An Act for Establishing a Militia Within This State, 1781 Del. Laws 1, 3 (James Adams 1782) (Law Passed 1782).

"Anno Millesimo Septingentesimo Octogesimo secundo.

An ACT for establishing a Militia within this State.

    1. WHEREAS a well regulated Militia is the proper and natural Defence of a free State, and as the Laws heretofore made for the Regulation thereof, are found to be inadequate to the good Purposes thereby intended, Be it therefore Enacted by the General Assembly of Delaware, and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same...

    ...6. And be it Enacted, That every Person between the Ages of eighteen and fifty, or who may hereafter attain to the Age of eighteen Years (Clergymen and Preachers of the Gospel of every Denomination, Judges of the Supreme Court, Sheriffs, Keepers of the public Gaols, School-Masters teaching a Latin-School, or having at least twenty English Scholars, and indented Servants bona Fide purchased, excepted) who is rated at Six Pounds, or upwards, towards the Payment of public Taxes, shall, at his own Expense,^[1] provide himself; and every Apprentice, or other Person, of the Age of eighteen and under twenty-one Years who hath an Estate of the Value of Eighty Pounds, or whose Parent is rated at Eighteen Pounds towards the public Taxes, shall, by his Parent or Guardian, respectively, be provided with a Musket or Firelock with a Bayonet, a Cartouche-Box^[2] to contain twenty-three Cartridges, a Priming-Wire, a Brush and six Flints, all in good Order, on or before the first Day of June next, and shall keep the same by him at all Times, ready and fit for Service, under the Penalty of Twenty Shillings for every two Months Neglect or Default, to be paid by such Person, if of full Age, or by the Parent or Guardian of such as are under twenty-one Years, the same Arms and Accoutrements to be charged by the Guardian to his Ward, and allowed at settling the Accounts of his Guardianship."