CHAP. XVII. — An Act to authorize an Increase of the Rank and File of the Army of the United States.

May 13, 1846.

1848, ch. 173. § 2 Number of pri

vates in the exist ing regiments to be increased. Reduced when the exigencies requiring such increase

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and is hereby, authorized, by voluntary enlistment, to increase the number of privates in each or any of the companies of the existing regiments of dragoons, artillery, and infantry, to any number not exceeding one hundred, whenever, in his opinion, the exigencies of the public service may require the same, and to reduce the same to sixty-four, when the exigencies requiring the present increase shall cease: Provided, That said enlistments shall be for the term of five years, and no longer, unless sooner dis- ment. banded by the President.

APPROVED, May 13, 1846.

cease.

shall

Time of enlist

CHAP. XX.-An Act making Appropriations for certain Fortifications of the United States, for the Year ending on the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.

May 15, 1846.

[Obsolete.]

Appropriation.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and they are hereby, appropriated, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the treasury, for the preservation, repairs, and construction of certain fortifications, for the year ending the thirtieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven: For defensive works and barracks near Detroit, Michigan, thirty Detroit. thousand dollars.

For defensive works and barracks near Buffalo, New York, twentyfive thousand dollars.

For repairing and rebuilding barracks and storehouses at Fort Niagara, New York, five thousand five hundred dollars.

For Fort Ontario, at Oswego, New York, eight thousand dollars. For fortifications at the outlet of Lake Champlain, New York, fortyfive thousand dollars.

For fort at the narrows of the Penobscot River, near Bucksport, Maine, thirty-five thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort Preble, Portland harbor, Maine, ten thousand dollars.

For repairs at Fort Scammel, Portland harbor, Maine, twenty-five thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort McClary, Portsmouth harbor, New Hampshire, including the purchase of land for extension of site, six thousand dollars.

For repairs of fortifications on Governor's Island, Boston harbor, Massachusetts, thirty thousand dollars.

For Fort Warren, Boston harbor, Massachusetts, forty-five thousand dollars.

For Fort Adams, Newport harbor, Rhode Island, fifteen thousand dollars.

For rebuilding Fort Trumbull, New London harbor, Connecticut, twenty thousand dollars.

For Fort Schuyler, East River, New York, forty thousand dollars. For repairs at Fort Wood, and sea-wall of Bedlow's Island, New York, forty thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort Hamilton, New York, thirty thousand dollars. For repairs of Fort Madison, Annapolis harbor, Maryland, ten thousand dollars.

Buffalo.

Fort Niagara.

Fort Ontario. Outlet of Lake Champlain.

Fort at narrows of Penobscot. Fort Preble.

Fort Scammel

Fort McClary, and land for site.

Governor's Island, Boston.

Fort Warren.

Fort Adams.

Fort Trumbull

Fort Schuyle Fort Wood, and sea-wall of Bedlow's Island.

Fort Hamilton
Fort Madison

Fort Washing

ton.

Fort Monroe.

Fort Caswell.

Fort Moultrie.

Drunken Dick

Shoal.

Fort Sumter.

Fort Pulaski.

Fort Jackson.

Fort Pickens. Fort Barrancas.

Fort Morgan.

Fort Pike.

Fort Wood, La.

Battery Bienvenue, La.

Fort Jackson.

Fort St. Philip.

r'ort Livingston.

Florida Reef.
Contingencies.
Armament.

For repairs of Fort Washington, Potomac River, Maryland, twentysix thousand dollars.

For Fort Monroe, Hampton Roads, Virginia, seventy-five thousand dollars.

For preservation of the site of Fort Caswell, mouth of Cape Fear River, North Carolina, fifteen thousand dollars.

For preservation of the site of Fort Moultrie, Charleston harbor South Carolina, fifteen thousand dollars.

For dike to Drunken Dick Shoal, Charleston harbor, South Carolina, thirty-five thousand dollars.

For Fort Sumter, Charleston harbor, South Carolina, forty-five thousand dollars.

For Fort Pulaski, Savannah River, Georgia, twenty-five thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort Jackson, Savannah River, Georgia, fifteen thousand dollars.

For Fort Pickens, Pensacola harbor, Florida, ten thousand dollars. For Fort Barrancas, and the erection of barracks thereat, Pensacola harbor, Florida, fifty thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort Morgan, Mobile Point, Alabama, forty thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort Pike, and preservation of site, Louisiana, thirteen thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort Wood, Louisiana, six thousand five hundred dollars.

For repairs of Battery Bienvenue, Louisiana, five thousand dollars. For repairs of Fort Jackson, Mississippi River, Louisiana, twentyfive thousand dollars.

