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Olunteer Corps Were Formed in Ireland from Early in the 18Th Century As olunteer corps were formed in Ireland from early in the 18th century as local defence forces attached to the militia, formed in 1715 due to the threat of Stuart invasion. There is no precise information on the composition or organisation of these bodies, but what appears to have happened, at least in some areas, was that at a general muster when the commissioner of array had enrolled sufficient numbers into the militia, they organised their troops of horse and companies of foot into regiments. The units not regimented were known as independent companies or independent troops. The Independents were probably allowed as concessions to local feeling, recognising that men often served better under officers with whom they were Silver medals of Thomas Smyth's Limerick Union, 1776. personally acquainted, a link which could Limerick Museum. be lost in a regiment. There was an ethos of voluntary service about an independent assembly, much like the Irish Parliament, company which was lacking in a regular elected by the colonists. As with Ireland, militia unit. However, there was no the English parliament claimed supreme question of independent companies being power over the colonies and when, in raised outside of the militia framework. 37,000 men, increasing to about 50,000 as 1763, parliament began to impose taxes on Their officers were appointed by the usual a result of the French threat at Bantry at the American colonists, they objected, militia commission, and there was even a the end of 1796. Continued alarms and claiming that an English subject should feeling that it might be treasonable to widespread discontent saw the force grow not be taxed without consultation and raise a company without waiting for official to about 75,000 in September 1797, and be representation, and eventually in 1775 authorisation'. In 1745, in 1757 and again augmented by supplementary yeomen, declared their independence. When war in 1760 volunteer units were formed serving without pay and generally without broke out, the Irish Parliament gave its because of the Stuart invasion, the Seven uniforms, throughout the 1798 Rising. support to the British government, and Years War and because of the French Reduced to 52,000 in 1799, they were despite bitter opposition from the Patriots, landing at Carrickfergus in 1760. Through- assembling for but one parade a month in pledged 4,000 troops, and later still more, out the 1760s and 1770s, units were 1800 and 1802. Peace having been to fight in America. The Irish Parliament embodied by local landlords in various declared with France, they were thanked failed to make any provision to replace the parts of the country for the preservation of for their services by parliament and departing troops, the Militia Act of 1755 the peace and protection of property. The allowed to serve on without pay. With the having been allowed to expire in 1767. In classic period of volunteering commenced renewal of war with the French in 1803 the spring of 1778, a number of MPS, with the outbreak of the American War of and the Emmet Rising, their number was fearing a possible French expeditionary Independence and ended with the Militia increased again to 83,000. In 1818 the force assisted by Whiteboys, urged the Act of 1793. arms of some of the units were collected formation of a Protestant Militia. The Despite the augmentation of the and despite renewed activity, especially in heads of a Militia Bill, modelled on standing army and the establishment of Munster in the 1820 - 1823 period, English legislation, were passed, but when the militia in 1793, the government in numbers were reduced to 20,000 in 1828. they were being considered by the Irish Ireland thought these inadequate for the Most units were disembodied in 1834, Privy Council, it was pointed out that it proper defence of the country against although scattered references occur until would be difficult to find recruits in the invasion or rebellion. From 1794 volunteer 18432. south, west and north, and that the rank units were established in England, and and file would be unreliable if ordered to these, rather than the old Irish Volunteers, defend rents and tithes. Nevertheless, the as Grattan urged, formed the model for heads were transmitted and before the the new volunteer force instituted towards end of the session, a Militia Bill was the end of 1796.The units were raised by The eastern part of North America was enacted, but due to lack of finance, was local magnates, but armed by the colonised mainly by English, Scottish and not implementeds. Thus with the government. When on active service they Irish (both Catholic and Protestant) departure of a large part of the army, the became a semi-permanent local police settlers, who by 1770 had established peace and stability of the country was force and occasional military