Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/599

 COLONIAL MILITIA SERVICE. 489 vided with muskets, bandaleers, swords, and with one pound of powder and four pounds of bullets, with four fathom of match for every match-cock musket, under penalty for neglect. Discipline was enforced by the officers of the Train Bands ; fines were collected for absence from train- ings ; firing at marks was practised, and the people were constantly advised by the Court to be ready for assaults on their persons, homes, and towns. The early militia of Ply- mouth Colony was under the command of Capt. Myles Stan- dish of Plymouth, who was succeeded by Capt. Thomas Wil- lett, our own townsman. The Swansea Train Band for a period after Philip's war was under the captaincy of John Brown, probably son of the Hon. John Brown of VVanna- moisett. In Rhode Island the militia service was equally constant and exacting. In 1638 the colony fixed the militia age between 16 and 50 years to all male persons of able body. Muster or training days were reduced in 1718 to two days a year in times of peace and four days in war times. After an alarm was beaten for war in any town, no man could leave the town under a penalty of ;!^ioo. When a watch was warned, the penalty of non-appearance was 16 shillings. In 1747 the colony ordered one Train Band of foot soldiers to be ready for service in the town of Warren (then Barrington and present Warren) to be attached to the Providence Regiment. It was afterwards transferred to the Bristol County Regiment. In 1756 Warren furnished eleven men for the expedition against Crown Point. Nathaniel Peck was a second lieutenant in this regiment against Crown Point, was promoted to first lieutenant in 1757, and to major in 1762. We find among the field officers of Bristol County Regiment, Maj. Peleg Heath, Maj. Josiah Humph- rey, Maj. James Humphrey, Maj. John Adams, Maj. Samuel Allen, Lieut. Col. Joshua Bicknell, Lieut. Col. Samuel Allen, Lieut. Col. and Col. Nathaniel Martin. In 1775 the General Assembly elected as officers of the Barrington militia, Thomas Allin, captain ; Samuel Bosworth, lieutenant ; Viall