Tenting Tonight

The Civil War was the first American war to have a draft. When the war started many men, especially southerners, eagerly enlisted and went off to war. However, as the war continued fewer and fewer men on both sides were willing to go.

The South instituted conscription (the draft) in 1862, requiring 3 years of service from those selected. Initially those between 18-35, but later expanded to ages 17-50 as their need grew larger.

The Draft Act of 1863 was the first instance of compulsory service in the federal military. All male citizens including recent immigrants who planned to become a citizen, between the ages of 20-45 were at risk of being drafted to serve for 9 months. Married men were not drafted until all the unmarried men had been taken. Names were drawn with a draft wheel.

In the north, to avoid the draft, a man could hire a substitute to serve in his place or pay the government $3oo. This was seen as being very unfair to poor men who could not afford either option.

There were draft riots in New York in which northerners attacked free black people living there, blaming them for the war. The north had to send some of their own soldiers to New York to stop the riots.

When the Emancipation Proclamation was made freeing the slaves, it also allowed black men to enlist. More than 185,000 joined the military to help free the slaves who were still held in the South.

Walter Kittredge of New Hampshire was drafted by the Union Army in 1863.

He was a singer and song writer so he was inspired to compose a song expressing his emotions called "Tenting Tonight" or “Tenting On The Old Campground.” He imagined what it might feel like sleeping in the tents, feeling the loss of friends and the desire for the war to end.

When he went to enlist he was rejected for military service because he had had rheumatic fever as a child and was seen as unfit.

He decided that he wanted to contribute to the war in some way and joined The Hutchinson Family Singers, a popular singing group that performed for soldiers during the war and for twenty years thereafter.

The touching, sad words of “Tenting On The Old Campground” made it a favorite of both soldiers and civilians, those who were back at home waiting for the war to end.

Tenting Tonight or Tenting On The Old Campground

Walter Kittredge, 1863

Singers: Jay Unger and Molly Mason

1. We’re tenting tonight on the old campground, give us a song to cheer

Our weary hearts, a song of home, and friends we love so dear.

Many are the hearts that are weary tonight, wishing for the war to cease;

Many are the hearts lookin’ for the right to see the dawn of peace.

Tenting tonight, tenting tonight, tenting on the old campground.

2. We are weary of war on the old campground, many are dead and gone,

Of the brave and true who left their homes, and others been wounded long,

Many are the hearts that are weary tonight, wishing for the war to cease;

Many are the hearts lookin’ for the right to see the dawn of peace.

Tenting tonight, tenting tonight, tenting on the old campground.

3. We’ve been fighting today on the old campground, many are lying near;

Some are dead and others dying, many are in tears.

Many are the hearts that are weary tonight, wishing for the war to cease;

Many are the hearts lookin’ for the right to see the dawn of peace.

Dying tonight, dying tonight, dying on the old campground.