told him I did not want the money.
Q. Now, recollect carefully what he said when he gave it to you,
or about that time ?

400 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
A. He says, "here's the order," and' took it from among some
other papers, 'and I cannot say whether he said are you going to des
troy it or not. I don't think he did, however.
Q. He said something about destroying it, did he not ?
A. I do not recollect whether he did or did not.
Q. Did he say it had better be destroyed ?
A. He might, possibly, have said so ; but I should not be willing
to swear for positive that he did.
Q. Did he not say something to that effect ? Don't you know
that he did ?
A. No, sir ; not for certain, I don't.
Q. By Mr. Blake. Did you understand him to say that he
would not be at all surprised if you did destroy it ?
A. I do not recollect distinctly, of his saying anything about des
troying the order. When I asked him for the order, he says, " why?"
and I said, " Col. Viall says it is not right."
Q. He expected you were going to take care of it ?
A. Yes, sir ; I suppose be expected me to.
Q. Did he tell you to show it to Col. Viall ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did he tell you not to ?
A. No, sir.
Q. You mentioned Col. Viall to him ?
A. Yes, sir ; when I asked him for the order.
Q. By Mr. Hill. Have you been in the habit of destroying
orders that he said were not right, before ?
A. No, sir ; I never had an order before, — never had anything
to do with it.
Q. [Shows another paper.] Is that filled up by you ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that your hand-writing ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was that signed by Dr. Gardiner ?
A. I presume so ; his name is there.
Q. You did not see him write his name ?
A. No, sir ; I did not, sir.
Q. Did you have a paper with his signature on it ?
A. He signed the papers just previous to signing the order.
Q. You had this paper in your possession at the time the order
was signed ?
A. Yes, sir ; after he signed the order, Mr. Chace took the order
and went out of the office, and I did not see him any more.
Q. Where did you get this paper?
A. We have papers there all the time.
Q. Did you have any with the doctor's signature in blank ?
A. No, sir ; he signed the order, and I told 
Q. When did the doctor sign that paper ?
A. He signed it after the boy went out.
Q. On what day?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 401
A. I think it was Friday.
Q. The same day he was examined and rejected ?
A. No, sir ; the next day, or the next day after that, I don't
know which.
Q. The day of the date ?
A. Yes, sir ; I think it was Friday.
Q. Dr. Gardiner signed it that day ? How do you know ?
A. I know I sent the papers up to him, and he sent them back to
me signed.
Q. By whom did you send them ?
A. I sent them by a man sitting there. There are loafers around
there all the time. This was the first man that came in ; I asked
him to do an errand for me.
Q. Do you mean that you sent these papers up by a loafer or a
stranger ?
A. Yes, sir ; I sent up three papers. I don't consider the papers
of any account before the doctor's name is there.
Q. Was he employed in the office ? •
A. No, sir.
Q. Have you seen him there before ?
A. I have seen him two or three times. He has come in and
gone out again.
Q. Have you seen him there since ?
A. I have not, sir.
Q. By Mr. Hill. What made you think that Dr. Gardiner
would sign the certificate of this man ?
A. Why, he Avas something in doubt about the boy, and told him
once to put on his clothes, and afterwards he looked at him again.
We have sent up papers before and the doctor has signed them.
Q. When he would not sign them at the time ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that common ?
A. Not very common.
Q. Who went up with this loafer?
A. I don't know ; he went out of the office alone.
Q. Was David E. Howard with him ?
A. No, sir ; David E. Howard was gone, — he came down to the
office afterwards.
Q. Did he sign it afterwards ?
A. No, sir ; he signed it first.
Q. He signed it, and then you sent it up ?
A. Yes sir • I did. He signed this in the forenoon of the same
Q. What message did you send with this man who carried the
A. I told him to tell the doctor that there was a set of papers that
West sent up to him.
Q. Was it a colored man that West sent up with the papers ?
A. Yes, sir. 51

