Mobilization question

[atlantis]

The US Volunteer army and CS provisional army were unique forces not militia but not regulars and not really comparable to national guard of today.
So, in mobilizing these forces who had say in how many units were raised and inducted into national service. Did the central gov'ts tell states we need x number of infantry, light artillery, heavy artillery, calvary from your state. Or was it just chaos with each state doing what it wanted.
I am not faulting anyone this level of mobilization was something never done before in America and the country was much less centralized then.
Were lessons learned and if so, were they forgotten by time of next large mobilization WW1.

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

This is really a question for @RedRover. My hazy memory of the Union mobilization in 1861 is that when Lincoln called for volunteers after the firing on Fort Sumter, the War Department set quotas for the individual states. I do not specifically recall how prescriptive this and subsequent quotas were. I do know that some states exceeded troop quotas and as far as I can recall, tended to raise troops in whatever numbers and proportions they saw fit. It was not what I would call an efficiently run mobilization.

As for postwar, everything goes straight down the memory hole. Mobilization in the Spanish-American War is a cluster you know what. It is like nothing was learned or remembered from 1861-1865. However, we do see a promising trend in that the War Department sets Its face against the use of volunteer troops whether federal or state. After this, it asserts much stronger control over state National Guard, refuses state volunteer units and of course, introduces conscription. So, we do see some progress being made but even as late as the Second World War, American military mobilization will, in my opinion, remain a rather messy and somewhat disorganized process.

 

[leftyhunter]

The US Volunteer army and CS provisional army were unique forces not militia but not regulars and not really comparable to national guard of today.
So, in mobilizing these forces who had say in how many units were raised and inducted into national service. Did the central gov'ts tell states we need x number of infantry, light artillery, heavy artillery, calvary from your state. Or was it just chaos with each state doing what it wanted.
I am not faulting anyone this level of mobilization was something never done before in America and the country was much less centralized then.
Were lessons learned and if so, were they forgotten by time of next large mobilization WW1.

The federal government set quotes for each state and states sent recruiters to other states including occupied parts of Southern states to recruit new soldiers. States could offer bounties for volunteers. Only five percent of the Union Army was composed of draftees. Recruiting could also take place overseas.
The Confederacy used forced conscription.
Both sides would recruit POWs with the Union being more successful as most POWs aka " Galvanized Yankees' were sent to fight Indians in the West although the Third North Carolina Mounted Infantry did recruit POWs to fight in North Carolina.
Leftyhunter

 

[FZ11]

If you were in the Sunny South between the ages of 18-45/50 you were gonna fight One way or the other.

 

[major bill]

The federal government decided what units it would accept and what type of units it would accept. The federal government also formed some volunteer state regiments as well. Some cities and countries also offered bounties. Here in Michigan older teens in the reform school were offered the opportunity to serve instead of staying at the reform school.

 

[RedRover]

The US Volunteer army and CS provisional army were unique forces not militia but not regulars and not really comparable to national guard of today.
So, in mobilizing these forces who had say in how many units were raised and inducted into national service. Did the central gov'ts tell states we need x number of infantry, light artillery, heavy artillery, calvary from your state. Or was it just chaos with each state doing what it wanted.
I am not faulting anyone this level of mobilization was something never done before in America and the country was much less centralized then.
Were lessons learned and if so, were they forgotten by time of next large mobilization WW1.

The President called for 42,034 Volunteers by Proclamation on May 3, 1861.

"I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy thereof and of the militia of the several States when called into actual service, do hereby call into the service of the United States 42,034 volunteers to serve for the period of three years, unless sooner discharged, and to be mustered into service as infantry and cavalry. The proportions of each arm and the details of enrollment and organization will be made known through the Department of War."

There was a larger turnout, offering their services, than was expected, and by July, 1861, there were over 200,000 Volunteers mustered into service for three years. And more were in process of organization, etc. Some of the volunteers were raised exterior to any cooperation with the State Governors. For example, individuals were in some cases given permission by the War Department to raise volunteer corps.

