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$300 Substitute Commutation Related Archive Documents, Union Army Military Draft

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:2,800.00 - 3,200.00 USD
$300 Substitute Commutation Related Archive Documents, Union Army Military Draft
Civil War Union Documents
Union Army Military Service Draft and $300 Substitute “Commutation” Related Documents Archive
Buying the Substitute Soldier Archive Collection of Three (3) Rare Union Civil War-date Draft and Substitute “Commutation” related Documents, all Very Fine.
Archive Collection of Three Rare Union Civil War-date Draft and Substitute “Commutation” related Documents, all Very Fine. This historic Civil War Archive includes:

1. August 25, 1862-Dated, Partly-Printed Document Signed on fine official letterhead for, “Office of the United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” made out for Charles A. Besson measuring 4” x 7” and reads, in part: “... That you have been enrolled as a citizen within the Sixth Precinct of the Eighth War of the County of Philadelphia... liable to Military Service...”.

2. September 2, 1864-Dated, Rare “PEYSER, DRAKE & CO. RECRUITING AGENTS. PORTSMOUTH, N.H.”, Partly-Printed Document Signed by Abraham Rose, with his “X” mark, measuring 4” x 7.25”, being a very nice and rare official “Substitute” Soldier Document Form, at Seabrook, New Hampshire, and reads in part: ”... Pay Mr. Elishu Dow... the sum of three hundred dollars due me from the Town of Seabrook on account of having been mustered into the United States Service for three years a Substitute...”. Complete with attached 5¢ U.S. George Washington Internal Revenue Stamp with manuscript cancel “Sept 2, 1864” and Signed with initials and his “X” mark “A R” (Abraham Rose). Bright yellow color attached paper star seal at lower right, being very clean, well printed and bold on wove period paper. Extremely Rare.

3. February 6, 1865-Dated, Manuscript Document Signed by Edward Love, at Seabrook, New Hampshire, measuring 4” x 7.75” with manuscript cancel deep blue 2¢ George Washington U.S. Internal Revenue “Bank Check” Stamp on lightly lined wove period paper. This Document reads, in full:

“Seabrook Feb 6, 1865 -- Received of the Town of Seabrook, Three Hundred Dollars as a Bounty the Town voted to pay any enrolled man that would enlist in the military or naval service of the United States agreeably tot he call of the President dated Dec 19, 1864. - (Signed) Edward A Love” - Endorsed on the blank reverse, “Edward A Love - $300”.

An important, very historic Collection of Three Rare diverse Union Army and Navy Civil War-date Draft and Substitute “Commutation” related Documents. (3 items)
The Enrollment Act, 12 Stat. 731, enacted March 3, 1863, also known as the Civil War Military Draft Act, was a legislation passed by the United States Congress during the American Civil War to provide fresh manpower for the Union Army.

A form of conscription, the controversial act required the enrollment of every male citizen and those immigrants who had filed for citizenship between ages twenty and forty-five. Federal agents established a quota of new troops due from each congressional district. In some cities, particularly New York City, enforcement of the act sparked civil unrest as the war dragged on, leading to the New York City draft riots on July 13–16. It replaced the previous Militia Act of 1862.

The policies of substitution and commutation were controversial practices that allowed drafted citizens to opt out of service by either furnishing a suitable substitute to take the place of the draftee or paying $300. Both provisions were created with the intention of softening the effect of the draft on pacifists, the antidraft movement, and the propertied classes.

The result however was general public resentment of both policies. The two practices were major points of contention among the general public and led directly to the slogan "rich man's war, poor man's fight."

Commutation (paying $300 to escape the draft) was created in an effort to keep substitution prices low. If commutation were not instated, the price of a substitute would have quickly soared past $300. Also, commutation was intended to raise money for the war effort. While commutation raised war funds, it was often a criticism of the draft that it was better at raising money than troops.

The rationalization for commutation was that unwilling troops were ineffective so the government might as well extract funds from the unwilling if it got poor service. Despite the good intentions behind commutation, it was one of the most hated policies of the war.