And yet another fascinating editorial on a subject that now goes directly at some of my own ancestors' history.
But first, a little background:
In 1860 the United States and the German Confederation shared some remarkable similarities -- both consisted of about 39 states or territories, both had just over 30 million citizens and both were divided by North-South rivalries.
Frankfurt am Main was the German Confederation's capital.
German Confederation after 1815:
In Germany, Prussia lead the dominant Northern alliance and Austria allied with rebellious Southerners.
When German Civil War (Austro-Prussian War) came in 1866, Otto von Bismarck's Prussia made quick work of victory over Austria, absorbing all it's northern-most allies, including Hanover, into Prussia.
However, at our historical time, now in 1859, the Northern Kingdom of Hanover (famous for supplying kings to Britain) was still trying to remain officially neutral in the North-South rivalries, while raising up an army to defend itself.
When Austro-Prussian War did come, in 1866, Hanover sided with Southern Austria, was defeated and so absorbed into the Prussian Empire.
German Confederation in 1866 showing North-South alliances:
In the meantime, our editorialist here compares the Kingdom of Hanover draft laws to Prussia's, and so our good naturalized US citizen, one Christian Ernst, on returning to his native Hanover on business, finds himself impressed into Hanovcr's army.
Anyway, according to family history, this is just the time and place when some of our own ancestors -- who were neither Prussian nor even German, but subject to their laws, decided to dodge the draft & flee for the peace & safety of... western Illinois.