Introduction
The
Union soldiers and the Confederate soldiers were treated differently after the
war. Most Union Soldiers were welcomed home with festivities and parades. The
South had little to celebrate and some returning soldiers returned to their
homes and found them in ruins. So some of them turned to outlaw ways like Jesse
James. Others headed West to start new lives.
Many of the soldiers had nowhere to live, no family left, and no enough money for rest of their life. Soldiers who were either unwanted or unwilling to stay at home drifted from place to place. Many found their way West and to the Frontier. There some found peace, bought land, and settled down. However, others, such as a veteran name “Len” found themselves in deep trouble. He was put on trial for murder and it was found that “He is not violent but seems to be almost wholly devoid of his mental faculties.” They were not even sure who he was for some time.
So in many states, new pension programs became available, for example in the state of Virginia. About soldiers’ pensions, at first, they didn’t get any pension. But then the soldiers who’d lost could get artificial legs and arms. After that, a one-time awards replaced the artificial legs system, providing money to the soldiers who served during the war, so that they could get cash to spend. Lastly, instead of one-time awards, the government began paying pensions monthly to the soldiers and the widows.
Many of the soldiers had nowhere to live, no family left, and no enough money for rest of their life. Soldiers who were either unwanted or unwilling to stay at home drifted from place to place. Many found their way West and to the Frontier. There some found peace, bought land, and settled down. However, others, such as a veteran name “Len” found themselves in deep trouble. He was put on trial for murder and it was found that “He is not violent but seems to be almost wholly devoid of his mental faculties.” They were not even sure who he was for some time.
So in many states, new pension programs became available, for example in the state of Virginia. About soldiers’ pensions, at first, they didn’t get any pension. But then the soldiers who’d lost could get artificial legs and arms. After that, a one-time awards replaced the artificial legs system, providing money to the soldiers who served during the war, so that they could get cash to spend. Lastly, instead of one-time awards, the government began paying pensions monthly to the soldiers and the widows.