ajbUSWM Posted April 28, 2018 Share #1 Posted April 28, 2018 Civil War Drafted Aug.10,1863 name is John Edwards I can't find him anywhere... was he deemed a deserter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbUSWM Posted April 29, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted April 29, 2018 I searched the 1,600 man list of Civil War soldiers from the District of Columbia and no John Edwards is listed. Does anyone know where else I can search? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Rogers Posted April 29, 2018 Share #3 Posted April 29, 2018 Can you post a little more context? Do you know just that he was drafted or that he actually served as a draftee? He might have failed a medical exam or procured a substitute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbUSWM Posted April 30, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted April 30, 2018 Can you post a little more context? Do you know just that he was drafted or that he actually served as a draftee? He might have failed a medical exam or procured a substitute. Steve, Here is the draft notice. John Edwards was 33 at the time... pretty old I would think for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Rogers Posted April 30, 2018 Share #5 Posted April 30, 2018 If you are not finding him in the military records chances are that he did not serve. He was selected for service by the draft, but some exemptions were allowed. You could also hire a substitute to take your place or pay a $300 commutation fee. Chances are that he took advantage of one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbUSWM Posted April 30, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted April 30, 2018 $300 IN 1863 like $20,000 by today's standards... lots of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted April 30, 2018 Share #7 Posted April 30, 2018 The Enrollment Act of 1863 allowed yankees to pay $300 rather than enlist. It was quite common for yankees to pay someone to fight in their place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Magut Posted May 1, 2018 Share #8 Posted May 1, 2018 John Lafaucherie Edwards of Washington DC, born March 14, 1830, died at Wash DC Jan 1 1896. He was a lifelong D.C. resident and the son of Col. James L Edwards. Census records show John as a clerk in the War Department in 1870. The draft notice appears to say he is a clerk in the Pay Master General's office. John's father was a decorated veteran of the War of 1812 and was the first Commissioner of Pensions, who approved or disapproved the pension applications of Revolutionary War veterans. I find no record of military service for John, who could easily afford a substitute (his personal estate "net worth" was valued at $55,000 in 1870) $970,000 today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now