Volunteer Soldiers 1801

[Trevbet]

Our Gt.Gt. Grandfather aged 16 and his two brothers signed up for the 1801 Honiton Volunteers ' to march whenever called upon to supress any riotous or unlawful assembly'. Would like to know if they were paid, and what sort of family background would have encouraged them.
Not sure exactly what they were volunteering to do but the pledge was addressed to Rt. Hon Lord Lieutenant and magistrates of Devon.

Many thanks for any advices.

Trevbet

[kempie]

The Militia Act of 1757 established militia regiments for each county and required each parish to provide a number of able-bodied men for military training. Miltia regiments served in Britain or Ireland but not overseas.

During the French wars of 1793-1815, further legislation allowed for auxilliary troops (yeomanry, volunteers, fencible infantry and cavalry) to be raised in each county.

http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/DevonMisc/Milit iaLists/index.html

In 1803 the government limited the number of volunteers to 5,000 for Plymouth plus 12,000 for the rest of Devon. At that time the total number of volunteers was 16,633 of a total county population amounting to 343,000 - 1 in 20. This is on top of the large numbers of men in the Army, Navy and Militia.

Volunteers would receive payment if marched beyond a set distance from their village (possibly 5 miles in the case of Honiton) or if "called out".

http://ia351428.us.archive.org/haytorvolunteers.pdf

In many parts of England, including Devonshire, 1795 and 1800-1801 were years of harvest failure and soaring food prices - and food riots. In 1801 crowds of men went out to the farmers in the countryside surounding Totnes and demanded they sign an agreement to market their foodstuffs at specified prices.

http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Exeter/ExeterHi st1850/History.html

http://www.worc.ac.uk/CHIC/suffrage/document/f oodrioa.htm

[dundurn]

The Militia was a locally based method of recruiting and training men for military service. In time of peace it amounted to a couple of weeks summer camp, training and drilling. In time of war it could be used to mount guard on vulnerable stretches of coast or strategic locations. (Remember at this time there was no Police Force. Think Wild west and the Sheriff's posse and you'll not be far wrong.) Members served for a period of years, could not be compelled to serve abroad but were available to bolster the civil power in the event of riots or disturbance. In time the militia was more formally organised within the Army structure and became Reserve troops in batallions attached to the Regular Army. At the time of the Napoleonic Wars, however, this transition hadn't taken place and patriotic (and self-important) Captain Mannerings set up Volunteer companies in the light of "imminent" invasion from the Continent. Service in the Militia/ Volunteers/ Fencibles appealed to men whose work was irregular; day labourers, agricultural workers etc.

Whether the Honiton Volunteers were absorbed into the army, I don't know, but the local Town Brass Band has its origins in a group called the Honiton Volunteers.

[Trevbet]

Many thanks Kempie and Dundurn for your great help.

trevbet