militia (milisha)

[Formerly milice, Know then, unnumber'd spirits round thee fly, The light militia of the lower sky. Pope , R. of the L., i. 42. Hence-3. The whole body of men declared by law amenable to military service, without enlistment, whether armed and drilled or not. [U.S.] It has been nece ary to call into service, not only volunteers, but also portions of the militia of the States by draft. Lincoln , in Raymond, p. 348. The regular army is supported and controlled by the federal government, but each state maintains its own mi litia , which it is bound to use in case of internal disturbance before calling upon the central government for aid. In time of war, however, these militias come under the control of the central government. J. Fiske , Amer. Pol. Ideas, p. 98. 4. A body of men enrolled and drilled according to military law, as an armed force, but not as regular soldiers, and called out in emergency for actual service and periodically for drill and exercise. The feudal array of the middle ages was properly a militia, and the first proceeding of modern warfare consisted in the gradual adoption of permanent and regular troops, which superseded the militia. militiaman (mi-lish'a-man), n.; pl. militiamen (-men). One who belongs to the organized and armed militia.