For repairs of Fort St. Philip, Mississippi River, Louisiana, thirty thousand dollars.

For Fort Livingston, Grand Terre Island, Barrataria Bay, Louisiana, forty thousand dollars.

For fortifications on the Florida Reef, two hundred thousand dollars.
For contingencies of fortifications, fifty thousand dollars.

For the armament of fortifications, three hundred thousand dollars. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United When to be States may, in his discretion, direct the expenditure of any of the expended. foregoing appropriations, at any time after the passage of this act. APPROVED, May 15, 1846.

May 15, 1846.

A company of appers, miners, pontoniers

and

to be raised.

tions.

CHAP. XXI.-An Act for the Organization of a Company of Sappers, Miners, and

Pontoniers.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there be added to the corps of engineers one company of sappers, miners, and pontoniers, to be called engineer soldiers; which company shall be composed of ten sergeants, or master workmen, ten corporals, or overseers, two musicians, thirty-nine privates of the first class, or artificers, and thirty-nine privates of the second class, or laborers; in all, one hundred men.

Pay and ra- SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the pay and rations of the sergeants, or master workmen, of said company, shall be the same as those now allowed by law to the master workmen employed by the ordnance department, excepting that the engineer sergeants shall receive one ration only per day, instead of one ration and a half; of the corporals, or overseers, the same as those now allowed by law to the armorers, carriage-makers, and blacksmiths employed by the ordnance

department, excepting that the engineer corporals shall receive one ration only per day, instead of one ration and a half; of the privates of the first class, or artificers, the same as those now allowed by law to the artificers employed by the ordnance department; of the privates of the second class, or laborers, the same as those now allowed by law to the laborers employed by the ordnance department; and of the musicians, the same as those allowed by law to the musicians of the line of the army; the said non-commissioned officers, privates, and musicians being respectively entitled to the same clothing and other allowances as are granted by law to non-commissioned officers, privates, and musicians of the artillery in the army of the United States.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said engineer company shall be subject to the rules and articles of war, shall be recruited in the same manner, and with the same limitation, and shall be entitled to the same provisions, allowances, and benefits, in every respect, as are allowed to the other troops constituting the present military peace establishment.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said engineer company shall be attached to and compose a part of the corps of engineers, and be officered by officers of that corps, as at present organized; they shall be instructed in and perform all the duties of sappers, miners, and pontoniers, and shall aid in giving practical instructions in these branches at the Military Academy; they shall, moreover, under the orders of the chief engineer, be liable to serve by detachments, in overseeing and aiding laborers upon fortifications or other works under the engineer department, and in supervising finished fortifications as fort-keepers, preventing injury and applying repairs.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the chief engineer, with the approbation of the Secretary of War, be authorized to regulate and determine the number, quality, form, dimensions, &c., of the necessary vehicles, pontons, tools, implements, arms, and other supplies, for the use and service of said company as a body of sappers, miners, and pontoniers.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That, for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, Appropriation. to be paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the pay, subsistence, and clothing, of said company, and for carrying out the other purposes of this act. APPROVED, May 15, 1846.

CHAP. XXII.—An Act to provide for raising a Regiment of mounted Riflemen, and for establishing military Stations on the Route to Oregon.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be raised one regiment of mounted riflemen, to be composed and organized as follows, to wit: One colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, one major, one quartermaster-sergeant, and two chief buglers, one adjutant, who shall be a lieutenant, one sergeant-major, one chief musician, and ten companies; each company shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, (exclusive of the adjutant lieutenant,) four sergeants, four corporals, two buglers, one farrier, one blacksmith, and sixty-four privates.

May 19, 1846.

mounted
men raised.
Organization.

Regiment of
rifle-

Pay and emol

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, shall be entitled to the same uments. pay and emoluments as are allowed to dragoons, and that the farrier and blacksmith shall receive the same pay and allowances as are allowed to an artificer of artillery.

To be subject to the rules and

articles of war,

and recruited in the same manner

as other troops

of U. S.

Provisions for

wounds and, dis

abilities, and for widows and children, &c.

Extra compensation when on fatigue duty.

1819, ch. 45.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said regiment of riflemen shall be subject to the rules and articles of war, and shall be recruited in the same manner as other troops in the service of the United States, and with the same conditions and limitations; and the officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, privates, blacksmiths, and farriers, shall be entitled to the same provisions for wounds and disabilities, and the same provisions for widows and children, and the same allowances and benefits, in every respect, as are allowed to other troops composing the army of the United States.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates of said regiment, when employed in constructing fortifications, making surveys, cutting roads, or performing other labor, shall be allowed fifteen cents per day each, with a commutation in money for the extra spirit ration, as provided by the act of the second of March, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen, entitled "An Act to regulate the Pay of the Army when on Fatigue Duty."

