Tag Archives: Conscription

home of the free

Posted on July 12, 2013 by SUMPTER

oh, Canada From the Richmond Daily Dispatch July 9, 1863: Results of drafting in the North. The Old Guard, of New York, gives the following specimen of the process of drafting in Michigan: “Of forty-one men drafted in Clinton county, … Continue reading →

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“names ticketed and boxed”

Posted on July 11, 2013 by SUMPTER

… the almost universal expression is that of satisfaction and acquiescence in the wisdom and propriety of the measure. Especially if you can find a substitute or come up with $300 for the IRS From The New-York Times July 11, … Continue reading →

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infernal machinery

Posted on July 9, 2013 by SUMPTER

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 … Continue reading →

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Draft trumps geometry

Posted on June 3, 2013 by SUMPTER

How do you beat the Confederate strategy of using interior lines to concentrate its troops at any threatened point? The New-York Times says to use overwhelming numbers at multiple points simultaneously. The Conscription Act of 1863 is conveniently giving the … Continue reading →

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Where’s that draft?

Posted on April 22, 2013 by SUMPTER

Right on Time According to this editorial Congress did a great job timing the implementation of the Enrollment Act because it takes time to set up a new bureaucracy. If there is an emergency in the meantime, the volunteer spirit … Continue reading →

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Sambo and Coffee

Posted on March 26, 2013 by SUMPTER

A Democratic Party oriented newspaper maintained that blacks would have to be drafted to fight for their freedom. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in March 1863: Drafting the Negroes. All the highly colored stories concerning negro volunteers at … Continue reading →

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War power to ya

Posted on March 6, 2013 by SUMPTER

Inter arma leges silent. As the 37th Congress closed on March 4, 1863 Northerners were aware that Congress had recently granted the President greatly increased power in order to put down the rebellion and restore the Union. Both the New … Continue reading →

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Non-exempt

Posted on February 26, 2013 by SUMPTER

Actions speak louder than “animus” One of the weaknesses of the Confederate conscription acts is said to have been widely abused exemptions. Here a Confederate judge decided against two native Virginians who claimed exemption on the ground that they were … Continue reading →

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Jeff didn’t build that

Posted on February 5, 2013 by SUMPTER

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch February 5, 1863: To the Confederate Congress. Repeal the whole exemption law passed October, 1862; you will thereby add 100,000 more men to the army. Your provise [proviso?] against extortion is not worth a cent. … Continue reading →

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Keystone Cops

Posted on November 16, 2012 by SUMPTER

Provost Guard has its work cut out for it at Camp Curtin. Richmond’s Daily Dispatch says the removal of native Pennsylvanian George McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac has caused an increase in the turbulence at Camp … Continue reading →

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