USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 16
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The term of enlistment of the men in Middleboro com- panies expired just before the battle of Petersburg, when some twenty-four of them reenlisted in the Thirty-second Regiment, and were in most of the battles with the Army of the Potomac until the final surrender of General Lee and the close of the war.
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE)
S. Thomas, lieut .- col. R. H. Holmes, sergt .- major
Thomas Weston, major C. M. Vaughan, drum major
Charles F. Edson, capt. R. F. Barrows, musician
COMPANY B
George F. Atwood, sergt.
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
18I
COMPANY C1
Eli Atwood, sergt.
John S. Raymond
John S. Atwood, corp.
Marcus M. Raymond
George H. Swift, corp.
Martin V. Raymond
Frederick E. Atwood
Thomas F. Shaw
William M. Atwood
Earl T. Smith
Francis B. Cushman
Watson N. Smith
Josiah W. Dean
Adoniram Thomas
William M. Dexter
Arad Thomas, Jr.
Isaac Harlow
Nelson Thomas
Simeon Harlow
Edwin J. Wrightinton
John K. Maxim
George W. Paul
Charles A. Paul
COMPANY D 2
Solomon F. Beals, sergt. Edgar Harrison, sergt.
William H. Carle; sergt. John T. Haskell, sergt.
1 COMPANY C
Corporal George H. Swift, d. in 1863 from wounds received at Chancellorsville.
Frederick E. Atwood, killed in battle, August 26, 1862.
William M. Atwood, killed at Bull Run, August 30, 1862.
Francis B. Cushman, d. May 13, 1862.
Isaac Harlow, d. in camp, March 1, 1862.
John K. Maxim, d. in hospital, January 27, 1865.
Charles A. Paul, d. May 31, 1862.
Martin V. Raymond, killed at Bull Run, August 30, 1862.
Adoniram Thomas, d. from wounds received at Bull Run, September 29, 1862.
2 COMPANY D
Corporal Darius B. Clark, killed at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862.
Corporal Henry M. Warren, d. December 20, 1862, from wounds received at Fredericksburg.
Peleg F. Benson, d. November 17, 1862.
William H. Brightman, d. in Libby Prison, September 28, 1862.
Cyrus Hall, d. in hospital at Washington, October 19, 1862.
Charles E. Hunt, killed at Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864.
Samuel Mellen, d. at Hall's Hill, January 10, 1862.
Cyrus Perkins, d. January 1, 1863.
Morrell Perkins, d. December 20, 1862, from wounds received at Fredericks- burg.
James C. Record, d. in hospital at Alexandria, November 25, 1864.
Samuel M. Ryder, d. December, 1862, from wounds received at Fredericksburg.
James H. Wade, d. in hospital at Philadelphia, August 7, 1862.
Charles W. Wilmarth, d. in Andersonville Prison, July 18, 1864.
182
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
George N. Johnson, sergt.
George W. Jones, sergt.
John W. King, Jr., sergt.
George B. Thomas, sergt.
Charles I. Brown, corp.
Darius B. Clark, corp.
Nehemiah D. Davis, corp.
Charles A .. Howes, corp.
James W. King, corp.
Albert H. Pratt, corp.
William B. Shaw, corp.
Charles H. Smith, corp.
Harrison O. Thomas, corp. Henry M. Warren, corp.
