USA > Michigan > Annual report of the Adjutant General of the State of Michigan for the year, Vol. I > Part 19
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The consolidated organization was made up from the three regiments as follows, as taken from the transfer rolls now on file in this office:
From Ist Cavalry, 579 men, 551 having less than two years to serve from Sept. 17th, date of order for consolidation.
From 6th Cavalry, 316 men, 316 having less than two years to serve from Sept. 17th.
From 7th Cavalry, 351 men, 349 having less than two years to serve from Sept. 17th.
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Thus you will perceive that 1,216 men of these regiments were detained in service over six months after the date of General Pope's order (Sept. 1st) for their discharge, and about four months after the date of the cir- cular (November 25th) subsequently issued by the War Department to the same purpose, and that, if the order referred to had been carried into effect, only thirty men in the three regiments would have been liable to be retained in service, as appears from the above statement.
You will notice that the consolidation was made on General Dodge's Order No. 11, of the 17th of September, dated at Fort Laramie, based upon the telegrams of the Department Commander, and not on Special Order no 37.
On the 13th of November, on the arrival at Fort Leavenworth of the portions of these regiments not sent to Utah, General Dodge issued the following order:
SPECIAL ORDERS,
No. 79.
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, KANSAS AND THE TERRITORIES, Fort Leavenworth, Nov. 13, 1865.
[EXTRACT. ]
2. * * * In compliance with instructions from Major General John Pope, commanding Department of the Missouri, the 1st, 6th and 7th Regi- ments Michigan Cavalry Volunteers, except the portions of the regiments consolidated as provided in Special Orders No. 37, C. S., Headquarters Department of the Missouri, will report to the Assistant Commissary of Musters for the District of Kansas for muster out. Upon the completion and receipt of the muster-out rolls, the regiments will proceed to Detroit, Mich., and report to the chief mustering officer for the State, or his assistant, for final discharge and payment.
The Quartermaster's Department will furnish the necessary transporta- tion.
By command of Major General Dodge.
(Signed, )
J. W. BARNES, Assistant Adjutant General.
To Adjutant General State of Michigan.
By the provisions of the above order it will be observed that not only were the portions of the regiment which arrived at Fort Leavenworth ordered mustered out, but also that virtually all the men of the three regiments who had been sent to Utah, except those who had two years or more to serve, and should have been discharged, as none of them had been consolidated as provided in Special Order No. 37, as is set forth in Order No. 79, but were consolidated under the provisions in Order No. 11, entirely differing in terms and results. But Order No. 79 does not seem to F have been carried into effect, in so far as it should have been made appli-
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ADJUTANT GENERAL
cable to the men sent to Utah, as they were retained in service until the 10th of March, 1866.
The following is an extract of a circular issued by the War Department in November, 1865:
LIST OF VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN OR ARE ORDERED TO BE MUSTERED OUT OF SERVICE, NOT INCLUDED IN[PREVIOUS CIRCULARS.
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MICHIGAN.
Cavalry, * * * Enlisted men of the 1st, 6th and 7th, who have less than two years to serve.
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WAR DEPARTMENT,ES ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, November 25, 1865.
[Official. ]
(Signed,)
SAMUEL BRECK,
Assistant[Adjutant General.
You will perceive that in addition to the other orders for the discharge of the men of these cavalry regiments, that they were ordered mustered out of service by the War Department at the date of the above circular, and it is to be presumed that such instructions were sent to the proper officers having their execution in charge, and when the interests of so many men were involved, should have been carefully and faithfully carried out, but were not.
General Dodge acknowledges in his report to have received, while at Denver, in September, 1865, General Pope's Order No. 37, but, for some unexplained reason, seems not to have considered it his duty to carry out its provisions until February 1st, 1866, nearly five months after, when it appears he issued the following order for that purpose :
SPECIAL ORDER, No. 17.
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, KANSAS AND THE TERRITORIES, Fort Leavenworth, February 1, 1865. [EXTRACT. ]
1. * * * All enlisted men of the 1st Michigan Cavalry, consolidated in accordance with S. O. No. 37, Series 1865, Headquarters Department of the Missouri, who had not two years to serve from September 1st, 1865, will be mustered out, that the consolidation may be in accordance with Department orders.
