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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2008-02 > 1203815960


From: "Ray O'Hara" <>
Subject: Re: GEORGE WASHINGTON, BRITISH OFFICER: was Don't Be Parochial
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 20:19:20 -0500
References: <7jXuj.654$9l1.5041@eagle.america.net><a035fab5-4801-4f93-a056-0b24cc82b22e@v3g2000hsc.googlegroups.com><5eeca9ba-8f46-4845-89b2-5bbd8c05dddc@71g2000hse.googlegroups.com><6f145c15-db35-4348-b0f7-4f7d41d3a55d@s37g2000prg.googlegroups.com><9190734a-f94b-4e8a-94e2-6714581d6823@60g2000hsy.googlegroups.com><4f4312a8-17ed-43f4-b7b5-627dfaa65759@q33g2000hsh.googlegroups.com><7G4vj.674$9l1.5165@eagle.america.net><6c9167e1-4e50-449e-a9fc-d5524912740f@o10g2000hsf.googlegroups.com><78ff8aed-6294-4966-afc9-c9af48fcbaf4@b29g2000hsa.googlegroups.com><eff2724a-5908-43de-be9a-81ad39f5bdc9@q78g2000hsh.googlegroups.com><fpmsn7$jkb$1@mouse.otenet.gr><1c9f11e9-c626-46ae-86ba-d1f17b9c916b@28g2000hsw.googlegroups.com>


<> wrote in message
news:...
On Feb 22, 11:20 am, Renia <> wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > That was an awful lot of effort to show that Washington was an
> > officer in the virginia Militia, but not in the British Army.
>
> The Militia were private forces which acted as a reserve army force
> available for emergencies, extra to the English standing army. The 1757
> Militia Act created a more professional force, with better organisation,
> better uniforms and better record-keeping.
>
> The English (later British) Empire had many militia units, including
> dozens in England itself. America was thus one of the many British
> territories which raised its own milita units and these units were the
> primary British army units in the early days of the colony. To that end,
> all the colonial militia units were British colonial units and the
> soldiers within them were British colonial militia soldiers. Including
> George Washington.

This whole thread started because I accused RE Lee of being a
traitor. Hal then chimed in about Washington doing the same thing. My
point is that Lee was a Colonel in the US Army. In fact, he was
probably in the top dozen officers considering there were only a few
generals at the time. He resigned from the US Army and then joined the
Confederate Army to fight against the US...which he had sworn an oath
to defend, etc.
Now, if he had resigned because he could not in good conscience
fight against his home state, all well and good. My problem is when he
took up arms.
Washington was never a regular British Army officer. He was denied a
commission in the regulars. His service consisted of leading Virginia
Colonial Militia troops who were raised, paid for, and commanded by
the Virginia govt. His only service with British Regulars was with the
Braddock Expedition where he served as a volunteer, unpaid aide.
All rebellious colonists were traitors to the British Crown. As
were all Brits who fought against the legitimate govt in the English
Civil War.....or those who have opposed their govts throughout
history. So for Hal to say treason is a US thing, he needs to widen
his net to include a huge number of other people throughout history.


you're not new to the usenet. you've seen threads morph before. the
starting and end point are rarely the same.

the fact is lee was a traitor but he was lucky that the union was in the
hands of great men who weren't after vengeance.

but GW and all the FFs were committing treason against the crown. even they
understood that.


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