Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-16
Rally Round the Flag Of 7st Virginia!
TO he Editor Of The Star:

It seems that Charles Coulter in his
letter Of July 9, "Old Militiaman
Speaks" has been somewhat unfair In
his criticism Of the LIST Virginia In
fantry's regimental history as reviewed
by John r. CoWan on July 8.
Mr.. Coulter considers it d "gratti-
tous insult" to attempt to distinguish
COL George Washington's famous LIST
Virginia Regiment from Virginia milf
tiamen and offers In defense the state
ment that we had no troops other than
militiamen then or for many years
thereafter.
Unfortunately Mr.. Coulter appears to
be 'soff base in his indignation, as
the distinction made between Washing
tons LIST Virginia Regiment and militia
seems to be fair The basic idea Of .
militia for years had been the defense
of the home, and military service for
this reason had long been considered
an obligation Of citizenship. The theory
went back to England and can be
forcefully exemplifed in the develop
ment Of the military system Of New
England in the previous century (See
Jack S. Radabaugh, 1.-THE Militia Of CO.
lonial Massachusetts" in the current
issue of Military Affairs. Vol. XVIII,
No. -
But times changed, and the Obliga-
ton to serve became less personal and
more of a chore as the frontier was
pushed back, and washington and Din
widdie had recourse to the organization
of separate State organization based
on voluntary enlistment Spurred by
land bonus These enlistments were
apportioned among the various militia
regiments, e. g., SO men from Lord
Fairfax Frederick Militia and so men
from the Augusta Militia Of James
Patton. (See Appendix III to Father
Joseph T. Durkin's John Dooley: Con-
federate Soldier: His War journal"
Thus the personnel was from the mill
tia, but the organization was apart
from the regular militia units. What
was really going on was the separation
of the organized" militia from the
''unorganized" militia, and the problem
created thereby Is basic today in the
organization Of reserve units from in
dividuals who have been discharged
from active service and in the fallacious
arguments against the "draft," today's
method Of regulating this obligation Of
citizenship.
In theory ell American males belong
to the militia, which is simply the en-
tire male population capable of bearing
arms u.e., capable of making con-
tribution to the war effort). This
theory Is incorporated into the Bill of
Rights CT the Federal Constitution as
Article II, reading, "A well-regulated
militia being necessary to the security
of free State, the right of the people
to keep and bear arms shall not be
infringed" Regulation today by the
draft" organized reserves. and Ma
tional Guard is a necessary refinement
on the old "levy en- masse." now out
NODDED.
Shortly after the fall of Fort Neces-
sity the British Crown sent Gen. Ed
ward Braddock to America with two
skeleton regiments and, more to the
point, ordered that two new regiments
, Of the line be raised in America under
Coils. Shirley and Pepperell. These were
raised and served for over a year. BY
1853 the Goth Royal Americans under
Col. Henry Bouquet was in the field,
soon to make name for itself. These,
then, are further examples of American
troops other than militia during the
same period of time.
AS to the statement that Virginia's
regiments lost their continuity Of his
tory by their Civil War participation,
this is at variance with the procedure
approved by the United States Army, as
they have considered the continuity un-
broken and credit the Southern units
of today with the battle honors won by
their Confederate forebears as shown by
49, ho%%In - yrnarr oftonhnd IN fhn
regimental colors.
Today's l76tk United States Infantry
Regiment (the LIST Virginia. carries
battle honors for Bull Run, Peninsula,
Manassas, Antietem, Fredericksburg.
North Carolina 1864. Gettysburg. Cold
Harbor, Petersburg and Appomattox,
all earned as Confederate regiment.
When Mr.. Coulter says that 'Vir-
GINA was one of the States that tried to
leave the Union" he unconsciously opens
a discussion on one of the most bizarre
anomalies of the entire conflict. The
North, after four years Of conflict ito
preserve the Union" and to prove by
force what they could not do by reason
ing, switched positions at the end of
the war by refusing to admit that the
Southern States were still in the Union
and forced all of them to be re-
admitted! In other words they proved
their point by force of arms, yet by the
very process Of reconstruction admitted
the South's original contention that a
State could leave the Union!
Ralph w. DonneIly.
4
It is with feelings Of deep respect for
his devotion to his own ideas that ]
reply to Charles Coulter's comment on
my letter in The Star, July g. Having
once been militiaman myself. far be
1t from me to belittle the country
citizen soldiers.
In assailing my knowledge of history
Mr.. Coulter unfortunately misinter-
preted the purpose of my communica-
ton. / urged q little credit for Wash
ington's famous LIST Virginia Regi-
ment rather than the scant reference
in reports naming it simply as militia. :