Some money was realized from the sale of unservice

able old military stores. As early as 1840 Massachusetts authorized the sale of old materials. In this state two antiquated arsenals were sold; the first, in 1847, bringing $19,042.72; and the second, in 1852, over $6000. The next year the inter64

est in several old gun-houses was sold. The Adjutant-General of New York suggested the sale of old arms and the application of the money derived therefrom to the purchase of tents and

camp equipage. This suggestion was acted upon the next year and 65 $10,000 was realized.

The state expenditure was not great in any case,

usually not exceeding the cost of paying the men during time

66

67

of training. An average wage for a militiaman for an entire year amounted to something like five to nine dollars, The Adjutant-General was paid, in many states, not more than onehundred dollars. Nevertheless, there was much complaint at the expense of the system. In 1846, Illinois thought it too expensive to pay for the erection of an arsenal. A letter to the New York Tribune on May 11,1846 complained that whereas, in Washington's time we spent ten-thousand dollars for the military, now, with our population increased only four times, we were spending one- hundred-and- sixty-thousand dollars or sixteen times as much. In 1848, the Adjutant-General of Virginia felt

68

664. Adjutant-General's Report, Massachusetts, 1847, p. 24. 65. Adjutant-General's Report, New York, 1854, in Senate Documents, No. 28, p. 10.

66. A few instances are found where money was allowed to be used from sale of old materials.

67. There were so few arms worth protecting, it was thought. 68. New York Tribune, May 11, 1846.

69

that much money was being spent..."withouth a shadow of benefit" Even in Massachusetts, where the militia held its own with any state, "There were many persons who...considered that the... encampment law...caused...an entirely unnecessary waste of time and money".

70

69.

Adjutant-General's Report, In Virginia Documents,

1848, No. 13

70.

Adjutant-General's Report, Massachusetts, 1857, p. 25.

Chapter IV..

The Militia After the Mexican War.

A well-known writer on Military History has said that..."the Mexican War marked a great change if not a revolution in our military policy Upon examination, this is found to be true, and it is the object of this chapter to show what the change was and how it came about. Incidentally, it will not be beside the question to call attention to the fact that the Mexican War was fought by Volunteers-not by militia. That more died from ignorance of the rudiments of army life than from actual battle experience was unobserved by the average citizen, and, although it would be hard to prove the statement, it may be assumed that a great many people throughout the United States came to the conclusion that we

could fight a successful war without the aid of trained 2

citizens.

Whatever the inter-working causes, the militia

continued to decline as it had been declining for many years

1. Upton, Military Policy, p. 221.

2. Adjutant-General's Report, New York, 1850, p. 4.