In late July, Congress stepped in and added specifically legal authority to call for the volunteers, and the maximum numbers, and terms of service, pay, etc. Thereafter the process was more carefully regulation. For example when the President called for Volunteers, generally by proclamations to the public, the War Department would apply quotas to the States, the Governors of which generally acted in forming the battalions, regiments, etc. and, per the federal laws, appointing the officers...

Some example references from late 1863...

The Governors acted to ensure the quotas were filled to the best of their ability...

The fully formed units, in terms of numbers, and under officers, were then mustered into the service of the United States.


The calls of the President and the quotas established by the War Department, for Volunteers and Militia are given below. The National draft after March, 1863, was employed to a degree to fill some of the quotas.

The Confederates had commenced mobilization with the "Provisional Army of the Confederate States" which differed from their small regular army (mostly just general and staff officers). The P.A.C.S. initially was composed of the various military units in the active service of their Confederate State governments, which were tendered to the southern confederacy, and accepted, upon the formation of the Confederate government (which would thenceforth pay them, etc.). To it were then added the Volunteers, from February, 1861 limited to 100,000 in number, raised in the several States, and with their consent, for one year of service to the Confederacy.
An act of May 6 removed the limitation as to the numbers of volunteers, and empowered Davis to appoint the field and staff officers for the organizations accepted under it. By an act of May 11 Davis was relieved of the delay of a formal call upon the States for such volunteer troops (and the States' "consent"), and was authorized to prescribe the term of service for which the volunteers offering under the act should be accepted, and he was empowered to commission all officers entitled to commissions.
Large numbers of individual companies of volunteers formed throughout the South which tendered themselves to their Governors or the Confederacy, but were turned away in mid-1861 for lack of arms, etc.

The system was more carefully regulated by the close of 1861. Thereafter volunteers were raised by calls by Jefferson Davis upon the Confederate Governors for the most part.
On February 2, 1862 President Davis ordered the mobilization of six percent of the "total white population" of the Southern Confederacy. The governors were called upon for a total of 239,264 troops to serve during the war. Per a January 22 Confederate act these were apportioned by quotas among the States based on their population and number of men already in wartime service. Now each soldier enlisted was to be mustered into service at camps of instruction selected by the governors, and "clothed, supplied, and armed at the expense of the Confederate States."

That process was not proving successful, and the Confederate army was facing a general dispersion near the close of the first year of the war. So in mid-April, 1862 the Confederacy enacted its conscription act, calling all aged 18 to 35, unless exempted by law, to serve. Any of those subject to conscription were given a window to form volunteer units. Davis was by it given more authority relative to the appointment of officers, etc. (which, A.H. Stephens says was the reason he approved and enforced it). Those already in the Volunteer service, etc. were also retained. The age ranges creeped upwards, up to 17-50 after early 1864. There were State drafts too, for younger and older fellows.

If you were in the Sunny South between the ages of 18-45/50 you were gonna fight One way or the other.

Besides the direct Confederate Army Conscription, ultimately for all 17 to 50, the State authorities collected anyone 16 to 60 for military service. Consequently the functional conscription in the Confederacy was 16 to 60.

From example in Alabama...

And Mississippi...

Confederate minister to France Mr. Sliddell, observed to the Europeans in 1864 that any free white male 16 to 60 was subject to military service through conscription...

This is really a question for @RedRover. My hazy memory of the Union mobilization in 1861 is that when Lincoln called for volunteers after the firing on Fort Sumter, the War Department set quotas for the individual states. I do not specifically recall how prescriptive this and subsequent quotas were. I do know that some states exceeded troop quotas and as far as I can recall, tended to raise troops in whatever numbers and proportions they saw fit. It was not what I would call an efficiently run mobilization.

