How did the Union try to gain new recruits to the US military?

Answer 1

Chuck just about covers it. To begin with the administration relied on the loyal northern States to recruit men and muster them into Union service. This worked to begin with and in the very early days they were significantly over subscribed, more men rushed to volunteer than the State or private benefactors could equip. Soon the Federal govt couldn't arm or kit them out either and many were turned away. The massive losses of the first year and as Chuck mentions short term enlistments expiring led to a need for men. This time Lincoln asked for a quarter of a million volunteers to enlist for three years or the duration which ever was shorter. This quota was also filled, though with some what less alacrity than in the earlier phases of the war which was now well into its second year. From here on the Federal govt was reduced to the same methods of recruitment as all nation states of the period. Namely a draft, which was fiercely resisted in some quarters, especially New England and New York. Bounties were indeed payed to encourage the intinerent to enlist and in counter point fee's could be paid to avoid service. The wealthy literally paying the cost of a proxy to fight for them if they were balloted for the draft. This was also sorely resented by those unable to pay for a proxy and not inclined to serve in the Union army although selected by the ballot to be drafted. The paying of bounties always a dubious way to recruit motivated men led instead to the habit of enlisting for a bounty before deserting only to enlist somewhere else and receive another bounty, "Bounty Jumping". However the Union never experienced the chronic shortages of manpower suffered by the Confederacy, there was a significantly larger population in the North whose young men remained willing to enlist for the cause as they came of age. It should be noted that the current penchant for describing these young Union soldiers as Crusaders against slavery is a later embellishment. While it is true that the defeat of the CSA did indeed bring about the end of North American slavery the average northern soldier if asked why he was fighting would most likely reply, "to preserve the Union" or even, "because those Southerners wanted a fight of course we should give them one". If one was to praise them for being willing to risk their live to free the slaves, they would look somewhat bemused and after spitting out a wad of chewin tobaccy say, "Well now mister, I wouldn't give a dollar nor march as far as that there fence post to free a bunch of darkies". They just didn't believe that was what the war was about. Ironically the same misconception was held by their enemies across the Mason Dixon line. Confederates didn't admit to fighting in order to maintain their peculiar institution but would go to their deaths in battle swaring they did so to defend the right of their State to leave the Union if it chose so to do. Finally, the last source of soldiers was prisoner exchanges. This had the advantage of releasing a fully trained and often experienced veteran for the Army and there was no shortage of prisoners too exchange. For the first two years the balance was firmly in favour of the South their armies having taken considerable numbers of prisoners. However it wasn't long before the wiser heads in Washington realised that these exchanges good for morale though they were would have to stop. As we have illustrated the Confederate South was chronically short of men and although it might not be easy, the North could still comfortably recruit the men it needed, the South however could not! The loss of the prisoner exchanges was a severe blow to the South, they literally ran out of men and later in the war with their position growing weaker all the time the burden of feeding and guarding the Union POW's became a huge drain on the almost non-existant resources of the CSA. It is unsurprising then to note that the Death Rate of Federal prisoners of war in Confederate custody was horrendous. The likely conditions they would face were not unknown to the Union troops fighting the war, one wonders how many refused to consider surrender and fought to the bitter end rather than head off into captivity and likely death at the hands of a Confederate administration that was incapable of feeding its own people never mind prisoners. Yee Haa

Answer 2

During the first two years of the US Civil War, the Union army had begun to diminish. he cause was a combination of short term enlistments, sickness and disease, and desertion. To remedy this the Lincoln Administration had a few choices. Draft measures could be passed in Congress or bounties could be given to men who volunteered to serve in the armed forces. The Union tried both methods. The draft placed a nine month time of enlistment and then be eligible to receive a $100 bonus if they enlisted for three years. This measure was the Militia Act of 1862.