[geeks] FW: [rescue] UPS Recommendation

[Brian Dunbar]

Mike Meredith [mailto:mike at blackhairy.demon.co.uk] on Wednesday, July 16,
2003 3:34 PM said;

To: The Geeks List
Subject: Re: [geeks] FW: [rescue] UPS Recommendation


On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 13:26:01 -0500
Brian Dunbar <Brian.Dunbar at plexus.com> wrote:

> > Worth noting that 'militia' in the colonial era was, IIRC, every able
> > bodied male in the community, mustering under a pre-selected elected
> > leader.  By the definition in common use in the 18th century, everyone
> > was _in_ the militia, willy-nilly.

> I suspect 'militia' is in some senses a deliberately vague term. In the
> UK 'militia' meant specially priviliged regiments of the army that
> served in the UK and could not be sent abroad ... and this was in the
> 18th century. But it was always an integral part of a nation's armed
> forces (note your use of "elected leader").

In the US  militia and volunteer units to elect their officers and (IIRC)
NCOs until at least the American Civil War (1860).  Note that for most of
our history, the US Army simply wasn't a very large force; militia and
volunteer units did most of the fighting and disbanded as soon as practical
after the war was "won", be that a formal declared war or simply putting
down the latest indian war.

The use, employment and definition of the militia changed in the US as the
frontier moved West, of course, which may cause confusion if you're trying
to look at things with a UK POV.

~brian