The 1863 Civil War Military Draft Act allowed a draftee the option of providing a substitute to take the place of a drafted citizen. 261 drafted men in the 2nd Vermont Congressional District procured substitutes to take their place. Typically draftees paid substitutes a fee or bounty. Here in Brattleboro records indicate that at least 35 local draftees opted to pay others to take their places in the war. Some of those substitutes did not survive the war. These are their stories...
