Colored Troops: Colored Troops received $10 a month for most of the war, of which $3 was deducted for clothing allowance.
This amount included $301 base pay, $108 rations (for 12 rations a day), $32 fodder allowance (for four horse rations a day), $63 seniority pay (for $9 per month for each five years in the service, including those years he served in the United States Army), and $100 as an army commander. Lee's monthly salary totaled $604 a month. In addition, generals commanding an army in the field received $100. Generals holding different commands, however, earned additional allowances for additional rations, fodder, fuel, quarters, and seniority. All ranks of Confederate generals received the same base pay because the Confederate army regulations recognized only one grade above colonel.
Confederate General Salaries: The Confederate generals' salaries do not reflect allowances.
So, for instance, the Union infantry colonel's pay included the cash value for six human and three horse rations a day, which came to $78 a month.
Officer Allowances: When you notice the discrepancy between the enlisted ranks and the officer ranks, remember that the officer pay included certain allowances, such as additional rations, forage, and fuel allowances.
The following figures compare the income per month of the soldiers of each rank. When the paymaster did arrive with the current and back pay, it was a happy day in camp. In practice, they usually weren't so lucky because the military paymaster had to keep up with the troops who moved swiftly over long distances. In theory, the soldiers of both the Confederate and the Union armies were supposed to be paid every two months.
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