Chang and Eng Bunker are one of the most famous pairs of conjoined twins, but that didn’t excuse them from the draft during the Civil War. Born in Thailand, the Bunkers had found work in a sideshow, with people paying simply to see this phenomenon of two people being joined at the sternum. At the start of the Civil War, they had recently retired from the sideshow and were living in the town of Traphill, North Carolina. When George Stoneman, a Union general, raided their town, he created a lottery of all men over the age of 18 in order to choose who would serve with him. Eng Bunker’s name was drawn, while Chang’s was not. The possibility of separating the twins was even brought up, but it was deemed impossible because their livers were attached. Thus, the Bunkers were excused from serving in the war, and General Stoneman told his troops to leave the twins and their property alone.
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