Parent, guardian, or master?

[chilidog]

The Official Records, Series III Vol. II (1862) gives the Federal enlistment for minors. His parent, guardian, or master must sign a consent form???? Why did they include the provision for a master?

Chilidog




933. If the recruit be a minor under eighteen (b) years of age, his parent, guardian, or master must sign a consent to his enlisting, which will be added to the preceding declaration, in the following form:
I, ----- -----, do certify that I am the (father, only surviving parent, legal master, or guardian, as the case may be) of ----- -----; that the said ----- ----- is --- years of age; and I do hereby freely give my consent to his enlisting as a soldier in the Army of the United States for the period of five (c) years.
----- -----.