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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.
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.
