The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Monday, September 19, 2022

An Interesting Story: Who You Going to Draft Now?

From the Autumn 2022 America's Civil War "Rebel Beacon: The reputable Atlanta Daily Intelligencer was both news source and cheerleader for Southern readers" by Stephen Davis and Bill Hendrick.

An article about this Atlanta newspaper during the war.

I found this part of interest.

Then  there were the strikes by printers, demanding higher wages.  In the spring of 1864, after their workers walked out, Atlanta editors visited the city's conscript office and addressed the printers' status.

They were exempt from the draft while working, the editors claimed; but now, as they were on strike, the draft officer was encouraged to draft them for Confederate service.

The connscriptor liked the idea.  "Gentlemen," he said, "you are undoubtedly right.  I will go to work at once, and as you are here, I will conscript you to begin with."

"Conscript us!" exclaimed the editors.

"Certainly.  As you have no printers, you can't get out your papers.  So you no longer belong to the exempted class."

The editors raced back to their respective offices and contacted the printers' union.  In fifteen minutes, everyone was back at work.

Good Story.  You've Just Got to Have Some Incentive.   --Old Secesh


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