Why did they call the Civil War as a poor man's fight?

Answer 1

The rich men had the greatest stake in the outcome of the war, they stood to lose everything they had if slavery were ended. A poor man though stood to gain very little if they won. But the law made it possible for a man to buy his way out of military service, essentially by hiring a substitute to fight in his place. Naturally you had to be rich to do that and the person you hired was likely to be poor. Thus the rich wanted the war but the poor were doing most of the fighting, and dying.

Rich men also were equipped (as in most wars) with horses, ammunition, and training which would elevate them from the infantry lines.

To add to the above, during the Civil War you could pay someone to serve for you. The poor man literally go to war to fight for someone who was rich.

The Conscription Act of 1863 basically forced the poor men to fight in the war that benefited rich men. Rich men who valued civil rights wanted to abolish slavery, but the poor had to fight, since they didn't have the $300 to pay out of the draft. The poor were actually against slavery, since freed slaves would mean competition for jobs, but they were the ones having to fight the war.

Answer 2

Pretty much in the same way every war is a rich man's war and a poor man's fight, yes. Generally speaking, old white men of power make decisions that young poor men and women fight to defend. In America, joining the armed forces is often a way to better oneself and help lift onesefl out of poverty. As such, these men and women often find themselves on the front line rather than in boardrooms.

Answer 3

Several Historians point out that the Draft laws for the Union provided an evil clause that allowed an individual to purchase a replacement to serve in his stead. The price was high and the vast majority could never afford to buy a replacement. The Southern rules even excluded individuals who owned a large number of slaves, in part to insure that revolts could be avoided.

Wars seem to work that way, politics and polititians, the rich and the famous seem to miss out on wars if they choose to. The few that do join in the effort somehow find a suitable billet in a low risk position. That only feeds a larger percentage of minorities and the poor into dirty and often bloody front line jobs.

Wealthy men could avoid being drafted.

Answer 4

Because on the Northern side, it was possible for a rich conscript to pay for a substitute to take his place.

This brought in some very low-grade recruits who were unlikely to render useful service, and generally caused resentment and low morale.

Answer 5

'A rich man's war, but a poor man's fight'.

Because there were a lot of war profiteers who were a long way from the fighting.

Also in the North, a young man from a well-off family could pay a substitute to do his service for him.

Answer 6

Because, as with most wars, it was funded and run by the rich but the fighters on the front lines were often poor farmers and other middle class civilians.

Answer 7

This is a saying used for other wars too. It means that rich people don't have to fight, while poor people(in the US Civil War time) couldn't pay off the draft fee so they were forced to go.

Answer 8

a group that opposed the war and called for its immediate end

Answer 9

Wealthy men could avoid being drafted.

Answer 10

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