Tag Archives: draft quotas

plus … and minus

Posted on March 29, 2014 by SUMPTER

The army reported on the number of troops it added from January 1863. A Democrat publication said the net gain needed to be adjusted for re-enlistments and lost men. From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in March 1864: The … Continue reading →

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confusing government?

Posted on February 13, 2014 by SUMPTER

On February 1, 1864 President Lincoln ordered a draft of 500,000 men. Democrat papers in upstate New York examined the president’s words to try to figure out how many previous enrollees might be credited toward the new call. I’m about … Continue reading →

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Bonds, Town Bonds

Posted on December 12, 2013 by SUMPTER

Men in Seneca Falls, New York might have been voting mostly Democratic in the early 1860’s, but citizens apparently didn’t mind issuing bonds to help pay bounties to encourage recruits for the military. People still wanted to save the Union … Continue reading →

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“monstrous fraud and swindle”

Posted on October 30, 2013 by SUMPTER

The New-York Times saw the state election in November 1863 as a chance for voters to express their support for the Lincoln election and its vigorous prosecution of the war. A Democrat paper in upstate New York saw a vote … Continue reading →

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Stay of Draft Execution?

Posted on August 7, 2013 by SUMPTER

From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in August 1863: The Draft at Home. During the past week efforts have been made to show by the official records at Albany that Seneca Falls has furnished, over and above the several … Continue reading →

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“tax ourselves”

Posted on July 24, 2013 by SUMPTER

In reviewing the Conscription Act of 1863, James M. McPherson writes that “Substitution was hallowed by tradition … The Republican architects of the draft law inserted commutation as a means of putting a cap on the price of substitutes … … Continue reading →

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draft matters

Posted on July 22, 2013 by SUMPTER

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 … 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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Quota for “imperishable honor”

Posted on August 30, 2012 by SUMPTER

Here’s a local take on the call for Union troops during the summer of 1862. The numbers for the county and its towns are precise. The stigma of possibly needing to resort to a draft to supply the quota is … Continue reading →

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