Militia in the decades following ratification Second Amendment to the United States Constitution

ketland brass barrel smooth bore pistol common in colonial america

during first 2 decades following ratification of second amendment, public opposition standing armies, among anti-federalists , federalists alike, persisted , manifested locally general reluctance create professional armed police force, instead relying on county sheriffs, constables , night watchmen enforce local ordinances. though compensated, these positions unpaid – held matter of civic duty. in these decades, law enforcement officers armed firearms, using billy clubs sole defensive weapons. in serious emergencies, posse comitatus, militia company, or group of vigilantes assumed law enforcement duties; these individuals more local sheriff armed firearms. on may 8, 1792, congress passed [a]n act more effectually provide national defence, establishing uniform militia throughout united states requiring:

[e]ach , every free able-bodied white male citizen of respective states, resident therein, or shall of age of eighteen years, , under age of forty-five years (except herein after excepted) shall severally , respectively enrolled in militia...[and] every citizen enrolled , notified, shall, within 6 months thereafter, provide himself musket or firelock, sufficient bayonet , belt, 2 spare flints, , knapsack, pouch box therein contain not less twenty-four cartridges, suited bore of musket or firelock, each cartridge contain proper quantity of powder , ball: or rifle, knapsack, shot-pouch , powder-horn, twenty balls suited bore of rifle, , quarter of pound of powder; , shall appear, armed, accoutred , provided, when called out exercise, or service, except, when called out on company days exercise only, may appear without knapsack.

the act gave specific instructions domestic weapon manufacturers , after 5 years passing of act, muskets arming militia herein required, shall of bores sufficient balls of eighteenth part of pound. in practice, private acquisition , maintenance of rifles , muskets meeting specifications , readily available militia duty proved problematic; estimates of compliance ranged 10 65 percent. compliance enrollment provisions poor. in addition exemptions granted law custom-house officers , clerks, post-officers , stage drivers employed in care , conveyance of u.s. mail, ferrymen, export inspectors, pilots, merchant mariners , deployed @ sea in active service; state legislatures granted numerous exemptions under section 2 of act, including exemptions for: clergy, conscientious objectors, teachers, students, , jurors. , though number of able-bodied white men remained available service, many did not show militia duty. penalties failure appear enforced sporadically , selectively. none mentioned in legislation.

the model 1795 musket made in u.s. , used in war of 1812

the first test of militia system occurred in july 1794, when group of disaffected pennsylvania farmers rebelled against federal tax collectors whom viewed illegitimate tools of tyrannical power. attempts 4 adjoining states raise militia nationalization suppress insurrection proved inadequate. when officials resorted drafting men, faced bitter resistance. forthcoming soldiers consisted of draftees or paid substitutes poor enlistees lured enlistment bonuses. officers, however, of higher quality, responding out of sense of civic duty , patriotism, , critical of rank , file. of 13,000 soldiers lacked required weaponry; war department provided two-thirds of them guns. in october, president george washington , general harry lee marched on 7,000 rebels conceded without fighting. episode provoked criticism of citizen militia , inspired calls universal militia. secretary of war henry knox , vice-president john adams had lobbied congress establish federal armories stock imported weapons , encourage domestic production. congress did subsequently pass [a]n act erecting , repairing of arsenals , magazines on april 2, 1794, 2 months prior insurrection. nevertheless, militia continued deteriorate , twenty years later, militia s poor condition contributed several losses in war of 1812, including sacking of washington, d.c., , burning of white house in 1814.