President Abraham Lincoln, Building Up the Union Army in 1861, Appoints One of the First Group of Additional Paymasters to Pay Them

At the end of 1860, the size of the United States Army was some 15,000 men, of whom 1,080 were officers. The Army was spread over an entire continent, and very thinly at that. After the southern states seceded, 286 officers, many of them, including some of the finest in the service (like Robert E. Lee) resigned. When the Civil War began on April 12, 1861, there was an immediate need to build a new, huge army, and over the course of the war almost 3 million men donned the Union blue.

Paying these troops was no easy matter. When the war broke out, there were ten regiments and about 25 paymasters to pay them. During the war, the Union Army raised over 2,000 regiments. This lack of urgently needed personnel was remedied by the appointment of men called "additional paymasters", who were officers usually with the rank of captain or major. Some 562 were appointed in the war.

On payday the men would form for parade and receive their pay in cash. These additional paymasters did not have a sinecure; they traveled with the troops, shared their hardships, got their illnesses, suffered from the heat and exposure just as the men did. During the conflict, 28 died and 171 resigned, sometimes for reason of illness.

The first group of additional paymasters was appointed by President Lincoln and confirmed by the US Senate during the summer of 1861, with their appointments effective June 1, 1861. One of this first group was Charles S. Stevenson of Indiana.

Document signed as President, on vellum, complete with engravings of an eagle and military accoutrements, Washington, August 7, 1861, appointing Charles S. Stevenson additional paymaster, the appointment effective as of June 1, 1861.