Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-01-09

1861 authorized the Governor 10 s for and accept the
services of twenty thousand volunteers, oil different
arms, to be increased to the number of fifty thousand,
if the public exigencies demand it, to for tmetUe
months after they shall be mustered into serUice unless
sooner discharged And the law also provides thai the
said volunteers SO Offering their services may be accept
ed by the Governor by the advice of the military board,
in companies, sguadrons baStaons or regiments, and
the several companies and troops authorized to elect
their own officers, who when elected, shall be commits
stoned by the Governor.
It is also provided that each company organized under
the act of May lOb shall consist of not less than 81
privaes nor more than one hundred unless the Cover
nor shall otherwise direct The officers to be one Cap
tain one first Lieutenant, second Lieutenant, and
one third (brevet second Lieutenant to be commission
ed by the Governor and four Sergeants and four Cor
porals to be appointed by the respective Captains
As nobody could be mustered into service under law
before such law was passed. AID the term of service
includes twelve months after being mustered in, it is
evident that such twelve months could not commence be-
fore May 10th, the date of the ratification OF the law
under which the 18th and other volunteer regiments hold
their organization So much is evident. 1t would ap-
pear that inasmuch as the Governor Is authorized 10
accept companies squadrOns and battaons as we'll as
regiments, there would be legal objection to voun-
teers being mustered ill., mustered cut otherwise than
by regiments bat it would certainly be both nconven-
lent and impotic to have regiment made up oil compa-
MES having different terms of service, 1t would pre-
maturely break up the organization. We must take 1t
for granted that this anomalous condition of things has
been guarded against.
The law requires a certain minimum number OF officers
and men to constitute company, without which 1t cam
not be mustered in under that law We doubt if any
company in the 18th Regiment was at once ready TO
accept the provisions Of the law OF 10th May, 1861, as
some members retired and had to be replaced by rec ul
ing Company A, must suppose, was the first offered
and accepted and yet we doubt if that company Ger
man Volunteers) had its rarks filed up for some time
after the 10th May.
We do not see why the twelve months Of service
should necessarily date from the time of the companies
being formed into attached to regiments for the law
does not require the Governor to form them into regl
ments at ALL 1t is evidently intended, however, that all
the companies Of each regiment shall be mustered out
simultaneously.
AS to the matter of payment for services previous to
the twelve months law also in the interval between
the time of any company being rendered to and accept
ed by the Governor, and its being actually mustered
and received into the service of the State these things
are provided for by other acts among the rest by chap
ter of the acts OF the First Extra Session. ratified
May 1lth 1861.
We have tried to give the facts and the law as they
appear to u.s. We appreciate fully all that cores
pondents urge We know the true grit-the patriotic
material Of which the gallant Eighteenth is made up
We feel assured that to many Of them it would be high
y desirable for the causes set FORTH to be enabled to be
at home to start their crops in April and May. We
have little question but that they would soon return 10
the service. But our knowing and feeling thus would
not change the facts of the case, justify in mis-
stating them.