Today in History October 26th 1774 Minute Men organized in the American colonies

Minute Man National Historical Park ^ | October 26th 2010 | nps.gov

[mdittmar]

Why were the colonial soldiers called minute men?

According to Massachusetts colonial law, all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 60 were required to keep a serviceable firearm and serve in a part-time citizen army called the militia. Their duty was to defend the colony against her enemies; chiefly the Indians and the French.

The colonial militia sometimes fought side by side with British soldiers, particularly during the last French and Indian War in the 1750's and early 60's. However, as a result of the mounting tensions between Great Britain and her American colonies, that would soon change.

In October of 1774, following the lead of the Worchester County Convention, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress called upon all militia officers to resign their commisions under the old Royal Government and for new elections to be held. This effectively purged the officer corps of loyalists.

They also called upon the towns (most of which supported one or more companies of militia) to set aside a portion of its militia and form them into new, special companies called minute men.

Minute Men were different from the militia in the following ways:

1. While service in the militia was required by law, minute men were volunteers.

2. The minute men trained far more frequently than the militia. Two or three times per week was common. Because of this serious commitment of time, they were paid. One shilling per drill was average. Militia only trained once every few months (on average) and were paid only if they were called out beyond their town, or formed part of an expedition.

3. Minute Men were expected to keep their arms and equipment with them at all times, and in the event of an alarm, be ready to march at a minute's warning - hence they were called "minute men."

[kitkat]

Thanks. I love descriptions of our early history.

[waterhill]

“all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 60 were required to keep a serviceable firearm and serve in a part-time citizen army called the militia. Their duty was to defend the colony against her enemies;”

wow, just damn, as to what we have become...

[cripplecreek]

If you like history you'll enjoy this. Its the examination of Ben Franklin by the house of commons regaurding the colonial resistance to the stamp act. I personally love the final answers.

Q. If the Stamp Act should be repealed, would it induce the assemblies of America to acknowledge the rights of Parliament to tax them, and would they erase their resolutions?

A. No, never!

Q. Are there no means of obliging them to erase those resolutions?

A. None that I know of; they will never do it, unless compelled by force of arms.

Q. Is there a power on earth that can force them to erase them?

A. No power, how great soever, can force men to change their opinions.

Q. What used to be the pride of the Americans?

A. To indulge in the fashions and manufactures of Great Britain.
Q. What is now their pride?

A. To wear their old clothes over again till they can make new ones.



Franklin's Examination Before the House of Commons

The refusal to buy british was a beautiful act of defiance. Overall the similarities between the causes of the revolution to the situation we find ourselves in now is striking. What we lack now is the willingness to sacrifice.

[BenLurkin]

Bump!

[BenLurkin]

Sounds like a friendly direct examination.

[Sam Clements]

There is an interesting aspect to the minuteman training which I have come across in my reading on this subject. General Gage of the British army was so concerned about the minutemen that he initiated a daily march beginning in 1774 whereby the British army would muster and march to all of the nearby towns as a show of force and also for practice. In reality the minutemen used this procedure to their advantage by shadowing the Brits and rallying all of their fellow minutemen along the route. When the Brits reversed direction and arrived back in Boston, the minutemen would go home for dinner. The original Patriots Day on April 19, 1775 started out as one of these impromtu drills and turned into the Battles of Lexington and Concord after the killing of minutemen on Lexington Green. Our forefathers knew tyranny when they saw it and they took action. The rest is history.

[SunkenCiv]

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