Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-12-18
The Rebel ConscriptiOn and the Federal
Draft.

The Rebel Consumption a.d the Federal
Draft. T
A correspondent of the Boston Journal writ
ing from Ship Island, Miss, communicates an
order which he took from one of the seven
refugees who had Just escaped to that Island,
The order was as follows;
v "Bnoxi, Harrison Co., Nov. lS 1862.
Mr.. p. Cannon:
Sir: You are ordered TO report to Camp
Nayes, one mile north of Staples Mil, Wolf
river, on the 2Sth instant, with blanket and
three days ratcns, to be enrolled as con-
script, or you will be considered deserter.
- JOHN CAvANAuGH,
oAPs. and enrolling officer for c. s. Army"
\ y, Each of the refugees had similar docu-
HAsat They made their escape in the night
rom Biloxi in small skiH, rowing fourteen
niles to reach the island. More would have
sssne had the boat been large enough.
1t is evident, says the Journal, from this
saAd other facts Of like character which have
ben made public, that the rebel authorities
.1are determined to prosecute the war with vigor
-ssd desperate determination. They are en-
,ys;nIg conscripts on a scale which is unparal
lo1ed in the history Of the world, and will fill
p their shattered and broken ranks once more.
We must meet them with some part of the
uAxne vigol, aose~-~i~"tinn and selfsacrihce or
The sacrifices of treasure and precious blood
that we have already made will have been
.xade in vain" eaa4
With what kind of vigor has it been met 2
The message of the Governor of Connecticut
Just delivered shows that out of 42l2 men
drafted in that state, only rs, and l42 substi-
tutes, were mustered IN, and of these 81 de-
serted, leaving 1877 as the net result of draft
Of 1912 men In Pennsylvania the number
of drafted men who have failed to report for
duty, added to those who deserted, is estimated
nj from eight TO ten thousand. In New York
'tho draft seems to be indefinitely postponed
with a large number of her quota not made up.
In Maryland the whole crowd of drafted men
skedaddled. In Massachusetts the draft has |
been delayed from time to time to allow that
state to make up her quota by volunteers, a
seurse due to that gallant state, if to any, but
dangerous to be pursued towards any, it would
seem, when troops are imperatively needed.
Yet such postponements have been frequently
made IN other states for apparently trivial
reasons, and the whole matter seems to have
been conducted in a manner devoid of system
and vigor. Even if, as has been suggested, it
accomplished what was intended by hurrying up
snllstments; such course is unjust towards
those states, which promptly filled their quotas
and sent their soldiers into the field, while
it also appears to the world, however it was
brought about, an evident contrast, especially
for the good and righteous cause in which we
oel'e'e we are engaged, to the energy and
A'''' ''''''"''0' which the rebel leaders infuse
INTO all their Vaccinations, in bad one. The
Springfield Republican says upon this subject,
- III bne government snail heeu 10 relHloTCe It's |
armies again---as it must before many months
unless we reach some definite military results
we hope there will be a genuine draft, and
that the war department will fix the time and
mode of it, and that it viii be put through with
the authority of live government, conscious
Of its right to use the power it possesses and
shat it is using it for rghttul ends"
We hope that such victories of our armies
and navy are at hand as will prevent the neces-
sity of another draft. But if it should come,
then in justice to those states which do their
duty promptly, and more especially for the
sake fthe cause in which all the loyal states
are engaged, it should be no farce.