RG 023. Board of Commutation Commissioners
Record Group
Identifier: RG 023
The Board of Commissioners was created under Public Law 1864, Chapter 511, “An Act to Provide for Paying Certain Drafted Men Certain Bounties & Commutation, and to pay for Substitutes for Drafted Men” approved March 24th. Charged with examined claims and drawing orders upon the General Treasurer for the repayment of monies expended by individuals & municipalities for men drafted into the service of the United States under act of Congress approved March 3, 1864, the commission consisted of five members chosen from each county who were elected in grand committee by the General Assembly. They included, Samuel Church (chairman), Thomas A. Whitman (secretary), Joseph Osborn, George H. Olney & Jonathan C. Tower. Meeting twenty one times, the Commission processed 1,061 claims totaling $294,685.00 in refunded monies by the State of Rhode Island. Records consist of exemption statements, releases & commutation receipts arranged by municipality, lists of men paying $300.00 commutation fee or supplying substitutes, draft resolutions, Committee reports & correspondence
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Commutation Commission records
Series — Box Boxes 1-2
Identifier: C#0452
Scope and Contents
Records of the Board of Commutation Commission meeting to examine claims and draw orders upon the General Treasurer for the repayment of monies expended by individuals & municipalities for Rhode Island men drafted into the service of the United States under act of Congress approved March 3, 1864. Includes: C#0452 - Commission proceedings (2 vols.), April 1, 1864 - Feb. 2, 1866; 9" x 13 ½" x 1 ½"; 285 pp. entered & 8 ½" x 13 ¼" x ½"; Sept. 1, 1864 to Feb. 2, 1866...
Report of the Commutation Commission made to the General Assembly
Item — Folder Folder 16
Identifier: 1636-590
Scope and Contents
The following report was required under an act passed March 24, 1864, and entitled, "An Act to provide for the paying certain drafted men certain bounties and commutations, and to pay for substitutes for drafted men."
