Law Enforcement:  Militia

For many years during the early portion of Tennessee's history, the county units of the state militia were a vital part of the peace keeping and law enforcement arm of the state, being subject to call when certain conditions existed.

Those acts once affecting Jefferson County, which related to the militia and to other law enforcement agencies other than the sheriff, are mentioned below in chronological order. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1796, Chapter 12, Page 30, instructed the Sheriff of each Tennessee County to hold elections to choose the field officers of the county units of the militia. Those field officers elected would then meet in Knoxville in the Hamilton District to select a Brigadier General to command the brigade.
2. Acts of 1799, Chapter 24, Page 66, made it the duty of the field officers in the militia of Jefferson County to hold two general county musters in May and November which musters would involve the Company of Lane's, Damaron's, McDonnell's, and Van Shears, which companies were all regulated under the general state militia laws.
3. Acts of 1801, Chapter 1, Page 3, amended the general militia law of the State so as to divide each regiment into two battalions and set a muster date for each one. Some exceptions were made to the above, some of which concerned Jefferson County but the Colonel of the Jefferson County militia was directed to cause all the militia units in the County to attend each general review at the Jefferson County Courthouse.
4. Acts of 1801, Chapter 87, Page 190, stated that, subsequent to the passage of this Act the cavalry units of the Counties of Jefferson, Cocke, Grainger and Claiborne, would constitute a Regiment of Cavalry, to be called the Second Regiment of the Hamilton District. Each unit must contain no less than thirty men nor more than fifty, who would all be outfitted and equipped according to the State law and would muster annually at Cheek's Crossroads.
5. Acts of 1803, Chapter 1, Page 3, was a new and complete militia law and military code for the State. The State Militia would be composed of freemen and indentured servants between the ages of 18 and 45, with some exceptions being named, such as clergymen, Judges, lawmakers, etc. The Act designated specific units by County, numbering the Jefferson County organizations as the Sixth Regiment. There must be at least one annual Regimental muster for each County which would occur in Jefferson County on the last Thursday in September of each year.
6. Acts of 1815, Chapter 119, Page 127, was the next edition of the State militia law and military code, which continued to limit the membership of the militia to free men and indentured servants between the ages of 18 and 45. Jefferson County was the Sixth Regiment in the State Table of Organization. All the phases of military affairs were provided in this lengthy general act including the regulations for the internal discipline of the units, for courts martial, and for the uniforms and equipment of the members, infantry, cavalry, and quartermaster.
7. Acts of 1819, Chapter 68, Page 106, reenacted the State Militia Law in another long and involved general statue. A comparison of this Act with the preceding one did not reveal any changes which would affect Jefferson County.
8. Acts of 1825, Chapter 69, Page 78, revised the State Militia Law in several instances but continued to abide by the same limitations and qualifications for members, retaining the exceptions previously mentioned. There was a Table of Organization which identified every County group. Jefferson County would now have the Sixth and the Seventieth Regiment. The annual muster for the Sixth Regiment would be on the first Thursday in October and for the Seventieth on the fourth Thursday in September. The units in the Counties of Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, and Claiborne would compose the Second Brigade, and the First, Second, Third, Seventh, and Twelfth Brigades were the First Division. Some alterations occurred in other portions of this lengthy statute but did not specifically affect Jefferson County.
9. Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 21, Page 97, in this new State Military Code and Militia Law which implemented the new State Constitution, the Jefferson County Regiments were designated as the 13th Regiment and the 14th Regiment. The militia of Greene County, Jefferson County, and Cocke County composed the Second Brigade.
10. Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 157, Page 223, Section 3, scheduled the county drills for every militia unit in the State and amended some regulations concerning the organizational structure, the equipment Charts, and the disciplinary requirements. The Counties of Greene, Cocke, and Jefferson constituted the Second Brigade which would muster on the Monday and Tuesday following the first Friday and Saturday in September.
11. Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 56, Page 91, revised many features of the military law in Tennessee due to the rise in the number of counties in the State and to the increased membership in the units themselves. Jefferson County had the 13th and 14th Regiments which were now made up of white males between the ages of 18 and 45. The Second Brigade still consisted of the Counties of Greene, Cocke, and Jefferson whose units would muster on the Thursday and Friday of the second week in October of each year.