[Godebert]

They (confederates) were all draftees from day one."

26th South Carolina Volunteers
(my g-g-grandfather's regimental flag)

[republicanwizard]

When I see that flag, I'm reminded of the words of General Grant which rued that men fought so bravely and gallantly for a cause so wrong.

[PhilipFreneau]

>> They (confederates) were all draftees from day one."

I have never heard that before.

>>26th South Carolina Volunteers my g-g-grandfather's regimental flag.

My g-grandfather served in the 1st South Carolina State Troops, enlisting at age 16 during the last year of the war. His older brother James served in the 24th South Carolina Infantry Regiment, and older brother John served in the 19th South Carolina Volunteers. His brother-in-law, also John, was a Lieutenant in the Confederate Army. Two of his uncles were killed in the war.

[Held_to_Ransom]

All confederates were draftees.

In point of fact, the 26th Carolina was enrolled after the National Confederate conscription act. In that act, southerners who enlisted within thirty days of the start of the act were allowed to enlist in a regiment of their choice and elect their officers. They were also given a 50 dollar (trash confederate paper) bonus, but still, that was better than nothing. The alternative if they were between the ages of 18 and 35 at that time was to simply be conscripted and then assigned to existing regiments.

Note there was a tremendous amount of encouragement beyond that for men to enlist. Harry Heth, for instance, published an order in his part of Virginia stating that any man who didn't answer the conscription call should be shot on sight. Arguments like that did tend to get a response from 'volunteers' like you ancestor. Heth's order in in the O.R.