Ohio History Journal

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Book Reviews

Book Reviews

 

 

The Rise of the National Guard: The Evolution of the American Militia, 1865-

1920. By Jerry Cooper. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1997. xviii +

246 pages; illustrations, notes, appendices, selected bibliography, index.

$45.00.)

 

First line of defense or strikebreakers-politicians or professionals-social

butterflies or warriors. In this well-written and documented book, Jerry Cooper

traces the statutory history of the National Guard as it evolves from the volunteer

soldiery to the quasi-professional reserve force it is at the present.

The militia system came to the New World with English settlers and was insti-

tuted along lines well established in the mother country. The militia system was

particularly beneficial on the frontier where both the population and financial re-

sources were inadequate to support all but the most minimal numbers of full-time

soldiers. The concept of volunteering became well established since most mili-

tary campaigns were to defend one's own home and lasted only weeks or days.

Beginning with the American Revolution, the need for troops who would commit

to longer periods of enlistment brought militiamen into conflict with profes-

sional soldiers who found it hard to fight, let alone win, wars with short-term,

poorly trained soldiers. Though better Federal control of the militia was desired,

the Militia Act of 1792 continued the traditional militia system and largely left it

in control of the states. The militia's poor showing in the War of 1812 and the

Mexican War demonstrated the inadequacies of that legislation.  The need for a

massive war machine to fight the Civil War led both the Lincoln and Jefferson

Davis Administrations to exert more direct control over the state militia.  Laws

providing for conscription attacked the core of the concept of "volunteer soldier."

Following the war, Northern and Southern states did little to reestablish the state-

controlled militia. That failure, however, probably had more to do with a weari-

ness resulting from four years of war rather than problems with any Federal laws.

Between the Civil War and the Spanish-American War, most states slowly au-

thorized the creation of militia units. While many were organized by those who

viewed them as a social activity, others resulted from a need to control labor

strikes, prevent lynchings and aid in natural disaster relief. Seeking a more mili-

tary image, the National Guard Association lobbied Congress for more funding

and recognition as a military reserve for the small standing army. Increased ap-

propriations did help with equipment, but little had been done to professionalize

the Guard before many units were activated for service in the Spanish-American

War. While there are impressive exceptions, most of the units continued to fall far

short of regular Army standards during that conflict. Congress passed the Dick Act

of 1903 to correct Guard deficiencies noted in service from 1898 to 1899. Many

Guardsmen left the service after 1903 because they failed to meet new Federal stan-

dards for service or resented new requirements. The Guard began to improve its

performance in evaluation exercises especially after more Regular Army officers

were assigned as advisors. The continued authority for states to control many as-

pects of the Guard complicated the effort to professionalize fully the organization

until the National Defense Act (NDA) of 1916 effectively removed Governors from

all but a ceremonial role in the organization. The NDA requirement for Federal

recognition of units and officers greatly increased unit efficiency and effective-