Abstract:
The state militia began with a charter in 1663 allowing the eight Lords Proprietors of Carolina to enlist and train a force for the defensive purposes. Militia was to defend early North Carolinians from Native Americans, pirates along the coast, and England's European foes, especially the Spanish. From this initial act the author describes the history of the state's militia, statistics concerning recruitment, and the legislative measures to both form and maintain the state's defensive force through the 18th century.