re: #208 Decatur Deb

Just a happy accident.

50 to 100 bucks would keep you out of the Union army. Now that was a lot of money back then. A lot. Conscripted troops reflect a wider range of class though — in general because well connected people can still get out of fighting in the front. Volunteer armies become a means of not only employment but a way out of poverty. There are some positive benefits to both.