the United States. I would most respectfully ask Your Excellency that this report be submitted to the consideration of the legislative bodies of the Territory.

HISTORY AND PROGRESS OF ORGANIZATION,

1836.

On the 15th of December, 1836, the first general order emanated through this office from the Commander-in-Chief, by which order the whole Territory (including the present Territory of Iowa) was divided into five regimental, and one battalion districts.

1st Regimental District: The original county of Iowa. The original county of Brown.

The original county of Milwau

2d

do

do

3d

do

do

Re

The several Colonels and Majors were ordered to divide, immediately, their districts into company beats or districts, and an election of company officers was also ordered. turns of muster rolls and elected officers were directed to be made without delay to the commanding officers of regiments and battalions, and by them to the Adjutant General. It was also recommended that a volunteer company of mounted riflemen or dragoons be formed in each regimental district. The militia companies were to consist of not more than 64, nor less than 30 men, including non-commissioned officers.

1837.

On the 29th of September, 1837, a second general order was issued, by which the Territory was divided into two brigades.

1st Brigade: The counties of Iowa, Dubuque, Des Moines and Crawford,

do

2d The counties of Brown and Milwaukee. The commanding officers of regiments and battalions were ordered to muster their commands in the month of October,

and to make their returns of the aggregate numerical force, arms and accoutrements of the militia, to the Commander of Brigades, and by them to be returned to the Adjutant General. Volunteers were ordered to be attached to, and to muster with, the regiments within whose limits they might be; and the recommendation was again made for the organization of mounted men, to repel Indian aggression whenever necessary.

By a subsequent order of December 8th, 1837, the counties of Des Moines and Henry were to constitute the 5th regiment; the counties of Muscatine and Louisa the 6th regi ment; and the counties of Van Buren and Lee the 7th regiment, This order relates wholly to the present Territory of Iowa.

1838.

In consequence of the increased population of the Territory, a general order was issued of the date of January 23d, 1838, by which the regimental and battalion bounds were designated as follows:

1st Regimental District: The county of Iowa,

11th Regimental District: The counties of Clinton and Scott. 12th do The counties of Cedar, Johnson

do

and Slaughter.

The counties of Dane and Green to form separate battalion No, 2, and the county of Clayton to form separate battalion. No. 3.

Regiments were ordered to be divided into not less than eight, nor more than ten company districts; battalions into not less than four, nor more than six company districts. Elections were ordered to be held to fill vacancies in company offices, and on a refusal to elect, the commanding officers were directed to make selections and forward the names to the appointing power. It was also again recommended that companies of mounted volunteers be formed in each regimen. tal and battalion district.

It will thus appear that up to the time of the division of the Territory, the militia of Wisconsin (proper) was formed into a portion of two brigades, consisting of five regiments, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9, and two separate battalions, Nos. 1 and 2. The regiments Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12, and separate battalion No. 3, by operation of congressional law, on the 4th of July, 1838, fell into the Territory of Iowa.

It will also appear that the objects of the several general orders were, to lay the basis of an efficient militia system; to designate the bounds of regimental, battalion and company districts; to obtain regular returns of muster rolls; to ascer tain the number of arms and accoutrements within the Territory, and to concentrate all such information in the proper office, namely, the Adjutant General's department. In addition to these several required details, the Commander-in-Chief recommended the election of company officers to be had by the militia themselves, and in default of election, then, that a selection of names to fill such offices should be forwarded to the Commander-in-Chief for his action. The importance of having at least one company of mounted volunteers in each regi. mental district is always urged as an indispensable military arm in a frontier country such as our own.

Up to the year 1839, little information had been received in this office respecting the above required details. The office

possessed a roster of brigade, regimental and company officers; a partial districting of bounds of companies; but no accurate muster rolls had been returned, to any extent, whereby the numerical force of the militia could be ascertained. Hence, in addition to the numerons disadvantages attending the absence of an efficient organization of the militia, the Territory was deprived of the annual distribution of public arms to which she was entitled from the General Government, for the want of the official report of the Adjutant General, annually to be made to the Adjutant General of the Army of the United States.

1839.

On the 20th of July, 1839, I had the honor to receive the commission of Adjutant General of the Militia of Wisconsin Territory; and on the 1st of August following, by order of the Commander-in-Chief, general orders were issued from this Department for the purpose of effecting a re-organization of the militia of the Territory, in conformity with the act of the Legislature of the Territory, passed the 8th of March, 1839. The recent division of the Territory also made such re-organization the more necessary.

This order stated the necessity of having proper returns made of the numerical force of the militia to this office, so that a correct report could be made to the General Government, to enable the Territory to receive her distribution of the public arms. For this purpose, it directed the several commanders of regiments and battalions, as then constituted, to proceed forthwith and designate the bounds of companies within their commands, so that each company should contain not less than ninety-three men, including officers, &c. . It also provided for the retention of their commissions by officers residing within their respective new bounds; it recommended the militia to select and report names of proper persons for officers to the Commander-in-Chief; returns of company bounds and muster rolls were to be made before the 1st of September ensuing. Volunteers also were to return their muster rolls and the nature of their respective corps.

Accompanying this gereral order I addressed a separate let

ter of instruction and advice to the several commanders of regiments and battalions, designating the specific informa tion desired by this department on the several details at the general order, and took the proper steps for obtaining information as to the population of the St. Croix and Chippewa country.

This order was promptly obeyed as far as time permitted, by the several commanding officers of regiments, battalions and companies, and in virtue of several returns, correspondencies, and sources of information, received in this office, the first annual report to the commander-in-chief, was made by the Adjutant General and dated November 25th, 1839. But as this report only showed that the incipient steps had been taken for a complete re-organization of the militia, and as new bounds of companies were of necessity required under the act of 8th of March, 1839, and the time had been too limited to obtain all correct information in regard to the desired system, it must be viewed under these disadvantages.

1840.

In the early part of this year, about 170 copies of Cooper's Military Tactics were distributed amongst the militia officers according to law; and the militia law with its supplements, was printed in pamphlet form, and likewise distributed. From time to time various returns were made to this office of the bounds of companies, muster rolls, names of persons recommended as officers, &c. from January 8th, up to November 30, on which day the second annual report was made to the commander-in-chief. By this report was exhibited an organization of a militia system, consisting of five regiments, and four separate battalions, embracing fifty-one companies, exclusive of four companies of mounted volunteers. The regimental and battalion districts were as follows; all officered and commissioned.

1st Regiment; The county of Iowa,

2nd

do The counties of Brown, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Portage, Marquette and Calumet.