Conscription in the Union and Confederacy

     It was first passed by Congress during the Civil War, it required men between the ages of 20 to 45 to register. From there they would be drafted into the military, allowing no room for refusal. In the Confderacy, the difference was in the age requirements, from 18 to 35. In the Union, men could be exempt from being drafted it they were in the wealthier class while men could be exempt in the Confederacy if they labored away in the industries and factories, as the South was having a shortage of resources. Drafting was advantageous to both sides, as men became more and more reluctant to lay down their life during a futile battle so drafting was a fine method to gather more troops. However, there would be no guarantee that these men would be physically or mentally able to carry out the demands of the constant battles.

     The following is a video presenting the impact the drafting of troops had on the course of the war:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcHD4GuKEm8