destined for the tented field …
Here are a couple articles from a Democrat newspaper in the Finger Lakes area of New York State that warn about the coming draft of July 1863. The stories support a couple points made by James McPherson in his discussion [1] of the Conscription Act of 1863: the draft was based on Congressional District and implemented by federal provost marshals; Democrats used the idea that conscription was the means aboltionists were using to free the slaves as a way to fire up their base. Emancipation and Conscription were two highly partisan issues.
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in 1863:
The Draft at Hand.
It is authoritatively announced that drafting will immediately commence in all the loyal States. Indeed the law is already being enforced in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, States that really are behind their neighbors in sending their proportion of soldiers to the field. It does not yet appear how many troops will be conscripted, but taking the number called for from Rhode Island as a basis, it will not fall short of 300,000. Of this number New York would furnish 96,000, or almost one third the entire force required. from this force allowance will be made for the militia sent into the field for the present emergency. This will not, however, materially reduce the number to be conscripted, and those who come in under the first call should immediately prepare to abandon home and all its endearments for a life on the tented field. The LINCOLN officials demand the sacrifice and there seems to be no escape. Northern men, according to the “powers that be,” must be conscripted to aid in freeing Southern negroes from their masters.
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in July, 1863:
There can be no question but what we shall have a conscription in this Congressional District, and that too, without delay. The enrollment has been completed, and everything is in readiness for the conscription board to put the machinery of this infernal bill in operation. Of course none but Lincoln’s minions know anything about the enrollment, whether it has been conducted fairly or not. We do not believe it has. – Others, however, may think different. There can be but one way to avoid the conscription, and that is by immediately enlisting in the National Guard. The draft has already taken place in the Sixteenth Congressional District of this State.
… to free the Southern negroes
- [1]McPherson, James M. The Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989. Print. pages 600-611.↩
