How did glover cleavland avoid military servace?

Grover Cleveland avoided military service during the American Civil War by hiring a substitute to take his place in the Union Army. At the time, the U.S. government allowed individuals to pay for a substitute to fulfill their military obligations, a practice that was legal but controversial. Cleveland, who was a law student at the time, chose this route to avoid direct combat, which later drew criticism. His decision became a point of contention in his political career.