Still pressed for soldiers, the Confederate Congress had to make another revision to their age limits for the purpose of maintaining their armies. In February of 1864 the new age limits for draftees ranged from 17 to 50.
Because the early volunteers had only engaged for short terms, and the armies needed reinforcing.
The Confederacy had lost many soldiers in the campaigns in 1863. Even their victories at Chancellorsville and Chickamauga, while damaging to the Union, caused thousands of Confederate casualties. They altered their draft laws to include seventeen year olds and men aged 46 to 50. The plans, for the most part were to have these soldiers used for local defenses.
On April 9, 1862, Confederate President Jefferson Davis requested the Confederate Senate to pass the first conscription laws. This action troubled the a number of states with strong states rights views.
With many volunteers due to end their service to the Confederate army, Major General James Longstreet was summoned to Richmond to provide his input on the contemplated conscription act and new policies related to volunteer enlistments. The 1862 Confederate Conscription Act would be the first time in America that draft laws would be enacted. In 1863, the Union also passed a conscription act.
laws and principle governing changes of matter
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The 1862 Confederate draft laws caused Confederate President Jefferson Davis to suspend certain Constitutional rights as a precautionary measure. The draft was not popular with Southern citizens nor with Confederate governors. Davis was safe however, as no open rebellions occurred, as was the case in the North when they passed draft laws in 1863.
Because the early volunteers had only engaged for short terms, and the armies needed reinforcing.
There was one particular issue that caused friction between Confederate President Jefferson Davis. That issue was the Confederate draft. It needs to be remembered that on both sides of the war, state governors were responsible for recruiting volunteers. When the South was forced to pass draft laws in 1862, some Southern governors believed it was unconstitutional.
Under various conscription (draft) acts during the Civil War, the Union army drafted men ages 18-35 years old. They report that initially the Confederate army passed conscription laws to draft men ages 18-35, but later expanded the range to include men up to 45 years old, and then in 1864, expanded the age range from 17 to 50 years old.
The Confederacy had lost many soldiers in the campaigns in 1863. Even their victories at Chancellorsville and Chickamauga, while damaging to the Union, caused thousands of Confederate casualties. They altered their draft laws to include seventeen year olds and men aged 46 to 50. The plans, for the most part were to have these soldiers used for local defenses.
The Confederate secretary of war was George Randolph. He is given credit for the successful operation of the South's draft laws. He also made revisions to the law to make it more acceptable. This was significant in that the Southern governors believed the draft was not a proper method to make the military stronger.
Congress followed with the Union Draft Law of 1863 making every male citizen between twenty and forty-five years. In both the North and the South the principle behind the draft laws was the same.
the Union and Confederacy institute drafts because men 18-35 had to serve for 3 yrs, later 17-50, and if he couldnt afford it, he would have to hire a substitute, to serve for him. then later if a man had 20+ slaves, he did not have to serve. hope this helps ?
The Union draft law allowed conscripts to pay a substitute to do their service for them. This was disastrous for morale. It also had a serious flaw: who were these substitutes? Obviously men who had been rejected first time round, or had been dodging the draft. Very few of these substitutes saw useful service in the front line.
Conscription.
Jefferson Davis, as the President of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, oversaw the implementation of various laws aimed at supporting the Confederate war effort. Key legislation included the establishment of a draft in 1862, which mandated military service for able-bodied men, and the creation of the Confederate currency system to finance the war. Additionally, he signed laws that authorized the seizure of property and resources for military use and regulated trade and commerce within the Confederacy. However, Davis' administration faced challenges in enacting consistent and effective laws due to the Confederacy's decentralized structure and ongoing military pressures.