Cynthia, Fort Sumpter was bombarded April 12 & 13 of 1861 so your ancestor would not have been too old for the Civil War. Most of the troops who fought in that war were volunteers so only some combination of social pressure and patriotism led most to serve, though there was a standing U.S, army and navy whose troops were given no choice. However, I imagine, too, that you've heard that is was both legal and social acceptable to pay someone else to serve in one's place - an option much favored by the wealthy, of course. As to age limits, I suspect that depended more on the scruples of the enlisters rather than any law or government policy, but sources vary on this. Looking at the record of deaths of captured volunteers in Andersonville Prison, Connecticut deaths amounted to "only" 315 by comparison to New York deaths at 2572, Pennsylvania deaths at 1811, and Ohio deaths at 1030, so one might say that Connecticut got off lightly though being a much smaller state that conclusion might not stand up to detailed analysis. At 02:56 PM 8/5/99 -0500, Cynthia Whitford wrote: >I hope this doesn't seem like an ignorant question but I was wondering >how many of the CT. men enlisted in the civil war. Was there a certain >age they wouldn't let them go. I have an ancestor that was born in CT. >in 1830, would he have been to old to go to war? If not what would have >been the reason for not going? > >Cynthia >clwhitford@msn.com > > > Karl Email: karlh@concentric.net Homepage: http://hakmiller.rootsweb.com/