subs. (American).—A man who, receiving a bounty when ’listing, deserts, re-enlists, and receives a second bounty. [The War of the Rebellion is responsible for this colloquialism. As the conflict lengthened out, men were in request, and large bounties were offered by the North for volunteers.] Hence derivatives, such as BOUNTY-JUMPING, etc.
c. 1860. Song of the Bounty-Jumper (BARTLETT).
| But as he lov’d a soldier’s life, and wished strange things to see, | |
| So the thought struck him that he would go and JUMP THE BOUNTI-E. |
1875. T. W. HIGGINSON, Young Folks’ History of United States, 306. Bringing into the service many ‘BOUNTY-JUMPERS,’ who enlisted merely for money, and soon deserted to enlist again.
1887. Illustrated London News, May 14, 552, 1. In the Civil War in America between the Northern and Southern States, BOUNTY-JUMPING, or enlisting, and obtaining the bounty in several regiments, and then deserting, rose to the dignity of a fine art.
