Because the early volunteers had only engaged for short terms, and the armies needed reinforcing.
Even though Lee had already surrendered, and President Lincoln had delivered a speech urging a speedy peace process, the conscription laws of the Union remained intact. On April 13th, President Lincoln officially ended the Union draft.
The draft laws of the Union, often called conscription acts were begun in 1863 due to shortages in voluntary recruits in the North. On April 13, 1865, President Lincoln ended the draft.
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.
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.
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.
maybe
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.
Only 50,000 Union troops were enlisted on the basis of the draft laws. The Union states continued to raise troops who were volunteers.
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.
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.
Because they both needed men in a hurry.
Even though Lee had already surrendered, and President Lincoln had delivered a speech urging a speedy peace process, the conscription laws of the Union remained intact. On April 13th, President Lincoln officially ended the Union draft.
The Union draft laws began in 1863 and were controversial to say the least. Despite the fact that the war was all but over, President Lincoln officially ended the draft on April 13, 1865.
Well, honey, the main difference between the draft laws of the Union and the Confederacy was that the Confederacy implemented conscription much earlier in the game, while the Union took its sweet time getting on that bandwagon. Also, the Confederacy exempted certain groups like overseers and planters, while the Union was like "nah, everyone's gotta serve." So basically, one side was all about that early bird special, while the other side was like "equality for all...except y'all exempt rich folks."
The draft laws of the Union, often called conscription acts were begun in 1863 due to shortages in voluntary recruits in the North. On April 13, 1865, President Lincoln ended the draft.
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.