The Draft In Colonial Days
Compulsory military service was in effect
during Colonial days, long before the Revo¬
lution occurred. There were many unic|iie
features in connection w ith its enforcement.
WHILE Congress, the man in
the street, the college pro¬
fessor and everybody else
in America argue about the draft,
many Tar Heels who know their
North Carolina history compare the
present compulsory military serv¬
ice with that of Colonial days.
A somewhat similar system pre¬
vailed in North Carolina during
the days between 1665 and 1729.
The military requirements in those
days were just as strict and manda¬
tory as they are today.
There was a need for compulsory
service in Colonial limes, too. Cam-
Kigns of vigilance against the
dians were necessary. The colo¬
nists were surrounded by savages
and were faced with the problem
of planning some military defense
for their families.
Age Limits Ran From 16 to 60
After the bloody war of 1711
with the Tuscarora and Core In¬
dians, the tentative military opera¬
tions were made more effective.
All freemen between the ages of
16 and 60 were required to enroll.
A list of each company was made
annually by the captain. A copy
of this list was then sent to the
Governor of the colony and another
to the colonel of the regiment to
which the company belonged.
Although every Colonist was re¬
quired to enroll, a large number
were excused from service. This
?roup included all ministers of the
hurch of England, all practicing
physicians, chirurgeons (surgeons
in our time), the secretary of the
province, deputies of the Lords
Proprietors, the attorney general,
all members of the Assembly,
clerks of the court, constables,
justices of the peace, and the cap¬
tain of a military company.
However, these people were not
entirely free from some type of
military service. They formed a
reserve corps and constituted a
kind of bodyguard for the Gov¬
ernor. In addition, they were re¬
quired at all times and under every
circumstance involving definite
calls to service to be fully provided
with arms and ammunition lit for
immediate use. The law stated
«I/
i.o its t. moori:
that they would be required "to be
ready in all times of danger to
wait and attend the governor’s
commands.”
The enlisted forces, too. were
required to furnish their own
equipment. The regulations clear¬
ly stated that whenever a private
was called out to parade, it was
necessary for him to appear with
“a good gun. well fixed, a sword,
and at least six charges of powder
and ball.”
The Governor was the captain-
general and commander-in-chief of
the militia. When the General As¬
sembly was not in session, he had
the power, with the advice of the
Council of State, to call out what¬
ever portion of the enlisted force
he deemed necessary in the event
of an invasion or hostility on the
part of the Indians.
Immediate Response Demanded
Whenever summoned by the
Governor or by the General As¬
sembly. every soldier was com¬
pelled to respond. He must arrive
at the designated assembly point
bearing his arms and must bring
with him at least one-quarter of a
pound of powder, and a pound of
"geese or swan shot, or bullets."
To provide a magazine of am¬
munition for the troops, the mili¬
tary law specified that every ves¬
sel entering any of the ports of
North Carolina, should pay a ton¬
nage duty of one pound of gun
powder, four pounds of swan-shot,
and twelve flints, for every three
tons of her shipping; or ten shill¬
ings in lieu thereof. However, ships
built in this country or ships owned
wholly or in part by an inhabitant
were exempt from this military
tax. Such freedom from the tax
was also allowed any vessel that
brought in for storage or distribu¬
tion four hundred bushels of salt.
Men were compensated for their
services in several different ways
in the event they were wounded
in fighting the enemy. If the
wounds were of such a nature as to
completely disable a man and pre¬
vent him from engaging in future
labor for the support of himself
and dependents, it was required
that he be treated at the expense
of the public treasury. He was to
receive treatment until he was
cured. In addition the wounded
soldier of Colonial days was pre¬
sented a Negro slave so that the
latter could perform labor that the
soldier himself was unable to do.
It seems that the slave was not
given permanently to the soldier,
unless the drafted man was killed
in actual service, then the slave
was to become the permanent pos¬
session of his family.
Types of Punishment
Regulations applying to soldiers
were strict and often seemed un¬
fair. If a soldier while on duty
resisted any command given him
or refused to obey general orders
as issued, his punishment was to
be administered without court
martial. The type of discipline to
be administered rested on the dis¬
cretion of the captain of the com¬
pany. Among the types of punish¬
ment enumerated in the law are
“tying neck and heels, running
the gauntlet, riding the wooden
horse, or otherwise."
In the event a soldier deserted
when there might be an expedition
against an Indian enemy, he was
to be tried by court martial and
punished according to war law
with any drastic penalty "short of
death."
Field officers of the regiment
were a colonel, lieutenant-colonel,
and major. In a company the only
commissioned officers were a cap¬
tain. aid-major, lieutenant, and en¬
sign. The colonel's compensation
was ten shillings per day and that
of the private one shilling and six
pence. Payment was in provincial
currency and not in sterling.
Although service in the militia
sounds uninviting, it did have its
good points. Twice a year the com¬
pany held a muster and once a
year a regimental or battalion gath-
( Continued on page 21)
THE state. October 13. 1943
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