He Served in Place of Abraham Lincoln

[Eva Elisabeth]

This was new to me, too.

Rob, it never ceases to amaze me what sources and in-depth info you and some others instantly provide! Thanks.

Wiki reads:

"During the Civil War, it became customary for many citizens to pay for 'substitutes' to serve in the army in their place. HOPING TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE, President Lincoln selected Staples as his substitute and offered him a bounty of $500. Staples saw little action during the year he served as the president's representative, primarily working as a clerk and prison guard. He mustered out in September 1865."

Despite the 500$ (500 in 1864 would convert to $7653 in 2015 btw), would he have received regular pay for his service? I would think so. He seemed to have had a quite safe job, and he accepted voluntarily - at all and to the conditions, so I don't see an issue about this.

(M., why didn't you post this thread in the "White House Years" section?)

---

PS: Re.:"Abraham Lincoln had a War enlistment substitute to take his place in the Federal army. Little more than a child really when the War began" - but an adult of 19 when substituting Lincoln.