Volume 14 , Issue 19

Highland County Virginia - Highland Militia

In chapter XIX of Oren F. Fredricks book, History of Highland County, we learn something of the early Militia organization, officers and muster rolls of 1794. Yes! Colonial Virginia had a militia organization, which under independence was systematized. The state of Virginia was divided into five division districts and eighteen brigade districts, with each of the former being under the supervision of a major general and each of the latter under a brigadier general. Each county furnished at least one regiment.

Each division was attached one regiment of cavalry and one of artillery. The regiment, consisting of at least 400 men and commanded by a colonel, was divided into two battalions, one commanded by the lieutenant colonel and one by the major. Each battalion had a stand of colors. Each company had one captain, two first lieutenants, two second lieutenants, five sergeants, and six corporals.

On the staff of the colonel were one quartermaster, one paymaster, one surge's mate, one adjutant with the rank of captain, one sergeant major, one quartermaster sergeant, two principal musicians, and drum and fife majors.

Officers received their commissions through recommendation to the governor from the county court. A rigid anti-dueling oath was exacted of the officers. The best men to be found were appointed to office under the militia system.

Company musters took place in April and October, battalion musters in October or November, and regimental musters in April or May. Non-attendance led to a fine, usually of 75 cents, and this was turned over to the sheriff for collection. Excuses for cause were granted by a court martial, the clerk of the same having in 1794 a yearly salary of $6.67. In the same year wee find one man excused for an impediment in his speech, and another for a deficiency in intellect. Other were excused until in a better state of health.

Officers did not pay much attention to costume, the regimental and some of the company officers wore coats of the pattern of 1812; a dark-blue garment with long swallow-tail, epaulettes, and brass buttons.

The Highland regiment was the 162d Infantry. Have you found any of your Highland ancestors listed as such? George W. Hull was its colonel in 1860. The old militia system did not survive the war of 1861. We find that the regimental muster was an event of the far, and drew a crowd of spectators, as a circus does today.

The Muster Rolls of 1794 - Captain William Janes' Company, some of the names below I have run across in my ancestry search. Such as most of the names below:

1. Arbogast, David
2. Arbogast, George
3. Arbogast, Henry
4. Arbogast, John
5. Arbogast, Michael
6. Arbogast, Peter
7. Beverage, David
8. Bussard, Michael
9. Coovert, Peter
10. Eagan, John
11. Fleisher, Conrad
12. Fleisher, Palsor
13. Fox, Michael
14. George, Reuben
15. Grogg, John
16. Grogg, Philip
17. Gum, Abraham
18. Gum, Jacob
19. Halterman, Cahrles
20. Hammer, Balsor
21. Harper, Adam
22. Huffman, Christian
23. Hull, Adam
24. Hull, George
25. Jones, James
26. Keitz, George
27. Lambert, John
28. Life, Martin, Jr.
29. Lightner, Andrew
30. Lightner, Peter
31. McMahon, John
32. Michael, William
33. Moore, David
34. Markle, George
35. Mullenax, Archibald
36. Mullenax, James
37. Murray, Edward
38. Peck, Jacob
39. Peck, John
40. Peck, Michael
41. Radabaugh, Henry
42. Rexrode, George
43. Rexrode, John
44. Richards, Basil
45. Rymer, George
46. Seybert, Jacob
47. Simmons, Henry
48. Simpson, Alexander
49. Smalley, Benjamin
50. Smith, William
51. Swadley, Nicholas
52. Thomas, John
53. Wagoner, Christian
54. Wagoner, Joseph
55. Wagnoner, Michael
56. Walker, Joseph
57. Wamsley, Joseph
58. Waybright, Martin
59. White John
60. Whiteman, William
61. Williams, Robert
62. Wimer, Henry
63. Wimer, Jacob
64. Wimer, Philip

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