Bobbi --

In 1863 and 1864, the Conscript Act substantially kept up the strength of Confederate armies. Many companies were recruited for service with the Conscript Bureau, and offices were maintained in nearly every congressional district. Series IV of the Official Records contains correspondence concerning conscription activities. Active "home guard" companies were employed in gathering conscripts that often hid in the backwoods with deserters. An old classic by A B Moore is titled Conscription and Conflict in the Confederacy, but there are many contemporary works on this topic. I presented a paper to the Alabama Historical Association on violence related to conscription in Shelby County.

Charles Frazier's novel titled Cold Mountain is based in part on the true story of a home guard company in western North Carolina and their activies. A number of details in Frazier's story are quite similar to accounts from Shelby County.

One of my ancestors was a conscript in the 8th Alabama Regiment. Conscripts always have enlistment dates after May 15, 1862, since that is when the law went into effect. They were usually assigned to companies from a different part of the state. They might be enrolled at Camp of Instruction, Camp Watts at Notasulga or Camp Buckner at Talladega.

Older men enrolled under the Act of Feb 17, 1864, were assigned to the Senior Reserves. Most of them either deserted or never reported for duty. Younger men (age 17) were assigned to Junior Reserve companies. In 1865 these commands were reassigned to front-line Confederate service.