In addition to the claims shown in the table, there exists claims for commutation of quarters and fuel, which, according to the army regulations, amount to the following sums: In the special communication of the Governor of February 21, 1862, on pages 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the Adjutant-General gives a full and complete statement of the services rendered by each of the staff officers contained in the foregoing list. To that your committee would refer Senators, for full information as to the part each officer has acted. Your committee are firm in the opinion, that while there may perhaps be some whose services possibly were not as meritorious as that of other officers, that, as a whole, the Governor conferred a lasting benefit upon the people of Ohio, and greatly aided the General Government in the prosecution of the present war, by bringing to his aid the able and efficient officers connected with his staff prior to January 1, 1862. November 18, 1861, the Governor addressed a communication to the AttorneyGeneral, asking his advice as to what provisions were made by law for the payment of his military staff. It would seem that a question had arisen as to the right of the Governor to pay the officers serving on his staff, under the fifth section of the Act of April 23, 1861. In a communication of November 19, 1861, to the Governor, he replied as follows: His Excellency WILLIAM DENNISON, ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, Columbus, O., Nov. 19, 1861. Governor of Ohio: SIR-I duly received your note of the 18th ult., in which you submit for my opinion in writing the following inquiries: "What provisions are made by law for the payment of my military staff, consisting of the Adjutant-General and Assistant Adjutant General, QuartermasterGeneral and Assistant Quartermaster-General, Commissary General of Subsistence and Assistant Commissary-General of Subsistence, Aids-de Camp, Judge-Advocate-General, Surgeon-General, Paymaster-General, Engineer-in-Chief, and militury clerks, and what amount of compensation is allowed to each of them by the statutes? Also, what amount of compensation is allowed by law to the officers of the State militia and their staff, called into the service of the State since the commencement of the war, and whilst in actual service under the order of the Commanderin-Chief?" I. The Act of March 30, 1857 (O. L., vol. 54, p. 44), provides as follows: "SEC. 34. Brigade-Inspectors shall be allowed such compensation by the board of appropriation as they shall decree just and reasonable; and members of brigade courts at the rate of two dollars per day for their services, for the period aforesaid. The Quartermaster-General, for the prompt and full discharge of all the duties enjoined upon him, shall receive an annual salary of four hundred dollars, and the Adjutant General, for a full discharge of his duty, shall receive an annual salary of three hundred dollars, both to be paid semi-annually out of the State Treasury, on the order of the Auditor of State, approved by the Commander-inChief" "SEC. 41. There shall be attached to the Commander-in-Chief, and to the several divisions, brigades, regiments, squadrons, and battalions the following staff officers, to wit: The staff of the Commander-in-Chief shall consist of one AdjutantGeneral, who shall discharge the duties of Inspector-General, one QuartermasterGeneral, one Paymaster-General, two Aids-de-Camp, one Engineer-in-Chief, and One Judge-Advocate-General, who shall be appointed by the Commander-inChief. To each division there shall be one Division-Inspector, who shall discharge the duties of Assistant Adjutant-General, one Assistant QuartermasterGeneral, two Aids-de-Camp, one Assistant Engineer-in-Chief, and one Assistant Judge-Advocate General, to be appointed by the Major-General. To each brigade there shall shall be one Brigade Major, to serve as Brigade-Inspector, two Aidsde-Camp, one Brigade-Quartermaster, one Brigade-Engineer, one Brigade-JudgeAdvocate, one Brigade-Surgeon, and one Brigade-Chaplain, which brigade staff shall be appointed by the Brigadier-General. To each regiment or battalion of artillery, rifle, infantry, or light infantry, there may be one Chaplain; and there shall be one Adjutant, one Quartermaster, one Paymaster, one Surgeon, one Surgeon's Mate, one Sergeant-Major, one Quartermaster-Sergeant, one Drum Major, and one Fife Major, to be appointed by the commandant of such regiment or battalion; and it shall be the duty of the Drum Major and Fife-Major to examine and report to the commandants of regiments or battalions upon all instruments of musie which shall be purchased for the use of the regiment or battalion, and no such instruments of music shall be paid for out of the funds of the regiment or battalion until approved by them. To each regiment or squadron of cavalry there shall be one Adjutant, one Quartermaster, one Paymaster, one Surgeon, one Surgeon's Mate, one Quartermaster-Sergeant, one Sergeant-Major, and two regimental or squadron Buglemen, which shall be appointed by the commandant of such regiment or squadron. "SEC. 42. The staff officers herein enumerated shall rank as follows, viz.: The Quartermaster-General and Adjutant General, as Brigadier-Generals; the Paymaster-General, Engineer-in-Chief, Judge-Advocate-General, and Aid-de-Camp to the Commander-in-Chief, as Colonels "SEO. 65. The Commander-in-Chief, whenever in his opinion it becomes necessary, may organize a Commissary Department, by appointing a CommissaryGeneral, or a general of a subsistence department, with the rank of BrigadierGeneral, and such other assistant commissaries as he may think necessary, or the good of the service may require, with such rank as is conferred on officers of the same station in the Army of the United States; and may also appoint such number of store keepers and other officers as the good of the service may require, and may order any or all such officers in actual service, when their services become necessary. SEO. 66. The Commander-in-Chief, when in his opinion it becomes necessary, may complete the organization of the Medical Department, by appointing a Surgeon-General, with the rank of Colonel; and for each division a Hospital Surgeon," &c. |