402 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. , You don't know his name ?
A. I don't know his name. There are any quantity of colored
men who come in that I don't know, — they come in and go out.
Q. Did you ever hear his name?
A. I have not. A colored man comes in to-day inquiring for
Major Engley, and he turns round and goes out. Sometimes they
stand up, and sometimes they sit down. Sometimes there are three
or four of them in. I think this man came in the day before, along
with 
Q. Went out with him, or went out not at the same time ?
A. About the same time.
Q. Do you know whether Dr. Gardiner examined this colored
man that carried the papers ?
A. I do not know, sir ; I made no bargain with the colored man,
further than to take the papers.
Q. Did not you tell the man to tell the doctor his name was
David E. Howard ?
A. No, sir ; I did not.
Q. Did not you tell him what the name was on this paper ?
A. No, sir ; .1 did not.
Q. Did not he know they were David E. Howard's papers ?
A. I do not know whether he knew or not, I cannot say.
Q. Did not you tell him whose papers they were ?
A. No, sir ; I told him to tell the doctor that West sent up a set
of papers.
Q. Were you arrested by the Provost Marshal ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When?
A. Last night.
Q. At what time ?
A. About seven o'clock.
Q. Where were you going?
A. I was going' to Washington.
Q. Who ordered you to go to Washington ? Did not any one
order you to go to Washington ?
A. There did not anybody order me to go.
Q. What was the business you were going on ?
A. I was going to see the sutler of the 23d Pennsylvania Regt.
I was going down to the front. I was going further than Washing
ton. Q. Were your family with you ?
A. Yes, sir. I have been down to Washington before.
Q. You had no orders or commission from Major Sanford or
Major Engley?
A. No, sir. «
Q. You had no orders there at all from Major Engley or Major
Sanford ?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did they know you were going away ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 403 •
A. I don't know that they did, — not particular. I am not in
the office much now days, because they are not doing much. I was
not in the office at all yesterday, nor the day before.
Q. Did not you say anything about, going ?
A. I did not lately. Last week I told them I was going to Wash
ington ; I named it in the office ; but to no one in particular. I think
I was talking to Mr. Chace.
Q, Do you mean to say that neither Major Engley nor Major
Sanford knew that you were going to Washington last night ?
A. No, sir ; not that I know of.
Q. Did they not know that you were going somewhere ?
A. I don't know as they knew I was going away last night, in
particular. Q. Did they not know that you were going away last night, yes
terday or to-day ? ,
A. Not that I know of. I did not tell them. I did not see them
yesterday, — neither Major Engley, Major Sanford or Chace.
Q. Have you seen them to-day ?
A. No, sir ; I have seen Major Sanford to-day, going into tbe
Provost's office, that's the only one I have seen.
Q. Who furnished you with transportation on the cars ?
A. The Quartermaster General.
Q. For your family ?
A. No, sir ; for myself.
Q. Did you apply to the Quartermaster General for a ticket yes
terday ?
A. No, sir ; not yesterday ; I applied a week or two ago for a
ticket, and did not use it.
Q. What did you tell him you wanted a ticket for ?
A. To go to Washington.
Q. On what business ?
A. I told him I was going down to the front.
Q. Did you tell him what you were going to the front for?
A. I told him I was going to carry some things to the boys. I
got the pass at the Adjutant General's office, to pass me down to the
front. Q. Did you carry some things down to sell?
A. No, sir ; some things that their friends sent them.
Q. Is it customary for the Quartermaster General to furnish
tickets to anybody who wants to go to the front ?
A. No sir ; I don't think so. He knew I had been there a num
ber of times,— the Adjutant General did. I had always paid him full
fares, and never made application before. I made application this
time and he granted it.
Q. You had no order from Engley or Sanford, on the Quarter
master ?
A. No, sir.
Q. By Mr. Blake. They did not know that you were going?
A*. They knew that I AA-as going on, and I got it and went to
NeAV York and returned.

.404 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Q. By Mr. Blake. The Chairman asked you a question which
you did not seem to answer. What business did you go on ?
" A. I was going down to the sutler of the 23d Pennsylvania Regt-,
to see if I could get a job of buying goods for the sutler's department.
That's what I was going for, and at the same time to carry some
packages for some of the 2d Rhode Island, which I have done before,
without any charge.
Q. By Mr. Hill. Did you have any packages ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. By the Chairman. For whom ?
A. Some of the members of the 2d Rhode Island.
Q. What names ?
A. Capt. Mclntire was one, and Stephen Barry was another.
Q. Who sent the package to Capt. Mclntire ?
A. Some of his folks, I suppose.
Q. Don't you know Mr. Farnsworth went on that week ?
A. No, sir ; I did not know it.
Q. Did you see Capt. Mclntire when you went on ?
A. I did not, sir.
Q. You say it is no uncommon thing for Dr. Gardiner to sign
the papers of men after they have been rejected ?
A. Oh, no, sir, not for rejected men ; but to sign papers sent to
him when a man would go there to-day, who had been there two or
three times, — been there and been doctored, you know, — to bring up
these papers and he would sign the papers.
(Dr. Gardiner, who was present during the examination, was per
mitted vto question the witness.)
Q. I should like to ask of him whether he has been to my office
since that man was brought there the first time ? Have you been
there yourself since ?
A. I brought up another man to you since, yes, sir ; I have been
there since this man was rejected.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM MONROE.
Wednesday, February 15th, 1865..
Q. Had you anything to do with the payment of any bounty or
allotment of bounty, or the payment, or collection of any orders given
in connection with the veteran Third Regiment ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What ?
A. In the first place, the payment of everything of that nature
this side of New Orleans, came into my hands. I was ordered by
Commissioner A. D. Smith, 3d, to send those for the Third Regi
ment down, to Chaplain Denison, and there it has remained.
Q. Since Chaplain Denison's return, did you have anything to
do with them ?
A. Yes, sir; I have.
Q. Under what appointments, and what did you do ?

