Bermuda Militia 1687–1813 facts for kids
The Bermuda Militia was a group of local people who helped defend the island of Bermuda. From 1687 to 1813, their rules and organization were set by special laws called Militia Acts. Before 1687, the militia was formed without these specific laws. In 1684, the King of England took over running Bermuda from a company called The Somers Isles Company.
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First Militia Act: 1687
In 1687, Sir Robert Robinson arrived in Bermuda. He was the first governor appointed by the King. He was a naval officer and found Bermuda's defenses weren't very strong. So, he gathered 780 men to form a militia. He also made sure that men who didn't have their own weapons were given them.
Governor Robinson also convinced the local government (the Colonial Assembly) to pass a new law. This law created two groups of horsemen for the militia. A special night watch was also set up. In each parish (which were called 'tribes' back then), three armed footmen and one horseman would patrol every night.
New Rules: 1690/91
A few years later, in 1690/91, another Militia Act was passed. This law said that every man, whether free or enslaved, between 15 and 60 years old, had to join the militia. They had to "appear at every exercise and muster" and bring their own sword and musket. Slave owners were responsible for giving weapons to their enslaved people. If someone didn't follow these rules, they could be fined. If they didn't pay the fine, they could be punished.
This act also improved defenses at important forts. King's Castle, a key fort, received a guard of four men led by a lieutenant. Two men were stationed at Paget's Fort, and a lookout was placed at the highest point in Saint George's.
War and Changes: 1702
In 1702, Britain went to war with France in what was called the War of the Spanish Succession. This war also involved fighting in North America. Because war was expected, a group of regular soldiers was sent to Bermuda the year before. This was the first time regular army troops were stationed in the colony.
When the war started, the militia became stronger. Six hundred men were armed and trained with lances. A special group of horse grenadiers was also formed. These were men wealthy enough to own horses, as boats were the main way to travel around Bermuda back then.
Even with these efforts, the British government in London didn't pay much attention to Bermuda's defenses during the long war with France, which lasted until 1713. A new war with Spain began in 1715, and Bermuda didn't receive any military supplies until 1728.
More Soldiers: 1728
In 1728, the militia grew again. A group of 50 men called The King's Independent Company was created. In 1741, local militia members, along with two Bermudian sloops (small ships), helped respond to a Spanish attack on Southampton Parish. However, the Spanish had already left before the militia arrived.
Splitting Up: 1747
In 1747, with another war, the War of the Austrian Succession, approaching, the troop of horse grenadiers was divided into two groups: one for the eastern part of the island and one for the western part.
New Formations: 1758
In 1758, after the start of the Seven Years' War, a troop of horsemen and a regiment of foot soldiers were formed. This regiment had nine companies. Each of Bermuda's nine parishes had to provide one company, led by a captain, a lieutenant, and an ensign. The troop of horsemen also had extra officers.
When the war ended in 1763, the regular soldiers (the independent company) left Bermuda. They were replaced by a small group from the 9th Regiment of Foot, who came from Florida. This group was never very large, usually having fewer than 20 privates, even though a full company at that time had about 45 to 50 men. In 1768, this company also returned to Florida, leaving Bermuda without any regular soldiers.
Except for a short time during the American War of Independence, Bermuda's defense was left to its own militias until 1793.
Adding Artillery: 1789
In 1789, a group of volunteer artillerymen was formed. This group helped the horse troop and the nine companies of foot soldiers. It had 20 privates, 2 sergeants, and a lieutenant.
During the American War of Independence, Bermuda became very important to the British Navy (the Admiralty). It was chosen to become a major naval base and the site of a large naval dockyard. In 1793, because of the French Revolution, a group of soldiers from the 47th Foot regiment was sent to Bermuda. From then on, for almost 200 years, there would always be regular army soldiers defending the colony.
The next year, in 1794, a new law changed the single volunteer artillery company into three companies. Each of these new companies had eight privates.
At this time, the leader of the Militia decided what uniforms the soldiers would wear. Each man had to pay for his own uniform. The captain of each foot company had to provide a flag, a drum, and a fife. Horse troopers had to provide their own horses.
Alarm System: 1802
The Militia Act of 1802 got rid of the volunteer artillery. This was because regular artillery soldiers were now stationed on the island, so amateur groups were no longer needed. In 1803, a general order was given by the president of the Governor's Council (which was like a government cabinet).
This order gave the commander-in-chief (usually the governor) and the militia's field officers the power to raise an alarm whenever they thought it was needed for the colony's safety. It also said that if any ships were seen near the coast, and a company captain and a fort captain both thought they might be enemy ships, they could together raise a general alarm. They had to immediately tell the nearest field officer about their suspicions. When an alarm was raised, all men who were required to carry arms had to gather at their parish meeting points.
After American Independence
After the United States became independent, Bermuda became even more important to the British Navy. The Navy developed Bermuda into a major naval base, dockyard, and headquarters throughout the 1800s. As more regular soldiers were sent to protect this naval base, Bermuda's local militia seemed less necessary. By the time the US declared war in 1812, the militia had almost disappeared.
The Militia Act of 1813 was passed as a quick solution during the war.
