FUNDAMENTAL
DOCUMENTS

ARCHIVES/
LIBRARY

ONLINE
RESEARCH
TOOLS

ONLINE
DOCUMENTS

ONLINE
SERVICES

of their services -- before their organization -- much time will elapse. If I am to prepare to raise -- form -- and organize the 1200. I want the Author- ity expressly - as I suppose the President can accept or organize thro the Act of a Subordinate --

With this view I will suggest to you the mode or organization of the 1200 which appears to me the most practicable and best -- I will observe that when militia are in service there is always a supernumery No. of Officers. That it requires a greater No of officers (than in regular discipline) by their authority and Influence to regulate the conduct of militia -- But it particul- arly requires a considerable portion of officers to obtain Volunteers to engage in a Country when the settlements are relatively remote & the population sparse. I will therefore suggest the following organization -- first promising however that the Law of Ohio directs when Militia are called on by Authority of the state of the United States "a number of Len sufficient to form a Company to consist of from 50 to 80 they choose their officers -- contemplating as you see Companies as small as 50--

Organization - proposed-
Each Company to consist of 60 Rank & File
5 Companies form a Battallion --
2 Battallions a Regiment --

Thus forming 2 Regiments out of the 1200 lien. which would form a small Brigade including one Company of Artillery & one of Cavalry, To organize the Expedi- tion it will be necessary to appoint a Quarter Master to provide Tents axes spades Mattocks - - waggons ammunition waggons -- Horses &c &c &c also a Sur- geon medicine Chest - Hospital stores &c -- It will also be necessary that some Money be had by drafts on the Receivers of public monies at Chilicothe or Cincinnati.

You will readily perceive that to make an entire new army -- & every Circumstance attached to it (however small the Army) is a work requiring con- siderable arrangement & the advance of some Money. It shall be expended with rigid oeconomy. If necessary the Rangers can join the Volunteers and their place supplied by Militia under authority of the Executive of Ohio. I know your Attention to the Subject need not be urged -- But I hope you willimmed- iately Reconmend the organization in some mode -- if the one above suggested should not be approved of -- You see that in this Long Letter I want my Path pointed out - and as soon as it [is] I will move in it with expedition.

I am respectfully yr.obt st

R. J. Meigs

Hon. T. Worthington-

76