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 405
A. Governor Smith came over to the office, and said I must go
down to the Third R. I. Regt., in South Carolina, and settle up the
State bounties that were not settled. By his orders, and those of
Commissioner Smith, of course. I started about the 1st of Decem
ber. Q. What was it about the orders that were held by J. A. Jas
tram, S. S. Lapham and others ?
_ A. They were all attached. I attached them to the bounty cer
tificates, that is, as far as I could. There were some that I could not
find. Some of the bounties I had orders for, but no bounty cer
tificates. Q. Did you collect those orders, if so, by whose authority ?
A. No, sir ; I did not collect them.
Q. Why not?
A. Because the men would not sign the bounty certificates.
Q. Did you collect any of them ?
A. There were two or three that were settled. I got them all
received by the Adjutant. Some of them had been signed and not
received. I think there are eight that are settled in that way, or
ready to be.
Q. Why did not the men sign these ?
A. I am sure I cannot say. The reason they gave, was, that
they could only get from $90 to $125 for a certificate of $150.
Q. Did some of them say that they had not received anything ?
A. Yes, sir ; one said so, which has been paid this week. It was
' sent down there and signed by him, and we paid it. We have paid
it in our office. The man said he did not get anything. On the
back of it, it was payable to John A. Jastram. He admitted that he
never had bought it. We sent it down and had the man sign it, or
put an order on the back of it, to pay to John A. Jastram. It was
done by Col. Francis, or some of his clerks, probably. These men
have not been paid because of these orders, up to the present time.
They have sold their bounties. Everything that had not been sold
has been paid. I paid them the cash. I am sure I do not know how
they sold them. The men say they sold them themselves ; that they
sold them to the parties whose names are on the back of the bounty
certificates, and still they refuse to sign the orders, unless they get
the balance of the money.
Q. Who paid your expenses in going down there ?
A. The State Commissioner, the same as he always does.
Q. How much did you pay out while youwere down there?
A. There was only one man that I paid $25 to, to give up a
draft ; I paid him $25 to give up a draft, payable, I think, to Joseph
E. Dispeau.
Q. Whose money was that that you paid ?
A. It was in my possession, of course, belonging to the State. I
was responsible to the State for it ; still, the man had already received
his $200. His bounty certificate was $200. Mr. Denison gave me
in cash, and then gave him a draft for $140 to send to J. E. Dis-

406 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
peau. Dispeau, in the first place, bought the whole of it for $140 ;
So that Dispeau has lost his $25 to get his $140 draft, and he had
paid the $25 to the State. I paid it myself, but Dispeau paid it in
fact. He paid it to me, — I was responsible for it. I received, also,
money from other parties. I cannot tell unless I get the duplicates.
There were, probably, $600 or $700 that I received and gave them
drafts for, to send to their families and friends.
Q. Did you receive any money from any private party here, for
going down there, or for any service you rendered while there ?

A. No

sir.

