CHAP. XLI -An Act to continue Half-Pay to certain Widows and Orphans.
| Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all widows and orphans who were granted and allowed five years half-pay by the provisions of the act approved the twenty-first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, entitled “An act amending the act granting half-pay to widows or orphans where their husbands or fathers have died of wounds received in the military service of the United States, in case of deceased officers and soldiers of the militia and volunteers, passed July fourth, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six,” or an act approved the twenty-second day of February, one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, entitled “An act granting five years half-pay to certain widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, both regulars and volunteers,” be and they are hereby granted a continuance of said half-pay, under like limitations and restrictions, for a further period of five years, to commence at the expiration of the half-pay provided for by the aforesaid acts: Provided, however, That in case of the death or marriage of such widow before the expiration of said term of five years, the half-pay for the remainder of the term shall go to the child or children of the deceased officer or soldier, whilst under the age of sixteen years; and in like manner, the child or children of such deceased, when there is no widow, shall be paid no longer than while there is a child or children under the age aforesaid: And provided further, That no greater sum shall be allowed in any case to the widow or the child or children of any officer than the half-pay of a Lieutenant Colonel: And provided further, That the act approved the twenty-second of February, eighteen hundred and forty-nine, “granting five years half-pay to certain widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, both regular and volunteer,” be so extended and construed as to embrace the widows and minor heirs of the officers, non-commissioned-officers, musicians, and privates of the regulars, militia, and volunteers of the war of eighteen hundred and twelve, and of the various Indian wars since seventeen hundred and ninety.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the widows of all officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates of the Revolutionary army, who were married subsequent to January, anno Domini eighteen hundred, shall be entitled to a pension in the same manner as those who were married before that date. APPROVED, February 3, 1853. |