GDG- Civilians after the battle

[Batrinque at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/8/2008 7:19:48 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
dwmadison at comcast.net writes:

Were the  civilians of Gettysburg able to make claims to the government to 
pay for the  damages done to their land as a result of the battle?  If they were 
 rewaded for the damage how long did it take to receive it?
 
I am certain that they were able to file claims, but I think payment was a  
long, slow, uncertain process, a case in point being that of William Bliss,  
owner of the farm burned by Union troops on the morning of July 3.   Initially, 
a claim was filed with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under Acts of  183, 
1869, and 1871, but when satisfaction was not obtained, in 1879 a claim was  
filed with the Federal Committee of War Claims of the House of  Representatives.  
Eventually, the Supreme Court ruled that the Federal  Government was not 
responsible for the destruction of private property during  actual combat 
(although apparently restitution was considered legal for material  and goods used by 
Federal troops).  Evidently the Bliss family never did  receive full 
compensation for their losses.

Bruce  Trinque
Amston, CT




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