Colonel Henry Ludington: A Memoir

by Willis Fletcher Johnson

Map showing territory (shaded portion) covered by Colonel Ludington’s regiment

Appreciating the important part which the militia would play in the conflict which was then seen to be impending and inevitable, the Provincial Congress of New York, in session at New York City on August 22, 1775, adopted an elaborate measure for the enlistment, organization and equipment of such troops. Every county, city, manor, town, precinct, and district within the colony was to be divided by a local committee into districts or beats, in such a manner that in each beat might be formed one military company, ordinarily to consist of eighty-three able-bodied men and officers, between the ages of sixteen and fifty—afterward sixty—years. Not less than five nor more than ten such companies were to form a regiment, and the regiments were to be organized into brigades. One brigade was to be formed of the militia of Dutchess and Westchester counties, commanded by a brigadier-general. It was also ordered—

That every man between the ages of 16 and 50 do with all convenient speed furnish himself with a good Musket or firelock & Bayonet Sword or Tomahawk, a Steel Ramrod, Worm, Priming Wire and Brush fitted thereto, a Cartouch Box to contain 23 rounds of cartridges, 12 flints and a knapsack agreeable to the directions of the Continental Congress under forfeiture of five shillings for the want of a musket or firelock and of one shilling for want of a bayonet, sword or tomahawk, cartridgebox, cartridge or bullet. That every man shall at his place of abode be also provided with one pound of powder and three pounds of bullets of proper size to his musket or firelock.

There were numerous additional prescriptions, concerning discipline and drill, the duties and responsibilities of officers, and the penalties to be imposed for non-compliance. In case of any alarm, invasion or insurrection, every man thus enrolled was immediately to repair to headquarters, to wit, the home of his captain, and the captain was to march the company straight to the scene of invasion or insurrection “to oppose the enemy,” at the same time sending word to the regimental or brigade commander. A little later, to wit, on December 20, the Provincial Congress ordered that the militia of Dutchess and Westchester counties should form two separate brigades; whence we may assume that a larger enrolment of militia men was secured in those counties than had at first been expected.

The militia were called out whenever needed, and were kept out as long as they were needed, but they could be taken outside of the colony or state for no more than three months at a time. Sometimes, as Mr. James A. Roberts explains in his work on “New York in the Revolution,” a regiment or half of a regiment would be called out half a dozen times in the course of a year, perhaps for half a dozen days at a time; and again might not be called out once for a whole year. The regiments were commonly designated first by their colonels’ names and next by their counties. Officers and men seem to have served, says Mr. Roberts, in different organizations almost indiscriminately. At one call they were in one and at another they were in another regiment or company. Each colonel had almost unlimited powers in the district to which his regiment belonged, and he was specially required to see that every able-bodied male inhabitant between the ages of sixteen and sixty years was enrolled. Moreover, every such person must serve whenever called upon to do so, under penalty of fine and imprisonment; and if incapacitated, he must contribute toward the cost of securing and equipping another man. Among the rations served to all were tobacco, sugar, and tea, and in addition the colonels and chaplains received liberal allowances of rum. A colonel’s pay was $75 a month, and a private soldier’s pay $6.66 a month; not always in money, but sometimes in state scrip and sometimes in authority to “impress” cattle and goods; for all which things taken receipts were to be given to the owners in the name of the state, so that payment could afterward be made.

This enactment by New York was made in pursuance of an act of the Continental Congress, on July 18, 1775, which “recommended to the inhabitants of all the united English Colonies in North America that all able-bodied, effective men between sixteen and fifty years of age, in each Colony, might form themselves into regular companies of Militia, to consist of one captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, four sergeants, four corporals, one clerk, one drummer, one fifer, and about sixty-eight privates.”

Each company was permitted to elect its own officers; the companies were to be formed into regiments or battalions, officered with a colonel, lieutenant-colonel, two majors, an adjutant or quartermaster. All officers above the rank of captain were to be appointed by the respective Provincial Assemblies, or Conventions, or by the Committees of Safety.

One fourth part of the militia in every county was to consist of minute men, who were ordered “to be ready on the shortest Notice to march to any Place where their Assistance may be required for the Defence of their own or a neighboring Colony.” As the minute men were expected to be called into action before the body of the militia were sufficiently trained, it was recommended “that a more particular and diligent attention be paid to their instruction in military discipline.”

The equipment of these militia companies was at first painfully meager, and their muster-rolls, “spelled by the unlettered Muse,” were such as would drive the modern officer to despair. As an example, the muster-roll of Captain Nathaniel Scribner’s company may be cited, copied verbatim et literatim from an original MS. in the possession of Mr. Charles H. Ludington: