A short cutting about a couple big topics 150 years ago this month – Gettysburg and the draft. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in July, 1863:
The 44th Regiment (Ellsworth) suffered terribly during the three days battle at Gettysburg, under MEADE. The loss in killed and wounded is very large. Among the latter is THOMPSON BARRACK of this county.
The number of men enrolled for the first class for the 24th Congressional District, including Cayuga, Seneca, and Wayne counties, is between twelve and thirteen thousand.
James M. McPherson points out,
Men eligible for the draft were divided into two classes. Class 1 included all single men and married men aged 20 to 35. Class 2 included married men over 35. Men from class 2 would not be drafted until class 1 had been exhausted. In practice, this meant virtually never.[1]
At Gettysburg The 44th NY “was posted on the left of the line and joined in the defense of Little Round Top, where it met with its greatest loss—111 killed, wounded and missing.” It is written that the total casualties might have been 106 out of 313 engaged.
44th helps defend Little Round Top
view of Little Round Top, where 44th NY suffered 33% casualties
After wound would officer Colored Troops
Hal Jespersen’s map is licensed by Creative Commons
- [1]McPherson, James M. The Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989. Print. page 600, note 20.↩
