Lincoln Lincoln Substitute?

[O' Be Joyful]

That is what I asked myself when I came across a tid-bit claiming that Abe had hired a substitute. I already knew that Theodore Roosevelt's father, John D. Rockefeller, and others had done so to avoid the draft. But Abe? Something didn't sound right.

After poking around I found sure enough he had, as a way to encourage others, who like himself were to old to serve in the army, to hire "replacements" but not to avoid the draft.

Anyway I found it interesting since it was new to me & felt others would find it so as well.

http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/01/10/...nteer-to-take-his-place-anyway/3821357838393/

The link below gives details on Abe's substitute.
http://wesclark.com/jw/sub_lincoln.html

 

[PeterT]

Interesting information. Thanks for sharing here!

 

[unionblue]

O' Be Joyful,

Thanks for taking the time and effort to post this bit of history.

I sincerely appreciate it.

YMOS,
Unionblue

 

[John Hartwell]

The story of John Summerfield Staples (1845-1888). He had served and been invalided out of Co. C, 176th Penn. He later was recruited for a second enlistment as President Lincoln's "Representative Recruit." He served less than a year when he again succumbed to illness and was discharged as disabled.
He also has a Wikipedia entry.

 

[FarawayFriend]

That is really interesting!

We had a thread here the other day, where hiring a substitute was discussed. Like many, I first thought that hiring someone else to risk his life in one's place is a form of shirking from duty, but learned that it was not always so, like it was also said here in the OP:

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/nam...d-substitutes-in-advance-of-the-draft.119891/

 

[frontrank2]

Good job!