283:, negroes, and Indians) shall be armed in the manner following, that is to say: Every soldier shall be furnished with a firelock well fixed, a bayonet fitted to the same, a double cartouch-box, and three charges of powder, and constantly appear with the same at the time and place appointed for muster and exercise, and shall also keep at his place of abode one pound of powder and four pounds of ball, and bring the same with him into the field when he shall be required...And for the better training and exercising the militia, and rendering them more serviceable, Be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That every captain shall, once in three months, and oftner if thereto required by the lieutenant or chief commanding officer in the county, muster, train, and exercise his company, and the lieutenant or other chief commanding officer in the county shall cause a general muster and exercise of all the companies within his county, to be made in the months of March or April, and September or October, yearly; and if any soldier shall, at any general or private muster, refuse to perform the command of his officer, or behave himself refractorily or mutinously, or misbehave himself at the courts martial to be held in pursuance of this act, as is herein after directed, it shall and may be lawful to and for the chief commanding officer, then present, to cause such offender to be tied neck and heels, for any time not exceeding five minutes, or inflict such corporal punishment as he shall think fit, not exceeding twenty lashes...
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That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to,
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The militia of the
Commonwealth of Virginia shall consist of all able-bodied residents of the Commonwealth who are citizens of the United States and all other able-bodied persons resident in the Commonwealth who have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, who are at least
527:
also may hold officer appointments in the
Virginia Militia, unless they hold higher rank as active or retired US military officers. All graduates of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, who complete either a leadership track or ROTC education, are automatically commissioned as Second Lieutenants in
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That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to
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Permanent faculty members of the
Virginia Military Institute (VMI) are normally offered commissions in the naval or unorganized militia of Virginia. The Superintendent of VMI is normally a Lieutenant General of the unorganized Virginia militia unless the superintendent is a regular US military
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which was published on June 12, 1776. Mason drew from his own previous writings upon his founding of the
Fairfax County Independent Company of Volunteers on September 21, 1774. This company was a paramilitary organization independent of the Crown's militia. Article 13 of the
408:, and several other villages and forts in British territory were subsequently captured without firing a shot, because most of the French-speaking and American Indian inhabitants were unwilling to take up arms on behalf of the British. To counter Clark's advance,
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which established the militia clause as a fundamental right was based upon three solid
English rights: the right to revolution, the right to group self-preservation and the right to self-defense. Under Article 13 of the Virginia Declaration of Rights he wrote:
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shall be commissioned officers of the
Virginia militia, unorganized, and subject to the orders of the Governor and the same rules and regulations as to discipline provided for other commissioned officers of the military organizations of the Commonwealth."
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reoccupied
Vincennes with a small force. In February 1779, Clark returned to Vincennes in a surprise winter expedition and retook the town, capturing Hamilton in the process. The winter expedition was Clark's most significant military achievement.
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stated, "All our freemen are bound to be trained every month in their particular counties." The
British county lieutenant system was employed as the population grew; each county had a lieutenant, appointed as the county's chief militia officer.
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WHEREAS it is necessary, in this time of danger, that the militia of this colony should be well regulated and disciplined...And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That every person so as aforesaid inlisted (except free
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Action at the
Galudoghson December 14, 1742; Colonel James Patton, Captain John McDowell and the First Battle with the Indians in the Valley of Virginia; with an Appendix Containing Early Accounts of the
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governments forced upon
Virginia an all-volunteer militia system in opposition to Virginia's Bill of Rights. The militia became statutorily composed of the volunteer and the unorganized militia.
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as head of its local militia. Clark asked Governor Patrick Henry for permission to lead a secret expedition to capture the nearest British posts, which were located in the
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commanded, "that men go not to work in the ground without their arms; That no man go or send abroad without a sufficient partie well armed." In 1661 Governor
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THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS IN THE VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION AND THE SECOND AMENDMENT: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND PRECEDENT IN VIRGINIA AND THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
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345:. On May 15, 1776, the Virginia General Assembly voted unanimously for independence and to have a declaration of rights drawn up. Colonel
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16 years of age and, except as hereinafter provided, not more than 55 years of age. The militia shall be divided into three classes: the
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199:. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males. The main purpose of the Crown's militia was to repel invasions and
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in uniform, as colonel of the Virginia Militia. Note, the navy blue regimental coat, worn by the Virginia Militia during the
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officer of higher rank. The corps of cadets also serves as cadet members of the unorganized militia. Staff members of the
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The Virginia militia system, as a compulsory service composed of the body of the people trained to arms as envisioned by
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in December 1742. This was the first military action between Virginia soldiers and Native Americans in western Virginia.
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liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.
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Commandant of Cadets, "Regulations concerning Corps Graduation & Joint Commissioning", Virginia Tech (2012)
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In 1971, the Virginia Bill of Rights under Article I, Section 13, was changed to the following by popular vote
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in February 1756, however the expedition was forced to turn back due to harsh weather and lack of food.
