Actually both sides used conscription as a means of filling out the ranks. The confederates were first, passing the Conscription Act on March 28, 1862. The union came next with the Militia Act on July 17, 1862.
Both sides allowed exemptions that permitted the rich to employ surrogates. They also both employed the “carrot vs. stick” with regard to conscription, offering much better terms for volunteers. As the war wore on and recruiting proved increasingly difficult the confederate army redefined the tours “for the duration”. As a result desertion became quite rampant.
The Army of Virginia had three classifications for deserters. The lowest severity was called “stragglers” - where soldiers would disappear for a day to a couple of days. The next group was called “French leave”, soldiers who take off for a few days to a few weeks to conduct family business or visit family and friends. The last group were the true deserters who left with no intention of coming back.
Lee himself estimated that a third of his force was absent at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. The confederate army imposed increasingly harsh measures to fight the spiraling desertion rate including the use of sharpshooters along the rear to shoot stragglers. Union commanders encouraged enemy desertion through promises of amnesty and it is estimated that 30,000 confederate solders took them up.
In the course of my research I’ve discovered that conditions and circumstances were far more intricate and complicated than I ever imagined.
I never said that conscription wasn’t part of the Confederacy’s weapons. I said that southern boys were very anxious to fight in ‘61 - just look at the amazing photos of men lining up (well, pushing into) sign-up centers. You can’t have it both ways: that the South were a bunch of hotheads longing to kill Yankees and then in the next breath say they were forced to fight.