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The End of the Civil War Draft
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 17, 2014
Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865, were previously featured here on the blog on 2 May 2011.
After the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee at Appomattox on 9 April 1865, it became increasing obvious that the draft was no longer needed to supply men for the army.
The following commentary appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 29 April 1865:
THE END OF THE DRAFT
For the gratification of that important portion of the adult male population which is yet upon the sunny side of forty-five years, we take great pleasure in announcing that the suspension of the draft, which was announced shortly after the capitulation of Lee’s army, is becoming more thoroughly assure. The Provost Marshal’s department has ordered the discharge of drafted men in barracks, or who have been drawn and not yet reported. instructions have been sent to the Surgeons of the Board of Enrollment that it is extremely probable that they will soon be honorably discharged from further official connection with the Provost Marshal’s Bureau. They are, therefore, ordered to carefully and accurately prepare their monthly medical reports of recruits and substitutes, drafted and enrolled men, and their final report of the draft to include the 30th day of April 1865, and forward them punctually on the last day of the present month to the Provost Marshal-General’s office. There will, therefore, soon be a diminution in the number of surgeons under employment by the Government. The Commissioners of Enrollment, it is to be presumed, will also be soon discharged. The Provost Marshals may remain in service longer, as they are guardians of the peace in military districts. In New York these officers are retrenching their expenses by giving up the offices which they have rented, several of them removing to the same building. The clerks are also being reduced in number, and it is evident that very important reductions in the expenses of the army are to be made all over the country.
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The news article on the end of the draft is from the on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
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