General Thomas sent good news from Nashville
A Democrat publication wondered why, if over two million adult men voted for President Lincoln’s re-election, the President had to threaten a draft to come up with 300,000 more soldiers.
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in 1864 or early 1865:
Three Hundred Thousand More!
Notwithstanding the assurances given us by the abolition press of the country that the re-election of Mr. Lincoln, would result in immediate peace to the nation, and the consequent disbanding of our armies, the President finds it necessary to call for 300,000 more men. The demand is for volunteers to serve for one, two or three years. In case quotas are not filled by the 15th day of February next, a draft will take place to fill up all deficiencies. The President complains in his proclamation, that but 280,000 men were realized by his last call for 500,000 – partly owing to “credits allowed, in accordance with the act of Congress,” and partly on account of “the action of the enemy in certain States,” which rendered it impossible to procure from such States their assigned quotas.
We think this call for more men will not come unexpectedly to the mass of our people. The Administration has been laboring as earnestly since election to prepare the public mind for it, as as its organs did previously to divest the minds of the voters of the country of any such apprehensions, as an inducement for them to cast their ballots for Mr. Lincoln.
“General Sherman’s army entering Savannah, Georgia, December 21, 1864”
Such news, says the New York World, in refering [sic] to this subject, as we have just received from SHERMAN and THOMAS we should have supposed might have led the administration to rely on the noble and spontaneous enthusiasm of the people. If there be any honesty in the boasted ‘patriotism’ of the Loyal Leagues, any meaning in the clamorous ‘loyalty’ of the Tribune’s ‘nine hundred thousand’ men of New England, let them now be proved! To arms! The country waits to hear your martial tramp upon a thousand roads. – Volunteers! You have demanded a policy of uncompromising war! Shame, a thousand times shame upon you, if you render to that policy only the compulsory service expected by a remorseless conscription!
Apparently, back in 1862 the Tribune claimed 900,000 men would volunteer if President Lincoln issued an emancipation proclamation.
