See quotations.
1875. “Bounty-jumpers,” who enlisted merely for money, and soon deserted to enlist again.—Higginson, ‘Hist. U.S.,’ p. 306. (N.E.D.)
1889. Desertion was the most prevalent in 1864, when the town and city governments hired so many foreigners, who enlisted solely to get the large bounties paid, and then deserted, many of them before getting to the field, or immediately afterwards. They had no interest in the cause, and could not be expected to have. These men were called bounty-jumpers, and, having deserted, went to some other State and enlisted again, to secure another bounty…. The greater part of these bounty-jumpers came from Canada.—J. D. Billings, ‘Hardtack and Coffee,’ pp. 161–2.