As for postwar, everything goes straight down the memory hole. Mobilization in the Spanish-American War is a cluster you know what. It is like nothing was learned or remembered from 1861-1865. However, we do see a promising trend in that the War Department sets Its face against the use of volunteer troops whether federal or state. After this, it asserts much stronger control over state National Guard, refuses state volunteer units and of course, introduces conscription. So, we do see some progress being made but even as late as the Second World War, American military mobilization will, in my opinion, remain a rather messy and somewhat disorganized process.

Relative to Volunteers, after the war, in 1867, the Congress passed an act making the Volunteers part of the Army of the United States...

During the War with Spain, there were indeed large numbers of Volunteer units formed, and served at home and abroad. Also in the Philippine war.

During World War I the USA employed only the regular army, the National Guard, and the "National army" formed by selective service draft. This despite apparently four Volunteer divisions were authorized by law in 1917, but the only Volunteer unit in the Army in that war actually mustered into service, and the last specifically volunteer unit in active Army service to the present, was the "Slavic Legion." Here's some specifics...

The Government reported the First World War Draft under the selective service Act, was to prevent excessive volunteering by the public for military service. , etc. Within several months enlistments were barred altogether and the selective service local boards did all the recruiting. The War Department able to more easily handle quotas, induction, recruit training, equipment, logistics generally.

Before the end of the Great War the US also ceased enlistments in the Navy and Marine Corps...

As mentioned, there were no provisions in US law after 1920 for Volunteer forces in the US service. During the Second World War, the US relied principally upon selective service draftees again, with Army and Navy enlistments were prohibited by December, 1942.

Of course, even when enlistments into the Army were prohibited in wartime, if a chap wanted to serve, he could contact his local draft board and ask them to put his name at the head of the list, etc.

After WWII the draft registrants were free to appeal with their local draft boards, seek any of a multitude of deferments, etc. or otherwise delay "induction" into the Army, etc. And where voluntary enlistments were had, some boards made fewer drafts...

And somewhat unlike the 1863-65 national draft, there was provision for conscientious objectors to military service. For example allowed to serve 24-months in approved civilian work for exemption after 1951...

By 1973 the United States acted to cease employing the selective service to fill the ranks, and promoted the "All Volunteer force" system of recruiting. From March, 1972, it was reported that "truly voluntary" enlistments, evidently unmotivated by the draft (viz. men with high draft lottery numbers, etc.) had markedly increased, giving credence to the end of the selective service recruiting...

Subsequently, voluntary enlistments in the Armed forces were, for the first time since the Civil War, offered bounties/bonuses, etc.

 

[DaveBrt]

I don't recall how the Southern states were tasked with how many men to provide, but once regiments or batteries were considered complete, they petitioned the Secretary of War for acceptance into Confederate service. If the unit met the requirements (number of men, armed, enlisted for the required length of time, etc), the Secretary of War would accept the unit's request and ordered an officer to complete the process by receiving a complete muster list for each company, ensuring all the men appeared able to serve (age, disability, etc) and swearing in the entire regiment. The Sec War then ordered the unit to a duty station and arranged transportation for it.
After conscription was instituted, few units were received; groups were detailed from training camp to standing units.

 

[FZ11]

The President called for 42,034 Volunteers by Proclamation on May 3, 1861.

"I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy thereof and of the militia of the several States when called into actual service, do hereby call into the service of the United States 42,034 volunteers to serve for the period of three years, unless sooner discharged, and to be mustered into service as infantry and cavalry. The proportions of each arm and the details of enrollment and organization will be made known through the Department of War."

There was a larger turnout, offering their services, than was expected, and by July, 1861, there were over 200,000 Volunteers mustered into service for three years. And more were in process of organization, etc. Some of the volunteers were raised exterior to any cooperation with the State Governors. For example, individuals were in some cases given permission by the War Department to raise volunteer corps.

