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Elmira Military and Draft Rendezvous

On April 23, 1861 the Governor of New York declared Elmira a military depot for western New York.  Two years later the U.S. Government named Elmira a military draft rendezvous.  Basically, this meant that military supplies were distributed to and from Elmira while men enlisted and received very basic training before being sent south.  Eventually, four camps were built to accommodate the soldiers.  Each camp included barracks, drill field and artillery ranges. Over the course of the war 20,796 soldiers were trained in Elmira’s camps.

 

 

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