New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-08-25
Town Topics

Drafting in 1917 for the Great War
and drafting in 1S61-1S65 for the
Civil War were conducted along en-
tirely different lines and according
to old local residents who have wit
messed the operation of both, the
twentieth century system is eminent
ly more fair than that in vogue flfty
years ago. During the civil war
drafting in New Britain the names of
all men obtainable were collected,
placed in a barrel, shuffled and then
drawn. 1t made no difference then If
man was married and had sixteen
dependents, he had to go If drafted
and passed by the doctors. Likewise
it MADE no difference it he was the
most. sklllful mechanical genius en-
p1oyed IN the manufacture of arms or
munitions. If drafted he had to go.
Today all is different. An almost
complete list of all men is obtained
and their numbers are drawn in an
eminently fair manner. Then they
are selected according to their abiH-
ty to serve and the working of the
least hardship on the majority Thus
a mechanical genius may be kept at
his lathe as more valuable to the
government and a married man may
be kept at home to provide for his
dependents and prevent them from
becoming public charges.
Fifty years ago if a man thought he
was unjustly drafted he had but one
recourse-to flee to Canada or go into
hiding. Today he may appeal to the
local or district boards and be as
sured that the merits of his case will
be considered. In the Civil War If
a drafted man had ample means he
could purchase a substitute to take
his place. Today the richest must
do his bit with the poorest and no
substitutes can be secured. In proof
thereof is the case of Kingdom Gould
Of New York, or Harold Lee Judd Of
this city, young millionaires num-
bered in the draft who are taking
their places with others from all
walks of life. In the huge vault in
the city clerks Office is little draw
er filled with faded and dusty papers,
papers that tell, in many cases, of
privations and sufferings here a half
century ago. This drawer, simply
labeled war 1861 to s." has prob
ably not been opened in quarter
of century but a glimpse at it's con-
tents may at this time be interesting
to New Britaln1tes:
A statement issued from the state
headquarters on August 20, 1852, just
fifty-five years ago today, shows the
schedule of the quotas Of troops re-
.quired of the several towns in the
state under President Lincoln's calls
for 100000 and 100000 three years
volunteers and 100000 nine months
militia. This report shows the New
IN m hox
been SAT men, and on the calls for
100000 men the towns quota was 227.
The 1862 enrolment was $50 men and
aggregate quota on all calls was thus
1924 The town did furnish on the call
for 100000 men a quota of 2O4, leav-
ING 100 more needed. Berlin had 26S
men enrolled in 1851 and was called
upon to give 1877. This place gave SO
leaving 68 more needed. Other musty
papers show drafted men during the
Civil War paying as high as 5000 for
substitute and other receipts on
file show that many men were urged
to enlist by being paid bounties of
500, $3.50 and $500. When a drafted
man hired substitute he was dis
charged from the draft as soon as the
substitute was enlisted and numerous
blanks like the following indicate
that substitutes could be secured:
"Hartford Conn, Jan. 10th, 1868.
81 hereby certify that -- -
has this day enlisted into the
Service of the United States, has
been mustered into the service for
three years as substitute for -
and is credited to the quota
Of the town of New Britain
"Apollos Fem,
dept. Provost Marshal First
District of Connecticut"
Other records show men enlisting
| and securing a bounty of 800 or so
signing an order to transfer the
| amount to their parents, wives, or
children. There also are many letters
written around the Union campfires on
southern fields, some from as far away
as New Orleans and Baton Rouge, by
New Britain soldiers asking the town
clerk, selectman or other officials to
| care for their dependent wives, moth
ers or children. Some of these war
! time letters, written by men who were
| subsequently killed in action or by
! men who survived and who later re-
turned home and subsequently became
we'll known citizens, reflect the dark
days Of the war and an earnest desire
| for an early peace.
| 1t certainly would make a whole lot
of American citizens feel a whole lot
| better if the exemption board can find
| some method whereby the eligible
! aliens, seeking exemptions because
they are foreign subjects, are brought
! to time and made to fight for either
! their own land or this one. The
thought of these foreigners accepting
all of the privileges without sharing
any of the responsibilities is most
| distasteful to the true Americans.
| What has become of the recent agi-
! tation of the Liberty-Forests street res
| ido,ats Tho uollld have entire