The Minutemen in Virginia were volunteers called forth from the Virginia militia. They trained more often then the regular militia to enhance unit cohesion and effectiveness to mass firepower as was the standard tactic of 18th century warfare. The Minutemen were merely better trained than the regular militia. In Virginia the militia and the Minutemen were required at all times to be armed and ready to immediately repel invasions and insurrections. The Minutemen were actually a reconstituted form of the Independent Companies started by George Mason and came into existence after the Independent companies were under the central control of the Virginia Committee of Safety. The state of Virginia was divided into 16 military districts and the minutemen were formed. They only lasted one year from July 1775 to October 1776 as the severe military manpower shortage in the Continental line drew down the available men required to constitute the companies. They were then folded back into the regular militia. George Mason Jr. was a member of the Minutemen. For actual Acts of the Colony of Virginia creating the Minutemen see http://www.virginia1774.org/MilitiaActs.html Rudolph DiGiacinto Founder &c. Virginia1774.org
minute men
Minute Men?
The militia played a big role in early tensions between the colonies and Great Britain. For example, the minute men were militia men trained to right on a minutes notice. They were the people who fought the British in the battle of Lexington and Concord.
American militia. The minute men were American militia that would be ready to fight on a minutes notice during the American Revolution.
They were a part of the militia. In every colony except Pennsylvania, every male between 18 and 60 was part of the militia. He had to provide himself with a weapon and equipment, and muster several times a year for drills. In the New England states, as tensions grew in the year or two before the Revolution started, militia units began forming "minute companies", of young, strong men, who were to be prepared to drop whatever they were doing and hurry to the militia rallying point agreed to before hand, at a minutes notice.
Minute men are militia men who were able to ready their arms in minutes.
minute men
minute men or Militia
minute men
Minute Men?
The "minute men " were a special units within the general militia. They were more like our rangers or seals of today. The first minute men unit to engage the British was in Concord. We have done a disservice to these brave men by not recognizing them as a special unit in the revolution. Usually the term "minute man" is used to refer to the entire militia and that is not what they were.
The militia played a big role in early tensions between the colonies and Great Britain. For example, the minute men were militia men trained to right on a minutes notice. They were the people who fought the British in the battle of Lexington and Concord.
American militia. The minute men were American militia that would be ready to fight on a minutes notice during the American Revolution.
Minute-men
Minutemen fought British regulars for the first time in Lexington and Concord.
State Defence Forces, State Defence Corps, State Military Reserve
They were a part of the militia. In every colony except Pennsylvania, every male between 18 and 60 was part of the militia. He had to provide himself with a weapon and equipment, and muster several times a year for drills. In the New England states, as tensions grew in the year or two before the Revolution started, militia units began forming "minute companies", of young, strong men, who were to be prepared to drop whatever they were doing and hurry to the militia rallying point agreed to before hand, at a minutes notice.