Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-11-19


place the militia. or any part oft in the SER
vice Of the United States at the requesr of
She president. 70 lie commanded by him pur-
su9nt 10 ACES of Congress
2d. Whether, when either of the exigen-
cies exist, authorizing The e,upinying of the
militia in the service of the United States,
the militia thus employed can I've lawfully
commanded by any officer but of the militia,
except by the president Of the ". States"
enclose a copy of the answers given by
the Judges to tnese questions Since the
council! were called, person deputed by the
towns of Eastport and RobbinSton, on our
eastern boundary Mt Passamadquoddv. APP
piled to me, representing that they had no
approximations of an invasion by an authors
cd British force, but that there were many
lawless people on the borders from whom
they were in DANGER of predatory incursions,
and requesting that they might DC furnished
with some arms and ammunition and that
three companies of militia might be called
out for their protection. The council adj
vised THAI they sho.td be supplied with such
arms and ammunition as were necessary for
their present defence, which has been or
dered. They also advised me to call into
the service OF the U States three companies
of the detached militia for the purposes
bove mentioned | have this day issued an
order for calling out three Companies of the
detached militia, to be marched forthwith to
Passamaquoddy, and to- be commanded by a
major /; two ntthe companies will be station
ed at Passport, and one Company at Robbins
ton, until the president shall otherwise di-
rect.
have no intention officiouslv to interfere
| in the measures Of the general government !;
but if the president was fully acquainted
| with the situation of this state, I think he
would nave no wish to call our militia into
service III the manner proposed by general
| Dearborn.
| j, is well known that the enemy will find
1t difficult to spare troops sufficient for the
defence of their own TERRITORY, and predatory
| incursions are not like TO AXE place N this
state FOR ~ every point, except Passama-
| quoddy, which Can present no object To those
incursions, the people are too numerous to
be attacked by such parties as generally en-
gage in expeditions of that kind.
| General Dearborne proposed that the de-
tached militia should be stationed at only
few of The ports and places on the coast !.
| from the rest part of their militia w re to
he called away. This circumstacc would
| increase their danger: it would invite the
aggressions of the enemy, and diminish their
| power of resistance.
! The whole coast Of Cape Cod is exposed
! as much as any part of the state to depre
! dations. Part of the militia must, according
to this detaching order, be marched from
their homes, and yet no place in the I'D col
my of Plymouth is assigned to be the rem
| dezvous of any of the detached militia.
! Every harbor or port within the state has
a compact settlement, and generally the
country around the harbors is popuious The
| nlacRS contaminated in oranora1 nan Nor s.
| specification as the rendezvous of the detach-
ed militia excepting in one or two instaces,
| contain more ofthe militia than the portion of
the detaced militia assigned to them. The
militia are we'll organized & would undoubted-
| ly prefer to defend their fresides in company
| with their friends under their own officers,
| rather than to be marched to some distant
| place, while strangers might be introduced
to take their places at home.
| In Boston the militia are well disciplined,
| and could be mustered in an hour upen any
| signal of an approaching enemy ; and in six
hours the neighboring towns would pour in
| greater force than any invading enemy will
! bring against it. The same remark applies
20 Salem, Marb!ehead and Newburyport :;
| places whose harbors render an invasion
next to impossible. In all of them there
ire, in addition to the common militia, indie
1 l'SliSut OOEiIS vi infantry 'lUN dTtllcTF, well
disciplined and equipped, and ready both in
| disposition and means, to repair TO any place
where invasion may be threatened, and able
to repcl it, except it should be made by a
| fleet of heavy ships, against which nothing
perhaps but strong Notifications, garrisoDcd
by regular troops, wonld prove any defence,
until the enemy should land, when the en-
tire militia would be prepared to meet them.
Kennebunk is unassailable by any thing
but boats which the numerous armed pop
| ulation is competent to resist. Portland has
a militia and independent corps sufficiently
numerous for its defence, and the same is
the case with Wiscassett and Castine.
Against predatory incursions the militia
Of each place would be able to defend their
property, and ina very short time they would
beaded, Unnecessary, by tho militia ofthe sur
rounding country. In case of 4 more serious
invasion, whole biigades or divisions could
| be collected scasonably for defence. Indeed
| considering the ate Of militia in this com
| mOpwealth, | think there can be no doubt
that detaching a part Of it, and distributing
| i, into small portions, will tend to impair the
| defensive power.
| ] have thus freely expressed e. YOU my
! own sentiments, and so FAR as have heard,
! they are the sentiments of the best informed
! men. i am fully disposed to afford all the
| aid to the measures of the national govern
ment which the constitution requires Of nc
but presume it will not be expected or de-
sired that ! Shall fail in the duty which owe
to the people Of this state, VINO have conf
dcd their interests to my care.
/ am, sir, with respect,
Your most o5cdicnt aud humblc servant
CALEB STRONG.
Honorable w. Eusts,
Secretary Of War.