Civil War Draft
Someone emailed me a few days ago and asked where the civil war regiments were organized. He thought it was a park or somewhere in the city. I found more information in an article written in 1895 in the Freeman. I am posting it here in hopes that he will find it, since I no longer have his email. I have added it to Waukesha in the Civil War pages.
DRAFTS IN THE COUNTY
The first draft followed close on the heels of the filling of the 28th regiment. The enlistment, large as it seemed, was not enough. In the early part of September the draft was ordered. Vernon Tichenor being appointed draft commissioner and Dr. Dunlap examining surgeon. Then did the more ignoble side of humanity come to the front. Draft malaria became a frequent disease, cripples were of a sudden astonishingly numerous, and the lame, the halt, and those with dangerously sick relatives in Canada painfully climbed the stairs to the draft office to secure exemption. The draft began at the Court House Monday, November 10, under the superintendence of Mr. Tichenor. There had been fears of trouble and those in charge were full of anxiety, but the draft passed off quietly with only natural excitement. Here is The Freeman’s account of the modus operandi of drafting.
“A box such as is used for voting had placed in it small slips of paper containing the names of all persons of a town liable to do military duty. Then the box was thoroughly shaken by the sheriff, after which a gentleman who was blindfolded (Mr. Edgerton of Summit) inserted his hand in the box and drew out names until the quota of the town was full.”
The drafted men numbered 12 in Brookfield, in Delafield, 1 in Eagle, 31 in Genesee, 29 in Lisbon, 3 in Merton, 6 in Muskego, 49 in Menomonee, 12 in Otawa, 12 in Pewaukee, 12 in Summit, and 9 in Vernon. The other towns of the county escaped the draft by reason of already having furnished their quotas. The drafted men were given a few days to get their home affairs in order, and some of them took the opportunity to “skedaddle,” so that of the 181 drafted, Commissioner Tichenor was able to escort only 117 to Madison.
A number of drafted men secured substitutes, the prevailing price ranging from two to three hundred dollars. In one instance it is reported that $500 was paid and Joseph Mason of Lisbon was the happy man to receive it.
The second draft for this county took place in Milwaukee November 12, 1863, and was completed in three hours. All the towns were included, their quotas being as follows:
Waukesha…………………..68
Eagle……………………..28
Ottawa…………………….18
Summit…………………….22
Pewaukee…………………..35
Vernon…………………….24
Genesee……………………29
Delafield………………….28
Oconomowoc…………………45
Menomonee………………….40
Brookfield…………………40
Mukwonago………………….26
Lisbon…………………….24
Muskego……………………20
New Berlin…………………32
Merton…………………….30
The third draft for this county was in Milwaukee in September 1864, when 766 able-bodied men found themselves involuntarily recruited. So many of these escaped that a supplemental draft was ordered for December of the same year to fill up the thinned ranks.
Only a few weeks later the President called for 300,000 more. The quotas were assigned and the fateful ships drawn, but in a short time they meant nothing as Lee surrendered and the great rebellion was over.