Unfortunately, each community adopted their own set of commands or interpretation from a manual of arms, which often lead to confusion when these communities tried to organize under a central commander. While the Continental Army eventually created a uniform manual of arms for the 13 colonies - eliminating confusion - local reenactors still adopt different manuals whether the 1764 Crown Manual, Pickerings, or another. It's confusion for militia when multiple towns meet but completely authentic.
Drills
In 1774, communities outside
Boston were commanded to drill their respective militias to prepare for potential
hostilities
with the
King´s forces. "Drilling" or "training" insured that
the men followed commands
in unison, making them
a more effective fighting force.