MUSICIAN James S. Shaw
WAGONER Erastus M. Lincoln
PRIVATES
Daniel W. Atwood
James E. McMann
John S. Baker
Charles C. Mellen
Peleg F. Benson
Samuel Mellen
William Benson
John R. Merrick
William H. Brightman
Emerson P. Morse
Phineas Burt
Henry S. Murray
Ezra S. Clark
Robert Parris
Ezra S. Chase
Francis J. Peirce
Charles A. Churchill
Cyrus Perkins
Meletiah R. Clark
Edwin Peirce
James E. Cushman
Morrell Perkins
Timothy M. Davis
Nathan A. Perkins
Ichabod S. Dean
Thompson Perkins
Lysander W. Field
Thomas B. Pratt
George L. Finney
James H. Ramsdell
Gilmore Fish
Christopher C. Reading
Benjamin Gammons
Milton Reed
James Gammons
James C. Record
Bernard Glancy
Samuel M. Ryder
Edward P. Gore
Stephen C. Ryder
Cyrus Hall
Albert Shaw
Theodore P. Holmes
Charles D. Shaw
Charles E. Hunt
Henry Shaw
Ephraim A. Hunt
Charles H. Smith
Henry E. Johnson
Cornelius Sullivan
Ira O. Littlejohn
Elbron F. Taylor
Henry H. P. Lovell
Benjamin L. Thompson
William H. Marshall
William F. Thompson
183
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
Charles T. Tillson
Henry F. Whitcomb
Charles Tinkham
William R. Whitcomb
Charles W. Wilmarth
Charles R. Tripp
James H. Wade
Calvin B. Ward
William T. Withington John Young
COMPANY E
Orien E. Caswell
Marcus Soule
William H. Dunham
Erastus Wallen
Charles L. Morse
William Walley
Levin S. Morse
Thomas P. Weatherby
Hercules Smith
COMPANY F
Albert F. Mellen John T. Whitcomb
COMPANY H 1
Marcus Bumpus Cyrus White
COMPANY I2
Preston Soule, sergt. Thomas P. Young, unassigned recruit
NINETEENTH REGIMENT
This regiment was sent August 28, 1861, for three years' service.
MUSICIAN IN REGIMENTAL BAND Charles H. Gibbs
TWENTIETH REGIMENT
Early in July, 1861, this regiment was sent to the front. Many of the men were captured ; fifty died in Confederate prisons. It has an unusual record for the number of general
1 COMPANY H Cyrus White, d. November 19, 1862.
2 COMPANY I Sergeant Preston Soule, d. May 14, 1862.
George B. Tinkham
184
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65 officers which it gave to the service ; eleven became brigadier- generals.
TWENTIETH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE) Henry H. Mathewson, corp.
TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT
This regiment was raised and first commanded by Hon. Henry Wilson, the senator from Massachusetts. Company C was mustered in in September, 1861. After reaching Wash- ington, it joined Martindale's Brigade of Fitz-John Porter's Division with the Eighteenth.
TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE) COMPANY C
Alexis C. Dean, corp. Peter Fagan Vanzandt E. Smith, corp. Joseph E. Tinkham
Charles W. Clark
TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT
This regiment, mustered in December 5, was part of the First Brigade with the Twenty-fourth under General Foster and later under Burnside, and took an active part with other Massachusetts regiments. It suffered loss at Roanoke Island in February, 1862, but pursued the Confederates through a swamp which had been considered impenetrable. In April this regiment formed part of the First Brigade, First Divi- sion, doing picket duty at Batchelder's Creek, and engaging in battle at Newbern and at Goldsboro. At Arrowfield Church it was called into more active service, and met with loss at Drewry's Bluff and at Cold Harbor. Yellow fever decimated the ranks while in camp, and after serving at Kinston it was sent back to Newbern, and on June 5 was mustered out.
TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE)
COMPANY D
Leonard B. Haskins
Benjamin O. Tillson
185
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
COMPANY E
Warren Chubbuck Marcus F. Maxim Elbridge A. Maxim 1
TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
The Twenty-fourth, known as the New England Guards, joined the First Brigade.
COMPANY D Sergeant George N. Gammon 2
TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT
This regiment was mustered in in December, 1862, for three years' service.
COMPANY B John Bergen
THIRTIETH REGIMENT (3 YEARS' SERVICE)
This was one of the regiments raised by General Butler, first known as the Eastern Bay State.
COMPANY F John Grady
THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT
This was the outgrowth of the First Battalion of Infantry at Fort Warren. In November, 1862, it went south and joined the brigade with the Ninth. After guard duty and loss from fever, it moved toward Manassas, where, as part of the Army of the Potomac, it was in the second battle of Bull Run. It took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettys- burg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Preble's Farm, and Hatcher's Run, besides many skirmishes and en- counters ; it marched to Sheridan's assistance near Appomat- tox Court House, and later was in the grand review at Wash- ington. During its three years of service this regiment engaged 1 Died July 25, 1864. 2 Died March 8, 1862.
I86
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65 in thirty battles. Its history has been so often told that it need not be repeated here.
THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE)
COMPANY A
Charles H. Smith, corp. Thomas Morton, Jr.
COMPANY B Nehemiah D. Davis, sergt.
COMPANY C
Orrin E. Caswell
Meletiah R. Clark
Ezra S. Chase
COMPANY D
Charles I. Brown, corp.
George L. Finney
Josiah W. Dean
COMPANY E
Jennison Morse
Edward S. Westgate
Joseph Westgate William Westgate
Ezra T. Westgate 1
COMPANY H Francis J. Peirce
COMPANY I James C. Record
COMPANY K
Marcus Soule
William F. Thompson
Elbron F. Taylor
COMPANY L Henry F. Whitcomb
UNASSIGNED RECRUITS
John T. Haskell, sergt. George B. Thomas, corp.
Solomon F. Beals, sergt. Charles W. Wilmarth
1 Killed at Cold Harbor, June 4, 1864.
187
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
FORTIETH REGIMENT
The Fortieth Regiment was stationed for some time in Vir- ginia. It was at Alexandria, at Williamsburg, at White House Landing, and at Baltimore Cross Roads, where it had a lively skirmish, in which this regiment won all the credit of the attack. On the 7th of August, 1863, the regiment embarked for Charleston Harbor, and served in the trenches at Fort Wagner until that stronghold was evacuated by the Confed- erates. In February it took possession of Jacksonville without opposition, and after some skirmishing captured Gainesville, where there was a large quantity of stores, and gained dis- tinction by repelling a force three times its own number, killing and wounding several without any loss to itself. Olus- tee Station was the scene of a severe fight of two or three hours. Retreating to Jacksonville, it was stationed at the Three Mile Run, then ordered back to Virginia. Upon joining the Army of the Potomac, it was in the expedition against Richmond and Petersburg, and was engaged in the battle of Arrowfield Church. In the advance on Richmond this regi- ment led the right wing, and was skirmishing for most of the first day's fight. At Drewry's Bluff it suffered a loss of ten killed, forty-two wounded, and twenty-two missing. The killed and wounded were left in the hands of the Confederates. At the battle of Cold Harbor the regiment suffered severely, and on the 27th of August, so great had been the loss by expos- ure, sickness, and fire of the enemy that but two officers and forty-five enlisted men in the whole regiment were able to report for duty. They were sent to Bermuda Landing for rest, where they remained until the sick and wounded had recovered.
In the engagement soon after at Fort Harrison, Lieuten- ant J. Arthur Fitch of Middleboro was killed. On March 6, 1865, the regiment performed provost-guard duty for the city of Fredericksburg, while others who were on this expedition destroyed the railroad at Hamilton Crossing. After this the regiment was before Petersburg, where it remained until its
188
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
fall and the evacuation of Richmond. Its last service was hold- ing the lines near Signal Hill while the rest of the army were operating upon the left of the city.
FORTIETH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE) 1
James W. Bryant, capt.
Oreb F. Mitchell, capt.
Southworth Loring, lieut. Edwin P. Holmes
J. Arthur Fitch, lieut.
COMPANY A
William E. White, sergt.
J. Addison Shaw, Jr.
Henry A. Eaton
COMPANY E
W. H. Harlow, sergt.
George Hinckley
H. L. McFarlin, sergt.
Edward Jennings
A. M. Perkins, sergt. Henry F. Maxim
William E. Bryant, corp.
Benjamin S. McLaughlin
F. O. Burgess, corp.
Silas H. Murdock
Albert F. Finney, corp. Darius M. Nichols
Francis M. Hodges, corp.
John J. Perkins
Sidney B. Wilbur, corp. Albert G. Pratt
Benjamin W. Bump
John Scanlin
James Carter
William N. Shaw
Oramel H. Churchill
Christopher C. Smith
Ansel A. Cobb
Timothy J. Sullivan
Robert V. Cole
Charles G. Tinkham
James C. Fessenden
Thomas E. Wilmot
Hazen K. Godfrey
Asaph Writington
FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT
This, called Third Veteran Regiment, was ordered to the
1 Lieutenant J. Arthur Fitch, killed at Fort Harrison, September 30, 1864. Corporal Francis M. Hodges, d. at Beaufort, October 27, 1863.
Corporal Sidney B. Wilbur, d. June 2, 1864, from wounds received at Cold Harbor.
Oramel H. Churchill, d. September 11, 1863.
George Hinckley, d. February 24, 1863, from wounds received at Olustee. Edward Jennings, died.
Timothy J. Sullivan, d. August 22, 1864, from wounds received at Petersburg.
Harrison Haskins
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION 189
front in April, 1864, was assigned to the First Brigade, and was engaged in the battles at Chancellorsville, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, " Battle of the Crater," and at Poplar Spring Church. It took part in the grand review at Washington, May 23, 1865, and on July 26 was mustered out.
FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY
COMPANY B
David W. Deane, corp.
Richard Cox 1
COMPANY C John L. Cobb 2
COMPANY E
David S. Pason
COMPANY K Henry Fitsimons
FIFTY-NINTH REGIMENT
This regiment left the state earlier than the Fifty-eighth for three years' service.
COMPANY G Benjamin Chamberlain 3
CAVALRY REGIMENTS
Middleboro was represented in several regiments of cav- alry : the First, mustered in during the autumn of 1861; the Third, which was organized from troops actually in the field (Mass. Forty-first), travelled fifteen thousand miles, and en- gaged in more than thirty battles ; and the Fourth, which, not organized till 1864, was almost annihilated in the several battles in which it took part. In a company of unattached cavalry, several Middleboro men were enlisted, but it is impos-
1 Killed June 3, 1864.
2 Died August 12, 1864.
8 Died December 10, 1864.
I90 HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65 sible to trace in detail the varied and brave services of these regiments.
FIRST REGIMENT OF CAVALRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE)
COMPANY I
R. S. Capen, sergt.
William A. Smith
Francis O. Harlow
COMPANY K
Thomas Doran
Washington I. Caswell 1
John E. Smith
THIRD REGIMENT OF CAVALRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE)
COMPANY H George Cummings 2
COMPANY L T. P. Benthuysen, sergt.
COMPANY M
John Grant
Charles F. Smith
READ'S COMPANY (SO CALLED) James E. Nichols
FOURTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY (3 YEARS' SERVICE) Robert S. Capen, sergt .- maj.
COMPANY A Horace S. Flagg
COMPANY B Andrew P. Rogers, sergt.
COMPANY D
Albert Eddy, sergt.3 Thomas S. Ellis Jeremiah Callihan, corp.
1 Died August 29, 1863. 2 Died at New Orleans, July 28, 1864. 3 Died.
19I
1861-65] MIDDLEBORO IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
COMPANY B, UNATTACHED CAVALRY (KNOWN AS BUTLER'S BODYGUARD)
James G. Nichols Thomas Ellis Louis Phinney
Thomas P. Vanbenthuysen Sanford Weston
During the war Middleboro furnished about four hundred and sixty-five men, thirteen of whom were commissioned offi- cers, and had a surplus of twenty-one after filling its quota upon every call made by the President. The town expended, exclusive of state aid, $31,915.57. $6633 was also raised by private subscription, $7821 was raised by a club, and $5000 by persons liable to draft to procure substi- tutes, making the total amount raised by and in the town, $51,326.90. Of this amount there was repaid by the common- wealth for state aid which had been purchased, $36,- 962.40.
Great sacrifices for the defence of the Union were made by the men of Mid- dleboro, and in no instance was there ever reported any lack of bravery or want of discretion on the part of the officers or pri- vates who went out from our town. Not a few of
DEFENDERS
OUR COUNTRY
1861; - )065.
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT
192
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1861-65
the inhabitants enlisted in companies in other parts of the state.
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT
This monument, erected by the citizens of Middleboro to perpetuate the memory of her soldiers who fell in the War of the Rebellion, stands on the lawn in front of the town house. It is built of selected Quincy granite, nine feet at the base, rising to the height of forty feet and eleven inches. Action was first taken towards its erection by the E. W. Peirce Post 8 of the Grand Army of the Republic, and those who served in the quota raised by the town. It was completed at a cost of about five thousand dollars, and dedicated May 30, 1896, with appropriate exercises and an address by Ex-Governor John D. Long. The monument is a beautiful structure, and will stand for all time to perpetuate the lives, the valor, and the sacrifices of Middleboro men in the War of the Rebellion.1
1 The town first acted upon matters relating to the war on the 6th of May, 1861, when it was voted to raise a company for three years, and to guarantee each man $26 a month while in service. At the same meeting it was voted to raise $5000 for war purposes, $2000 of which was to be expended in uniforming and equipping the company, and each recruit was to be paid $1.25 a day while drilling, not to exceed three days in a week for four weeks, and when the company was called into service, each volunteer was to receive a month's pay in advance. July 28, 1862, it was voted to pay a bounty of $125 to each volunteer to the number of 56 who should enlist for three years, to be credited to the quota of the town within twenty days.
The 25th of August it was voted to raise a company for nine months' service, and to pay each volunteer for that term a bounty of $150, when mustered in and credited to the quota of the town.
The 21st of September, 1863, the town voted that the selectmen should continue the payment of said aid to the families of soldiers who had been discharged for wounds or sickness the same as they had before received, this to be continued for six months, and to borrow money to pay the same.
CHAPTER XII
LOCAL MILITIA
M ILITARY affairs of the towns in the old colony form a very important place in their history. Next to the church and the town meeting, more interest seems to have centred about the militia than any of the organ- izations of the times. Few persons qualified to serve presumed to neglect that duty, and the most important men were se- lected to fill the various offices. In the early history of these towns they occupied so important a position in the defence against the attacks from the Indians, and were so efficient an arm of the government in resisting the encroachment of the French against the English sovereignty in the New World, and later performed such heroic service in establishing the liberties of the country, that their power and influence were always felt in all public affairs.
The first account of a military drill was during the struggle of that small but brave band to maintain life on the barren lands of Plymouth. Early in 1622 rumors reached the pilgrims of hostile bands of Indians, and Canonicus, king of the Narra- gansetts, sent to Tisquantum, the pilgrims' interpreter, some new arrows tied with a rattlesnake's skin. Bradford, filling the skin with powder and bullets, sent it back, but as the messengers feared to carry it, it was passed along from one to another, finally returning to Bradford, having served its purpose of quelling Canonicus's revolt. Immediately, however, they began to fortify the little village, and Standish formed four companies of all those able to bear arms. The captain of each company in turn was to hold the command in his ab- sence. His military skill was such that he realized fully the value of drill and training, and the men received special instruc- tion in the tactics of the soldiers of the Old World, with which
194
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1685
he was familiar. The early record is that each company took its place for the defence with a discharge of musketry, then accompanied the captains to their houses, where "again they graced them with their shot and so departed." In a note to Young's "Chronicles of the Pilgrims," we find this was the first general muster in New England, and the embryo of our present militia system. Bradford says : 1 __
" They agreed to inclose their dwelling with a good strong pale, and make flankers in convenient places, with gates to shute, which were every night locked, and a watch kept, and when neede required ther was also warding in ye day time. And ye company was by ye Captain and ye Gov advise, devided into 4 squadrons and every one had ther quarter apoynted unto them which they were to repaire upon any suddane alarme. And if ther should be any crie of fire a company were appointed for a gard, with muskets, whilst others quenchet ye same, to prevent Indian treachery. This was accomplished very cherfully and ye towne impayled round by ye beginning of March."
This little battalion of fifty strong was a garrison sufficient to defend the town, and with Standish's discipline and mili- tary tactics may well be called the first volunteer militia.
By the old militia laws the men were required to give six days'2 duty each year. The companies chose their own cap- tains. After the union of the two colonies the militia of each county was commanded by a lieutenant, and under him was a sergeant-major. 3
In the Plymouth Laws of 1683 4 we find : -
"This Court doth order that Swansey and Middlebery shall chose some for Officers To lead theire Milletary Companies and Instruct them in Marshall disiplyne and that orders to each of those Townes to send such to the Court as they shall see Cause to choose."
1 History of the Plimoth Plantation, p. 134.
2 Plymouth Colony Laws, p. 36: " That the Inhabits of euery Towne wthin the Gouerment fitt & able to beare armes be trayned (at least) six tymes in the year." September 1, 1640.
3 Palfrey's History of New England, vol. ii, p. 51.
4 Plymouth Colony Laws, p. 201.
195
LOCAL MILITIA
1689]
The first organized regiment of Plymouth Colony militia was commanded by Major William Bradford of Plymouth. At this time there were not men enough in Middleboro capable of bearing arms to form a full company, only sufficient for an ensign's command, and Isaac Howland was then in charge, holding such commission from the governor at Plymouth.
One third of the company was required to be armed with pikes and the remainder with matchlock muskets, called snap- hances. The pike had been substituted for the halberd, which at first was brought from England, it being found that the pike was as efficient a weapon and much less difficult to manu- facture. In the matchlock musket the powder was placed in a pan similar to that in the flintlock, but exploded by a coal of fire or by a lighted string ; the end of this string was placed in the powder by hand, or by a simple device behind the pan. The muskets used in hunting were fired by sparks communicated to the powder from a flint; they were not allowed in military drills, and were not used in war until after King Philip's time. The Indians would use no other, and they became very proficient in aiming and firing, which accounts for the large number of whites killed in King Philip's War. So cumbrous were the match and flintlock muskets of those times that they required as a support, when used, a forked stick about five feet in length, with an iron point at the other end, which was placed in the ground.
For fifty-eight years after the incorporation of Middleboro, there was but one company. In 1727 the population had so increased that this was divided into two, known as the First and Second Foot Companies. The town was divided into two precincts, and this division formed the basis for the companies. The increase in number of inhabitants caused another division to be made soon after, and again in 1754.
While Massachusetts remained a colony of England, all commissions in the militia expired at the death of the reigning sovereign, and were renewed on the accession to the throne of the next monarch.
Governor Hinckley, in 1689, said that besides the commis-
196
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1775
sioned officers there were in the train band five hundred and ninety able, effective men of the colony, and in the town of Middleboro there were forty-four, but their names are not given.1
From 1754 until the commencement of the Revolution, there were four companies in Middleboro, and their assembly and parade were matters of considerable importance. These com- panies and their officers at that time exerted a strong political influence, and to be a captain was regarded as the introduction to any public office. John Adams said in a letter, "The Amer- ican States have owed their existence to the militia for more than two hundred years. Neither school nor town meetings have been more essential to the formation and character of the nation than the militia." In 1741 the First Cadet Corps grew from the state militia, and until 1777 attended the provincial governor upon all state occasions.
The colonial law was that all from sixteen to sixty should serve in the local militia ; the only men exempt were " timorous persons." By act of the Continental Congress, July 18, 1775, it was provided that " all able bodied, effective men between sixteen and fifty in each colony should form themselves into regular companies of militia." It was also suggested that one fourth of these should be " minute men." 2 The whole state was organized under this provision of law into companies called the " train band." 3 Citizens from the age of fifty to sixty-five were included under the "alarm list." These two bodies of train band and alarm list were required to be ready for service upon the call of the governor. All former officers in the militia under sixty-five years of age were included in this alarm list. The equipment required was : a good firearm with steel or iron ramrod and worm, priming-wire and brush, a bayonet fitted to the gun, a cartridge-box holding at least fifteen rounds of ammunition, six flints, one pound of powder, forty leaden bul- lets, a haversack, blanket, and a canteen which would hold one
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