[HousK Bill, No. .] 
 
 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Dec. 17, 1863.— Postponed, 
 made special order for Monday next, and ordered to be printed. 
 
 J^ 33ILL 
 
 To be entitle<l An Act to provide for wounde>l and disabled officers 
 
 and soldierp. 
 
 1 Section 1 . The Congress of the Confederate States of Amei ica do 
 
 2 enact. That any commissioned or non-commissioned officer, and 
 i^ any private or musician in the service Qf the Cenfederate States, 
 
 4 who, after examination by a board of surgeons, shall be 
 
 5 pronounced permanently disabled to perform any military duty 
 G whatever, by reason of wounds or injuries received, or disease 
 
 7 manifestly contracted in the service, and in the line of his duty, 
 
 8 may resi.i^n hi.s commission, or demand his discharge, (as the case 
 f) may be.) or continue in the service, a.s he may prefer. 
 
 1 ^ Six. 2. That if such officer or soldier shall elect to remain in 
 
 2 the service, \\v shall, so long as such disability continue, be 
 
 3 considered as on furlough, but shall be entitled to no pay what- 
 
 4 ever, unless it be shown, tp the satisfaction of the Secretary of 
 'i War, that he is rendered unable by the wound, or injury, or 
 ♦! dist»a^'\ 'iforcsaid, to c;irn a livelihood by any trado, occupation. 
 
7 or calling; that he has no other means of subsisteuco, and has 
 
 8 not been otherwise provided for by the Confederate, by any State 
 
 9 Government, or by any county, parish, city, or other municipal 
 1(1 body; in which event, he shall be entitled to receive, so long as 
 
 11 such disability continues, and no longer, if a commissioned 
 
 12 officer, half the pay proper; if a non-commissioned officer, or a 
 
 13 private, or musician, the entire pay proper, which he is now 
 
 14 entitled to receive, but without any emolument whatever. 
 
 1 Sec. o. That any non-commissioned officer, private or musi- 
 
 2 cian, who may have heretofore been discharged from the service 
 
 3 on account of wounds, or injuries received, or disease, manifestly 
 
 4 contracted in the service, and in the line of his duty, may avail 
 
 5 himself of the benefits conferred by this act, but, in that case, 
 
 6 he shall be considered as having re-enlisted, and shall be, in all 
 
 7 respects, on the same footing as those who had resigned prior to 
 
 8 the passage of this act. 
 
 1 Sec. 4. In case the disability of any officer or soldier, who 
 
 2 may be on furlough under the provisions of this act, should 
 
 3 cease, he shall le immediately ordered on duty. 
 
 1 Sec. 5. That in all cases, where an examination by a board of 
 
 2 surgeons may be necessary to carry into effect the provisions of 
 
 3 this act, the Secretary of War may employ, for that purpose, any 
 
 4 such board that may have been established by law, or may appoint 
 
 5 a board, or boards, for that special purpose, as he may deem 
 
6 proper ; and it shall be the duty of said Secretary to make all 
 
 7 regulations that may be necessary to carry this law into effect. 
 
 8 to prevent fraund or imposition on the Government, and to 
 
 9 secure the pro^npt return to duty of any officer on furlough 
 <0 under this act, whose disabilities may have ceased. 
 
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