United States Statutes at Large/Volume 1/4th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 25
Chap. ⅩⅩⅤ.—An Act allowing compensation for Horses killed in battle belonging to officers of the army of the United States.
Officers whose duty requires them to be on horseback, to be paid for horses killed in battle.Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every officer in the army of the United States, whose duty requires him to be on horseback, in time of action, and whose horse shall be killed in battle, be allowed a sum not exceeding two hundred dollars, as a compensation for each horse so killed.
Act to be retrospective as far as fourth of March, 1789.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the provision contained in this act shall have retrospective operation, so far as the fourth day of March, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine: Provided, That no person shall receive payment for any horse so killed, until he make satisfactory proofProof to be made to the Secretary of War within a limited time. to the Secretary at War, that the horse, for which he claims compensation, was actually killed under such circumstances, as to entitle him to this provision, in all cases, which have heretofore taken place, within one year after the end of the present session of Congress; and in all cases which may take place hereafter, within one year after such horse shall have been killed.
How proof of the value shall be made.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the proof of the value of such horse shall be, by the affidavit of the quartermaster of the corps, to which the owner may belong, or of two other credible witnesses.
Approved, May 12, 1796.