Senate Report 1619 on Harriet Tubman Davis
2/7/1899
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This Senate report accompanied H.R. 4982, a Bill Granting a Pension to Harriet Tubman Davis. It includes evidence collected by the Senate Committee on Pensions regarding the Civil War service of Harriet Tubman Davis as a nurse, cook, and spy. It also includes information on the widow's pension she was receiving based on the military service of her husband, Nelson Davis.
The report recommends that Tubman's widow's pension be increased from $8 to $20 per month. H.R. 4982 had recommended an increase to $25 a month, but the Senate noted that very few nurses earned a pension of $20 per month and stated that "there are no valid reasons why this claimant should receive a pension of $25 per month as a nurse, thus opening a new avenue for pension increases."
Congress received numerous documents and letters supporting Tubman’s claim. In 1899 Congress passed, and the President signed, an increase of Tubman’s pension to $20 per month for her service as a nurse.
The report recommends that Tubman's widow's pension be increased from $8 to $20 per month. H.R. 4982 had recommended an increase to $25 a month, but the Senate noted that very few nurses earned a pension of $20 per month and stated that "there are no valid reasons why this claimant should receive a pension of $25 per month as a nurse, thus opening a new avenue for pension increases."
Congress received numerous documents and letters supporting Tubman’s claim. In 1899 Congress passed, and the President signed, an increase of Tubman’s pension to $20 per month for her service as a nurse.
Transcript
55th Congress, 3d Session.Senate
Report No. 1619.
HARRIET TUBMAN DAVIS.
FEBRUARY 7, 1899. - Ordered to be printed.
Mr. SHOUP, from the Committee on Pensions, submitted the following
REPORT.
[To accompany H. R. 4982.]
The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4892) granting a pension to Harriet Tubman Davis, have examined the same and report:
The report of the Committee on Invalid Pensions of the House of Representatives is as follows:
The effect of this bill is to increase from $8 to $25 per month the pension of the beneficiary, Harriet T. Davis, of Auburn, N. Y.
Mrs. Davis is the widow of Nelson Davis, who served under the name of Nelson Charles as a private in Company G, Eighth United States Colored Infantry, from September 25, 1863, to November 10, 1865, and was honorably discharged. She also served long and faithfully as an army nurse.
Soldier died October 14, 1888, and the widow filed a claim as such July 24, 1890, under the act of June 27, 1890, and is now pensioned under said act at $8 per month. It is not shown that the soldier's death was due to his military service. It is shown, however, by evidence filed with this committee, that the claimant was sent to the front by Governor Andrew, and acted as a nurse, cook in hospital, and spy during nearly the whole period of the war.
The following is a copy of the letter from Secretary Seward:
WASHINGTON, D. C., July 25, 1865.
MY DEAR SIR: Harriet Tubman, a colored woman, has been nursing our soldiers during nearly all the war. She believes she has claims for faithful service to the command in South Carolina with which you are connected, and she believes you would be disposed to see her claim justly settled. I have known her long as a noble high spirit, as true as seldom dwells in the human form. I commend her, therefore, to your kind attention.
Faithfully, your friend,
WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
Major-General HUNTER.
Gen. Rufus Saxton, in a letter referring to Mrs. Tubman, says:
"She was employed by General Hunter, and I think both by General Stephens and Sherman, and is as deserving of a pension from the Government for her service as any other of its faithful servants."
In a letter to Brigadier-General Gilmore, from Headquarters Colored Brigade, St. Helena Island, South Carolina, July 6, 1863, Col. James Montgomery, commanding brigade, said:
"I would respectfully recommend to your attention Mrs. Harriet Tubman, a most remarkable women, invaluable as a scout."
2 HARRIET TUBMAN DAVIS.
These testimonials sufficiently show the character and value of the service rendered by Mrs, Davis during the war.
She now is about 75 years of age, physically broken down, and poor.
This woman has a double claim on the Government. She went into the field and hospitals and cared for the sick and wounded. She saved lives. In her old age and poverty a pension of $25 per month is none too much.
The bill is reported back with the recommendation that it pass.
The papers in this case show that a claim for this woman was once presented to the House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on War Claims. Manifestly that would be the better way to reimburse her for her alleged services to the Government, but her
advanced years and necessitous condition lead your committee to give the matter consideration. There is, however, a strong objection to the
bill in its present form. The number of nurses on the pension roll at a rate higher than $12 per month is very few indeed, and there are no valid reasons why this claimant should receive a pension of $25 per month as a nurse, thus opening a new avenue for pension increases. She is now drawing pension at the rate of $8 per month as the widow of a soldier, and in view of her personal services to the Government
Congress is amply justified in increasing that pension.
The passage of the bill is recommended after being amended as follows:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to place on the pension roll, subject to the provisions and limitations of the pension laws, the name of Harriet Tubman Davis, widow of Nelson Davis, late a private in Company G. Eighth Regiment United States Colored Infantry, and pay her a pension at the rate of twenty dollars per month in lieu of that she is now receiving.
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1789 - 2011.
National Archives Identifier: 7330232
Full Citation: Senate Report 1619 to Accompany a Bill Granting a Pension to Harriet Tubman Davis; 2/7/1899; Accompanying Papers of the 55th Congress; (HR 55A-D1); Accompanying Papers, 1865 - 1903; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1789 - 2011, Record Group 233; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/senate-report-1619, April 19, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.