NORWICH – This year marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, one of the bloodiest and most brutal chapters in our nation’s history. To commemorate these tragic times that tore our country asunder and subsequently paved the way for the great nation of which we are now a part, the Chenango County Historical Society and the Chenango County Council of the Arts have planned a Civil War Commemorative Weekend, Aug. 25-27.
In the spirit of the civil war, we at The Evening Sun present the first of a series of articles about a few of the items and locations around Chenango County that were specifically relevant to the Union war effort and the men and women who served.
It was March, 1863, and President Lincoln had just signed into law an act for “enrolling and calling the National Forces.” The 114th New York Volunteer regiment, which had been active since September of 1862, would get their first group of drafted soldiers.
The attached picture is of the actual draft drum which called hundreds if men from across Chenango County to compulsory service in the military on four separate occasions between 1863 and 1865. Of course, not everyone whose name was pulled out of the drum actually went to war. Men with physical or mental disabilities were often exempted from service. For example, lack of sight in the right eye, one missing finger from the right hand or two missing from the left, or enough missing teeth were often enough to receive exemption status from the army in the beginning.
Dependent status, such as being the only son of a widow or being a widower with multiple young children could also keep one out of the military. However, as Historical Society Curator Meghan Molloy points out, as the war dragged on, year after year, the military often became less understanding when it came to filling the ranks.
One of the final ways someone could avoid the draft was “paying for a substitute.”
“Basically, if you were rich you could pay $300 and not have to go to war,” said Molloy.
The draft drum used in Chenango County, which can be found in the Chenango Historical Museum on Rexford Street in Norwich, has a very significant way of bringing to light the realism of the draft. It sits on a table and on first glance resembles an old-fashioned Bingo or lottery wheel. In fact, you can even turn the crank and listen to the rattle of hundreds of tiny tubes of papers, sealed with a miniature dot of red wax, each containing a single name as they roll around the inside of the iron drum.
Only a single rusted steel spike keeps the door shut that had for three long years often meant the difference between life and death. To add an additional ominous image, right beside the drum is a single slip of paper with another list of names, a casualty report from 1864.
However, entering the military for many was a choice and not something forced upon them. According to Sarah Mahan, educator at the Historical Society, 1,134 men were enlisted in the 114th regiment between 1862 and the end of the war.
“The news that Fort Sumter was attacked in April 1861 ... and the president’s call for 75,000 men ... spurred many men in the north to enlist,” said Mahan. “Chenango County was one of many that answered the call and organized a company for the war.”
The draft drum itself was most likely donated to the museum by the county, although that information could not be confirmed. It is on display full time and can viewed along with the rest of the Civil War display.
For more information on the draft drum, museum hours or the upcoming Civil War Weekend, contact the Historical Society at 334-9227.