In December, 1850, the Tzar gave orders that for every missing Jewish recruit in a given community three men of the minimum age of twenty from the same community and one more recruit for every two thousand rubles ($1000) of tax arrears should be impressed into service.

A year later the following atrocious measures were issued for the purpose "of cutting short the concealment of Jews from military service": the fugitives were to be captured, flogged, and drafted into the army over and above the required quota of recruits.

The communities in which they were hidden were to be fined.

The relatives of a recruit who failed to present himself in proper time were to be taken in his stead, even if these relatives happened to be heads of families.

The official representatives of the communities were equally liable to being sent into the army if found convicted of any inaccuracy in carrying out the conscription.
A reign of terror followed in the Jewish communities upon the promulgation of these laws.