Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-01-09

Er.oar ofI Im taJ $50 l>sr. Gruf.
Tie report uf ADJ. and Inspector General
Waahau. T., tac GJy. of ,he State. made
Nov, l-t. 1861, is just published. Itclyos
iac military operations of tie State from
April. l>il. when tic President made a call
on tie several States for j.ooo militia. to
Nov, l-t. l-62 IL gives in detail the meas
ura- taken o, raise the -noaI bodies or men
which have gone into the &. 3 Service from
this state, the Organization af die diaarcut
regiments. batteries and slaT--h3o-er clm-
lauics the number of men o.. Wliel each
was composed, and great deal of other
ting and valuable information Ii
forms an syo pamphlet Of 40 pages. We
quo,e leN ensccu,iyc paragraphs from the
body Of tie report. They are IN every res
Toct worthy Of attention. We regret that
our late Legislature icn S, far short, IN
what they did of the sensible 'ie,s- of tie
Adj. General, in regard t1 an organized and
efficient militia
Sc Il win be perceived that, although sufficient
number Of men were enlisted in september, L.
dll the ranks Of the regiments in the fell, yet
that the casualties Of the service since that time.
have so reduced their numbers that more re-
cruits are required
The brave men, who peril their lives in the
cause Of their country, and who have defended
To- the utmost, At all times, and ia all places,
since their service commenced, the flag Of the
Union and the honor Of the State, are cut'tlcl 20
ask constant support from home. The rccruit-
ing service for those regiments ought not 10
cease. Towns should al their quotas and keep
them fun. \ sufficient number Of three years
men are nov due from the different towns, 90 il
each regiment TO the maximum. The duty TO
raise the men is plain, and ought not to be neg
lected, even though the strict quota Of the State
should De exceeded, and morc should Be done by
Vermont than hcrcNact proportion, as compared
with what ha- been or may be done by other
States.
The armament Of the State at the present
time, consists of five brass aul four iron 81
Founders, 50l smooth bore muskets, many Of
them unseryiccable, 90 Windsor rifles, 93l cart
ridge boxes, 9O2 cartridge box belts, 800 waist
belts, $50 bayonct scabbards, 10 swords. There
is not an organized company in the State.
In the midst Of war, with the experience Of
the past two years before us, | think may be
allowed to recommend that the militia law Of the
State receive careful attention: The constitu-
tonal idea Of a militia is, that all the able-bod-
led men in the State. between certain ages, shall
be armed, organized, and to some extent drilled,
its principal strength consisting in the fact
that it is armed and organized. But if, at the
present time, tbs should not be advisable, it
would seem that, provision should be made
for an active militia, in suitable number,
fully armed and equipped, and as thoroughly
drilled as militia can be, and for keeping the
number ct all times full.
The present existing companies Of active nil
tia, who have responded to the call Of the Com
mander-n-Chef, should have their organ zations
preserved. And the commissions, held by va
rious officers in the State, Of the old militia OF
1872, should be ds;hargcd.'