They were called the Minutemen
American militia. The minute men were American militia that would be ready to fight on a minutes notice during the American Revolution.
During the American Revolutionary War, the militia men who were ready at a moments notice were called Minutemen. They were mainly composed of young men who could be mobile.
Militia existed in the colonies long before the American Revolution. With the exception of Pennsylvania, colonies required most able-bodied men to own weapons, to be willing to be called for periodic training, and to defend their communities from attack, primarily by Indians. This was the colonial militia. Minutemen came into being in the wake of the crisis in Boston, in 1774. Essentially, they were a reorganized militia, rid of any vestiges of loyalty to the crown, and trained, far more extensively than they had been previously, so that they could "turn out" at a minute's notice.
The Minutemen in Virginia were volunteers called forth from the Virginia militia. They trained more often then the regular militia to enhance unit cohesion and effectiveness to mass firepower as was the standard tactic of 18th century warfare. The Minutemen were merely better trained than the regular militia. In Virginia the militia and the Minutemen were required at all times to be armed and ready to immediately repel invasions and insurrections. The Minutemen were actually a reconstituted form of the Independent Companies started by George Mason and came into existence after the Independent companies were under the central control of the Virginia Committee of Safety. The state of Virginia was divided into 16 military districts and the minutemen were formed. They only lasted one year from July 1775 to October 1776 as the severe military manpower shortage in the Continental line drew down the available men required to constitute the companies. They were then folded back into the regular militia. George Mason Jr. was a member of the Minutemen. For actual Acts of the Colony of Virginia creating the Minutemen see http://www.virginia1774.org/MilitiaActs.html Rudolph DiGiacinto Founder &c. Virginia1774.org
They were called the Minutemen
minutemen
American militia. The minute men were American militia that would be ready to fight on a minutes notice during the American Revolution.
During the American Revolutionary War, the militia men who were ready at a moments notice were called Minutemen. They were mainly composed of young men who could be mobile.
During the American Revolutionary War, the militia men who were ready at a moments notice were called Minutemen. They were mainly composed of young men who could be mobile.
During the American Revolutionary War, the militia men who were ready at a moments notice were called Minutemen. They were mainly composed of young men who could be mobile.
The Revolutionary war. The first two battles of the Rev. war were Lexington and Concord. Minutemen were the militia men who faught both these battles.
Militia existed in the colonies long before the American Revolution. With the exception of Pennsylvania, colonies required most able-bodied men to own weapons, to be willing to be called for periodic training, and to defend their communities from attack, primarily by Indians. This was the colonial militia. Minutemen came into being in the wake of the crisis in Boston, in 1774. Essentially, they were a reorganized militia, rid of any vestiges of loyalty to the crown, and trained, far more extensively than they had been previously, so that they could "turn out" at a minute's notice.
The Minutemen in Virginia were volunteers called forth from the Virginia militia. They trained more often then the regular militia to enhance unit cohesion and effectiveness to mass firepower as was the standard tactic of 18th century warfare. The Minutemen were merely better trained than the regular militia. In Virginia the militia and the Minutemen were required at all times to be armed and ready to immediately repel invasions and insurrections. The Minutemen were actually a reconstituted form of the Independent Companies started by George Mason and came into existence after the Independent companies were under the central control of the Virginia Committee of Safety. The state of Virginia was divided into 16 military districts and the minutemen were formed. They only lasted one year from July 1775 to October 1776 as the severe military manpower shortage in the Continental line drew down the available men required to constitute the companies. They were then folded back into the regular militia. George Mason Jr. was a member of the Minutemen. For actual Acts of the Colony of Virginia creating the Minutemen see http://www.virginia1774.org/MilitiaActs.html Rudolph DiGiacinto Founder &c. Virginia1774.org
The minutemen of colonial times were average men that wanted to help defend their homes. They promised to be ready quickly in time of war.
They were New England colonists who were part of their local militia. They were given the nickname "minutemen" because they were suppose to be ready to fight at a minutes notice.
The minutemen were the colonial men who would fight the British.