Q. Only the $25 from Dispeau ?
A. No, sir; I received that after I got back. I was not obliged
to pay it.
Q." Did you receive any compensation after you got back froni
any other parties, — persons like Jastram and Lapham ?
A. No, sir ; not a cent.
Q. How much money did you take down from the Allotment
Commissioner ?
A. I merely took enough for my expenses. I took only $200
when I left, thinking I should be back in two weeks ; but, I had to
wait two months for boats. I received money while I was there and
used that.
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR S. P. SANFORD.
Question. Were you a Major in the R. I. L. Artillery? if so,
from what time to what time ?
Answer. I was from the llth or 12th of September, 1861, to
sometime in March, 1864, when I resigned.
Q. Have you had anything to do with the service of recruiting
soldiers in this State since June 1st, 1863, and it so, state what, and
under what arrangement it was carried on ?
A. At that time, I had charge of recruiting for the 1st R. I. L.
A., but at that time, was under orders to report to the Governor for
additional serATice. I became interested in the general recruiting for
the State. The order was issued a year previous or more. The first
arrangement was the regular bounty with head money to all who
presented men, I think, of $10. Col. W. Sayles had charge of re
cruiting for the 3d Cavalry. I had an indirect charge when directed.
Short time after this we got authority to raise a colored regiment of
artillery, and we disbanded, so far as they were enlisted, — should not
think that more than one or two companies had been enlisted, — the
cavalry regiment was changed to a three years regiment. The dis
banded men, if they re-enlisted, would be entitled to a bounty upon
re-enlistment, as if this was their first enlistment, and without refer
ence to the reception of any previous bounty. About seven or eight
weeks after, the organization of the 14th Regiment was commenced.
The Governor sent for me with reference to this regiment, and from
that time I superintended the recruiting. In August 1862,, or July,

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 407
I enlisted J. C. Engley as a private in the light artillery. I was as
tonished that a man of his ability would enlist as a private. I put
him on recruiting service for the artillery, in which he was successful.
After a while he went to the field for two months. Then he «'as
again ordered to report for recruiting service, and did report. Gov.
Sprague gave him a commission of Lieutenant for the 5th Regiment.
He recruited for that regiment until Col. Sisson went to Newbern.
The next I knew of him, he was engaged in the substitute business.
Major Engley was not mustered into the service when Gov. Smith spoke
to me. I sent for Major Engley, who was then getting substitutes
for the towns, and told him I wished him to drop that business, and
assist me in recruiting. This was shortly subsequent to the riots in
New York. I sent Sergeant Grabner to New York. He returned
with twenty-seven men. This encouraged Major Engley, and at
that time I gave him a limited charge of recruiting, and he went to
New York and returned with forty-seven men. Within a few days
he asked me about an understanding. He told me that it was a dis
agreeable business. He had an interview with the Governor, and
several with myself, which resulted in his being made Major, and
drawing the pay of a Major, head-money of $10, with a prospect of
more, if necessary, and he accepted and was appointed Major. I
think that these companies of the first battalion Avere enlisted before
any change was made in this. Up to this time, two-thirds of the
men enlisted came from New York and Brooklyn. That field be
came thin ; and to fill the regiment it became necessary to go to
other places. We had another consultation with Engley, the latter
part of September, or the first of October, 1863. The Governor
concluded that there was no safety in supplying forty, or fifty, or
sixty State agents for recruits, with money from the State Treasury.
Major Engley having considerable property, mortgaged it for $10,000,
and put the money into this business of recruiting. My only infor
mation upon this point Avas from him. Then he had the full charge of
the detail of the business under myself and Governor Smith, of
course, so far as getting the men to enlist. There was no contract,
but from the special orders of Governor Smith. The Governor said
to him then, " you can take places west of New York, and as far
west as Buffalo, including Albany and Canada." He was to have an
understanding with the men in that tract, and in no case should he
have any understanding with any man that he should enlist for $250.
The agent to return men who should not pass ; and upon the men
who were passed, Engley was to have $50. Engley was to furnish
'all transportation from beyond New York, and all that exceeded $4
from Providence. There was another strip of country which he
could have under the same conditions, $75, another $100, another
$150, another $200, and in case of a contraband, he was to have $50,
or no't to be brought away. It was intended that no other agent had
authority co-equal with Engley. Dr. Helme had an arrangement
with D. W. Vaughn & Co., and by that arrangement was to have
$10 for each man. The intention was to place the recruiting princi-