By command of Major General Dodge. (Signed,)
SAM. E. MACKEY, Captain and A. A. A. G.
(Signed,)
[Official. ] J. L. CARPENTER,
1st Mich, Cav. A. A. A. General.
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
During the early part of February last, your Excellency again went to Washington and then made one more effort at the War Department for the speedy muster out of the Michigan troops, which it is believed led to the issue of an order for the discharge of the regiment, then serving in Utah.
The following communications were received at this office on the first of March :
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, February 26, 1866.
His Excellency the Governor of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan:
SIR: I have the honor to enclose, herewith, copy of a telegram' from Major General Pope, commanding Department of the Missouri, relative to the muster out and payment of the volunteer cavalry from your State now in Utah, and to inform you that the authority asked for has been granted. I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed, )
THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General.
WAR DEPARTMENT, (Received at Washington, D. C., 8:30 P. M., February 24, 1866.) (Received from St. Louis, February 24, 1866.)
General E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General:
Following dispatch received from Fort Leavenworth, February 23, 1866: To Major General JOHN POPE:
General Connor sends the following :
SALT LAKE, February 23.
All the officers and nine-tenths (9-10ths) of the Michigan Cavalry ask to be mustered out here. Many want to go to Montana, California, and other places.
It would be greatly to the interest of Government to discharge them at once. A paymaster starts from California to-day.
(Signed,) P. E. CONNOR, Brigadier General.
If I was to get authority from War Department to discharge them in Utah, we can muster them out immediately; if not, we will have to retain them two months or more, before" they. can be brought in. I hope Grant will allow the discharge here. It will save us expense and trouble.
(Signed,)
G. M. DODGE, Major General.
I have again to ask authority to muster out and have paid all volunteers
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
in this Department who may desire to remain in the Territories. Great expense and trouble will thereby be saved to the Government.
(Signed,)
JOHN POPE, Major General.
[Official. ]
(Signed,)
THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General.
On the 4th of April, 1866, a letter was received at this office from Capt. B. F. Rockafellow, 1st Michigan Cavalry, enclosing a copy of the order for the muster out of service of that regiment, both of which are under inserted :
HEADQUARTERS 1ST. MICH. VET. CAVALRY, CAMP DOUGLAS, UTAH TERRITORY, March 10, 1866.
TO JNO. ROBERTSON,
Adjutant General, Michigan:
GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith Special Order No. 27, Headquarters District of Utah, for preservation at your office. The mem- bers of eight companies which muster out here, to date from 10th instant, receive commutation for subsistence and pay at rate of one day for every twenty miles. In the case of privates, the amount received to Detroit is about $115, which will not take them to the Missouri River. We think there is great injustice done to the men of the 1st, 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry, who were enlisted, as they supposed, for the war, consolidated into this organization, and who are now either forced to remain in service, and march across the Plains, or to be discharged over two thousand miles from home, without transportation furnished in kind, or paid mileage proper to place of enrollment.
According to orders, A. G. O., in cases where officers travel under orders from east to west of Rocky Mountains, the traveling allowance is ten cents per mile, and vice versa. (Stage fares on the Plains are from seventeen to twenty-five cents per mile.) We claim, that in case of discharged officers and soldiers, that they are entitled to this mileage, as also subsistence and pay for time to place of enrollment.
I have the honor to subscribe myself, truly and sincerely,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed,)
B. F. ROCKAFELLOW, Captain Co. D, 1st Michigan Vet. Cavalry.
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SPECIAL ORDER,
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE PLAINS, OFFICE OF ASSIST. ADJUTANT GENERAL, G. S. L. City, March 2, 1866.
No. 27.
[EXTRACT. ]
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2. * * In compliance with instructions received from Headquar- ters Department of the Missouri, the Field and Staff and Non-commissioned Staff of the First Michigan Cavalry will be mustered out of service without unnecessary delay. All enlisted men of the First Michigan Cavalry will be forthwith mustered out of service, excepting those who may elect to be marched to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for discharge. Those men who may elect to be mustered out of service within the limits of this District will receive commutation of mileage and subsistence-transportation and subsistence in kind cannot be furnished.
