The Draft in the Civil War
(Nast, "The Campaign in Virginia, - On To Richmond!")
During the beginning times of our nation, our military was recognized as undersized. As a result, during the American Civil War, the Unites States first employed national conscription. The U.S. Congress passed an act known as the Militia Act of 1862. This act allowed for a state to enforce a draft if solely volunteer members did not meet the amount of men needed to fight.
Because this act was unsuccessful, in March of 1863, Congress passed the National Enrollment Act (Lincoln, 2002). This pronounced act is the considered the first authentic conscription law that involved the entire nation. It subjected all single men between age 20 and 45, and married men up to age 35, to a draft by way of a lottery system (Tracey, 2006). Revision of the act was necessary due to ineffectiveness, so the Conscription Act of 1864 was passed, which expanded the age range to men between 17 and 50. What a wide age range!
Because this act was unsuccessful, in March of 1863, Congress passed the National Enrollment Act (Lincoln, 2002). This pronounced act is the considered the first authentic conscription law that involved the entire nation. It subjected all single men between age 20 and 45, and married men up to age 35, to a draft by way of a lottery system (Tracey, 2006). Revision of the act was necessary due to ineffectiveness, so the Conscription Act of 1864 was passed, which expanded the age range to men between 17 and 50. What a wide age range!
By paying the government $300 or hiring a substitute, one could buy their way out of this draft. I can see how these loop holes would cause controversy, considering they were usually not pertinent to the working class or impoverished men. As a result of this draft, about two percent of the Union soldiers were draftees and an additional six percent were substitutes that were paid by men who were originally drafted. From 1864 until early 1865, draftees accounted for about one-third of the Confederate armies east of the Mississippi River (Chambers II).
It is said that government officials, who could clearly see there were manpower shortages, regarded drafting as the only means of sustaining an effective army. They intentionally hoped it would spur voluntary enlistments. Contrary to their intentionality, it frustrated the public because they concluded that the draft only impaired their rights and freedom. Coinciding with this view, the volunteer members of the military claimed that resistant men produced disappointing soldiers anyways (Faust, 2002).
It is said that government officials, who could clearly see there were manpower shortages, regarded drafting as the only means of sustaining an effective army. They intentionally hoped it would spur voluntary enlistments. Contrary to their intentionality, it frustrated the public because they concluded that the draft only impaired their rights and freedom. Coinciding with this view, the volunteer members of the military claimed that resistant men produced disappointing soldiers anyways (Faust, 2002).