Militia Organization Quotes
The governors of the states were in command of their militias in early America. They could appoint all the ranks up to Colonel, but only the Congress could appoint generals.
Note the egalitarian and democratic nature of the method of selection of military officers. This was typical of frontier thinking—the men who were putting their lives on the line should have a say in who their leaders would be. The Governor and the legislature could only select the top officers like the Adjutant General or the Major General. Congress had retained the power to appoint general officers but allowed them and the civilian secretaries of the armed services to select all other officers. The latter enabled wealthy people to be appointed officers without any necessary competence and many even in the Civil War in effect bought their appointments by paying for the uniforms or bringing weapons. While America became more democratic and egalitarian over its first two centuries, the appointment of military officers is the one area where it became less democratic and egalitarian. The election of officers so popular in many states was gradually and finally abolished.
This is another quotation illustrating that the notion of the armed American, skilled with firearms, ready to fight for the country, was a romantic myth. Few Americans, except those in danger from Indians on the frontier, wanted guns; fewer still knew how to use or care for them; very few could afford them.