Company commanders will, without delay, prepare the necessary rolls to enable Captain S. C. Jocelyn, A. C. M., to perfect their muster out of. service.
The Regimental, Field, and Staff, and Company officers will transfer to the proper departments all public property for which they are responsible, passing the necessary invoices and receipts for the same.
Those men who may elect to be marched to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for muster out of service, will be consolidated into one or more companies of maximum strength, under the direction of Captain S. C. Jocelyn, A. C. M. The line officers to be retained will be designated by the District Com- mander. All other officers not thus designated, and rendered supernu- merary by reason of the muster out of the enlisted men, will be considered as mustered out at same date.
By order of Colonel C. H. Potter, 6th U. S. Volunteers.
(Signed,)
GEO. F. PRICE, Captain and A. A. A. G.
(Signed,)
[Official.] CYE E. LOURS,
1st. Lt. und Agt. 6th U. S. V. .
HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT IST MICHIGAN VET. CAVALRY, Camp Douglas, Utah, March 10, 1866.
(Signed, )
[Official. ] S. L. BROSS,
Lieutenant and Acting Adjutant.
On the 10th of March the muster out of the men of the regiment who desired to be discharged in Utah was effected, under the operation o Order No. 27, of March 2d, 1866.
Of the enlisted men, seventy-nine elected to remain in service and be marched to Fort Leavenworth for muster out, and the balance elected to be mustered out and paid off in Utab.
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
The muster out and payment appears to have been made with the con- sent of the men. Yet the alternative offered to them, situated as they were, either to accept an immediate discharge, with the promise of all their pay and allowances, or to remain in service for two months longer, and then be marched across the Plains from Salt Lake to Leavenworth, a- distance of about twelve or fifteen hundred miles, undoubtedly presented great temptations to accept their discharge, regardless of the consequences. that might follow, and without knowing how much their allowances in that. case would be, or how much it might be to their pecuniary loss or disad- vantage in any other respect. This alternative should not have been: presented to them under the circumstances, especially as they had been wrongfully retained in service, and sent into a country so distant from their homes contrary to orders from the proper authorities, and having, under proper orders, been entitled to a discharge over six months previous.
That the election thus made by them was much to their disadvantage, in & pecuniary point of view, there is no doubt; that they were, in consequence. thereof, subjected to hardship is very evident; and, as a proof, I refer you to the letter of Captain Rockafellow, in which he states that the commuta -. tion of mileage and subsistence paid these men, from Utah to this State, only amounted to $115, which, he further states, would not cover their- expenses half way-to the Missouri River.
Many of these men who have returned to the State inform me that they had expended over three hundred dollars in traveling to reach their homes, being an outlay of over two hundred dollars more than the amount. received from Government as commutation of mileage and subsistence.
The foregoing telegraphic correspondence in relation to this subject. indicates that there was a disposition to have them mustered out and paid in Utah, (without much consideration for their interest,) to save expense and trouble to the Government, while it is believed that the Government has never intended to economize either by withholding the proper allowances from any volunteer officers or soldiers who have served as faithfully and gal- antly as the Michigan Brigade, nor by compelling them to endure unneces- sary hardship by any economy of trouble to any of its officers whose duty it. may be, on behalf of the Government, to extend to them every facility in their * power, not inconsistent with law or orders, as may be required to assist. them in returning to their respective States.
The idea conveyed in these dispatches that those men who elected to be mustered out and paid in Utah, would remain in the Territories, is no. doubt erroneous, as numbers of them are now arriving in this State, and likely all who have the means to do so will return before long.
I beg leave to invite your notice to the following summing up of facts, which seem to be established by this report:
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Ist-That the movement of the Cavalry Brigade from St. Louis to Fort Leavenworth, and thence across the Plains, was a hardship inflicted upon the officers and men thereof which, in view of the war having been ended, and in consideration of their long and faithful services, should have been. spared them, deserving, as they certainly were, of a muster out at least at as early a day as any other troops in the service. ~
2d-That the action of Major General Pope, in ordering the breaking up and consolidation of the regiments, was wrong, unauthorized, and con- trary to an existing regulation circular of the War Department, with which he is presumed to have been familiar at the time.
