^^yo,^— ffa<5' OFFICIAL COPY OF TUB Blilttta fato of f oiiisiaita, AfMif'TKD H\ rut: STATK LKGISL^TURT^], JANUARY ^2;^, 1S(;^>. HATON ROUGE: ^^ TO M li Y N i; M , STATE P K 1 N T K R 1862. ^^Hs^.c6> vtg^lP^e) c .^ ,<3'iS<3p^S>^,-^^.^^j9^S^^^£^.'-^.'S Pamphlet Collectton Duke University Library OFFICIAL (JOPV OF THE lllilifci f ato of JoitiMMii, ADOPTED BY THE STATK LEaiSLTVTXJEJH], JANUARY 23, 1862. BATON ROUGE: TOM 1^ Y N U M , STATE P K I N T E R 1862. ^.^UA^JUy, eUCfla /^«.. II"- No. 97. 1 AN ACT To Reorganize the Militia. Skctiox 1. 7)0 il enacted hi/ the Scncte ami Huuse of Representatives of (he. i^tate of Louisiana, in General Assembly convened, That the .Militia oi' the State of Louisiana shall be composed of all the free white males 'capable of beariug arms rcsidino- in the State, aud are cighteeu j^ears of age and not over forty-five, and who are not exempt under this law. Sec. 2. Be it further enacted &c , That the Militia of each parish of the State shall be organized by the Major General into one or more Eegi- mcnts or Ikttalions, according to the number of men liable to militia duty in that parish. That the militia in the city of New Orleans shall be divided into, Regiments by the several Kepresentativc Districts, or districts adjoining each other, where the number of persons liable to militia duty in said dis- tricts is insufficient, or more than sufficient for a full Kegimcnt, in which case said districts may be united or divided to equalize said llcgiments; parishes, lying on both sides of the Mississippi River may be divided in their organization, the portion of cacii on either side of the river to consti- tute a separate Battalion or Regiment, as the case may be. Sec. 3. Be it farther enacted, c^c., That there shall be one Major General for the State, wlu) shall be elected by the General Assembly in joint ballots, for the term of three years ; and in case of vacancy occurring from death, resignation or otherwise, he shaft be appointed by the Governor lor the un- expired term, with the consent of the Senate. Sec. 4. Be it furtlier enacted, dbc, That not less than four, nor more than six liegiments, organized under this act, shall constitute a Brigade Sec. 0. Be it further enacted, i^-c, That the Governor shall appoint one Brigadier General for each Brigade for the term of three years, with the consent of the Senate. ^ Sec. (i. Be it further enacted, Sfc , That the Governor shall appoint Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels and Majors for each Regiment or Battalion, for a term of three years, and at the end of their term of office, they shall be elected by the commissioned officers of the regiment ; provided, that if they fail to elect the Governor shall appoint said officers. Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, <&c., That immediately after the Colonels, ]jieutenant Colonels and Majors shall have been qualified, they shall divide the Regiments or Battalions into company beats, and recommend to the Gov- ernor suitable persons for the offices of Captain and Lieutenants of their sev- eral companies, who shall be appointed for the term of three years; and in the event of the appointment of any of the said officers of any one holding a commission, the commissions issued shall carry with them the same seniority of rank existing under the old commissions. Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, i^-c, That all officers shall reside within tlie bounds of the corps they command; but in New Orleans, one Field Officer may be selected from without said bounds, if he lives within the city. ( Sec. 9. Be il further enadcil, tVr., That each company shull consist of one Captain, one First Lieutenant, one Second Lieutenant, one Third Lieutenant, five Sergeants, four Corporals, and not less than thirty-two pri- vates if practicable, nor more than one hundred, except the parish of Or- leans, where the companies shall consist of not less than sixty privates, nor more than one hundred; each company of artillery shall consist of one Captain, two First Lieutenants, two Second Lieutenant.s,^ciuht Sergeants, twelve Corporals, two Huglers, six Artificers, and sixty-four privates. Skc. 10. Be it further enacted, rigadier General, and make strict inspection of each coros and proper returns thereof; he shall distribute th*- forms received from the Adjutant General, and condense and transmit all re- turns made in conformity therewith ; he shall keep the roster of the officers of the brigade, and make all details for detachments therefrom ; he shall receive and inspect all detachments from the different corps of the brigade, and see that tiiey aye marched to their place of rendezvous. Vni every day actually employed in his duties, when not in the service of the Confederate States, he shall receive three dollars, which shall be paid to him by tlu; State Treasurer, on his own warrant, accompanied by the cer- tificate of the commander of the brigade, showing the number of days he was actually em])loycd, and countersigned by the (xovernor. Sec. 20. Be it further enacted, c&c, Tbat ail resignations shall be ad- dressed to the Commaniler-in-Chief, and no officer shall be released from the dutie^s appertaining to his office under the plea that he has resigned, until he Can produce the written acceptance of his resignation from the Connnander-iu-Chief", or an official order from the same source. Sec. 21. Be it further enacted, ^-c, That every officer who accepts a connnission, shall be bound to serve for the period prescribed by this act, unless he become 1:lisqualitied by law. Sec. 22. Be it further enacted, &c., That Avheuever any duty is imposed by law on an officer who is sick, absent, or incapable from any cause of performing it, the officer next to him in rank in the corps, and so on iu succession to tlie lowest rank, shall be oblijjjofl to perform said duty, and in the perf'ormaucc of it .shall have the same authority, ritjht and power, as the officer whose duty he performs ; but when any such duty is imposed oti an officer who nep^lects it, his immediate superior, aud in succession, those above him, shall be bound to take measures to have such duty per- formed, and may designate any offictM- under their conjmand to perform it; and the officer so designated shall, while performing said duty, have the same authority, rights and powers as belong to the otiice, the duty of which he is performing. And whenever the laws or regulations for governing the militia are not enforced, and the superior orders duly obeyed, within the bounds of any corps in the State, cither from the want o( officers, or from the neglect of those in commission, or from any other cause, the Com- mander-in-Chief is authoriz(.'