Existing comment:
Naval Militia Era
1884-1914
From the American Revolution through the Civil War, the United States navy employed merchant sailors and civilian volunteers to provide additional manpower during wartime. This system worked well, until the fleet began transitioning from wooden vessels to steel warships at the end of the 19th century when the need for specially trained and reliable reserve force became apparent. Several attempts to create a federal naval reserve failed, leaving the solution to the states, Massachusetts established the first naval militia in 1890 and by 1914 more than 7,500 Sailors were serving in 22 state naval militias. The state militias received federal funding and obsolete naval vessels for training platforms by remained under state control. State naval militias were mobilized an placed under federal control during the Spanish American War and World War I. |