Avoiding the Military Draft - War of 1812

                                   

Captain Daniel Hosbrook
Commander at Ft. Amanda
Feb. 28 - Aug. 2,  1813

Despite the patriotic fervor of the times, not everyone drafted to serve in the military was fit for service.   In addition to physical health or mental conditions that exempted men from serving, individuals could also be exempted for personal objections to the war, certain occupations, finding a substitute and even poor dental hygiene.

 

Automatically Exempted

Automatically exempted from duty were jail keepers,

 judges of the Supreme and Common Pleas Courts of the State of Ohio, custom house officials and their clerks, post officers,

stagecoach drivers engaged in United States postal service  and ferry-men employed at a ferry or post road. 

 

 Conscientious Objectors

 In addition, clergy of all denominations were automatically exempted upon proof of occupation.  

If an individual was a member of the “Society of Friends” (Quakers), Mennonites  and Dunkers he was exempted as a conscientious objector however exemption wasn’t automatic.   In Maryland for example, it became effective only after the individual paid a three dollar fee with the money used to cover the cost of a certificate that was issued explaining the reason for the exemption and for compensation for the services of the militia captain who had to complete the paperwork, etc.  

Morally Unfit

In addition, a man could even be exempted if he was considered morally unfit for duty.  I don't know how a man could be considered unfit unless he was known to be a drunkard or a considered a general menace to society.  The number of drunkards at the beginning of the War of 1812 is quite astounding.  

Note;  In fact, in the early republic, Americans drank quantities we would consider astounding today. In 1790, we consumed an average of 5.8 gallons of absolute alcohol annually for each drinking-age individual. By 1830, that figure rose to 7.1 gallons!

Find a Sub 

Another way a man could be exempted from service was if he could find someone to serve in his place, a substitute. 

  Those individuals could pay or otherwise compensate someone to serve in his place or as was often the case, a family member served for them. Re-enlisting or serving as a substitute was an excellent way to earn extra money, particularly single men without families to support.

No Front Teeth?  Can't Use You.

 

If you had few, or better yet, no front teeth, you might be exempted from service.  During the War of 1812, a rifle cartridge consisted of a paper tube filled with black powder and a lead ball.  

Cartridge

To fire his musket, the man needed to be able to tear or bite off the end of the paper tube to pour the powder and ball down the barrel.  With few or no teeth, the man might have a problem opening the paper tube which, in a battle situation could have put not only him but his comrades in a compromising situation.

Muster Roll Complete

Once his muster roll was completed and his officers named,  Capt. Daniel Hosbrook and his company of men from Clermont, Hamilton and Warren Counties started north to Fort Amanda 129 miles to the north.  His mission, relieve the company of Kentucky militia under command of Captain Thompson Ward at Fort Amanda. 

Captain Daniel Hosbrook

1785 - 1868

Captain Daniel Hosbrook’s Company at Fort Amanda

Feb 28, 1813 - Aug. 3, 1813

Hosbrook, Daniel                        Captain

Davis, Joseph                                Lieutenant

Schillinger, William                   Ensign

Van Winkle, David R.                 1^st Sgt.

Swing, Lawrence  Sgt                 Broadwell, Baxter Sgt.               Bradbury, Jacob Sgt.

Johnson, William  Corp.           Irwin, Robert   Corp.                  Covalt, Isaac     Corp.

Patterson, Wm.  Corp.               Bayley, Lewis   Drummer         Ross, Robert  Fifer

 

PRIVATES                                   PRIVATES                                   PRIVATES

Abbott, Joseph                             Bailey, James                                Burris, John  

Barton, Joseph                             Bridges, Elisha                              Bennett, Leonard

Bowman, George                         Campbell, James                          Clark, Jonathon

Curry, John                             Crank, John G                               Carter, John

Couch, Issah                              Daniel, Isaac                                 Dougherty, James

Dowden, Thomas                         Edinger, Boyd                              Farmer, Fred

Fleek, John                                     Flora, Thomas                              Gaston, William

Goldsworthy, William               Gilman, Ichabod W                     Gray, Runey

Hamilton, John                            Irwin, Robert                                 Jenkins, Henry

Ketchum, Jeremiah                     Job, Archibald R                          Knott, John  

Landon, John                             Leming, John                                Laird, David

Landon, John                                Lovel, John                                    Murry, Charles             

Matthew, G. W.                            McNeilly, Robert                          McMullin, Loe

Neely, John                                    Neville, William                            Pine, William

Plicard, Henry                               Patterson, Thomas                      Sedgwick, George  

Shetterley, Henry                         Strickland, Mark                          Skinner, Caleb

South, Peter                                  Shinn, Joab                                    Trukle, Henry

Thompson, James                       Tiberghein, Leo                            Tomley, Amos

Wooley, Joseph   .                        Weir, James                                   Westerfield, Peter   

Wright, Zephamiah                    White, Forman                             Warbington, James

Winner, John                               Woodworth, Daniel                    Briggs, William