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Lyman C. Draper, "The expedition of the Virginians against the Shawanoe Indians, 1756,"
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In September 1756, Colonel George Washington was unsuccessful in raising a militia in
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Kemper, Charles E. “Documents Relating to the French and Indian War, 1755-1762.”
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To protect Virginia and the United States, from all enemies, foreign and domestic
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began in July 1778, when Clark and about 175 men crossed the Ohio River at
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An Act for making more effectual provision against Invasions and Insurrections
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Vol. V, Number II. Richmond: McFarlane & Fergusson, April 1852
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The Code of Virginia, Section 44-117 states, "The officers of the
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311:. Militia were required to man a series of strategically sited
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An Act for the better regulating and disciplining the Militia
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and authorized him to raise troops for the expedition. The
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In 1623, the year following the outbreak of the first major
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The militia system was originally used to defend against
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The current Virginia Militia under Virginia Code states
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Four companies of Virginia militia participated in the
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Virginia Historical Register and Literary Companion,
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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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333:was at Virginia's doorstep when Royal Governor
631:The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
433:and later the Virginia state regiments of the
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818:1607 establishments in the Colony of Virginia
307:to attack the active Indian warriors on the
274:(1754–1763), a formal act came into effect.
514:and Assistant Commandants of Cadets of the
744:"LIS > Code of Virginia > 44-117"
247:. The Crown's militia was victorious over
241:slaves from running away or from revolting
235:area. As the slave population grew in the
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496:Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership
384:. Governor Henry commissioned Clark as a
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780:Virginia Defense Force Official Website
425:, remained intact until the end of the
239:, the militia played a role in keeping
203:and to enforce the laws of the colony.
195:was established in 1607 as part of the
191:capable of bearing arms. The Virginia
155:colonial militia, state militia, state
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805:
254:Virginia militia under the command of
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633:, vol. 15, no. 3, 1908, pp. 247–59.
400:, taking it on the night of July 4.
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258:fought an Iroquois war party at the
349:became the principal author of the
325:Virginia in the American Revolution
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793:Virginia State Militia on Facebook
183:is an armed force composed of all
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454:Twentieth Century and the Present
364:and governed by, the civil power.
720:"§ 44-1. Composition of militia"
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592:Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1995
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356:Virginia Declaration of Rights
351:Virginia Declaration of Rights
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525:Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
98:Confederate States of America
709:, Stephen P. Halbrook: 2014.
508:Massanutten Military Academy
431:Provisional Army of Virginia
251:, who tried to seize power.
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492:Virginia Military Institute
339:Virginia House of Burgesses
207:17th and early 18th century
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659:Fairfax Volunteers Company
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315:on the Virginia frontier.
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374:Kentucky County, Virginia
217:Virginia General Assembly
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41:This 1772 portrait shows
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510:, and the Commandant of
437:. After the Civil War,
189:Commonwealth of Virginia
140:merged into the current
116:United States of America
86:United States of America
647:George Mason Commission
543:Militia (United States)
146:Virginia National Guard
637:Retrieved 8 Aug. 2022.
553:Virginia Defense Force
528:the Virginia Militia.
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480:Virginia Defense Force
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298:Sandy Creek Expedition
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197:English militia system
142:Virginia Defense Force
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272:French and Indian War
266:French and Indian War
260:Battle of Galudoghson
47:French and Indian War
724:law.lis.virginia.gov
500:Mary Baldwin College
256:Colonel James Patton
788:VirginiaMilitia.com
661:at virginia1774.org
649:at virginia1774.org
605:at virginia1774.org
603:Militia Act of 1757
577:at virginia1774.org
484:unorganized militia
472:Army National Guard
378:George Rogers Clark
376:was organized with
157:army national guard
476:Air National Guard
427:American Civil War
417:Present-day system
386:lieutenant colonel
368:Shortly after the
213:Anglo-Powhatan War
161:air national guard
587:Draper, Lyman C.
548:Virginia Regiment
390:Illinois campaign
370:Revolutionary War
319:Revolutionary War
245:Bacon's Rebellion
215:in Virginia, the
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43:George Washington
16:(Redirected from
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813:Virginia militia
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291:, April 1757
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58:1607–present
394:Fort Massac
270:During the
807:Categories
753:2015-05-21
729:2020-03-22
697:Palmer, IV
482:; and the
343:Lord North
331:revolution
104:Allegiance
406:Vincennes
398:Kaskaskia
329:In 1774,
281:mulattoes
233:tidewater
63:Countries
532:See also
474:and the
286:—
185:citizens
159:, state
129:Virginia
590:Battle.
538:Militia
402:Cahokia
372:began,
193:militia
187:of the
512:Cadets
506:, the
502:, the
494:, the
478:; the
137:Branch
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83:
55:Active
635:JSTOR
559:Notes
313:forts
179:The
167:Role
152:Type
144:and
498:at
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