Two of my great-great grandfathers marched south and participated in many of the battles during the War Between the States. One of them even was busted from corporal for "abusing alcohol". This might be forgiven, since it is recorded, only the Lord knows why, that he had an extremely bad case of hemorrhoids. (All you breathless readers will be glad to hear that he later was promoted to corporal again.) There were also assorted great great uncles, great great first (and other cousins) that made the trek south for around 4 years to free the slaves. The descendents of my relatives that went south, became sick, and were subsequently discharged from the army will receive a reduced amount of money from the descendents of the freed slaves.
It is difficult to determine what compensation the freed slaves descentant's should pay to me as a descendent of the Union army privates and corporals that freed them. I do know that my great great grandads lost a great deal of money doing this because they were not available to plant crops in the rich western Pennsylvania farmlands which they owned and farmed on the side of one of ridges which run through the area. I would judge that the income lost total at least $400 each for the years that they were gone. That sum put an interest for about 140 years (at 6%)would also be a just compensation in addition the the service(s) of freeing the ancestors of those now asking for compensation.
I may be contacted through the Free Republic in anyone desires to begin making payments to me or any of my relatives. I am also available to help distribute those payments to elgible relatives.
These are comparatively small sacrifices on my part when considering the effort that my ancesters made to free the slaves.