Chapter XVI. *providing for the Prosecution of the existing War between the United States and the Republic of Mexico.* May 13, 1846
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Chap. XVI.— An Act *providing for the Prosecution of the existing War between the United States and the Republic of Mexico.* May 13, 1846. Whereas, by the act of the Republic of Mexico, a state of war existsSupplementary act, post, p. 17.Preamble. between that Government and the United States: *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, * That, for the purposePresident authorized to em-ploy militia, naval, and military forces of the U.S., and to call for and accept volunteers, not exceeding 50,000. of enabling the government of the United States to prosecute said war to a speedy and successful termination, the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to employ the militia, naval, and military forces of the United States, and to call for and accept the services of any number of volunteers, not exceeding fifty thousand, who may offer their services, either as cavalry, artillery, infantry, or riflemen, to serve twelve months after they shall have arrived at the place of rendezvous,Time volunteers are to serve. or to the end of the war, unless sooner discharged, according to the time for which they shall have been mustered into service; and that the sum of ten millions of dollars, out of any moneys in theTen millions of dollars appropriated. treasury, or to come into the treasury, not otherwise appropriated, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated for the purpose of carrying the provisions of this act into effect.
Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted,* That the militia, when calledMilitia to serve for six month. into the service of the United States by virtue of this act, or any other act, may, if in the opinion of the President of the United States the public interest requires it, be compelled to serve for a term not exceeding six months after their arrival at the place of rendezvous, in any one year, unless sooner discharged. 10 TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 16. 1846. Sec. 3. Volunteers to furnish clothes, horses, and equipments; to be armed by the United States. *And be it further enacted,* That the said volunteers shall furnish their own clothes, and if cavalry, their own horses and horse equipments; and when mustered into service shall be armed at the expense of the United States.
Sec. 4. Volunteers to be subject to the rules and articles of war. *And be it further enacted,* That said volunteers shall, when called into actual service, and while remaining therein, be subject to the rules and articles of war, and shall be, in all respects except as to clothing and pay, placed on the same footing with similar corps of the United States army; and in lieu of clothing every noncommissioned officer and private in any company, who may thus offer himself, shall be entitled, when called into actual service, to Commutation for clothing.receive in money a sum equal to the cost of clothing of a noncommissioned officer or private (as the case may be) in the regular troops of the United States.
Sec. 5. Volunteers, how to be accepted. *And be it further enacted,* That the said volunteers so offering their services shall be accepted by the President in companies, battalions, squadrons, and regiments, whose officers shall be Their officers, how appointed.appointed in the manner prescribed by law in the several States and Territories to which such companies, battalions, squadrons, and regiments, shall respectively belong. Sec. 6. Organization into regiments, &c. *And be it further enacted,* That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to organize companies so tendering their services into battalions or squadrons, battalions and squadrons into regiments, regiments into brigades, and brigades into divisions, as soon as the number of volunteers shall render such Apportionment of field, staff, and general officers.organization, in his judgment, expedient; and the President shall, if necessary, apportion the staff, field, and general officers among the respective States and Territories from which the volunteers shall tender their services as he may deem proper.
Sec. 7. Provision for volunteers wounded in service *And be it further enacted,* That the volunteers who may be received into the service of the United States by virtue of the provisions of this act, and who shall be wounded or otherwise disabled in the service, shall be entitled to all the benefit which may be conferred on persons wounded in the service of the United States. Sec. 8. President authorized to complete all public armed vessels now authorized by law, and to purchase, mere hunt vessels and steamboats. *And be it further enacted,* That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized forthwith to complete all the public armed vessels now authorized by law, and to purchase or charter, arm, equip, and man, such merchant vessels and steam boats as, upon examination, may be found fit, or easily converted into armed vessels fit for the public service, and in such number as he may deem necessary for the protection of the seaboard, lake coast, and the general defence of the country.
Sec. 9. Organization, pay, and emoluments. *And be it further enacted,* That whenever the militia or volunteers are called and received into the service of the United States, under the provisions of this act, they shall have the organization of the army of the United States, and shall have the same pay Allowance to mounted men for use and risk, of their horses.and allowances; and all mounted privates, noncommissioned officers, musicians, and artificers, shall be allowed 40 cents per day for the use and risk of their horses, except of horses actually killed in action; and if any mounted volunteer, private, noncommissioned officer, musician, or artificer, shall not keep himself provided with a serviceable horse, the said volunteer shall serve on foot.
Approved, May 13, 1846.