Mennonite Handbook of Information/Chapter 17
CHAPTER XVII
THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE MEXICAN WAR
The United States army during these wars being made up of volunteers, people of nonresistant faith had no occasion to be disturbed. The old army records of those periods indicate, however, that persons of Mennonite parentage in Pennsylvania and Virginia were enlisted in the ranks and saw service in both these wars. As a rule these were young men not at the time holding membership with the Church.
For generations before and after the Mexican War the United States government established a general law requiring every able-bodied citizen to take no less than four days of military training every year. By paying a fine of fifty cents a day for each absence from these training-days, which were known as muster drills, Mennonites avoided doing violence to conscience.
The two war periods referred to became very unpopular with many people of the United States because the armies were marched out of their native country to places far from their homes. Thousands sickened and died during camp life and in certain instances whole battallions and regiments refused in a body to cross the borders of their country either into Canada or Mexico.
During these wars Mennonites became largely engaged in the production of foodstuffs, and owing to the advance in prices many of them became wealthy and were able to lay up much goods for themselves and their children. It was the first era of prosperity and sumptuous living for Mennonites in America.