I would also like to add that "militia" is a very loose term, and the usage, seriousness and extent of militias varied widely over the colonies and (later) states. For one thing, ownership of firearms was a requirement of militia membership usually, yet the young country had very little production capacity in this area until the mid-19th Century (surely we all remember Eli Whitney as the so-called inventor of standardized interchangeable parts in firearms?). Another problem was that, despite the NRA's efforts to portray Americans as a nation of hunters right from the get-go, very little evidence exists that most Americans owned a firearm, and the many accounts of the rusted, corroded and unusable firearms that WERE brought to militia musters would indicate that many Americans did not know enough or care enough to maintain their guns. As someone who has familiarity with black powder firearms, I can tell you that they easily become fouled when fired, and are a pain in the ### to clean. I understand perfectly why my ancestors might have been less-than-perfect militia men.

As a result, some states purchased weapons and stored them at arsenals, though the Founding Fathers and other authorities were concerned about the potential for mischief with such a solution. This was especially true in the South, which was always worried about slave uprisings (one of the purposes for the militia there was to patrol the area for runaway slaves). The Nat Turner and John Brown episodes would indicate that there was some basis for this concern. The Founding Fathers, on the other hand, were concerned about uprisings and insurrections, which balanced their distrust of standing armies, despite the pitiful performance of the militia in most Revolutionary battles and during the disastrous Canadian expedition during the War of 1812. Nevertheless, despite the evidence of experience, Jefferson and others enshrined the notion of the yeoman militia in the Constitution, where it lives on today in the 2nd Amendment.

Bill Cross
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Paul Drake 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Monday, May 03, 2004 3:47 PM
  Subject: Re: County militia


  Quite generally speaking, in virtually all colonial militia organizations, the county (and very rarely, a parish) was the political subdivision from which those who were to serve were drawn, and the Col. and often other high officers - Lt. Col., Majors, even sometimes Captains - were elected by the men who served, OR the Col. was elected and the lesser officers were appointed by him.  The militia units typically were formed to fight any wars that came through the extended neighborhood, as opposed to the Continental Line units which, in theory at least, were "Regulars" and served the Continental govt. wherever those men were needed.  

  Then too - and similar in duties to local militiamen - often in the 17th- and early 18th-centuries (and even through the Civil War) men of local prominence took the title Col. and outfitted and paid the men they recruited for service, exactly as such men pf wealth and position had done since time immemorial.    Paul        
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: [log in to unmask] 
    To: [log in to unmask] 
    .... I've been meaning to write in and ask about "colonial militia" or "county
    militia" designations like mjr & col. for my old CLAYTONS, Mjr. Philip
    [more likely 1712 than 1702-1786] and his son "Col." Samuel [abt
    1739-1798] and what they got these titles for.

    I have never found a scrap of what "Col" Sam of Culpeper might have done
    in 1775 in the Revolution except wine and dine those first Va. minutemen
    at the old Clayton farm.  I think about all that was happening was the
    march down to Williamsburg from there wearing those rattlesnake t-shirts
    that scared everybody. James Slaughter, Sam's sister Susannah's husband
    was Col. of that.

    Gwathmey,  who lists him as "Col. of Culpeper 1775 in his book, Hist. of
    Virginians in the Rev, as well as the DAR does in their red books) - was
    related down the road apiece and I can't help but wonder if it was just a
    term of endearment.  I sure would like to know what he actually DID, if
    anything.

    Anyway, while no Claytons applied for pensions, I've also not come across
    him mentioned as a commanding officer in any of the remembrances of
    applicants I've read either.  So I guess if I'm not looking for something
    "burnt", that leaves the county militia, no?  or am I just totally
    bewildered with all the military stuff.

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