The law of Feb. 16, 1864, called for young men age seventeen to be enrolled as Junior Reserves, and older men between the ages of forty-five and fifty to enter service as Senior Reserves. Based on the 1860, there should have been at least six thousand seventeen year-olds and eight thousand men eligible for senior serve service in the state. It appears that roughly half of those expected to serve actually joined reserve units.
Federal occupation of Atlanta and northwest Georgia and civil disruption caused by Sherman's advance through the state could be blamed.