The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-06-16
LAWS OF OHIO.
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY.

mo. loo.] AN ACT
To Organize and Regulate an Independent
Militia.
Section /. Be ii enacted by the General
Assembly Of the State of Ohio, That for the
purpose of creating great efficiency in the
militia system, in counties having cities
with larger population than eighty thou
sand, it shall be lawful for any members of
the enrolled militia to embody and organize
themselves into independent companies,
sqnadrons, battalions and regiments in man.
ner and form and subject to the provisions
and restrictions hereinafter prescrbed-and
provided such organizations shall be of no
charge or expense the state.
Sec. 2. In each of said counties members
of the regularly enrolled militia may organ
ize themselves into companies as hereinafter
provided; and each company may orduin
and establish such bylaws, rules and reg.
ulations as they may deem necessary and
proper for their good government, and as
may not be inconsistent with this act or
the constitution OF this state and OF the Uni
ted States.
Sec. 8. That in each Of said counties,
companies may unite and form battalion to
be composed of not less than two nor more
than five companies, which companies shall
be designated by the numbers /, 2, 3, 4 and
5, and shall consist of not less than forty
(4O nor more than one hundredOoO) men,
rank and file ; and in addition to it's compile
ment of officers and men on the active roll,
each company may receive and enroll from
forty (40) to one hundred (lO0) contributing
members, who shall be subject to such con-
tributions, duties and service as may be pre-
scribed by the rules and regulations of the
company.
The members of each company shall have
power to elect one captain, q first lieutenant
and other such officers as may be neces.
sary and when two companies shall have
been duly organized and united, they shall
have power to elect major, an adjutant, q
quarter. m aster, q pay master and q surgeon j.;
and when four companies shall have united,
they shall have power to elect lieutenant
colonel and when more than five compa-
MICS shall have been duly organized an uni.
ted, they may form and organize themselves
into regiment and elect full complement
Of regimental officers all of which sale
officers so elected shall be commissioned anC
qualified as officers of like grades in the vol
unteer militia of the State; and at any
meeting or parade the senior officer present
shall preside or have command.
Sec. 4. That said companies or other or
ganization as herein provided, shal! be sep
arate from and independent of any and al
other military organic atoms and command
whatever in the state, Ond shall be subjec
solely to the direct call of the governor O
the state and of the regularly constituted
civil authorities, for the suppression of insur
rection and riot, or the repellng of inva
sions or the enforcement of the execution
! Of the laws according to the provisions o
the constitution and laws of the state, an
in all cases of demand or requisition for
military force by the sheriff OF mayor,
, shall be by application to the superior com
missioned officer in rank at the time presen
in the city, town or county where sue
service is required.
Sec. s. All such companies, battalion
and regiments when organized, shall bt
armed and drilled as near as practicable il
accordance with the system of the Unitet
States army for like organizations ant
while in actual service, shall be governed
by the principles Of the military laws of tn
l state and the rules and articles of war o
the United States.
Sec. 6. Every battalion or regiment shall
Immediately upon its organization, fix Ger
: tain days not less than three in number
upon which in each and every year, and q
such hours as may be specified, it shall NEE
for parade and military exercise.
| Coo Evorv hoff n linn or ronip,opk ohoI
once in each year during the months OF July
August or September, hold an encampmen
} to continue not less than three days an
the officers and soldiers forming such en-
campment shall be drilled in accordanc
with the requirements Of the rules and usag
of the United States army and when prac
ticabe to be inspected by the adjutant gen
, eral, and the commandant shall cause fiy
days public notice to be given of the tim
and place Of such encampment.
Sec. 8. Every active and contrbutin
member of such independent companie
, shall, while member of such company, b
exempt from labor on the public highway
of this state and from service as jurors ; an
every member who shall have been held t
duty, during period Of five years, shall b
entitled to certificate from his commandar
, showing such service, and shall be exemE
from military duty in time of peace.
Sec. 9. Such independent companie
shall be entitled to the use of the publ
arms Of the state subject to the snme obligs
tons and restrictions as those imposed upo
other military organization in the state.
Sec. 10. The style of the uniform shaI
be such as each company may adopt, prov
: ded that the uniform of all companies organ
lied into battalion or regiment shall b
one and alike, and the uniform of battalio
and regimental officers shall correspon
Herewith.
WILLIAM B. WOODS,
Speaker of the House of Representatives
!, MARTIN WELKER,
President of the Senate.
March 26, 1859.