The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-01-08
COMMUNICATIONS.
ifoR The LANCASTER LRDGER.1
No III.


The system Of our military organiza'
tion, as modified by the late law, may he
the best, under the present condition Of
our affairs but it is well to anaIyse it's
principles, that lis operation may be under
stood aud the whole be observed at one
view. The entire force Of The State is
divided into the following classes.
First. Soldiers are to be enlisted, for
the Confederate army, as individuals, &C
corting I" the regulations Of that army
They are to be embodied and the officers
appointed without State distinctions
These consti,,,:H the Regular Confederate
army proper.
Second. Soldiers are to be enlisted
for the army of the State, as individuals !;
and with their officers, appointed by the
State authority, compose another army.
Third. Each Beat company is to be
subject to draft, from among its mem.
bers, from eighteen TO forty five years o.
age: provided, however, that volunteers
may supply the number required. and
those drafted may furnish substitutes -
The men thus drawn from the several
bea:s, are to be organized into a distinct
corps; with the privilege of electing com
pany and field officers, conforming in
organization, to the laws, rules and regu.
lations Of the Confederate States" They
form the State army Of volunteers, or
drafted men ; and its term Of service is
twelve months. This army is subject TO
the call of the Governor, to serve "either
in the State or any Of the Confederate
States"
Fourth. The residue OF the militia,
composed Of such men as have not enlist
ed in the Regular Confederate army, nor
in the army Of the State, no. been detach.
el by volunteering or draft. They re
main under the general militia organiza,
tion. in their respective Regiments, and
Beats. Each Beat will be composed oi
the men between sixteen and eighteen
years of age, and between forty five and
sixty years Of age, who shall not have
volunteered and as many AS fifteen at
least, or more as the case may be, Of those
between eighteen and forty.fve gears Of
age. The fourth class, which will proba
bly, contain more men than the aggre.
gate of the other classes, are under the
general militia law of the State except
so far as that has been modified by ,h5
Act Of 1861.
1t may not be inappropriate to note
the following particulars. 1st. That men
over the age Of sixty years, are exempt
from all militia duty however able OF
vigorous. They may be liable, as slave.
holders, 20 perform patrol duty but i,
is questionable whether any able
bodied man, in any sovereign State,
should be exempted from military ser
vice. Each individual case might res.
upon It's own peculiar circumstances and
be decided on, by the proper tribunal, or
officer as in all instances Of physical in
trinity. This may be deemed OF TO
practical Importance yet all legal re
straints on the supremacy Of the State
authorities, in tho matter of the military
force Of sovereign State, should be re-
garded with jealousy.
81. The rightef so.ing for the elec.
ton of otiicsr& >eteaded to youths of
sixteen yea has here,ofor.
been deemed nj s. minors, under
the age Of twSel ~ 1lsx should NOT
1|I|iiil ! - ''''' ''''