The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26

TO the insufficiency of the government $
preparations for winter campaign, chilled
the ardor of the people and for q time re-
tarded enlistments. The state officials never
Jagged and several fine regiments were or
ganlzed. The victories of Mill Springs. Fort
Doneison and Shiloh inspired the people.
Many believed the end was near at hand.
indications were that enlistments would be
large as spring advanced, when there was
a sudden order from the War Department
TO cease recruiting entirely.
This was most unfortunate step: After
the call in July, following the defeat in
front of Richmond, responses were slow,
but Kirby Smiths invasion of Kentucky
and threatened draft in August aroused
the latent force of the State. All quotas
were more than filled without resorting to
a draft
In response to the call of June, 1863, for
six months regiments, Indiana sent four
to East Tennessee
There has been some surprise expressed
tnat president Mckinley has called for
two years men by those who believe the
spanish war Will soon end The system
OF accepting men for short service proved
most unfortunate in the civil war, as Gov.
Morton believed it would. 1t is said that
President Mckinley is profiting by the eX
perience of those days.
Governor Morton inaugurated a system of
receptions at the expiration of the three
months volunteers. Public professions to
the fair grounds were held, followed by din
nerS TO the returned regiments The ladies
or indianapolis waited upon the soldiers at
table. The result was that the veteran regi-
mentS We're strengthened by recruits for re-
enlistment.
THE CALL FOR 300,000 MEN
In August, 1862. call for 100000 men for
nine months was made by President Lin
coln Indiana's quota under that and the
call OF July was 42,500 Oct all but
1908 men had been enlisted. That number
was drafted. Indiana, however. it is now
known, had furnished more than her quota.
If Indiana had had proper credits no drafts
would have been necessary. Under the call
OF Aug. it became necessary to enroll in
the militia every able-bodied white male
citizen over the age of eighteen and under
1orty-iye, The enrolment was made under
many uIncultleS, as some of the county
oHlcerS We're opposed to carrying on the
war. The enrollments showed the total
mn force OF the State, not including 9S-
04l volunteers then in service, to be ia 17S
exclusive of 36,03S who We're exempt from
military duties.
While the enrolment was being made
q system was devised to prevent people
leaving the State to avoid military service
Passes were issued to those about TO absent
themselves on legitimate business. Without
a pass any peron liable to draft was de-
famed until he proved he was not fugitive
from the draft. Toward the end of the
war the government adopted the policy of
aiioWlng citizens to escape the draft by
oHering substitutes or paying $500 commu-
tatlon. Governor Morton protested against
me me, $500 system. He regarded it as democrat
lzlng, ana wrote vigorous letters to the
President and secretary of war. So greatly
was the system complained Of it was re-
pealed by Congress July 4, 1854 up to which
TIME no enlistments under the CONSUMPTION
act had taken place in Indiana. During the
whole war but 7S5 persons paid communal
lions from this State, and they were what
We're known as conscientious eXempts."
Of 2S3, 367 men furnished the United States,
only 1893 were drafted. Over 5000 of this
number were drafted when the State had an
actual surplus to her credit.
During the first two years of the war
there was no difficulty in filling all calls
made, and local bountieS were not required
to stimulate volunteering In 1868 the con-
tlnuouS drain upon industrial resources be-
gan to be felt and local authorities thought
lief. Local bounties We're offered to men
who enlisted, to enable them to provide for
those dependent on them at home. A total
of 1886 was expended for local boun-
ties in this State. A total of 81, 677 1991
was paid by Marion county. Indianapolis
alone paid over $650,000. People remember
the nefarious system Of bounty jumping
that arose. A number of the worst bounty
jumpers were tried by court-martial and
three were publicly shot on the parade
grounds near Camp Morton. The severe
measures adopted suppressed the evil.
INDIANA'S ROLL OF HONOR.
The total number of troops furnished by
Indiana as shown by the records in Adjutant
General Terrells reports of 1S61-1S65 was
20S,367 men. They were organized into 129
regiments of infantry, thirteen regiments
of cavalry, one regiment of heavy artillery
and twenty-six batteries of light artillery,
beside independent companies, etc. The fol-
lowing were the terms of service: