I know this an April Fools joke, but why should the Militia be limited to adults under 45.
During the Revolution there was a 69 yo farmer who shot and killed a Red Coat. The British shot him then bayoneted him more than 20 times to ensure his death. Somehow he woke up the following day, crawled to his home a few hundred yards away and received care.
He didn’t die until 30 years later at age 99.
I would consider him a member of the militia.
Do you know his name? I’d like to file that bit away. Thanks
why should the Militia be limited to adults under 45.
I did not write the law, but I know that officers are subject to call up at all ages.
Clearly, improved medical care indicates the age limit should be moved up to 95.
On the north side of the road the British encountered 80-year-old Samuel Whittemore. A onetime captain in the Royal Dragoons, Whittemore had a musket, two pistols and a saber. He was crouched behind a stone wall behind Cooper’s Tavern at the junction of the road to Medford when flankers from the 47th Regiment came upon him. Whittemore killed one with his musket and emptied both pistols at the rest, killing or wounding at least one more soldier before being shot in the face. Militiamen around him fled as enraged British soldiers bayoneted Whittemore 13 times. Incredibly, he survived to live another 18 years.
http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-menotomy-first-blood-1775.htm
He actually killed more than one attacking British soldier, and probably wounded a number more on the first day of fighting in the American revolution.
Read his story Here
You can be in the militia if you are older but you are not required to be.
During the Civil War at the battle of Gettysburg a man, 70+ years old showed up at the battle line and offered his services to the yankees. Turns out he was a veteran of the war of 1812 and fought alongside the troops with his “brown bess” musket for the better part of the day. After a few near misses, the local Commanding officer sent him home for his own good.
CC