Re: Draft Dodger?
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In reply to:
Draft Dodger?
Michael O'Neil 9/17/08
A large number of the rioters participating in the draft riots in NYC in July 1863, were Irish.Most of them poor, they generally did not have the resources to pay commutation ($300) or to hire a substitute, both practices allowed by the draft law.("Rich man's war, poor man's fight.") It's hard to say in the case of your man.He may have had a legitimate exemption in '63 that no longer applied in '65.A fairly small percentage of those drafted actually ended up serving.