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Claims for Bounty Pensions &c. 

There have been made out and forwarded from this office, one Hundred and forty two (142) claims for Pension, arrears of Pay and Bounty and commutation of rations, none of which have yet been collected, owing generally to the incompetences of proof accompanying the application.  There also appears to have been until recently a want of definitions in the regulations and instructions, relative to Soldiers claims that have retarded their collection. But the nature of the evidence required to established their validity is now so well understood that the claims hereafter forwarded will not be suspended or returned for revision. 

A package of applications for commutations of rations while Prisoners of war - forty six in number were forwarded from this office, though that of the Asst. Commissioner on the 18th of May last. Not hearing from them I directed an inquiry concerning them to the Asst. Adjutant General of the Bureau of Washington D.C who returned my communication with the endorsement that no record of the receipt of such a package of claims appeared in his office. Forty eight (48) Soldiers applications for Bounty have been forwarded from this office, under the apprehension that the Resolution of Congress "respecting bounties to Colored Soldiers, and the pensions bounties and allowances to their heirs" approved June 15th 1866, had the effect to ignore the question of the Freedom on and after April 19th 1861, but from recent advice it seems that such is not the case, and that proof of freedom is still required, and as such proof cannot be furnished the claims in these cases are not valid.