Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 1.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

It was necessary to reach all that able-bodied portion of the population that had remained at home when the organization of volunteers took place. Consequently, from the 15th of April, 1862, the conscription was established in all its rigor. The law regulating its operations, which we propose to analyze hereafter, continued in force until the last days of the Confederacy, and soon entirely replaced voluntary enlistments. Able-bodied men over eighteen years of age and under thirty-five were placed as a class at the disposal of the executive power, which was finally able to dispense with all formalities, such as drawing lots or dividing into classes, which in other countries tend to lighten the burden of this blood-tax. It applied the simple processes and expedients practiced in France during the first empire. All who desired to avoid the conscription were allowed one month's time to enlist voluntarily. Men over thirty-five years of age, who were thereby exempted from serving in the Confederate army, were enrolled into the militia up to the age of fifty-five. It is true that such troops were not obliged to fight except upon the soil of the State to which they belonged; but as the war had been carried more or less into the territory of all the rebel States, the militia had no more chance of escaping the hardships of active service than the conscripts. Indeed, their duties were the same as those performed by the other contingents.

After having once determined upon such a measure, it was important to carry it out as thoroughly as possible, in order to turn all the resources of the Confederacy to account. The more those resources became exhausted, the greater the necessity for a rigorous application of the conscription law. All able-bodied men who, without special exemption, remained away from the army were evidently deserters or recusants. In seizing them, therefore, wherever found, and sending them to join the army without any other formality, there could be no trespassing the limits of the law. A fanatical portion of the population, eagerly adopting the calling of informers, assisted the agents of the central power in hunting conscripts; and these agents carried their despotism to