opposed the enrollment, rendering it necessary that the U. S. authorities should sent troops to overcome their opposition. There were secret soldiers, newspapers, and politicians who fostered and encouraged this widespread opposition.

Under these serious drawbacks the first enrollment was made. It was no more imperfect than had been expected, and the first draft (as explained hereafter in this report) was, according to it, conducted in such a manner as to neutralize to af not entirely) the irregularities and hardships that might have resulted from the errors it contained.

An enrollment having been made as the first and indispensable requisite to the execution of the law, and the determination and ability of the Government to carry out the measure to the fullest extent required for the re-enforcement of the armies having been established by the enforcement of the first draft in July, 1863, the subject of revising and perfecting the enrollment with a view to future drafts was taken up as soon as the boards of enrollment could get time for it, to wit, in November, 1863. On the 17th of that month Circular Numbers 101 was issued.a It referred, first, to the complaints made relative to errors in the enrollment of the national forces by the omission of persons whose names should have been enrolled, and by the addition of names of persons who, by reason of alienage and for other causes, ought not to have been enrolled; and as it was desirable that the department should have such information as might be necessary in order to do full justice to all parties, it directed that the Board of Enrollment of each district should have printed lists of the names and residences of all persons enrolled in each sub-district prepared and exposed to public view in at least five places in each sub- district, and in as many more as the Board might deem necessary. If further required that public notice should be given by advertisement upon the list of names and in the newspapers, inviting corrections, &c., and that the boards of enrollment should use all diligence in collecting the necessary information and making the requisite notes to perfect the enrollment lists.

As a draft was then pending (to commence in the following January), the time for making corrections was limited to the 20th of December. This was to give the officers time to attend to other business preliminary to draft. When it was necessary, however, and could be properly done, the time for correction was extended by special authority.

Notwithstanding the opportunity thus afforded, the appeals made to the people, and the efforts of the officers of the Bureau, the corrections, though extensive, were not so thorough as had been hoped.

The people generally at that time did not seem to appreciate their interests in perfecting the lists, and gave but little aid in the work, perhaps in the hope and belief that every call was the last which would be necessary. The officers of the Bureau were more faithful in perfecting the lists, but they prosecuted their labors under some of the discouragements met in making the first enrollment.

Assertions and arguments as to the inaccuracy of the enrollment, which had not been presented to the boards of enrollment when corrections could have been made by the opportunity stated above, were subsequently urged upon the Bureau as reasons for delaying drafts. They took a variety of forms. Some of them, raising questions of

a See Appendix, Doc. 24, Art. 3.