In late July, Congress stepped in and added specifically legal authority to call for the volunteers, and the maximum numbers, and terms of service, pay, etc. Thereafter the process was more carefully regulation. For example when the President called for Volunteers, generally by proclamations to the public, the War Department would apply quotas to the States, the Governors of which generally acted in forming the battalions, regiments, etc. and, per the federal laws, appointing the officers...

Some example references from late 1863...

View attachment 591407

The Governors acted to ensure the quotas were filled to the best of their ability...

View attachment 591408

The fully formed units, in terms of numbers, and under officers, were then mustered into the service of the United States.


The calls of the President and the quotas established by the War Department, for Volunteers and Militia are given below. The National draft after March, 1863, was employed to a degree to fill some of the quotas.

View attachment 591384

View attachment 591383
View attachment 591382


The Confederates had commenced mobilization with the "Provisional Army of the Confederate States" which differed from their small regular army (mostly just general and staff officers). The P.A.C.S. initially was composed of the various military units in the active service of their Confederate State governments, which were tendered to the southern confederacy, and accepted, upon the formation of the Confederate government (which would thenceforth pay them, etc.). To it were then added the Volunteers, from February, 1861 limited to 100,000 in number, raised in the several States, and with their consent, for one year of service to the Confederacy.
An act of May 6 removed the limitation as to the numbers of volunteers, and empowered Davis to appoint the field and staff officers for the organizations accepted under it. By an act of May 11 Davis was relieved of the delay of a formal call upon the States for such volunteer troops (and the States' "consent"), and was authorized to prescribe the term of service for which the volunteers offering under the act should be accepted, and he was empowered to commission all officers entitled to commissions.
Large numbers of individual companies of volunteers formed throughout the South which tendered themselves to their Governors or the Confederacy, but were turned away in mid-1861 for lack of arms, etc.

The system was more carefully regulated by the close of 1861. Thereafter volunteers were raised by calls by Jefferson Davis upon the Confederate Governors for the most part.
On February 2, 1862 President Davis ordered the mobilization of six percent of the "total white population" of the Southern Confederacy. The governors were called upon for a total of 239,264 troops to serve during the war. Per a January 22 Confederate act these were apportioned by quotas among the States based on their population and number of men already in wartime service. Now each soldier enlisted was to be mustered into service at camps of instruction selected by the governors, and "clothed, supplied, and armed at the expense of the Confederate States."

That process was not proving successful, and the Confederate army was facing a general dispersion near the close of the first year of the war. So in mid-April, 1862 the Confederacy enacted its conscription act, calling all aged 18 to 35, unless exempted by law, to serve. Any of those subject to conscription were given a window to form volunteer units. Davis was by it given more authority relative to the appointment of officers, etc. (which, A.H. Stephens says was the reason he approved and enforced it). Those already in the Volunteer service, etc. were also retained. The age ranges creeped upwards, up to 17-50 after early 1864. There were State drafts too, for younger and older fellows.




Besides the direct Confederate Army Conscription, ultimately for all 17 to 50, the State authorities collected anyone 16 to 60 for military service. Consequently the functional conscription in the Confederacy was 16 to 60.

From example in Alabama...

View attachment 591404

And Mississippi...

View attachment 591400

Confederate minister to France Mr. Sliddell, observed to the Europeans in 1864 that any free white male 16 to 60 was subject to military service through conscription...

View attachment 591405




Relative to Volunteers, after the war, in 1867, the Congress passed an act making the Volunteers part of the Army of the United States...

View attachment 591386

During the War with Spain, there were indeed large numbers of Volunteer units formed, and served at home and abroad. Also in the Philippine war.

During World War I the USA employed only the regular army, the National Guard, and the "National army" formed by selective service draft. This despite apparently four Volunteer divisions were authorized by law in 1917, but the only Volunteer unit in the Army in that war actually mustered into service, and the last specifically volunteer unit in active Army service to the present, was the "Slavic Legion." Here's some specifics...

