The following letter was written by James W. Black to his friend James Conner advising him of the names of those age eligible individuals selected in the 1864 draft in Pickaway county, Ohio. He suggests that his friend may want to ask a recruiter to back date enlistment papers for him as a volunteer in order to collect a hefty bounty rather than report as a draftee and receive no bounty.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Circle[ville], Ohio
September 27, 1864

Friend Conner,

I am in a great hungry to give you the names of the drafted in Jackson township. I want this to go in the Columbus mail. Closing at 4 p.m. Now 3.40.

[list of names]

James you will see that you are 16 on the one hundred per cent & stand a good chance to get off- not be called to fill the place of an original throw out by the surgeon. But if you are afraid of being caught, just go to some friend who is recruiting, has a commission to recruit, make out papers of enlistment dating them back to last Saturday, & volunteer & sell your credit to some township paying local bounty ($500 or even $550) can be got besides the government bounty of $100 for one year & go in the service. By so doing you will make $600 & be a volunteer & not a drafted man in the U. S. service.

If you think of joining in that way & not waiting to get off, not be called on, telegraph to me at Kirk House, Washington, tomorrow 29 or next day 29. I may go & would like to go with you in the 184 Regiment at Camp Chase.

Call on James M. Gorrelle, Town St. House, Columbus or any recruiting agent & you can get the papers dated back—that is, if you conclude to go & not run the risk of having to go as a drafted man. I would not advise you. I only give you information. Act in the way you think best. It might save you $600 if you have to go. Your friend—James W. Black

in great haste.

Rush Creek is out of the draft out yesterday J. W. B.