Civil War Confederate Documents
1864 Civil War Union $300 “Commutation Money” Document
July 12th,1864-Dated Civil War Period, Partially-Printed Document, Receiver of Commutation Money, Newark, New Jersey, Choice Crisp Extremely Fine.


This Civil War Era Document is a rare triplicate form from the “Office of Receiver of Commutation Money,” Printed by “Fitch, Estee & Co., Stationers, 3 Park Place, N.Y.,” in black upon white wove period paper, this historic receipt reads in full:

"Received at Newark, on the Seventh day of July 1864, from (named Volunteer/Soldier) who was drafted into the service of the United States on the twenty seventh day of May, 1864, from the Fifth Congressional District of the State of New Jersey, the sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300) to obtain exemption under section 13, of the 'Act for enrolling and calling out the National Forces, and for other purposes,' approved March 3rd 1863 and section 5 of the amendments thereto, approved February 24th 1864. -- (Signed) D M Wilson - Receiver of Commutation Money.”

The unfairness of these exemptions, and their favoritism towards the wealthy, led to the bloody New York City Draft Riot in July 1863. So many people took advantage of this opportunity to avoid the draft that an unexpected windfall of $12 million in gold coin poured into the national coffers. These “draft dodging” receipts are a very desirable for any period collection as they represent some of the rarest and most desirable of Civil War era documents. Commutation Money payments of $300 were made to literally avoid military service in the Civil War, and money receipts were issued following the Conscription Law of 1863. These exceedingly rare official receipts are impossible to locate.