Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-01-29


$50
1t will be seen that the number Of men
failing to report is $50. This Report is
dated December 3lst, 1868 Since that
time few men have reported some have
paid communication, a few have been cx-
emptcd, few furnished substitutes, so
that up to this time. and while the list of
the absentees has been in the hands of the
printers, the number who have reported,
paid communication, orfurnished substitutes.
exceeds nine hundred. 1t will be noticed
by those who will take the pains to look at
the map Of this district. that it is peculiar
" situated. being very large, and embrac-
ing te0 thirds of the Seaeoast of the
State. Within the limits Of this district
there are some one hundred and fifteen
towns and plantations, and half as many
islands. upon which men reside who were
enrolled. OF course, Il large proportion of
the men drafted from a district thus situat-
ed, must be scattering men, and conse
quently most of the time absent from
home. l know of repeated instances of
men who were drafted in August, that were
in India or China, at the time, or who have
not been at home for year or two. Still,
men are almost daily reporting themselves,
as they return from sea. How can draft
in a district that has sea-faring popula-
ton like the 9Th, be closed as soon rs in a
district that is more compact, and has a
more stationary class of citizens.
1t is claimed by the officers composing
the Board, that the expense attending the
draft and the business of the Provost
Marshal's Office has been as light as in any
district of the State. As many men have
reported and either procured substitutes or
gone into service or paid Communication mon
ey, as any district in the State. Indeed,
we feel proud of the 9TH district, and the
alacrity, and manifest good temper with
which the drafted ulen have met the call
made upon them. Where is the district,
where all have done well, or that under
all the adverse surrounding circumstances
can show better record We believe
the Government, will give the 9Th district
credit for doing its duty, and will also, take
into consideration our situation, and not
consider that all the men who are now re-
ported as absentees, are deserters or ske-
daddlers. We have some such, it is true,
but large majority of this class, are ne
cessarily absent, and will report in time.
There is another fact to be taken into
consideration The iniatiatory proceedings
of the draft, such as enrolling the men, had
to be done in such haste, that many mac
euracies must necessarily have occurred
Men are enrolled in some districts that did
not really have legal residence there
Again: there are many men who follow
the sea, that it is really difficult to asccr-
tain where they have residence. All
these men are enrolled somewhere, and
they may be wrongly located. There are
a hundred surrounding circumstances at
tending the enrolling, drafting, examining
and mastering men into the service, which
prevents the business being closed up in
minute, or with satisfactory accuracy. 1T
is sum which will leave remainder, if
You work it until your slate is covered with
figures.
20 The troops at Knoxville are enlsting
with great enthusiasm. There is some
thing inspiring in the thought of these he
roes who are now half naked. barefoot and
poorly fed Ton account of the difficulty of
forwarding supplies thither) voluntarily en-
tering the service Of their country again.
One of the Generals commanding at Knox
vile in referring to these things, with emo
tions which almost choked his utterance,
declared that he had never witnessed (
more impressive sight than these shiyering,
tat:ered soldiers pressing toward their re-
spectiyc headquarters TO re-euroll their
names for the war. .'If this is not patri- /
otism," said he, lit is the nearest thing to
il which have seem"