(l to designate any officer to take charge of said corps, and to do all that the law requires to b(; done by any officer of it, ^r^ that may be necessary to restore its complete organization ; and the offit'.er so designated shall have all the authority, rights and powers of any of the olHcers whose duties he performs. 8ec. 2o. Be it further emided, d'c, That all non-commissioned officers of companies shall be ap[)ointed by the Captains of their companies, and shall be obliged to serve three years; a certificate of their appointment, signed by the Captain and Commander of their battalion, shall be full evidence of their rank. Sec. 24. Be it further enacted, &c., That it shall be the duty of the As- sessors of State taxes throughout the State to enroll all the inhabitants of their respective parishes or districts, who arc subject to milWa dut}', at the same time they m'ake their respective assessments, and to i-eturn the same to the Adjutant General at the same time they return tReir assessment rolls, under a penalty of five hundred dollars, to be recovered by the dis- trict attorney of the several districts, for the use and benefit of the brigade. Sec 2<^. Be it further enacted, d:c., That the Majoi' CJeneral or Brigadier General shall order a review at least once in eacli year by regiments or battalion. Sec 26. Be it further enacted, &c., That every field officer who shall fail to attend a review when ordered by the Commander-in-Chief, Major General or Brigadier General, shall be liable to a fine of twenty dollars; every company officer shall be liable to a fine of ten dollars, and every non- comiiiissioned officer and private to a line of five dollars; and every com- missioned officer who shall fail to attend a regimental, battalion or com- pany drill, shall be liable to a fine of five dollars for ea;ch offense. Sec. 27. Be it further enacted, cfcc, That whenever the commander of any company shall receive an order for inspection or review from any superior officer, he shall notify his subalterns and other members of his company to attend at the tiipc and place of such inspection or review, armed and equipped according to law, and he shall furnish the officer in command of the regiment with a complete list of all the perspns subject to militia duty within the bounds of his beat, on the day of inspection or review. Sec. 28, Be it further enacted, &c., That the day after every company, battalion, regimental drill or other review, the Orderly Sergeant shall make out a list of all absentees, and of all persons residing «in the company beat who liave failed to attend said review, whether officer, non-com missioned officer or private. This list shall be certified by the Orderly Sergeant and by the person commanding the company at the tuHe of muster, and if it were a battalion muster, the Adjutant shall also make a list of the absent staff, which he shall sign, as well as the officer who commanded the regiment or battalion at the time of muster. This list shall be returned to the commanding officer, and by him reported to the court of assessment before its next sitting. Sec. 29. Be it further enacted, &c., That the Commander-in-Chief may, whenever lie is of opinion the public safety requires it, order out any portion of the State troops, and require them to perform any service or duty necessary for the public security ; and troops called out for active service shall be furnished with tlie necessary ammunition, equipage and quarters. Detachments called out for a longer period than twelve hour.s shall be furnished with convenient quarters or tents, and with lights and fire, if necessary ; and if required to serve more than twelve hours, shall also be furnished with rations. All supplies shall be furnished by the Quartermaster's Department, and the Quartermaster General is authorized to draw from the Treasury, t)n his own warrant, the sums necessary to purchase supplies, for which he shall account to the State Treasurer in the Ibrm and manner required of Quartermasters of the Confederate States array. The officers of his department under him shall account to him in the same manner as he to the State Treasurer. The Commander-in-Chief shall require security from every officer to whom money is to be confided for the public service, and from all paymasters; and if such security be not furnished, the oflicer must be removed and another appointed. .•Mro- perty belonging to the State, \yherevcr they may jind them; and every jierson refusing to deliver up such arms or property may be compelled to do it by suit l)efore any Justice of the ]*ence or other competeiU court, brought by the oillcer demanding them in the name of the State, and tlie defendant, if judgment is rendered against him, shall be condemned to pay a fine; of twenty dollars for each offense. Skc. 37. Be it further enacted, &c., That the Commander-in-Chief, the MajoCr General, and Adjutant and Inspector General, are hercliy authorized to adopt and designate a uniform for tlie militia. Sec. 38. Be it further enacted, (fee, That the militia and volunteers shall be trained according to the system from time to time adopted by the Cou- iederate States, in arms and tactics, and no other .shall be allowed at any muster established by law. Sec. 39. Be it further enacted, dr., That the companies ol" tlic regular militia shall take rank in the line according to the system laid down ibr the army ; in volunteer corps they shall take rank according tv the date of their Ibvmation ; and among volunteer corps no companies shall have the right to the flanks of the Battalion as Grenadier, Light Infantry or Jiifiemen, unless they are entitled to the place from the date of their formal ion, or receive it from the chief of the Battalion as the reward of eminent conduct and dis- cipline. Seo. 40. Br it further enacted, (f'c, That in case of any conflagration or other public exigency happening in any incorporated city or town, the Mayor, or other chief officer thereof, shall have pcnver to demand from the officer commanding the militia of said place a detachment of men to make patrols and maintain good order as long as the conflagvation continues or the exigency exists, and the commanding officer shall furni.sli such detachment. The commander of the detachment shall have the right to demand of, and shall receive from the civil officer requiring his services written instruc- tions as to the duty expected of him. Sec. 41. Be it further enacted, t^-c, That the following persons only shall be exenqit from militia service: The members of the (jcncral Assembly,