auxiliary. By thirteen colonies, with approximately two endangered, and it was left mainly to the November 1796 the force consisted of million inhabitants. Each colony had an Protestant upper and middle classes to take responsibility for the formation of a Volunteer force for the defence of the count@. There was sympathy among the upper classes for the American cause, they themselves having to pay heavy taxes to Britain and suffering slackness in trade due to a recent a recent embargo on exports. In addition, many of the Irish Protestants had fellow countrymen, and even relatives, fighting on both sides in the conflict in America. For example, the American general, Richard Montgomery, killed before Quebec in the advance on Canada early in the war, was an Irishman closely related to two Ulster MPS. More fortunate was James McHenry, a Ballymena man educated in Dublin, who, after being Washington's secretary, became Secretary of War. He was one of four Irishmen who sat in the constitutional convention, and it may be added that two of the signatories of the declaration of independence were born in Ireland. Irishmen were also to be found in the loyalist ranks. Almost a quarter of the loyalist claimants for compensation who stated their country of origin were Irish, and amongst the American corps in the service of the crown, two were specifically Irish units5, the Loyal Irish Volunteers, a company formed at the close of 1775 by the Irish merchants of Boston, and the Volunteers of Ireland, a provincial corps raised in 1776 by Lord Rowdan. With the depletion of the garrison, the principal citizens feared that local crime and disorder would increase, as, along with its other duties, the garrison had at Flag of Limerick Volunteers, 1778. times to suppress riots, escort prisoners Limerick Museum. and help to collect tithes and revenues. Thomas Smyth, who was twice Mayor soon rose to par. He reduced the Mayor's possibility that the Volunteer movement of Limerick, formed an association salary from eight or nine hundred pounds began to take on a national momentum. In composed of the principal citizens, which a year to three hundred and sixty-five, and March 1778 the first Belfast company was he called the Limerick Union. Smyth came from the savings occasioned by this and formed, and by June there was a Lisburn from one of the leading political families in other retrenchments, he commenced the company and three corps in Derry. Units the city, whose members were 'found re-building of the Exchange during his began to spring up in towns and villages amongst the most active supporters of mayoralty. Mr. Smyth closed his year of all over the country. Some were formed by every measure which had for its office with a Jubilee in honour of the neighbours binding themselves together object the advancement of trade, and Prince of Wales's birth-day, which lasted a or by landlords enlisting their tenantry. the improvement of the towd6. His father, week, brought a great concourse of The Volunteers were officered by the Charles, was mayor in 1714 and strangers to the city, and gave a ascendancy, and most of the rank and file represented the city in Parliament for 45 considerable stimulus to trade which was were Protestant. The Volunteers elected years. Thomas was first elected mayor in then at the lowest ebb. The festivities their generals at provincial reviews, and 1764 'and he soon became a peculiar consisted of fancy balls, operas, a Venetian the Earl of Charlemont was elected favourite with the people. He was urbane, breakfast, a regatta, boat races, &c. and commander-in-chieFO. generous, and public spirited, and was concluded with riding the franchises in a The first corps of Volunteers in fond of encouraging those spectacles and style of peculiar splendour. All ladies and Limerick City was formed on 1 July 1778 festivities which had a tendency to gentlemen were required upon these by Thomas Smyth, when the Limerick produce harmony among the citizens and occasions to appear in Irish manufact~re'~. Union and the Friendly Knot, of which his serve the interests of trade'7. The Limerick Union under Thomas brother, John Prendergast Smyth, was On the retirement of his father in 1776, Smyth 'consisted of a troop of horse and a president, united under the name of the he was chosen as one of the two MPS for company of foot, dressed in blue faced Loyal Limerick Volunteers and elected the city, and 'was elected Mayor (a second with buff and wearing a medal inscribed their officers and chose for their uniform, time) the same year, and also nominated "Amicta Juncta". They were found scarlet faced with white. On 1 August the chamberlain; and from that period the extremely servicable to the magistrates on corps, consisting of several companies, chief direction of the Corporation has various occasions, and when the army appeared in their new uniforms and continued in his family.
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