In February 1862, North Carolina authorized a $50 bounty for new recruits enlisting for three years or the war. When the men received their bounties, they were required to sign a “bounty payroll,” acknowledging receipt of the money. Sometimes, the men created a power of attorney (POA) for their commanding officer to receive their bounties for them.
Some of the original bounty payrolls are preserved at the North Carolina State Archives, Original Civil War Collection, Box 15. All images were taken by Kirk Ward, who apologizes for the quality.
Company A
POA with 57 names (not signatures)
Bounty Payroll with 25 names, 18 Jun. 1863
Bounty Payroll for Hugh Southerland, 16 Nov. 1863
Bounty Payroll for three men, 15 Oct. 1864
Company B
Bryant Lanier POA, 16 May 1863
Bryant Lanier Bounty Payroll, 20 May 1863
Bounty Payroll for Frances Merritt and Burrell Register, 19 Oct. 1863
Bounty Payroll for William Wood, 7 Nov. 1864
Bounty Payroll for six men, 27 Dec. 1864
Company C
Bounty Payroll for James Summerlin, undated (enlisted 1 Apr. 1863)
Bounty Payroll for Hiram Merritt and Robert Watkins, 4 Jan. 1864
Bounty Payroll for Alsa Merritt and William Dail, 22 Oct. 1864
Company D
Bounty Payroll for three men, 19 Oct. 1863
Bounty Payroll for Duncan Graham, 22 Oct. 1864
Company E
Bounty Payroll for 10 men, 26 Jun. 1863
Company F
Bounty Payroll for eight men,10 Feb. 1863
Bounty Payroll for four men, 24 Jun. 1863
Company G
POA signed by 11 men, 15 Apr. 1862
POA signed by three men, 16 May 1863
Bounty Payroll with three names, 20 May 1863
Bounty Payroll for Adam Latta, 22 Oct. 1864
Company H
Bounty Payroll for Council Brown (deceased), 19 Aug. 1863
Bounty Payroll for Samuel Smith, 31 Aug. 1863
Bounty Payroll for three men, 15 Oct. 1864
Company I
POA signed by six men, April 1862
POA signed by six men, 25 Feb. 1863
Bounty Payroll for six men, 17 Mar. 1863 (see POA above)
Bounty Payroll for seven men, 21 Jun. 1863
Bounty Payroll for five men, 16 Nov. 1863
Bounty Payroll for three men, 22 Oct. 1864
Bounty Payroll for 12 men, 27 Dec. 1864
Company K
Bounty Payroll for three men, 24 Jun. 1863
Bounty Payroll for four men, 16 Nov. 1863
Bounty Payroll for Augustus McKethan, 20 Oct. 1864
Bounty Payroll for William McMillan, 17 Nov. 1864
All Officers
POA signed by 43 officers giving authority to Captain Henry Rockwell, the regiment’s AQM, to purchase “certain Quartermaster Stores”
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