And still another tidbit from the Dallas Herald:

http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts/dallas_herald.htm

DALLAS HERALD, January 28, 1863, p. 1, c. 4

Lamentable.—A conscript in Austin cut three of his fingers off last week to free himself from military duty. The next day he was sent to a camp of instruction. A German, in Brenham, blew his brains out on Saturday last for the same reason. He was not sent to a camp of instruction.

Fran Bolton