408 REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
pally in Engley's hands. Since the recruiting for the Fourteenth
Regiment, the arrangement for that service has been changed three
times. For a time he Avas out bf the service, but upon the call made
in July for 500,000 men, I asked him to assist me. He did so, but
with reluctance. My impression is, that a portion of Major Engley's
property which he mortgaged, was in the town of Walpole, as he
said. He said he had made more money since he left the recruiting
service, than while in the employ of the State. He gaATe us little
assistance then, and recruiting went on slowly till October 15th, 1864,
with the exception of the recruiting of one year men for the Second
Regiment. About this time the Governor sent for me, and told
me that he had no doubt that another draft would be ordered
before the close of the year ; and he requested me at once to take
hold of the business of recruiting and set it a going, and I did
so. The arrangement at that time was with four principal agents : —
Major Engley, Captain Starkey, Colonel Francis and Colonel Jenckes.
A few weeks afterwards, Lieutenant Occleston presented himself to
recruit for the United States. After this, the Hancock Corps was
ordered, and Major Bailey and Mr. Angell undertook the recruiting
for that corps. To recur to the 3d Cavalry, on the 1st of January,
1864, I became superintendent for recruiting for the State, and de
voted most of my attention to the 3d Cavalry ; at this time I was in
the service of the United States. I will also state that recruiting was
carried on under order No. 227, from the War Department, at Nor
folk and Newbern. Taking the order in October, (I have received
none since,) the bounty for the men was $100, $200 and $300, re
spectively, for one, two and three years. The head money for the
runner for the Second Regiment, $50, for the old regiments $60 for
one year, $80 for two years, and $90 for three years. The four or
five agents, on presenting to the Executive office a receipt that they
had paid the runner this sum, and no more or less, receiA'ed $20. In
no case could either of these agents receive the $60, $80 or $90.
The exceptions to this rule, were the cases of Lieut. Occleston and
Col. Jenckes. The former was a United States officer, and received
his pay as such, and could not receive the $20; except in one instance,
of the first four men brought by him. He received the additional
$20, on the ground that .he had paid out that sum by misapprehen
sion of orders. This system went on until about the 1st of January,
when the bounty was increased $100 for each year. The head
money, to all agents, except Occleston, was on presenting a stamped
receipt that they had paid out $150 to a runner, or to the recruit,
received a voucher which entitled him to $50. The agent, in no
case, being permitted to take the $150. The transportation tickets
between Providence and New York, were issued, in some cases, by
the Quartermaster General ; in some cases by myself, and in some
cases by Major Engley. Engley's order for transportation would
have been good had he sent it to the railroad office, New York. I
think that there has been transportation used for other than for re
cruiting purposes, — fifty or thirty tickets were issued to Col. Viall, —

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS. 409
that his Provost Marshal Brewster, had from Col. Viall, and carried
to Buffalo, where he was to recruit on the same terms as Major
Engley. Nothing was afterwards heard from Brewster or the tickets,
but we found from transactions disclosed, that there had many of
them been used. There was many cases where I heard of women
riding on this class of transportation, but as some of our recruiting
agents were ladies, I did not pay much attention to it, I would state
further that the system was liable to abuse.
52

410

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Headquarters, 2d District, R. I.
The following is a list of names of recruits enlisted .and mustered at this office,
during the month of January, 1865, witb date of enlistment, name of person presenting
the recruit, date of voucher, and amount for which the voucher was given, and name
of person to whom the voucher was given :

No.

' Names of Recruits.

Date of
Enlistment.

Names of persons presenting
.the Recruits.

Date of
Vouchers.

' 1 Thomas Smith, 
2 George W. Marr, 
3 Abner S. Avery, 
4 Lewis Clarke, 
5 Lyman Briggs, 
6 George O. Scott, 
7 Chester Warner, 
8 Thomas Cunningham . . .
9 Isaiah Horton 
10 Geo. F. Oldenburg 
11 John Devlin 
12 John Morris, (colored). .
13 William H. Duncan 
14 James A. Poster 
15 James Goff. 
16 Richard D. Tanner 
17 John Healey 
18 Dariufe Lee 
19 Alexander R. Ammons. .
20 John Donahue 
21 John Connor 
22 Erastus Gardner 
23 John Brown 
24 William Lindsey 
25 James Barton 
26 John Q. A. Sayles 
27 Burrill G. Moone 
28 Owen Foley 
29 Horatio N. Perry 
30 Thos. J. Harney, (discgd)
31 Patrick Coyle 
32 Timothy Collins 
33 James D. Wells 
34 Edwin W. Westgate 
35 Lawrence Sullivan . . 
86 Joseph Philipp 
37 Andrew Jordan 
88 John Mulville 
39 Wm. A. Aymer 
40 Geo. A. Tisdale 
41 Owen Kelley 
42 Virginiiis H. Arnold 
43 James Kennedy 
44 Thomas L. Jennison ....
45 Isaac D. Hall 
46 Daniel Sweeney 
47 Job Briggs 
48 Lewin C. Munroe 
49 Abraham Taylor 
50 Wm . A . Munroe 
51 Howard V. Brooks 
52 Phillips Kaufman 
52 Joseph W. Aldrich ....

