He could get up $300, a substantial sum at the time ( my guess this was donated to the Department of the Army) or (Buy) a qualified substitute. It is not known what the service obligation of the substitute was- it could be say, 24 months, or possibly for the duration of the war.
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During the Civil War a person could avoid the draft in one of three ways. He could buy his way out with about $300. He could find someone to take his place or he could run away to avoid conscription.
In the north each state could set their own draft exemptions. Some states let you buy your way out, by paying another person to serve. Another way to escape draft would be to "disappear" and go west
In the south railway employees, newspapermen, lawyers, school teachers. druggist and plantation overseers were exempted.
There were two ways to avoid military service for Northern males. First, if drafted, a male could pay a fee to not enter the military. However, even if done, his name immediately became eligible for any future draft which rendered this as only a temporary solution. For a permanent solution, the draftee could hire another male to perform his service and thus gain his permanent excuse from service himself.
A man could easily avoid the draft in the South by failing to meet the basic weight requirement, or by having some sort of physical or mental defects.
A man in the South, or any other man in the U.S., could avoid the draft by leaving the country. During the Vietnam War, draft dodgers were known to go to Canada.
Military draft in the Civil War often led to widespread resistance and opposition. Many people viewed the draft as unfair and unjust, especially because it disproportionately affected the poor and working-class individuals who could not afford to pay for a substitute. There were instances of draft riots and draft evasion, further highlighting the discontent and unrest caused by the draft.
College students could avoid the draft - Apex
Hiring a substitute
hiring a substitude
During the US Civil War, rich men could pay others to take their place. During the Vietnam War, rich men entered wealthy colleges to obtain "draft deferrments." Also, wealthy men could pay $300 to avoid being drafted. This upset many poor people, and the Civil War was also now know as the "Poor Man's War". It earned this title because so many poor men, and poor slaves were fighting for money, and were forced to fight.