3d-That, according to General Pope's Order No. 37, of September 1st, 1865, making the consolidation, all the men of the 1st, 6th and 7th Regi- ments having less than two years to serve should have been mustered out of service.
4th-That, in addition to the order of General Pope, of September 1st, 1865, directing the muster out of the men referred to, a circular, dated Nov. 25th, 1865, was issued by the War Department for their discharge.
5th-That twelve hundred and sixteen officers and enlisted men, of the regiments referred to, were improperly included in the consolidation, and unjustly held in service for six months after they had been ordered mustered out by General Pope.
6th-That there appears to have been available troops at or near the point where the consolidation was made, sufficient to have placed the re- quired force in Utah, without including the Michigan Cavalry directed to be mustered out.
7th-That the detention in service, by Major General Dodge, of the offi- cers and men so included in the consolidation referred to, either through carelessness or by design, must be considered as an unwarrantable and inexcusable act, and has been productive of much pecuniary loss and suffering to the parties.
8th-That the improper alternative offered to the officers and men of the consolidated organization so unjustly held in service, either to accept an immediate discharge, or remain in service two months longer, and then be subjected to unreasonable hardship, in traveling across the Plains, a dis- tance of about twelve or fifteen hundred miles, without horses or tents, induced them to accept terms the results of which were unknown to them at the time, but which afterwards proved much to their disadvantage.
9th-That the outlay of money from their regular pay incurred on reach- ing their State, over and above the amount allowed them by the Govern- ment as traveling expenses, in consequence of their election to be mustered out and paid in Utah, was caused by an improper inducement held out to them.
10th-That, in consequence of the non-compliance with General Pope's order of September 1st, on the part of those whose duty it was to have carried it into effect, the men intended to have been discharged under it
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ADJUTANT GENERAL
were placed in a section of the country, at the time of their discharge, so distant from their own State, and so far removed from the common avenues of transportation, and in which the expenses of travel are so enormously exorbitant that many of them will never raise money sufficient to enable them to reach their homes.
In conclusion, I also beg leave most respectfully to recommend to your Excellency, in view of all the circumstances connected with their case, that representation be made to the War Department, asking for the officers and men of the consolidated regiment, so mustered out and paid, an allow- ance as commutation of transportation, and if not granted, that an application be made to Congress for sufficient action to enable them to obtain from the Government a specified sum, approximate to the additional expense incurred by them in reaching their homes in this State, over and tbove the amount allowed by the Government as commutation of mileage ind subsistence at the time of their discharge.
Under all the circumstances set forth, and for the reasons given in this report, it is claimed that they are justly entitled to such an allowance, and ;o these reasons already given may be added the following: Had they been mustered out under the order of General Pope, before referred to, as they should have been, and sent to their State for payment, instead of being mustered out and paid in Utah, they would have received their monthly pay up to the date of their final discharge and payment in Michigan. In hat payment the amount that would have been allowed them for their time occupied in traveling would have been as much, if not more, than that which they received as commutation of mileage. The Government would also have furnished them subsistence and transportation in kind, the same is all other regiments mustered out in the field and sent to their State for inal discharge and payment, and thereby they would have been saved the arge amount expended by them in bearing their own traveling expenses, and which they have been compelled to pay out of the money received as heir regular monthly allowance, leaving many of them without a dollar on reaching their homes.
It will readily be admitted that the amount actually expended by them For transportation, which should have been provided by the Government, and which is claimed should be refunded, is but a trifle compared with that which many of them have undoubtedly lost, in a pecuniary point of view, by their detention in service, aside from the personal hardship which they have endured, incident to the nature of the service to which they were assigned, and the condition of the country as regards its climate at that season of the year in which it was performed, and their absence from their homes and families, so unjustly prolonged.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obed't serv't,
(Signed, )
JNO. ROBERTSON, Adjutant General, Mich San.
