Official Reports of the Civil War
SERIES III--VOLUME III [S# 124]
CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, REPORTS, AND RETURNS OF THE UNION AUTHORITIES
FROM JANUARY 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1863.(*)--# 28
PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE,
TWENTY-THIRD DISTRICT, STATE OF NEW YORK,
Syracuse, August 21, 1863.
Maj. A. S. DIVEN,
Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal- General:
SIR: The Board this day closed up the draft in Cortland County, drafting 657 men. Everything passed off quietly. The draft is now closed in this district, except the city of Syracuse; they did not close, and formally adjourned. The city claims that under the call they are full; but they have only shown that about one-half the number of men required from the city have been mustered into the service. They claim and promise they will have the others mustered in on Monday, so as to relieve them from the draft. The draft here has been conducted fairly. I have been present all the time, and all the people in attendance, so far as I have been able to get an expression of opinion, are perfectly satisfied with the fairness of the draft. They have notified the first squad of conscripts to appear on Thursday next, and are notifying for them to appear daily until all are examined.
I shall await your orders, and unless I receive some special instructions from you shall not again report until the first of the week, without something new transpires.
I was informed to-day by Mr. George N. Kennedy, who I am informed by Captain Wood [sic] that there is probably all sorts of rascality practiced by the Board at Oswego; that the current reports are that conscripts buy themselves off; that no men of any consequence will be obtained. These conscripts say that for $25 they can get off. This is not covered by my instructions in coming here, but I thought it my duty to report the same to you.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
SILAS RAMSEY,
Major and Aide-de-Camp.
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