CHAP. I.
An ACT for the service of the United States.
To continue until the 10th of June
next. Expired. This act provided for the collection of live
cattle;
beef, pork and bacon, for the use of the army; and the manner in which
this collection is to be
made is similar to that directed by the act of October, 1777, ch. 4.
It also authorised the governor
and the council, at rates fixed in the act, to hire or impress carriages,
teams and drivers, or boats and
hands, to transport these articles when collected. And certificates
given by agents, or their assistants, were
discountable out of the public assessment of that year. |
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CHAP. V.
An ACT to procure troops for the American army.
This act provides for raising 2,902
man, including the two artillery companies already marched to camp,
and such volunteer recruits as have already been procured. This number
of men is apportioned on the
several counties according to the number of militia in each. As it
may hereafter be a matter of curiosity
to inquire what was esteemed the proportion at this period, between the
several counties, with respect to
population, it may not be amiss to set down the number of men by this act
required from each. Saint-Mary's
140, Kent 128, Anne-Arundel 185, Calvert 74, Charles 145, Somerset 130,
Dorchester 158,
Baltimore 281, Prince-George's 163, Cæcil 145, Talbot 105, Queen-Anne's
145, Worcester 138,
Frederick 309, Harford 163, Caroline 108, Washington 120, Montgomery 156.
Each county is entitled to a deduction from its quota
for all able bodied men already enlisted, or who
may hereafter be enlisted under the act of last session, ch. 8. The
recruiting service is directed to be
continued, and all recruits are to pass muster before the lieutenant, or
some field officer of the county.
If in any county its quota shall not be raised before
the 20th of May next, the reshall be a general muster
of the militia, which is to be divided into so many classes, respect being
had to property, as there shall
be men wanted. A draught is to take place in every class that does
not procure its recruit within five
days, the person upon whom the lot shall fall, shall serve nine months,
or be liable to be fined at the
discretion of a court martial, which, however, has a power of excusing
him at discretion; and the executive
are authorised to appoint five exempts in each county as a court of appeals
from the court martial.
Any two militia men, providing a recruit to serve three years, or during
the war, or for nine months
after his arrival at camp, shall be exempted from his draught, and from
all military duty out of the state,
during the time for which their recruit has engaged to serve; and a total
exemption is given to any one
militia man finding a recruit to serve three years or during the war.
The taking up and delivering to the
lieutenant, by the 20th of May next, a deserter from the continental army,
procures an exemption from
all draughts for the present year; and taking up more than one deserter
exempts from all draughts for as
many years as the number of the deserters shall amount to. To favour
the good people of the state as
much as possible, every vagrant or man above 18 years of age, able bodied,
and having no family, fixed
habitation, or visible means of subsistence, is liable to be apprehended
and carried before the lieutenant, |
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