- Joined
- Nov 8, 2018
- Location
- Palm Coast, Florida
In May of 1862, after a year into the conflict, and seeing the brutality of the fighting at Shiloh, Davis enacted America's first true conscription act. This was quite unpopular with many of the volunteers then in service, either due to the extension of their service stipulate in the act to the nebulous "end of the conflict", the removal of many patriotic soldiers due to exemption (either for age or trade) and their replacement with less reliable conscripts.
I wonder what if Davis had not enacted Conscription. Could he pass another law that would still extend the service of the one and three year regiments, or would that cause the same issues as the Conscription act? What troops could be recruited for the cause still, and how many volunteers would the Confederates still have in service? How many units would have their service expired? Could the Confederates do the federal system of raising new regiments from expirees, or was that untenable?
I wonder what if Davis had not enacted Conscription. Could he pass another law that would still extend the service of the one and three year regiments, or would that cause the same issues as the Conscription act? What troops could be recruited for the cause still, and how many volunteers would the Confederates still have in service? How many units would have their service expired? Could the Confederates do the federal system of raising new regiments from expirees, or was that untenable?