This needs a digest version...
““But what is meant of our militia? Why, when he spoke of them, he meant American citizens, accustomed to the use of arms;
not in the camp or in the field, but American citizens accustomed to use THEIR ARMS, and to all that manual dexterity
which could only be gained by long practice; not field maneouvering and marching, but a perfect knowledge of the rifle
and the musket. Such a use of the rifle that you could take the eye out of a squirrel on the highest tree. This was in all,
and beyond this there was no necessity to go in this country. In this the soldiers of our country had a superiority of those
of any other. Ask the British officers who were engaged in the last war whether there was no superiority in our troops
in this respect. WEll, was this to be learned at military musters? ....But when it is necessary, the American citizen is
always ready to BEAR ARMS without this militia training. how was it before in the last war in this State? [War of 1812]
Were their any militia trainings to make the cititzens of Pennsylvania prepared for service?
Not At all-they were ready to meet the enemy in the east and in the west. How was it in Tennessee before the Battle of New Orleans.
Did the men who fought that battle perform militia service to prepare them for it?
No sir- it was known that they did not. Were the militia of Bunker Hill, prepared for the events of that day
of glory by previous trainings as militia? No sir.’ p183”
Who was p183?
We lost the war of 1812, well it actually became a pissing contest and we backed down as we did not have the support to see it through materially.
Still, Commodore Oliver Hazzard Perry is one of my Heroes.
He fought against the Brits and the Expatriates that fled to Canada and held allegiance to Britain.
He worked like a mule building ships, fighting battles on the great lakes and in the end took a draw on politics
Oliver Hazzard Perry was the militia.