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.”