At least in Massachusetts, we did. The Minute Men were definitely well regulated and the regular militia companies, who were not quite as well trained, were also pretty well regulated. Ask General Gage and Lt. Col Smith of His Majesty's Army. If not for Gage sending up Lord Percy with a couple of cannon, while the colonial cannon had been dismounted and hidden so the Regulars could not confiscate them, and their carriages burned by the Regulars, Lt.Col. Smith's force would have been all but wiped out. And that was with very little input from "higher command" on the colonial militia side. Even the "Old Men of Menotomy" were pretty well-regulated, in spite of being totally unorganzied, and over age. Even old "Mother Mother Batherick" proved to be pretty well-regulated.
Make no mistake, the first battle of the Revolution was fought between a "well-regulated" militia force and the British Regular Army, not between an armed mob and a much better trained and equipped Regular Army force.
“At least in Massachusetts, we did. The Minute Men were definitely well regulated and the regular militia companies, who were not quite as well trained, were also pretty well regulated. Ask General Gage and Lt. Col Smith of His Majesty’s Army. If not for Gage sending up Lord Percy with a couple of cannon, while the colonial cannon had been dismounted and hidden so the Regulars could not confiscate them, and their carriages burned by the Regulars, Lt.Col. Smith’s force would have been all but wiped out. And that was with very little input from “higher command” on the colonial militia side. Even the “Old Men of Menotomy” were pretty well-regulated, in spite of being totally unorganzied, and over age. Even old “Mother Mother Batherick” proved to be pretty well-regulated.
Make no mistake, the first battle of the Revolution was fought between a “well-regulated” militia force and the British Regular Army, not between an armed mob and a much better trained and equipped Regular Army force.”
I will say it again. WE did not have a well regulated militia. We, as a nation, did not exist until after the Revolutionary war. All militia, both those who fought for England and those who fought against England belonged to the English.