Notes on the State of Virginia (1853)/Query 09

by Thomas Jefferson

 

QUERY IX.

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THE NUMBER AND CONDITION OF THE MILITIA AND REGULAR TROOPS, AND THEIR PAY?

The following is a state of the militia, taken from returns of 1780 and 1781, except in those counties marked with an asterisk, the returns from which are somewhat older.

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Situation.

Counties.

Militia.

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Westward of the Allegany — 4458.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Lincoln,

600 

 Jefferson,

300 

 Fayette,

156 

 Ohio,

 Monongalia,

*1000 

 Washington,

*829 

 Montgomery,

1071 

 Greenbriar,

502 

Between the Allegany and Blue Ridge — 7673.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Hampshire,

930 

 Berkeley,

*1100 

 Frederick,

1143 

 Shenando,

*925 

 Rockingham,

875 

 Augusta,

1375 

 Rockbridge,

*625 

 Botetourt,

*700 

Between the Blue Ridge and Tide Waters — 18,828.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Loudoun,

1746 

 Fauquier,

1078 

 Culpeper,

1513 

 Spotsylvania,

480 

 Orange,

*600 

 Louisa,

603 

 Goochland,

*550 

 Fluvanna,

*296 

 Albemarle,

873 

 Amherst,

896 

 Buckingham,

*625 

 Bedford,

1300 

 Henry,

1004 

 Pittsylvania,

*725 

 Halifax,

*1139 

 Charlotte,

612 

 Prince Edward,

589 

 Cumberland,

408 

 Powhatan,

330 

 Amelia,

*1125 

 Lunenburg,

677 

 Mecklenburg,

1100 

 Brunswic,

559 

ON THE
TIDE
WATERS
AND
IN THAT
 PARALLEL 
—
19,012.

Between the James River and Carolina — 6959.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Greenesville,

500 

 Dinwiddie,

*750 

 Chesterfield,

655 

 Prince George,

382 

 Surry,

380 

 Sussex,

*700 

 Southampton,

874 

 Isle of Wight,

*600 

 Nansemond,

*644 

 Norfolk,

*880 

 Princess Anne,

*594 

Between James and York Rivers — 3009.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Henrico,

619 

 Hanover,

796 

 New Kent,

*418 

 Charles City,

286 

 James City,

235 

 Williamsburg,

129 

 York,

*244 

 Warwick,

*100 

 Elizabeth City,

182 

Between York and Rappahanoc — 3259.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Caroline,

805 

 King William,

436 

 King and Queen, 

500 

 Essex,

468 

 Middlesex,

*210 

 Gloucester,

850 

Between Rappahanoc and Patowmac — 4137.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Fairfax,

652 

 Prince William,

614 

 Stafford,

*500 

 King George,

483 

 Richmond,

412 

 Westmoreland,

544 

 Northumberland, 

630 

 Lancaster,

302 

Eastern Shore. 1638.

$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$

 Accomac,

*1208 

 Northampton,

*430 

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Whole Militia of the State,

 49,971 

See Topographical Analysis in App. IV.

Every able-bodied freeman, between the ages of 16 and 50, is enrolled in the militia. Those of every county are formed into companies, and these again into one or more battalions, according to the numbers in the county. They are commanded by Colonels, and other subordinate officers, as in the regular service. In every county is a County-Lieutenant, who commands the whole Militia of his county, but ranks only as a Colonel in the field. We have no general officers always existing. These are appointed occasionally, when an invasion or insurrection happens, and their commission determines with the occasion. The Governor is head of the military, as well as civil power. The law requires every Militia-man to provide himself with the arms usual in the regular service. But this injunction was always indifferently complied with, and the arms they had have been so frequently called for to arm the Regulars that in the lower parts of the country they are entirely disarmed. In the middle country a fourth or fifth part of them may have such firelocks as they had provided to destroy the noxious animals which infest their farms; and on the western side of the Blue Ridge they are generally armed with rifles. The pay of our Militia, as well as of our Regulars, is that of the Continental Regulars. The condition of our Regulars, of whom we have none but Continentals, and part of a battalion of State troops, is so constantly on the change that a state of it at this day would not be its state a month hence. It is much the same with the condition of the other Continental troops, which is well enough known.