Public Laws of the State of Rhode-Island, An Act to Regulate the Militia, §1 & §45 (Jan. 1844 Session of the General Assembly).

"Section 1. Every able bodied white male citizen in this state, who is or shall be of the age of eighteen years, and not exceeding the age of forty-five years, excepting persons absolutely exempted by the provisions of this act, and idiots, lunatics, common drunkards, paupers, vagabonds, and persons convicted of any infamous crime, shall be enrolled in the militia, as herein after provided..."

"...Section 45. No non-commissioned officer or private shall unnecessarily or without orders from his superior officer, come on to any place of parade with his musket, rifle or pistol loaded with balls, slugs, shot or other dangerous substance, or shall so load the same while on parade."

1844, RI, An Act to Regulate the Militia, §1 & §45

Public Laws of the State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, as Revised by a Committee, and Finally Enacted by the General Assembly at the Session in January, 1844. To Which Are Prefixed, the Charter of Charles II., Declaration of Independence, Resolution of General Assembly to Support the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution of the United States, Proceedings of the Convention on the Adoption of the Constitution of the United States by Rhode-Island, President Washington's Address of September, 1796, and Constitution of the State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations (Providence, RI: Knowles & Vose, 1844), 501-530. An Act to Regulate the Militia, §1 & §45.