OF THE MILITIA IN VIRGINIA.
Sec. 45. The militia are the only standing forces in Virginia. They are
happy in the enjoyment of an everlasting peace, which their poverty and
want of towns secure to them. They have the Indians round about in
subjection, and have no sort of apprehension from them: and for a
foreign enemy, it can never be worth their while to carry troops
sufficient to conquer the country; and the scattering method of their
settlement will not answer the charge of an expedition to plunder them:
so that they feel none but the distant effect of war, which, however,
keeps 'em so poor, that they can boast of nothing but the security of
their persons and habitations.
Sec. 46. The governor is lieutenant-general by his commission, and in each
county does appoint the colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major, who have
under them captains, and other commissioned and subaltern officers.
Every freeman, (by which denomination they call all, but indented, or
bought servants,) from sixteen to sixty years of age, is listed in the
militia; which by a law is to be mustered in a general muster for each
county once a year; and in single troops and companies, four times more
at the least: most people there are skilful in the use of fire-arms,
being all their lives accustomed to shoot in the woods. This, together
with a little exercising, would soon make the militia useful.
Sec. 47. The exact number of the militia is not now known, there not being
any account of the number taken of late years, but I guess them at this
time to be about eighteen thousand effective men in all.
And whereas by the practice of former times upon the militia law,
several people were obliged to travel sometimes thirty or forty miles to
a private muster of a troop or company, which was very burdensome to
some, more than others, to answer only the same duty; this governor,
just and regular in all his conduct, and experienced to put his desires
in execution, so contrived, by dividing the counties into several
cantons or military districts, forming the troops and companies to each
canton, and appointing the musterfields in the centre of each, that now
throughout the whole country, none are obliged to travel above ten miles
to a private muster, and yet the law put in due execution.
Sec. 48. Instead of the soldiers they formerly kept constantly in forts,
and of the others after them by the name of rangers, to scour the
frontiers clear of the Indian enemy, they have by law appointed the
militia to march out upon such occasions, under the command of the chief
officer of the county, where any incursion shall be notified. And if
they upon such expedition remain in arms three days and upwards, they
are then entitled to the pay for the whole time; but if it prove a false
alarm, and they have no occasion to continue out so long, they can
demand nothing.
Sec. 49. The number of soldiers in each troop of light horse, are from
thirty to sixty, as the convenience of the canton will admit; and in a
company of foot about fifty or sixty. A troop or company may be got
together at a day's warning.