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the sum of seventy-six Appropriation. thousand five hundred dollars, for mounting and equipping said regiment, be, and the same hereby is, appropriated, to be paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

Appropriation for military stations on route to Oregon.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That a sum not exceeding three thousand dollars, out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, be, and the same hereby is, appropriated, to defray the expenses of each military station or defence which the President may deem necessary on the line of communication with Oregon, and a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars for making compensation to the Indian tribes which may own or possess the ground on which the said station may be erected, and for each station. APPROVED, May 19, 1846.

May 22, 1846. 1843, ch. 92.

Value of certain foreign coins in computations at custom-house.

CHAP. XXIII. ·An Act to establish the Value of certain foreign Coins and Moneys of Account, and to amend existing Laws.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all computations at the custom-house, the foreign coins and money of account herein specified shall be estimated as follows, to wit: The specie dollar of Sweden and Norway, at one hundred and six cents; the specie dollar of Denmark, at one hundred and five cents; the thaler of Prussia and of the northern states of Germany, at sixty-nine cents; the florin of the southern states of Germany, at forty cents; the florin of the Austrian Empire, and of the city of Augsburg, at fortyeight and one half cents; the lira of the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom, and the lira of Tuscany, at sixteen cents; the franc of France and of Belgium, and the lira of Sardinia, at eighteen cents six mills; the ducat of Naples, at eighty cents; the ounce of Sicily, at two dollars and forty cents; the pound of the British provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Canada, at four dollars. Repeal of in- And all laws inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed. APPROVED, May 22, 1846.

consistent acts.

CHAP. XXV. - An Act establishing certain Post Routes, and for other Purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following be established as post routes:

In Texas. From New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, to Galveston, in Texas, by water.

From Galveston to Houston, by water.

From Galveston, by San Luis and Velasco, to Matagorda.
From Galveston, to Corpus Christi, by water.

From Galveston, by Chambersia, John's, and Liberty, to Swartwout.
From Galveston, by Garner's, to Beaumont.

From Velasco, by Brazoria, Columbia, Orozimbo, Big Creek,
Richmond, San Felipe, Centre Hill, and Cedar Creek, to Washing-

ton.

From Matagorda, by Caney, Preston, Peach Creek, Egypt, and Columbus, to Lagrange.

From Houston, by Hamblin's and Arnold's, to Washington.

From Houston, by Hodges' Bend, Richmond, Damon's Mills, Egypt, and Texana, to Victoria.

From Houston, by Croft's, to Montgomery.

From Washington, by Independence, Brenham, Sieper's, Shelby's, and Rutersville, to Lagrange.

From Washington, by Fanthorp's, Rusk, Montgomery, Lone Oak, Collard's, Huntsville, and Cincinnati, to Crockett.

From Washington, by Boonville, Wheelock, and Franklin, to Falls of Brassos.

From Fanthorp's, by Mitchell's, Leona Mills, Alabama, and Mustang Prairie, to Crockett.

From Huntsville, by McGee's, Rankin's, Swartwout, Hardin's, Criswell, Hooker's, Wilson's, Ratcliff's, Town Bluff, Jasper, and Williams, to Sabinetown.

From Crockett, by Masters', Mount Airy, Douglass, Nacogdoches, Melrose, and Flournoy's to San Augustine.

From Nacogdoches, by Wooten's, Henderson, and Walker's, to Marshall.

From San Augustine, by Shelbyville, Hilliard's, Mount Mourn, and Parry's, to Marshall.

From San Augustine, by Milam, Sabinetown, to Fort Jesup, Louisiana.

From Marshall by Jefferson, Hughes, Dangerfield, Wevers, and Durham, to Boston.

From Marshall, by Port Caddo, to Greenwood, Louisiana.

From Boston, by Mooresville, to Fulton, Arkansas, and from Pine Bluff's, in Jefferson county, to Warren, in Bradley county, in Arkansas. From Boston, by De Kalb, Savannah, Clarksville, Blossom Prairie, Paris, and Honey Grove, to Bonham.

From Bonham, by McGarra's, Dallas, and Chamber's Creek, Falls of Brassos, to Austin.

From Independence, by Mound Prairie, Caldwell, and Dilliard's, to Nashville.

From Lagrange, by Miller's, Cunningham's, Mount Pleasant, Bastrop, Smithwick, and Columbus, to Austin.

From Austin to Gonzales.

From Gonzales, by Seguin and New Braunfels, to San Antonio.
From Clarksville to Fort Towson.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster-General be,

May 29, 1846.

Certain post

Toutes in Texas established.

Postmaster

and he is hereby, authorized to continue in operation such portions of General may con