Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Circular letter from Alexander Martin to the Brigadier Generals of the North Carolina Militia
Martin, Alexander, 1740-1807
September 01, 1782
Volume 16, Page 709

GOVERNOR MARTIN TO THE BRIGADIER GENERALS OF MILITIA.
[From Executive Letter Book]


September 1st, 1782.

Circular.

Sir:

Notwithstanding the Act of General Assembly for enrolling all persons in this State from sixteen to fifty years of Age as Militia to be liable to the draught of eighteen months men (no respect to be paid to any former exceptions, the officers of State, certain religious sects, and such for bodily infirmity whom a Court of enquiry should excuse, excepted), Yet several Colonels and Commanding Officers of Counties have failed or refused to order the late nine months and the other exempted persons to be classed and drafted, submitting that matter to Courts of enquiry which was totally foreign from their power and Jurisdiction, who adjudged that as their three years exemption was not yet expired, which wanted only a few days, they were not to be interfered with, by which a large number of men are excused and the Continental Force demanded from the State greatly lessened. As the last expiration of the three Years exemption was the 25th Ultimo the above objection must vanish and cease without any excuse whatever.

You will therefore please to order all the nine months Men, and other classes of men in your Brigade lately claiming exemptions to be immediately classed as the Law directs; returns of whom to be made you from the Colonel or Commanding Officer of Counties by your order, that every class of twenty men produce at a certain day by you to be named a Substitute or be then liable to a Draught. That where there is not sufficient number in a County to make a Class or where there are Supernumeries to a Class you will order them to join a neighbouring County, and thus make up classes for the purpose aforesaid until the whole business is gone through. You will order their rendezvous at the places assigned by Law, and give me information as soon as convenient how the above subject matter is carried into effect.

I am Sir, &c.,
ALEX. MARTIN.