ANTHONY W. BAYARD. [To accompany bill H. R. No. 706.] JANUARY 30, 1855. Mr. HENDRICKS, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made the fol lowing REPORT. The Committee on Invalid Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of Anthony Walter Bayard, have had the same under consideration, and report: That the petitioner was a private in the war of 1812, and served in the wars with the Indians in the northwest, and that he was severely wounded upon three occasions, by which he is wholly disabled, and for which he was placed on the pension roll, in 1844, at the rate of eight dollars per month. He is now poor, very helpless and decrepit. He was a very daring and valuable soldier. At the siege of Fort Harrison the Indians succeeded in setting fire to one of the block-houses, which communicated to the roof of the soldiers' barracks. The commanding officer called for volunteers to go upon the roof, in point-blank shot of the enemy's rifles, and extinguish the fire. The petitioner and another soldier volunteered, and mounted the burning roof. His companion was instantly shot dead, and the petitioner badly wounded. He succeeded in extinguishing the fire. This service was, at the time, regarded by the officers as most hazardous and of great value to the American forces. The petitioner claims that his disability is total, rendering him dependent; that it results from wounds received whilst rendering most gallant, hazardous, and valuable services; and that, in such a case, a pension of eight dollars per month is not sufficient. If, for gallant services and entire disability, it were justifiable, by special enactment, to grant relief beyond the provisions of the general pension law, in any case, the committee know of no case more meritorious than that of the petitioner. The committee will not so recommend, but report a bill for such action as the judgment of the House may approve. 2d Session. No. 52. WILLIAM G. PRESTON. [To accompany bill H. R. No. 611.] JANUARY 30, 1855. Mr. FAULKNER, from the Committee on Military Affairs, made the fol lowing REPORT. The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred House bill No. 611, for the relief of William G. Preston, have, according to order, had the same under consideration, and submit the following report: It appears that the memorialist was the captain of the late company H, Arkansas mounted volunteers, in the Mexican war; that he raised said company and enrolled it at Ozark, in Arkansas, and marched it to Washington, in the said State, where it was mustered into the service of the United States. It is proven that the company consisted of seventy-nine men, the subsistence for which, and the forage for the horses, he furnished at his own expense, whilst marching from Ozark to Washington, a distance of 185 miles. The memorialist charges for eleven days' subsistence of his men, at 45 cents each per day, and for ten days' forage of his horses, at 20 cents each per day, making his claim amount, in the aggregate, to $538 05. The committee think that the charge for the forage of the horses is proper, but that the charge for the subsistence of the men is too high, 25 cents per day being, in the opinion of the committee, an ample price for the subsistence of a man. The committee, therefore, report a bill in lieu of the original bill, giving to the memorialist the sum of three hundred and seventy-five dollars and twenty-five cents. 2d Session. No. 53. SALE OF SITE U. S. ARSENAL, FAYETTEVILLE, N. C. [To accompany Joint Resolution No. 51.] JANUARY 30, 1855. Mr. FAULKNER, from the Committee on Military Affairs, made the fol lowing REPORT. The Committee on Military Affairs, having had under consideration the propriety of recommending the sale of a portion of the site of the arsenal at Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the application of the proceeds to the purchase of another piece of land, adjoining the east front of the arsenal grounds, respectfully report: The following letters, from the War Department, are submitted as more fully exhibiting the propriety of such sale and purchase, than anything the committee might say, and recommend the adoption of the accompanying joint resolution, giving the assent of Congress to such sale and purchase. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 3, 1855. SIR: I have the honor to submit, herewith, for the consideration of the Committee on Military Affairs, a report from the Colonel of Ordnance, enclosing one from Brevet Major T. T. S. Laidley, ordnance corps, recommending the sale of a portion of the site of the arsenal at Fayetteville, N. C., and the application of the proceeds to the purchase of another piece of land, adjoining the east front of the arsenal grounds. Concurring in the opinion expressed in these reports, that the proposed sale and purchase would be advantageous to the public interest, I recommend the introduction of a joint resolution, giving authority to this department to carry the measure into execution. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. C. J. FAULKNER, JEFF'N DAVIS, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, Ho. Reps. |