Jan. 2,
2 2
2

3
4 5
55667777
799
101010101111
12131313
13 131616
16 16361717171718 18
19 19
20 20
21212121
2123

1865 L. T. Starkey 
do 
do 
do 
C. A. Salisbury 
L. T. Starkey 
do 
do 
do 
do 
S. C. Spooner 
O. C. Melburn, Jr 
L. T. Starkey 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
Charles Holden 
B. H. Arnold 
Win. N. Brown 
L. T. Starkey 
W. N. Brown 
L. T. Starkey 
do. 
do 
do 
John O'Rourke 
L. T. Starkey 
do 
Cooke, Gorton & Co . .
John O'Rourke 
T. W. Franklin 
L. T. Starkey 
do 
John N. Francis 
L. T?. Starkey 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
J. C. Engley 
do. 
Geo. S. Appleby 
L. T. Starkey 
do. 
«'o. „ 
do.do 
C. A. Fuller 

Jan. 2, 1865
222333
4 55
66677
777
9
9
1010
1010 11
11 1213
181313131616
161616
1717 1717
18 18
19 19
202021
2121212123

Provost Mabsiiai/s Officii, 2d District, li. I., )
Providence, February 10, 1865. j
I certify the above to be a true copy of the records of this office, furnished to Hon.
Wm.P. Sheffield, by request. A. li. CHADSEY,
Pro. Mar. 2d Dist., R. I.

ON BOUNTY FRAUDS.

411

The following is a Hst of men forwarded by A. B. Chadsey, Provost Marshal of 2d
District, R. I., to the naval rendezvous, Boston, Mass., and enlisted in the TJ. S. Navy,
during the month of January, 1865 :

No.

Names.

1 Anderson, Oliver 
2 Morgan, Noah W 
3 Badger, George C 
4 Fitzgerald, Garrett 
5 Boyle, George W 
6 Kelly, William 
7 Brimsner, William 
8 Whitehouse, Mark 
9 Banks, George. 
10 McCarty, John 
11 Clark, Richard 
12 Sewell, Edward P 
13 Dickerson, Danforth G.
14 Cragin, Thomas 
15 Brown, Charles 
16 Nicholson, John. 
17 Souther, George G 
18 Ryan, Joseph 
19 Cross, Richard 
20 Elwell, James 
21 Jefferson James 
22 Fisher, George 
23 Crowning, William. . . .
24 Duroff, James 
25 Happersett, Wm. H. . . .
26 Bishop, James 
27 Gillespie, Peter 
28 Moore, John F 
29 Evans, Winslow 
30 West, Edwin S 
31 Bell, George 
32 Mellsops, Wm. C 
33 Henry, William 
34 Tate, Charles 
35 Polhis, Gabriel 
36 Briggs, Francis 
37 McGowan, John 
38 Bum, Thomas 
39 An, Thomas 
40 Miskall, Thomas 
41 Ward, Henry 
42 Sterling, Thomas 
43 Brown, James 
44 Maguire, John 
45 Grady, James 
46 Stafford, Charles H....
47 Buckley, Joseph 
48 Casey, Michael 
49 O'Donnell, Bernard. .
50 Ragan, Michael 
51 Curtis, Wm. H 
52 Mattison, Asa 
53 Morgan, Joseph 
54 McCarty, John 
55 Ross, Robert 
56 Thomas. William 
57 Brown, Ezekiel B 
58 Green, John 
59 Sullivan, Cornelius

Date of Term of
Enlistment. Servibe. Naval Rendezvous,

Jan. 2, 1865
4 444 45 55 5

6666 77 77 75

9
101010101111 1) 11111111 9
131212 13
1314 161717
182120
21212121
23 23

3 years

Boston, Mass.
New Bedford, "
Boston, "
do.do.do. do.
do. do.do.do. do.do. do. do,do. do.do. do. do.do. do. do.
do. do.do.do.do. do.do.do.do. do. do.do.do.do.do. do.do.
N. Bedford, Ms
Boston, do

State at Large.
So. Kingstown, R. I.
State at Large:

Designation.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do,

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do,

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do,

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

Provost Marshals 0^'det;7ebJuaTryE15!-i865. }
The list of Fifty nine Becr^ -U-Ujta ^ S. .£-» ^-^^nth^
January, 1865, is a true copy of the records oi ^ CHADSEY,
p. Sheffield, by request. Pro Mar M Digt> R j

3 9002 00594 1837