Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/155



passed the twenty-sixth of June, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, as comes within the purview and meaning of this act, be, and the same is hereby repealed.

. And be it further enacted, That for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary expenses in the military establishment, the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized, in case of failure in filling the rank and file of any regiment or regiments, to consolidate such deficient regiment or regiments, and discharge all supernumerary officers: Provided, That officers so discharged shall be allowed, in addition to the mileage already authorized by law, three months’ pay to each.

. And be it further enacted, That every non-commissioned officer and private of the army, or officer, or non-commissioned officer, and private of any militia or volunteer corps, in the service of the United States, who has been, or who may be captured by the enemy, shall be entitled to receive during his captivity, notwithstanding the expiration of his term of service, the same pay, subsistence, and allowance to which he may be entitled whilst in the actual service of the United States: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to entitle any prisoner of war, of the militia, to the pay and compensation herein provided after the date of his parole, other than the travelling expenses allowed by law.

. And be it further enacted, That the five regiment which, by the first section of an act, entitled “,’” were authorized to be enlisted, at the discretion of the President of the United States, for and during the war, may be enlisted, at the option of the recruit, for five years, or for and during the war, unless sooner discharged; the provisions of the said act to the contrary notwithstanding.

. And be it further enacted, That the commissary general of ordnance may employ in his department, besides blacksmith and wheelwrights, other mechanics, such as the public service may require, who shall, together with the said blacksmiths and wheelwrights, be mustered under the general denomination of artificers; and such artificers, being hereafter, or having been heretofore enlisted to serve for the term of five years, or during the war, shall be entitled to the same annual allowance of clothing as is or may be provided for the soldiers of the army.

. And be it further enacted, That the labourers who may be hereafter enlisted to serve in the ordnance department, for the term of five years, or during the war, shall be entitled to a bounty of twenty-five dollars in money, and the same annual allowance of clothing as is or may be provided for the soldiers of the army.

. And be it further enacted, That the physician and the surgeon general of the army be entitled to two rations per day and forage for two horses; and that in addition to their pay, as at present established by law, the regimental surgeons and regimental surgeons’ mates be entitled to fifteen dollars per month each.

. And be it further enacted, That the aids-de-camp of major generals shall be taken from the captains and subalterns of the line; and the aids-de-camp of brigadier generals from the subalterns of the line; and that it shall not be lawful to take more than one aid-de-camp from a regiment.

. And be it further enacted, That in no case shall the district paymasters of quartermasters of any grade be taken from the line of the army.

. And be it further enacted, That the officers of the volunteer corps, authorized by the, be entitled to promotion in the line of the army; and that the President of the United States, with the