Where did you find this?

That is a great cartoon! My GGGG Grandfather, Benjamin Hagood, was commander of the 5th Regiment of SC Militia (Pickens District) in the late 1820's. Who knows, that cartoon could be about him!

Will MacDonald

Aside from the artist's attempt at humor and derision of the militia, the image is very instructive: 1) no uniforms on the enlisted men indicating that this was a state militia formation as opposed to the fancy volunteer militias. 2) a mixture of civilian and military weapons with bayonets, reflecting the US government's early (and largely unsuccessful) attempts to get men to provide themselves with military weapons at their own cost. 3) the apparent lackadasical attitude and demeamor of the men in the ranks, again, pointing to state militia and required militia service. There is an obvious mixture of the more and less well-to-do men in the group. The only guy in the whole formation with any military bearing is standing next to the officer at Shoulder Arms. He apparently thought that it was too hot that day to wear his coat. The officer is a prime example of the old addage, "Give a guy a little rank and it's liable to go to his head." There was a term coined in the 1970s for these guys: "What a Turkey!!" Walt Hilderman.

Brian: Yeah, I noticed the same thing. However, after the ACW started, many of the volunteer militias enlisted en mass right away. The 1st NC Vols. was such a unit. They went to Virginia to fight before NC even secceded. After the shooting started and both sides called for volunteers, the mad rush was on to be in a quick and glorious war. By the end of January 1862, that enthusiasm had about run it's course. Also, the differences between state military and national military service were much more distinct in people's minds than they are now. I saw a letter in Sen. McConnell's shop from an SC soldier written in late 1861. His regiment was about to be accepted by the Confederate government. He said that most of his army buddies had no desire to be in the Confederate army or to fight outside SC. A lot of those one year volunteers would have gone home home had the conscription law not made them stay. I think that attitude was less common amongst the volunteer militiamen a than among the state miitia guys. A lot of those volunteer militia guys joined volunteer militias because they knew that secession and war were likely possibilities and they were wanting to be ready for that fight. Walt