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VOL. IV. APRIL,
1888. No. 2
IOWA AND THE DRAFT.
BY N. H. BRAINERD, MILITARY SECRETARY TO
GOVERNOR KIRKWOOD DURING THE WAR.
When the Rebellion burst upon the loyal States of our
Union the demands of the Government for troops with which to
meet and overthrow it were of course urgent and very great.
The uprising of the entire North in answer to these demands
was the most magnificent popular movement this world ever saw.
It seemed as if an overruling providence had so guided the
rebel machinations as to lead them to so strike their first
blow as best to arouse the national spirit to the defense of
the Union.
The thunder of the rebel cannon upon Fort Sumter, amid the
shouts and loud acclaims of the rebel hosts, proved in fact
the death knell to all their hopes and aspirations. Nowhere
did the fires of patriotism burn more brightly than on the
prairies of Iowa, from river to river all over the State.
When the first call was made for 75,000 men for three
months of service there seemed almost a fight for places, and
in Iowa two regiments were enlisted when but one was called
for and but one could be accepted. But such was the spirit of
the enlisted men that so soon as a call came for enlistments
for three years' service this seasoned regiment, which had
enlisted but for three months, went bodily into the three
years' service. As the conflict progressed and increased in
magnitude the Government, in 1862, issued a call for 300,000
men to be enlisted for three years' service, and for another
300,000 to be enlisted for nine months, if possible, but if
not then to be drafted. Then was the time we saw the war
spirit on the rampage here in Iowa. In our own county we saw
700 men go into the Twenty-Second Regiment, while some 500 had
gone out before. The quota for Iowa in each one of these calls
was about 10,500 men. The first was soon filled. As to the
second, Gov. Kirkwood said he would not put in a man for nine
months. He said it took nine months for raw recruits to become
of value as soldiers, to become inured to camp and march, to
change of food and habits, and the exposure incident to army
life, and efficient in drill and the use of arms. By the time
they had got thus far and were beginning to be soldiers indeed
their term of enlistment would expire and they be lost to the
service. So he called upon the patriotism of Iowa to fill this
call also with three years' men, and so well was his call
responded to that the whole number were so enlisted and sent
to the field. Of all the wise things done by Gov. Kirkwood
during the war, and there were very many of them, none were
wiser than this. Had this call been filled throughout the
country in the same manner, the rebellion would have collapsed
much sooner than it did, and tens of thousands of precious
lives and hundreds of millions of treasure been saved. But all
Governors did not have Iowa patriotism to draw upon. But Iowa
received at Washington credit only for the number of men sent,
without reference to the time of their enlistment. As the war
progressed, with all its casualties and the expiration of the
enlistments of the nine months' men, more recruits were
wanted, and as they could not be enlisted fast enough a draft
was ordered in 1863, and Iowa was called upon to furnish
troops under it. I then suggested to Gov. Kirkwood that Iowa
was entitled to credit for the time of enlistments as
well as for the number of men enlisted. He directed me to
correspond with the War Department and present the claim. This
I at once did and received prompt reply that the claim was
just, but that the department was overwhelmed with work and
had no time then to adjust the matter, but would do so and
give due credit on any subsequent call—that the necessity for
men was most pressing and this draft must go on, as it did,
early in 1864. In July, 1864, another draft was ordered and
Iowa had not received her due credit. Gov. Kirkwood's term
closed in January, 1864, and Gov. Stone succeeded him. He also
pressed this claim for credit, but it was not until January
23d, 1865, that he was enabled to issue his proclamation
announcing that, " After a careful settlement with the War
Department and adjustment of credits due under previous calls,
together with recent enlistments, we are gratified in being
able to announce that all demands by the Government upon this
State for troops have been filled, and that we are placed
beyond the liability of a draft under the impending call for
300,000 one years' men." Had proper credit for these three
years' men been obtained as the men were furnished our quota
would have been full when the first draft was ordered and,
with the enlistments which were constantly being made, all
calls would have been met by enlistments and Iowa at no time
subject to a draft. The 10,500 for three years were equal in
time of service to 42,000 men enlisted for nine months. In
actual value they were vastly greater than this. They were,
after the nine months expired, veterans in service to the
close of the war, while some of the greatest embarrassments
the Government encountered were from the expiration of the
terms of the nine months' men from the other States.
This was one of the most striking and creditable events in
Iowa's glorious war record—that she went so far beyond the
demand made upon her by the Government as to furnish this so
vastly greater support than she was asked to do, or than any
other State in the Union did do or attempt to do. The
initiation of this was due to the good sense and sound
judgment of Gov. Kirkwood. The fulfillment of it was due to
the abounding patriotism and heroic valor of the young manhood
of Iowa. |