View attachment 591389

The Government reported the First World War Draft under the selective service Act, was to prevent excessive volunteering by the public for military service. , etc. Within several months enlistments were barred altogether and the selective service local boards did all the recruiting. The War Department able to more easily handle quotas, induction, recruit training, equipment, logistics generally.

View attachment 591390

Before the end of the Great War the US also ceased enlistments in the Navy and Marine Corps...

View attachment 591394


View attachment 591398

As mentioned, there were no provisions in US law after 1920 for Volunteer forces in the US service. During the Second World War, the US relied principally upon selective service draftees again, with Army and Navy enlistments were prohibited by December, 1942.

View attachment 591392
View attachment 591393

Of course, even when enlistments into the Army were prohibited in wartime, if a chap wanted to serve, he could contact his local draft board and ask them to put his name at the head of the list, etc.

After WWII the draft registrants were free to appeal with their local draft boards, seek any of a multitude of deferments, etc. or otherwise delay "induction" into the Army, etc. And where voluntary enlistments were had, some boards made fewer drafts...

View attachment 591406

And somewhat unlike the 1863-65 national draft, there was provision for conscientious objectors to military service. For example allowed to serve 24-months in approved civilian work for exemption after 1951...

View attachment 591399

By 1973 the United States acted to cease employing the selective service to fill the ranks, and promoted the "All Volunteer force" system of recruiting. From March, 1972, it was reported that "truly voluntary" enlistments, evidently unmotivated by the draft (viz. men with high draft lottery numbers, etc.) had markedly increased, giving credence to the end of the selective service recruiting...

View attachment 591396

Subsequently, voluntary enlistments in the Armed forces were, for the first time since the Civil War, offered bounties/bonuses, etc.

View attachment 591397

Another Tour de Force, RR.

 

[gary]

If you were in the Sunny South between the ages of 18-45/50 you were gonna fight One way or the other.

Unless you were an overseer, slaveowner, civil servant or other exempt group. There's some truth to the period saying, "Rich man's war, poor man's fight."

Heck, $300 could buy you a substitute in the North. That's a heckuva lot of money back then. Lincoln paid for a substitute. The south used to accept substitutes and stopped (about 1863). There was a geriatric substitute in the 2nd South Carolina Battalion Sharp Shooters. He deserted and his family reported him as "a moth to the family" to get him back into service. He returned to the ranks and deserted again.

 

[FZ11]

Absolutely, "Rich man's war, poor man's fight."

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

Absolutely, "Rich man's war, poor man's fight."

Been that way since the very beginning. In the Iliad (composed circa 800 BC), Achilles complains he's doing all the fighting and getting nothing but scraps while his leader Agamemnon sits in his tent hoarding the wealth he's seized from everybody else.

 

[atlantis]

Having served in the Guard post draft the end of the draft was the best thing to happen to it, not against national service though just needs to be done better.
Thanks to all of you for informative replies.

 

[atlantis]

Been that way since the very beginning. In the Iliad (composed circa 800 BC), Achilles complains he's doing all the fighting and getting nothing but scraps while his leader Agamemnon sits in his tent hoarding the wealth he's seized from everybody else.

Some of you will die and that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

 

[James Brenner]

A good, although somewhat dated book is Kreidberg and Henry, History of Military Mobilization in the United States Army, 1775- 1945. (Washington: Department of the Army, 1955) and the companion volume, John C. Sparrow, History of Personnel Demobilization in the United States Army (Washington: Center of Military History, 1951), Both are available for free on the Army's Center of Military History website.

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

A good, although somewhat dated book is Kreidberg and Henry, History of Military Mobilization in the United States Army, 1775- 1945. (Washington: Department of the Army, 1955) and the companion volume, John C. Sparrow, History of Personnel Demobilization in the United States Army (Washington: Center of Military History, 1951), Both are available for free on the Army's Center of Military History website.

Read it in hardcover. My local university has a copy. As you say, it is good but dated.