Civil War Veterans Land Grants

The program assists states territories and federally recognized tribal governments in providing gravesites for veterans in those areas where va s national cemeteries cannot fully satisfy their burial.

Civil war veterans land grants.

It was first offered as an incentive to serve in the military and later as a reward for service. In 1872 they were also allowed to deduct their military service time from the 5 year homesteading requirement. The 1862 homestead act accelerated settlement of u s. They contained the surrendered warrant a letter of assignment if the warrant was transferred to another individual and other papers pertaining to the transaction.

Bounty land warrants were grants of free land issued to veterans in return for military service from the time of the revolutionary war through 1855 in the united states. Bounty land warrants edit edit source. In the days of the republic of texas soldiers received land grants as payment for their service. The civil war removed the slavery issue because the southern states had seceded from the union.

The federal government provided bounty land for those who served in the revolutionary war the war of 1812 the mexican war and indian wars between 1775 and 1855. Bounty land warrants often for 160 acres were issued to united states military veterans from 1775 to 1855 thus including veterans of the american revolutionary war war of 1812 and the mexican american. Civil war pensions became the world s largest welfare system. The general land office has always played an important role in supporting veterans and their families.

In 1860 a homestead bill providing federal land grants to western settlers was passed by congress only to be vetoed by president buchanan. Since soldiers homes were only available for long term care veterans had to patch together treatment and often self funded their. Civil war veterans in1870 were given the right to claim double the land in railroad grant areas that other people were allowed to claim 160 acres as opposed to 80 acres. The department of veterans affairs veterans cemetery grants program was established in 1978 to complement va s national cemetery administration.

The federal government gave no bounty land for service after 1855 but union veterans of the civil war received special homestead rights in 1870 when an amendment to the 1862 homestead act gave them the right to claim 160 acres within railroad grant areas other homesteaders got only 80.