Читать книгу Mennonites in the World War - Jonas Smucker Hartzler - Страница 38

The next day after the fall of Fort Sumpter, President Lincoln called for seventy-five thousand men to serve three months. Many of the people in the North expected that the war would be over in a month or two. Instead of that it lasted four years. So long as he simply called for volunteers the nonresistant people kept quiet and there was no trouble; but drafts were frequently made, calling for a certain number of men from each state. These were apportioned out to counties and townships.

For a certain amount of money a Whole township could be bought off. T his was frequently done, and in this the Mennonites did their full share. Substitutes could often be gotten. Some men paid a thousand dollars to have some one else to take their place. People who had conscientious scruples against war and could satisfy the recruiting officer that they were members in good standing in a non-resistant organization and lived as well as believed the doctrine could be exempt by the payment of a fine of from two to six hundred dollars each, but that only freed them until the next draft when they were liable to be drafted again.