User:Aleutian06/Militia Organization of 1843

By 1843, the rapid growth in the number of counties in the new state necessitated the addition of two additional brigades. The Legislature responded with "An Act for the better organization of the Militia of this State. This new act, which was comprised of 50 sections, basically restated most of the 1837 law but added nine sections which dealt with the filling of vacancies among the officer corps. The act referred to counties which had not yet organized their militia and directed the sheriff of said counties to announce elections for the office of Colonel Commandant and required the sheriff to continue to announce elections until the office was filled.  Colonel's were given guidance on filling vacancies.  The law expanded the number of muster's or drill's that were to be conducted to include one regimental muster, one battalion muster, and four company muster's each year.  Volunteer Companies of Cavalry, Artillery and Riflemen were authorized and the act allowed for the formation of 1 Regiment of Cavalry in each brigade where four or more Cavalry companies had been formed. The act provided for pay for a regimental adjutant and for the musicaians at the regimental and company levels. A Judge Advocated was appointed for each regiment and procedures for the conduct of courts martial and collection of fines were clarified. Emphasis was place on reporting the attendance at company musters to enable the state to make it's required return the United States War department. In the same session, the legislature passed a separate act entitled An act requiring the Adjutant General to report the strength of the Militia of this State to the proper officer of the General Government. This act was apparently necessary because the state had failed to receive its authorized allowance of weapons from the federal government for a number of years due the fact that the state had failed to file the proper reports or "returns" with the War Department. A return from Arkansas was filed with the Secretary of War dated January 15, 1844 which reported the State of Arkansas as having 17,137 total militiamen. The 1844 return indicated that the state had three cavalry companies, and 1 rifle company but no organized no artillery company.