Five days later, the Confederate government passed the Exemption Act, which excused from military service select government employees, workers deemed necessary to maintain society (such as teachers, railroad workers, skilled tradesmen, and ministers), and owners of twenty or more slaves.
Had to look it up cuz I wasn’t sure, but that last bit is extremely relevant.
Didn’t they use conscription?
Had to look it up cuz I wasn’t sure, but that last bit is extremely relevant.
Plenty of conscripts surrendered. Plenty of people evaded conscription. Just look at Appalachia, where slave power was weak.