Glossary of terms for Records of the Field Offices of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands
Registers of claimants.
The registers were complied by the disbursing officers and usually give the name of the claimant; the company and regiment of the soldier; the date the money was received from the Chief Disbursing Officer; the amount due the claimant; the date and place the claim was paid; and by whom claimant was identified.
Lists of claimants.
"Lists" received from the disbursing officer in Washington. They are printed forms giving the name of the soldier or his heirs; the rank, company, and regiment of the soldier; the name and residence of the agent; the number and amount of the Treasury certificate; the fees due the agent; the advances paid the agent; and the amount to be paid the claimant.
Forms received from the Washington office of the Freedmen’s Branch and used by the disbursing officers to identify claimants. The forms used in 1872 and 1873 list more than one name, but later each "list" referred to only one soldier. Both forms were compiled from records in the Office of the Adjutant General and included such information as the soldier’s name, rank, company, and regiment; the soldier’s place of birth and age and occupation at date of enlistment; place and date of the soldier’s enlistment; and descriptive information such as the soldier’s eye and hair color and complexion.
Memorandums of examination of claimants.
Forms used by the disbursing office during interviews with claimants. The questions on the form are similar to the information supplied in the "confidential list" and were apparently used to verify the claimant’s identity.