Civil War Suits in the U.S. Court of Claims

Not long after the eruption of civil war, the United States found itself mired in claims against the government. Loyal citizens living in insurrectionary districts complained about property seizure. Military pay disputes abounded, and some of the army’s attempts at procurement were called into question. Charged with resolving these cases was the United States Court of Claims. Originally set up to advise Congress on pension matters, by 1863 the newly expanded court was the chief body dealing with claims resulting from the war. The entries in this book present the particulars of the Civil War cases heard by the United States Court of Claims. Cases include disputed contracts; pay disputes; compensation for use of property or property lost, destroyed or damaged; and quartermaster or paymaster money stolen, captured, or lost. Suits filed by loyal states to recover war expenses are also listed. Appendices include 1860 census data, military regulations regarding pay and expenditures, relevant acts of Congress and other documents, and information about the 1864 Kentucky Draft Case claimants.

Greg H. Williams served four years in the Navy, including duty on the converted Liberty ship USS Granville S. Hall (YAG–40). He was one of 27 volunteer crewmen who made the entire five month voyage from San Francisco to Europe on the Jeremiah O’Brien in 1994 for the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. He lives near Noti, Oregon.

Greg H. Williams
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 248
Bibliographic Info: tables, appendices, index
Copyright Date: 2006
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2430-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1175-4
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

Some Legal Aspects of the War      3

THE CASES      9

Appendix I: 1860 Census Data      183

Appendix II: Military Regulations Regarding Pay and Expenditures      184

Appendix III: Acts of Congress, Joint Resolutions, Presidential Proclamations, and Administrative Directives Frequently Cited by U.S. Courts      186

Appendix IV: The 1864 Kentucky Draft Case Claimants      224

Index      227

“nicely organized…an excellent subject index…significant”—ARBA.