 By the spring of 1862, the Confederate army was facing the prospect of a severe manpower shortage, since the twelve-month terms of most initial enlistees were expiring, and far fewer men were re-enlisting than had been hoped for.The First Conscription Act, passed by the Confederate Congress in April 1862, attempted to address this problem by making all white Southern men between 18 and 35 liable for compulsory military service.Though the South exempted several categories of men in occupations related to transportation, communications, the ministry, teaching and medicine, it did not exempt overseers.