Brief History of Militias in the United States

Brief History of Militias in the United States

The events on January 6th put American militias into national focus, but their origins in this country have been as topsy turvy as has political parties. Most origins in the United States have western, and English influences. The conception of militias is no different. From the Revolutionary War to now, they have been as American as apple pie, but have become too hot for healthy consumption in todays oven of partisanship.

English Roots

The militia epithet has its origins in England dating back to the 1181 Assize of Arms. “He will possess these arms and will bear allegiance to the lord king, Henry, namely the son of empress Maud, and that he will bear these arms in his service according to his order and in allegiance to the lord king and his realm.” It was built upon in 1285 with the Statute of Winchester: “Every man shall have in his house arms for keeping the peace according to the ancient assize.”

In 1581, we can find the clearest and earliest form of what a militia should entail:

“If any man being the Queenes Subject, and not having reasonable cause or impediment, and being within the age of sixtie years (except spiritual men, justices of the bench, or other justices of Assise, or barons of the Exchequer) have not a long bow and Arrowes readie in his house, or have not for every man childe in his house betweene seven years and seventeene of age a bow and two shaftes, and everie such being above seventeene years, a Bowe and foure shaftes, or have not brought them uppe in Shooting: if any man under the age of four and twentie years, have shotte at standing pricks [targets] (being above that age) have shot at any marks under eleven score yards with any prickshaft or flight.”

Americans, from the start, as colonies, resented and distrusted British (Monarchy) rule. Lacking faith in standing armies, instilled the mantra of a force opposing the ruling power – as to check their influence with a counter army of citizens.

“The first muster of full militia regiments took place in 1636 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.” They continued to grow thereafter, but ebbed and flowed in prominence until the Revolutionary War kicked off. Militias were most prominent in New England, and was a driving political force in the region. “The Sons of Liberty essentially infiltrated the militia system of New England, ensuring that there was a ready force of angry citizens in 1775 when the festivities kicked off at Lexington and Concord (Side History: Starting in 1764, Great Britain enacted a series of measures aimed at raising revenue from its 13 American colonies; resulting in the Battles of Lexington and Concord).”

The Revolutionary War

Militias played a major role in the War, even if they had mixed results. “Still, it was the militia that carried out the Siege of Boston and gave George Washington an army with which to prosecute the war before the Continental Congress could provide authorization for a semi-professional force.” The creation of militias ensured there was a steady stream of “ready-to-fight” people for the Continental Army.

The founders were still weary of a standing army, and its potential for corruption. “The Anti-Federalists were convinced a standing Army would only give more power to the Federal government and reduce the authority of the states.” Nevertheless, the need for an army grew as to defend the states from foreign adversaries. The framers of the constitution (supporters of a standing army) eventually got their way with the enaction of Article I, Section 8 (the Militia Clause), which states:

“Congress shall have the power to: provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.”

The new Article shifted power of militia creation from the states to the federal government, eventually leading the way to the formation of a “National Guard.” Further federal control of militias peaked during the War of 1812, “when the governor of Massachusetts disobeyed President James Madison’s orders to send the Massachusetts Militia outside the state’s borders.” Because of the discombobulation of militia structures (some were privately funded, had one-sided allegiances, and generally better off than others), it prompted the federal government to provide supplementary oversight and control.

Civil War

“In 1862, the Militia Acts of 1792 were amended to allow African-Americans to serve in the Militia,” mirroring the horrid state affairs (Civil War) compounding on the country. “Volunteer forces” were additionally created as a way to skirt the militia system, at first, but gradually bent as the war ventured on; christening two paths of ideals for what a “well-regulated” militia means, looks like, and is considered to be, in the eyes of the people and government.

Their use and attraction dwindled as the war ended. People were weary of war, but volunteer forces dredged on. “Despite progress in the professionalization of the Militia, U.S. Volunteers were used again in the Spanish-American War in 1898.”

The diverging of ideals set the stage for present-day Intelligence professionals to ignore and to hesitate considering them domestic terrorists. Lines were blurred, and rather than seeing it as a rising threat, classified them as outliers in a small network of sparse homages instead.

National Guard Transition...

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