Re: Northampton County, Heidelberg - Militia 7th company, 3rd & 6th Battalion,
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In reply to:
Northampton County, Heidelberg - Militia 7th company, 3rd & 6th Battalion,
David Moyer 5/06/08
Since all free white males aged roughly 16 to 60 (varies by time and place) were required to be available for militia duty and to turn out for regular drills, a name on a muster roll does not necessarily imply active duty.
County Militia units were recruited within and paid by the County, and were supposed to serve within the County.There were exceptions: some militia units in the far Northeast, in the Mohawk Valley and on the Western frontier did serve far from home.But these are very rare exceptions.
In general, County Militia units did not engage in "Campaigns".A few men, a squad or even a Company might have some specific duty for a day or a few days: patrolling, guarding prisoners, escorting a supply convoy.Most militiamen did not see active-duty service.
You can learn some about the Northampton Co. Militia if you look in the published Pennsylania Archives First Series for correspondence between Col. Jacob Stroud and the Supreme Executive Council in Philadelphia.
Good hunting,
Jade