Chapter CCXLVII. to increase the Pay of the Rank and File of [the] Army, and to encourage Enlistments
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Chap. CCXLVII.— An Act to increase the Pay of the Rank and File of [the] Army, and to encourage Enlistments.Aug. 4, 1854. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* That the pay of the non-commissioned Pay of non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates increased. officers, musicians, and privates of the army of the United States, shall be increased at the rate of four dollars per month, and to continue for the term of three years from and after the first day of January next, and until otherwise fixed by law.
Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted,* That every soldier, who, having Bounty for re-enlistments. been honorably discharged from the service of the United States, will, within one month thereafter, re-enlist, shall be entitled to two dollars per month, in addition to the ordinary pay of his grade, for the first period of five years after the expiration of his previous enlistment, and a further sum of one dollar per month for each successive period of five years, so long as he shall remain continuously in the army; and that soldiers now in the army, who have served one or more enlistments, and been honorably discharged, shall be entitled to the benefits herein provided for a second enlistment.
Sec. 3. *And be it further enacted,* That soldiers who served in the war Bounty for meritorious soldiers, in the Mexican war, who re-enlist. with Mexico, and received a certificate of merit for distinguished services, as well those now in the army as those that may hereafter enlist, shall receive the two dollars per month to which that certificate would have entitled them had they remained continuously in the service. Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted,* That non-commissioned officers, who, Non-commissioned officers recommended for promotion under act of 1847, ch. 61, sec. 17.Bounty to. under the authority of the seventeenth section of the act approved March third, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, were recommended for promotion by brevet to the lowest grade of commissioned officer, but did not receive the benefit of that provision, shall be entitled, under the condition recited in the foregoing section, to the additional pay authorized to be given to such privates as received certificates of merit.
Sec. 5. *And be it further enacted,* That the President of the United 576THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 248, 249, 267. 1854. States be, and he is hereby, authorized, by and with the advice and consent Promotion of non-commissioned officers. of the Senate, to confer the brevet of second lieutenant upon such meritorious non-commissioned officers, as may, under regulations to be established, be brought before an army board, composed of four officers of rank, specially convened for the purpose, and be found qualified for the duties of commissioned officers; and to attach them to regiments, as supernumerary officers, according to the provisions of the fourth section of the act approved April twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and twelve, entitled “An act making further provision for the corps of engineers.”1812, ch. 72.
Sec. 6. *And be it further enacted,* That the allowance to soldiers employed Allowance for fatigue duty. at work on fortifications, in surveys, in cutting roads, and other constant labor, of not less than ten days, authorized by the act approved March second, eighteen hundred and nineteen, entitled “An act to 1819, ch. 45. regulate the pay of the army when employed on fatigue duty,” be increased to twenty-five cents per day for men employed as laborers and teamsters, and forty cents per day, when employed as mechanics, at all stations east of the Rocky Mountains, and to thirty-five cents and fifty cents per day, respectively, when the men are employed at stations west of those mountains.
Approved, August 4, 1854.