![]() This company was a paramilitary organization independent of the Crown's militia. Mason drew from his own previous writings upon his founding of the Fairfax County Independent Company of Volunteers on September 21, 1774. ![]() Colonel George Mason became the principal author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights which was published on June 12, 1776. On May 15, 1776, the Virginia General Assembly voted unanimously for independence and to have a declaration of rights drawn up. In 1774, revolution was at Virginia's doorstep when Royal Governor Lord Dunmore dissolved the Virginia House of Burgesses because of their support of the city of Boston against the closing of the Port of Boston by Lord North. Main article: Virginia in the American Revolution 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 mulattoes, 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. ![]() French and Indian War ĭuring the French and Indian War (1754–1763), a formal act came into effect. This was the first military action between Virginia soldiers and Native Americans in western Virginia. Virginia militia under the command of Colonel James Patton fought an Iroquois war party at the Battle of Galudoghson in December 1742. The Crown's militia was victorious over Nathaniel Bacon, who tried to seize power. This Virginia militia system was put to the test in 1676 during Bacon's Rebellion. As the slave population grew in the Virginia Colony, the militia played a role in keeping slaves from running away or from revolting – through the use of militia patrollers. ![]() The militia system was originally used to defend against Native American tribes in the tidewater area. In 1623, the year following the outbreak of the first major Anglo-Powhatan War in Virginia, the Virginia General Assembly 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 William Berkeley 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. The main purpose of the Crown's militia was to repel invasions and insurrections and to enforce the laws of the colony. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the English militia system. The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. ![]()
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