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From: rhorn@infinet.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.politics
Subject: The Second Amendment
Message-ID: <12250749035.19.MCGREW@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Wed, 29-Oct-86 16:34:20 EST
Article-I.D.: RED.12250749035.19.MCGREW
Posted: Wed Oct 29 16:34:20 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Oct-86 06:28:28 EST
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Approved: poli-sci@red.rutgers.edu


Serveral historical points:

 1. The central and western Massachusetts militia was composed of 1
out of every 3 males above the age of 12.  All were armed.

 2. The percent of the populace that was armed exceeded this because
commentators on armed groups during 1775 note their numbers and that
some (therefor not all) were militiamen.

 3. Personal weapons were equal to or superior to British military
small arms.  The disparity between personal weapons and the military
was in the absence of cannons, and the shortage of personal
ammunition.  At that time combat involved using about 2 rounds per
minute - a weeks supply for peacetime use.  The only major battle
fought by a fully militia force was the battle at Breed's hill, one of
the bloodiest of the Revolution.  The militia was quite successful
until they ran out of ammunition and had to retreat.

There is also another interpretation to the ``well regulated'' milita.
Washington and the other Southern generals were very upset by what
they found in Massachusetts.  Officers were elected by the men, and
officer/soldier distinctions were few.  They were horrified that a
captain (also a barber) would stoop to shaving a private.  Some of
their concerns were more than class prejudices.  Massachusetts militia
was sometimes disorderly and mismanaged, sometimes lead by incompetent
or cowardly officers, often would not follow plans they did not like,
and sometimes suffered severely from fraud and corrupt officers.  The
generals insisted on having the power to set rules and appoint
officers.
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