Draft of 200,000 Men Ordered

March 14, 1864

President Lincoln orders the draft of 200,000 men: “In order to supply the force required to be drafted for the Navy, and to provide an adequate reserve force for all contingencies,— in addition to the five hundred thousand men called for February 1st. 1864, a call is hereby made and a draft ordered for two hundred thousand men for the “military service” (Army, Navy, and Marine Corps) of the United States.

The proportional quotas for the different wards, towns, townships, precincts or election districts, or counties, will be made known through the Provost Marshal General’s Bureau, and account will be taken of the credits and deficiencies on former quotas.

The 15th. day of April, 1864, is designated as the time up to which the numbers required from each “ward of a city, town,” &c. may be raised by voluntary enlistment, and drafts will be made in “each ward of a city, town,” &c. which shall not have filled the quota assigned to it within the time designated, for the number required to fill said quotas. The draft will be commenced as soon after the 15th. of April as practicable.

White House aide William O. Stoddard writes in an anonymous newspaper dispatch: “Spring is really here at last. The air is bright with glorious sunshine, the wind is from the south, the roads are drying fast, and everything looks bright for the Republic.” He writes: “The letter of Secretary [Salmon P.] Chase, withdrawing his name from the list of candidates for the Union nomination for President, was not altogether unexpected. It would have come earlier with a better grace, but it has been well done now – with dignity, and without presumption or unnecessary words. The contest is greatly narrowed by this withdrawal, for there are not many men on our side of the House who will have the vanity to urge their personal claims, when Mr. Chase himself has seen and said that he cannot patriotically do so. I can think of a man who will not be so retarded, but I imagine him to be so determined to run, that he will ‘got it alone,’ with little reference to propriety or consequences.”

At night, Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin meets with President Lincoln – at Curtin’s request. A Union Army officer from Indiana, John Pope, writes President Lincoln: “The enclosed ring was made by a Hoosier Soldier the night after the taking of Lookout Mountain, from a Laurell root dug that night from the top of Lookout.

He desired it presented to you as a Soldier’s Humble offering, whose love of Country like the offering can have no end.

He heard in the cars coming from Nashville Tenn. that I purposed going to Washington, so stated his desire– The oppertunity was not afforded me of seeing you but once –during your public Levee — hence send it by mail–

Mr Lincoln permit me to express to you my personal heartfelt thanks for your firm — honest — unwavering handling of the good ship of state — with such a Pilot to continue at the Helm — she will soon be moored safely. Yr Friend truly J. P. Pope

Pope added in a postscript: “You are much more now the nation’s choice than ever there exists the same quiet, deep feeling both in Citizen & soldier & I pray God you will hearken to the feeling.”