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Militia and Volunteers of Northumberland
The Militia and Volunteers of Northumberland are those military units raised in the county independently of the regular Army. The "modern" militia dates from legislation enacted during the Seven Years' War. The volunteers had several forms and separate periods of existence until made a permanent body in 1859.
After the invasion scare of 1745, and the later strain on the regular army during the Seven Years' War, bills for the reform of the militia were brought to Parliament, but it was not until 1759 that the Militia Act 1757 (30 Geo. 2. c. 25) would be passed. The act continued with the ballot to select men from each county, in numbers based on a return made by the county authorities of men of eligible age, initially between 18 and 50 years of age. As a substitute could be made on a payment of £10, the burden fell on the working classes. Subsequent explanatory legislation was required to curb rioting in 13 counties over fears of pay and overseas service, the militia would only be used in England and Wales. This included a riot in Hexham in June 1761 when about 5,000 people were confronted by six companies from the North York Militia. By the end, 51 people were dead and 300 wounded including some militiamen, earning the North York Militia the nickname The Hexham Butchers. When not embodied (mobilised) for service the men had an annual training requirement of 28 days by 1762. The legislation was continually amended, for example, by the end of the Napoleonic wars, to permit wider service in the country, fixed terms of service and paying a bounty for volunteering for the regular army.
The militia was under the control of the lord-lieutenant of the county and was to be officered by the local gentry, their rank determined by a property qualification which was gradually reduced or ignored as time progressed. Initially a colonel required an income of £400 a year, or be an heir to twice that amount, lieutenant colonels and majors, £300, captains, £200, lieutenants, £100 and ensigns £50.
The regiment of the Northumberland Militia did not form until 1759, it was led by Sir Edward Blackett Bart., and had an initial strength of 560 men, with the headquarters at Alnwick. The militia regiment in its early form was embodied on the following occasions:
Training for balloted men began again in 1820, however desertion was a problem, and again in 1821. Training was infrequent up to 1831 and then went into abeyance along with the Militia movement as a whole.
A new act, the Militia Act 1852 (15 & 16 Vict. c. 50), was passed that revived the militia, with voluntary service (and a bounty of six guineas) but with the ballot remaining an option. Commanded by the earl of Beverly and titled the 27th Northumberland Light Infantry Militia the first training was attended by 850 men out of the enlisted 1122.
During the Crimean War it was embodied from 9 January 1855 to 20 June 1856 spending early 1856 in Carlisle, where 395 men transferred to the regular army. It was not among those embodied during the manpower shortage caused by the Indian Mutiny. In 1859 the enthusiasm for the militia had waned and only 200 of the 900 on strength turned up. The revival of the Volunteer forces led to competition with the regular army and Volunteers for the available manpower. The rise of local constabularies meant that the militia would be used less for keeping order than to replace regular soldiers on home service during large mobilizations.
New legislation increased ease with which militia officers and men could transfer to the regular army, and resulted it becoming, as Cardwell wanted, more of an auxiliary to the regular line regiments. In 1881, after being brigaded with, but seldom interacting with, the Volunteer units of the county since 1873, but being briefly embodied into the 5th Regiments's Depot in 1878, the Northumberland Light Infantry Militia became the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers.
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Militia and Volunteers of Northumberland
The Militia and Volunteers of Northumberland are those military units raised in the county independently of the regular Army. The "modern" militia dates from legislation enacted during the Seven Years' War. The volunteers had several forms and separate periods of existence until made a permanent body in 1859.
After the invasion scare of 1745, and the later strain on the regular army during the Seven Years' War, bills for the reform of the militia were brought to Parliament, but it was not until 1759 that the Militia Act 1757 (30 Geo. 2. c. 25) would be passed. The act continued with the ballot to select men from each county, in numbers based on a return made by the county authorities of men of eligible age, initially between 18 and 50 years of age. As a substitute could be made on a payment of £10, the burden fell on the working classes. Subsequent explanatory legislation was required to curb rioting in 13 counties over fears of pay and overseas service, the militia would only be used in England and Wales. This included a riot in Hexham in June 1761 when about 5,000 people were confronted by six companies from the North York Militia. By the end, 51 people were dead and 300 wounded including some militiamen, earning the North York Militia the nickname The Hexham Butchers. When not embodied (mobilised) for service the men had an annual training requirement of 28 days by 1762. The legislation was continually amended, for example, by the end of the Napoleonic wars, to permit wider service in the country, fixed terms of service and paying a bounty for volunteering for the regular army.
The militia was under the control of the lord-lieutenant of the county and was to be officered by the local gentry, their rank determined by a property qualification which was gradually reduced or ignored as time progressed. Initially a colonel required an income of £400 a year, or be an heir to twice that amount, lieutenant colonels and majors, £300, captains, £200, lieutenants, £100 and ensigns £50.
The regiment of the Northumberland Militia did not form until 1759, it was led by Sir Edward Blackett Bart., and had an initial strength of 560 men, with the headquarters at Alnwick. The militia regiment in its early form was embodied on the following occasions:
Training for balloted men began again in 1820, however desertion was a problem, and again in 1821. Training was infrequent up to 1831 and then went into abeyance along with the Militia movement as a whole.
A new act, the Militia Act 1852 (15 & 16 Vict. c. 50), was passed that revived the militia, with voluntary service (and a bounty of six guineas) but with the ballot remaining an option. Commanded by the earl of Beverly and titled the 27th Northumberland Light Infantry Militia the first training was attended by 850 men out of the enlisted 1122.
During the Crimean War it was embodied from 9 January 1855 to 20 June 1856 spending early 1856 in Carlisle, where 395 men transferred to the regular army. It was not among those embodied during the manpower shortage caused by the Indian Mutiny. In 1859 the enthusiasm for the militia had waned and only 200 of the 900 on strength turned up. The revival of the Volunteer forces led to competition with the regular army and Volunteers for the available manpower. The rise of local constabularies meant that the militia would be used less for keeping order than to replace regular soldiers on home service during large mobilizations.
New legislation increased ease with which militia officers and men could transfer to the regular army, and resulted it becoming, as Cardwell wanted, more of an auxiliary to the regular line regiments. In 1881, after being brigaded with, but seldom interacting with, the Volunteer units of the county since 1873, but being briefly embodied into the 5th Regiments's Depot in 1878, the Northumberland Light Infantry Militia became the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers.