List of Governors of Virginia dur.

ing the period comprised in this Volume.

l'atrick Hen. PATRICK Henry, Esq. was elected, a second time, ry, esq.

governor of Virginia, in December 1784, and continued until December 1756, when Edmund Randolph,

esq. was elected. Edmund Rar. EDMUND RANDOLPH, Esq. continued governor undolph, estį. til December 1788, when Beverley Randolph, esq.

was elected.

AT A

ENERAL ASSEMBLY

BEGUN AND HELD At the Public Buildings in the City of Patrick Hea

Richmond, on Monday the seven-Fernersom teenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun. dred and eighty-five, and in the tenth year of the commonwealth."

CHAP. I.

An act to amend and reduce into one

act, the several laws for regulating and disciplining the militia, and guarding against invasions and in. surrections.

1. WHEREAS the defence and safety of the com- Preamble. monwealth depend upon having its citizens properly armed and taught the knowledge of military duty, and the different laws heretofore enacted being found inadequate to such purposes, and in order ihat the same may be formed into one plain and regular system;

* From the adoption of the constitution, until the present ses. sion, there had never been less than two sessions of the General Assembly, in each year, sometimes more, according to the exi. genies of the government. By an act of May 1784, chap. XX. (See Vol 11, p. 387) the meeting of the General assembly was fixed for the third Monday in October, annually.-Ever since that period, the sessions have been annual, except, in a few instan. ces, when the assembly has been convened, for special purposes, under the tenth article of the constitution.

Vos. xır,

B

stored

Officers dis. II. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the
placed by an officers of the militia who were displaced and removed

from office, by virtue of an act “For amending the se-
veral laws for regulating and disciplining the militia,
and guarding against invasions and insurrections," are

hereby reinstated, and shall take precedency of rank

i agreeable to the dates of the commissions they severalVacancies ly held prior to the passing of the said act; and vacanhow supplied cies supplied by appointment of the governor, with the

advice of the privy council, or recommendation from

the respective county courts.
Militia men III, And be it further endcted, That all free male
& exempts persons between the ages of eighteen and fifty years,
described.

except the members of the council of state, members of
the American congress, judges of the superior courts,
speakers of the two houses of assembly, treasurer, at-
torney-general, auditors and their clerks, solicitor-gen-
eral and his clerks, clerks of the council of state, and
treasury, register of the land-office, his deputy and
clerks, custom-house officers, all inspectors of tobacco,
all professors, and tutors at the University of William
and Mary, and other public seminaries of learoing, all
ministers of the Gospel, licensed to preach according
to the rules of their sect, who shall have previously ta-
ken before the court of their county, an oath of fidelity
to the commonwealth, post-masters, keepers of the pub-
lic gaol and public hospital, millers, persons concerned
at iron or lead works, or persons solely employed in
repairing or manufacturing fire-arms, all of whom are
exempted from the obligations of this act, shall be in-

rolled or formed into companies, of three serjeants,
Companies
how to be

three corporals, a drummer and fifer, and not less than formed. forty, nor more than sixty-five, rank and file; and these

companies shall again be formed into regiments of not
more than one thousand, nor less than five hundred

men, if there be so many in the county. Each comMilitia how pany shall be commanded by a captain, lieutenant, and to be officer. an ensign; each regiment by a colonel, lieutenant-coed.

lonel, and major; and the whole by a county-lieuten-
ant. These officers shall be resident within their coun-
ty; and before they enter on the execution of their re-

spective offices, shall take the following oath: “I Oficers' oatb. do swear that I will be faithful and true to the common

wealth of Virginia, of which I profess myself to be a
citizen; and that I will faithfully and justly execute the

office of a

, in the militia of the county of

according to the best of my skill and judgment. So help me God." There shall be a pri- Private musvale muster of every company once in two months, ex- ter. cept December and January, at such convenient time and place as the captain or next commanding officer shall appoint: a muster of each regiment on some day Regimental in the month of March or April, in every year, to be muster. appointed by the commanding officer thereof, at a convenient place near the centre of the regiment; and a general muster of the whole on some day in the month te

General mus. of October or November, in every year, to be appointed by the county-lieutenant, or commanding officer, at a convenient place near the centre of the county: For the times and places of the said musters, the county- Notices of lieutenant or commanding officer for the time being,

musters how

ucer for me ume wens, and when to shall give notice to the commanding officers of regi- be given. ments; for the general muster, the commanding officers of regiments shall give notice to the commanding officers of their respective companies of such general muster and of his regimental muster; and the commanding officers of companies shall give notice of the general, regimental, and private musters, to every person of their respective companies, and to that end the commanding officers of companies shall have power to order so many of their serjeants as they shall think fit, to give such notice, which may be done by personal summons by the said commanding officer, or serjeant so ordered, or by either of them, leaving notice in writing at the usual place of abode of the person to be summoned: The notices to be given by the commanding officer of the county, and commanding officers of regiments, shall be in writing, delivered in person, or left at the usual place of abode of each person, to be notified either by such coinmanding officers themselves, or by such officer or officers of their respective commands as they may think fit to order; the said notices shall be given by the commanding officer of the county, to the eommanding officers of regiments at least thirty days; by the commanding officers of regiments at least fifteen days; and by the commanding officers of companies at least five days, before such general, regimental, or private musters (as the case may be) shall be appointed

* Penalties on to be had. Any officer ordered as aforesaid to give fa sach notices, failing therein, shall for every offence for- notice.

seit and pay five pounds; and every serjeant so failing shall forfeit and pay one pound for every such failure;

to be recovered as other fines hereafter to be establishnments ed. Every officer and soldier shall appear at his reof oñcers & spective muster-field on the day appointed, by eleven soldiers.

o'clock in the forenoon, armed, equipped, and accoutred, as follows: The county-lieutenants, colonels, lieutenant-colonels, and majors, with a sword, the captains, lieutenants and ensigns, with a sword and espontoon, every non-commissioned officer end private with a good, clean musket carrying an ounce ball, and three feet eight inches long in the barrel, with a good bayo. net and iron ramrod well fitted thereto, a cartridge box properly made, lo contain and secure twenty cartridges fitted to his musket, a good knapsack and canteen, and moreover, each non-commissioned officer and private shall have at every muster one pound of good powder, and four pounds of lead, including twenty blind cartridges; and each serjeant shall have a pair of moulds fit to cast balls for their respective companies, to be

purchased by the commanding officer out of the moExceptton as nies arising on delinquencies. Provided, That the mito those be litia of the counties westward of the Blue Ridge, and Ridge.

the counties below adjoining thereto, shall not be obliged to be armed with muskets, but may have good ri. Aes with proper accoutrements, in lieu thereof. And every of the said officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, shall constantly keep the aforesaid arms, accoutrements, and ammunition, ready to be produced whenever called for by his commanding officer. If any

private shall make it appear to the satisfaction of the Poor prirates court hereafter to be appointed for trying delinquencies how to be

under this act that he is so poor that he cannot purarmed.

chase the arms herein required, such court shall cause them to be purchased out of the money arising from delinquents. The arms so purchased, shall by the commanding officer of the county, be delivered to the captain of the company to which such poor private may belong, who shall deliver such arms to the private, but

they shall continue the property of the county; and if Penalty on any private shall sell or conceal the same, the seller, him for sel!. concealer, and purchaser, shall each forfeit and pay ing, &c. his arms

four pounds, to be recovered by the commanding officer in any court of record, on ten days notice. And on the death, disability, or exemption of such poor pria