Another gem from the National Archives. No smoking guns here, but if you've ever seen a footnote in a compiled military service record from the National Archives and wondered what could be in that record, here's what happened in my case.
In "Muster-Out Versus Paid Out for the 78th Illinois," it was noted that there was a notation at the bottom of the muster out card in the compiled service record of Riley Rampley.
That notation read:
"The members of this regiment were finally paid June 20, 1865, and they are considered by the War Department as having been under military authority until that time.--R. and P.[Record and Pension Office] 370,781."
Out of curiosity (and for a possible blogging topic), it was decided to obtain these records from the National Archives.
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| Record Group 94 (Adjutant General's Office), entry 502 (Record & Pension Office document files - record cards), box 367, file # 370781 |
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| Record Group 94 (Adjutant General's Office), entry 502 (Record & Pension Office document files - record cards), box 367, file # 370781 |
Company D was mustered out on 7 June 1865 in Washington, DC. The 78th was kept together as a unit and sent to Chicago, Illinois, where they received their final pay on 20 June 1865. Their pay date and muster out dates differed by thirteen days.
The distinction probably would not have been a problem except for one member of Company G--Henry Ferguson. Ferguson claimed a pension based upon an injury received between 7 June and 20 June 1865. Ferguson had five years from the date of his discharge to file his pension claim and he filed that claim on 15 June 1870--more than five years from the discharge date but not five years from the final payment date. And if Ferguson wasn't under military command on 15 June 1865, he wouldn't be eligible for a pension based upon his military service. And so after his claim was filed, the correspondence began.
That correspondence is recorded on twenty cards to which "R. and P 370,781" refers.
In summary...
The 78th arrived at rendezvous in Chicago, Illinois, on 11 June 1865 where then men awaited their final payment. They were provided military rations through 20 June 1865 and received final payment on that date. It was being under military authority at the rendezvous in Chicago and being provided rations until 20 June that was the essence of the reasons why Ferguson's pension was approved and the footnote was apparently put on the muster out card in the compiled service record of every man in the 78th.
As genealogical fate would have it, there was no mention of Riley or John Rampley in the card explaining the footnote on their compiled military service record muster out cards. The footnote explanation gave me details about the unit's movement and payment, but for the most part it was military correspondence regarding muster dates, pay dates, providing rations, etc. Chances are if the footnote had directly involved and impacted the Rampleys there would have been a notation or mention in their pension files.
