Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1863-11-06
The Operations of the Oraft.
Report of the Provost Marsh n
e..nc:,i Frye.
PRovosr AL-GENERALs OFrics, I
WASHINGTON, u. c., Oct. 10Th.

w AsiIINGTON, II. -, oCh lStts }
StR:-l have the honor to report, tor your
information, certain general facts connected
with the draft, as shown by reports made up
to this time
The machinery for executing the enrol
ment act is in complete working order. The
law as it stands cannot BE- made to develop
the entire military strength OF the nation,
and the execution of 1t has been rendered
exceedingly difficult by the efforts made IN
various WAYS 10 resist or eyadc it, or to es-
care from its operation. Its fruits, there.
fore, are not as abundant rs they will be
from perfected law and more thoroughly
established system OF executing it. All the
advantages however, which could reasonably
/ have been expected from the law are accru.
lns. Its general prir pes distribute the
| burdens Of military service fairly among
those liable - hear them, but there is per
/ hais more generosity than business in some
/ of its humane provisions. With certain
notifications, which can readily he made b.
] Congress, the military strength of the cOun-
I try may, by the direct and indirect opera
tion of this act, be surely and chcaply brot
/ into the field. Several of the Western
/ States have not been subjected 10 the present
! draft on account of the excess of volunteers
heretofore furnished, and from the same
cause the quotas in other Western States
are rendered quite small the present draft
is. therefore, but 4 partial one, AMI no spe-
ci6c total was ta5lished as the quota for
it.
OF those drawn in the present draft, in
Guiding the 30 per cent additional, over so
per cent have reported in accordance with
the orders OF the board. OF the - per cent
who have not reported, many are not wiliul
deserters, being unayoiiibly absent at sea
and the like The dcscrters are being ar
/ rested. OF all examined about 30 per cent
have been exempted on account Of physical
disability, about 80 per cont have been tx
empted under the provisions Of the second
section of the act, or found not liable 10
military duty on account OF alicnaSe. I'M
I suita 1lcnrss OF age, nuu-rcsldents, &c.-
Those who are not liable to military duty,
and form no part OF III, national forces, and
therefore have been crrOncously enrolled, ap-
pear in the general reports Of the boards
among those exempted, because their non
ability to serve could not be established I'M
I'll they came before the boards. The NUN.
Der of exemptions Is thus made t. appear
much larger than it really is. About ~
per cent OF the men examined have been
/ held to service, and have either entered the
army in person. furnished substitutes. or
paid Communication. About one-half OF those
/ held to service have paid Communication of
/ tie remainder about onc-third have gone in
person, and two.thirds have furnished cub.
sttutcs, and all except few in transit and
a small proportion oil deScrtcrs from among
the earlier substitutes accepted, are in the
ranks Of their regiments in front of the
enemy. Il is fair u suppose that most OF
those who willully tail t. report, and thu.
become descrtcrs. are physically ft for ser
vice , il they hal been examined ,hc proper
ton exempted f7r physical disability w6all
havs been reduced 10 atoat = per cent =
The proportion Of * mptions would be still
Iafth=r reduced b purSlns the curolmen;
lists beI8Te draft q all c,r- of manifest I'm
fitness, aud Of ali lis and others not liable 10
military daty, aS may b. tome where thl.
system Of raising troops is well established.
HE propositions ah7Ye given are b..sd upon
the reports up u this time from the seventy
thr e Congressional districts " here the draft
has been comFletel IT has IN st III asly up
preached CONF len ~.
Since the present rsbalii5n bs.in. about
two hundred td5G> .ni soldiers. after enter
Ing service, have hasn discharged on sur
GsJn 5 certificate 4 disability 1t Is pr Tia
be that at east one half OF shetn wcro IN.
fit for service wren received. /, may b3
slfly stis that t3fty millions OF money va.
Usalessy expru,!cI Ia h7in.In. them into the
field 10 say nothing of t!e sab, a cent *.
pensa - the = yerHHtnt. la Gr.at Britain.
under tn system .. Voluntary eniii,tme3ts.
the reflections average over - per cent l.
France. from ISL 70 lo42, the average mum.
her o! exemptions annually WAS 81 500 s.
that. Il secure tn contingent OF 81 ,o0U
n,n. Ia ) ~ clnscrip,s wer- annually ex
aminel. OF the recruits who Vr santed
thems Ives for enlistment IL our regular army
, IN ls32, 20 per cent were rejected for physi
cal lnlirmitics, exclusive Of age or stature
Between lst January and lst J ally last more
: than one halt were rejected. These were
men who desired To be accepted. These pro
portions are OF interest in connection viii
the fact that ls,s than ohc-thri of tb,
drafted men who desire not Il be accepted
have been exempted ON account Of physical
unttuesS.
There have been but few cases of incom
potency, fraud, neglect, or abuse in the ex.
animation OF drafted men These men hav,
however, in many ways been Swinilcd b,
I rogues having no connection with the board.
of enrolment. as, for example. the fact tina,
certain drafted men were physically unfit foi
service has become known 10 these sharpers
when ii was perhaps not known 20 the men
themselves, but they have 81 far imposed
upon tue ignorance Or cre1ulIty OF the draft.
ed men rs to get from them sums Of money
to secure an exemption to which the rogue.
knew they were entitled and would surely