The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-01-20
The Draft.
IMPORTANT LETTER FROM PROVOST MAR
SHAL FRY.


draft, Provost Marshal General Fry makes
the following explanation
AS betor said, the object of the present
call is to raise 100000 men, aud they
will he rrqrired from the different Iocall-
ties in proportion to the number enrolled,
and the number which such localities were
deficient, Or in excess, under the call for
100000.
Tins principle was announced from the
Provost Marshal Generals Bureau when
the quotas under the call for 500 600
were announced, or about that timu, (see
opuioD Of Solicitor of War Department.
herewith and the benefits that would re-
suit from three years eullstments, and the
law governing tie subject explained. To
secure three years men the government
offered three hundred dollars bounty, and
paid but che hundred to one years mel !;
municipal authorities generally contribu-
ted local boun'ies in similar proportion.
The law having provided that the Pc
RODS Of service heretofore furnished should
be considered in assigning quotas the
question then to be determined is ct
what time shall the credit be applied?
As it is impossible to follow the fortune
of each individual soldier, and reckon
the period Of his actual service, it follows
that either the credit for the period for
which they enlist should be given uhea
the men eater tie service, or withheld until
the expiration of the three years term.
The rule has always hen, under all calls,
that when soldier is accepted into the
service, he is received and credited for the
term of his enlistment or draft, the gov
eminent taking the responsibility that he
will serve for the full period Of his enlist
nent, aud in no ease has any locality been
called upon TO replace men lcstto the ser
vice 10y death, disability or deseriion.
Enlisimeuts for six months, nine
months, on" and two years, under torwer
calls. we're couuted as Of that term 90 en-
,ering the service, and Us such reduced to
the three yea s basis.
The period of service is rccknned as a
unit, having no fractional parts, So far as
credit is concerned soldier who cplists
for three years, and dies or is discharged
at the end of twelve months, is credited to
his sub-district as a three years mau; and
the man who enlists for one year, and is
discharged in week after enlistment is
credited asa one years man. To await the
expiration of three years, would defeat the
object of the law, and would probably delay
the draft until alter the close of the war
1t must follow then, that the amount
of credit to tie given is, and always has
been, dependent upon the period for which
the soldier enters the service. When a
district presents an acceptable recruit for
three years, and he is received as such by
the government, that district has done all
1t cun do i'll the premises, aud the govern
ment takes the responsibility that the
solder will serve bis term of enlistment
This being admitted, the time to apply
the credit, Or to take into account the
amount of credit to which the district is
quilted, is when a settlement is made with
all the districts, with IA view to assigning
quotas under new call. This follows,
not mcr' ely rs a matter # convent, nee in
c"n putation, hut as ), matter OF necessity,
III ord' TO do exact justice to all the dit
iereni States and districts, and moreover.
is N exact urco, dance with the terms of
tie staiutr, which provides tim-
I'm assigning to the districts the mum.
! Ter ut m"u Ia be furnished lhcrirom, the
President Shall take into consideration the
number OF volunteers and militia furnish
ed by aud from the several States in which
said districts are situated, md the pcrioti
at Mir Serrice since the co,nmenrcuent
of the present rebellion aud shall 80 max,
said assignment as to equallze the num-
beers among the districts Of the several
States, considering and allowing for the
numbers already furnished as aforesaid,
and tie time Of their seruice.
Aud again sec. 2, act OF Feb. "a, 1864,
"That the quota of each ward of "a city,
town, township, precinct, or election dis
trict or of II county, where the county is
not divided into wards, towns, townships,
precincts, or election districts, shall be, as
nearly as possible, in proportion to the
number of men resident therein liable 10
military service, taxing into account, as
far as practicable, the number which has
been previously furnished therefiom."
have the honor to enclose a copy of
Circular No. l, IF 1865, which provides
that the quota, assigned uu"cr the call Of
Dccc,n! CT 10, 1864, tor 800 900 men, ar"
Dot to be reduced rxccp, by actu1l cul'st
mpnts since the 18Th Of December, 1864.
Tie rule in applying credits, is, that
they should be- deducted from the quota Of
the call that produced tI.en All men
raised since the call of Jnly IS, 1864, a'e
accredited upon tba quota under that cali,
j: the quota ~ more than filled, II is car
riei as exc. IS to the credit of the LEGAL ty
aud takeu into account in the assigmn mt
of the quota uner the call of Dere pber
IS, 1861, and provost marsh Is are IN
structe,t, that in determining the quotas ri
sui. DISTRICTS under the prescnr call they
vii! apply such excess accordingly aud
all men rails since d .ctmhrr 10, are #
course ere tied upon the cali OF that date