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To Sergant James Hyde
Sir you Are hereby Required to warne All the
train Band whose Names are here unto Enexed
to meet on the parade at the first Parish
meeting house in Pelham on the first
tuesday of may Next at one of the Clock in
the Afternoon, with Arms & Amunition
Compleet are the Law directs for the
purpos of the Annuel Review of Arms &
Equipment, here of fail not & make due
Return of this warant with yr doing thereon
to my self some time before Sd training
Pelham April 17th 1795 John Conkey Capt
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Train(ing) Bands or Militia were a part of every town in Massachusetts as stated in its 1629 charter. Every free man--with some exceptions such as clergy-- from age 16 to 60 was required to serve. Each town was required to furnish a Company with at least 64 men to be part of a Regiment. If a town did not have enough men, it could combine forces with another small town. In 1733 the regulations stated that "Every enlisted soldier and other householder (except troopers) shall be always provided with a well-fixed flintlock musket, of musket or bastard musket bore, the barrel not less than three foot and a half length or good firearm to the satisfaction of the Commanding officers of the company; a knapsack, cartouche box, one pound of gunpowder, 20 bullets fit for his gun, and 12 flints, a good sword or cutlass, a worm and a priming wire fit for a gun" (Boston Newsletter, February 7, 1733) This document tells James Hyde to call a meeting of the train band in Pelham for the inspection of arms and equipment. Men whose arms and equipment did not meet requirements could be fined.
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Warrant for Train Band parade
author John Conkey (1746-1824) |
date Apr 17, 1795 |
location Pelham, Massachusetts |
height 6.25" |
width 7.25" |
process/materials manuscript, paper, ink |
item type Legal Documents/ |
accession # #L04.139 |
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