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, MICHIGAN, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Detroit, May 5th, 1866. )
Hon. Z. CHANDLER, U. S. Senator, Washington, D. C .:
DEAR SIR: Seeing in the newspapers, a few days since, a notice of you action in the Senate relative to the claim of the First Cavalry for commu tation of transportation, I telegraphed you, by direction of His Excelleney the Governor, that I would send you a printed report in the case, and, ac cordingly, I have this day mailed it, and have also sent copies to all the other members of the Michigan delegation.
I am directed by the Governor to respectfully request, as a favor to hin and as an act of justice to those interested, that you will take the matte: fully in hand, and to state that the united action of the Michigan delega. tion should be had, if necessary, to secure for the officers and enlisted mer of the regiment referred, to the commutation of their transportation fron Utah to Michigan, or such an amount as will cover that paid by them fo their transportation to their respective homes, over and above the amoun allowed them by the Government as commutation of mileage and subsist ence. He desires me, also, to ask you to please inform him if you wil take the matter in charge, and to state to you that it is important that i should be followed up as soon as possible, as the men are very impatien for justice being done them, and that the subject is attracting much attention to it throughout the State,
You will see, on reading the Report, that an injustice has been don these men without a parallel during the whole war.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. ROBERTSON, Adjutant General.
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, MICHIGAN, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Detroit, May 11th, 1866.
Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C .:
SIR: I have the honor to submit to you the following statement relativ to a claim which I deem it my duty herein to make on the Government, o behalf of the officers and enlisted men of the 1st Regiment Michiga Cavalry, recently mustered out of the U. S. service in Utah.
The regiment referred to was composed of officers and men of the Is 6th and 7th Cavalry, then serving on the Plains, consolidated under order of Major General Pope, commanding the Department of the Missour dated Sept. 1st, 1865, without, as it appears, authority from the War D partment." The consolidation was carried into effect by Major Genera Dodge, commanding U. S. forces in Kansas and the Territories, under hi order dated September 17th, 1865.
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
General Pope's order directed that only the men of these regiments hay- g two years or over to serve, should be consolidated. General Dodge dered that all the men whose term of service would not expire before ebruary 1st, 1866, be included in the consolidation, and they were so in- uded, and in consequence thereof, twelve hundred and sixteen officers ad men were retained in service who should have been discharged under eneral Pope's order.
A circular was issued from the War Department, dated November 25th, 65, directing the enlisted men of the 1st, 6th and 7th Regiments Michigan avalry having less than two years to serve, to be discharged, but for some explained cause they were not.
The consolidated regiment was sent to Utah, where it remained until arch 10th, 1866, when it was mustered out; but before the muster out as authorized by the War.Department, a proposition is stated to have been bmitted to the men, to either accept an immediate discharge and pay- ent in Utah, or remain two months longer in service, and then be marched ross the Plains to Fort Leavenworth, a distance of over twelve hundred iles, without horses or tents. It appears that, under this inducement all je men of the regiment, except ninety-seven, accepted the proposition, d were mustered out and paid in Utah.
Such a proposition must be considered as an improper one, and should t have been presented to them, under the circumstances, having been ongfully held in service for over six months, and not being aware of what eir allowance of pay would be in consequence of such acceptance.
In their payment they only received commutation of mileage and sub- tence, which only gave each about $115 to bear their expenses to their mes, and that in consequence of the great distance they had to travel, d the exorbitant rates charged for everything on their route, it cost each them over three hundred dollars to reach this State.
In consequence of the non-compliance with the order of General Pope, ese men were not only compelled to serve six months more than they could have done, but they have been subjected to unreasonable hardship ad pecuniary loss of over two hundred dollars each, necessarily expended l them for transportation that should have been provided by the overnment.
I therefore, in view of all the facts and circumstances connected with feir case, most respectfully but urgently ask that an allowance as com- utation of transportation be ordered paid to these officers and men so istered out and paid in Utah, and that the amount, if allowed, shall not " less than that represented to have been paid by them on that account. [ enclose you herewith a report of the Adjutant General of the State, intaining a full statement of the matter, and embodying all the official cuments and other papers in relation thereto, to which I most respectfully vite your attention.
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