Eleanor wrote >My ancestor Burrell Drummond (transcribed as "Bur*ll Drumman") enlisted as a private in 1780 under Capt. Charles Bennett.< The dates on militia muster rolls usually reflect a moment in time when a list was made of those reporting for regular drill and nose-counting, which was not active-duty service. All free white able-bodied males aged roughly 16 to 60 (varies by time and place) were considered obligated by law to be available for militia duty for defense within the organizing County. Some militiamen might have considered the first drill they reported to as an 'enlistment' date, but the obligation began when they became resident of a given County. Few militiamen saw active-duty service, which could include patrolling, guarding prisoners, or assisting with escorting supplies bound elsewhere. There were rare exceptions where militiamen were drafted for campaigns outside the County, especially among the VA, NC and GA militia. Since such active duty might be for a day or two here and there, few militiamen accumulated provable service of 30 days or more, which was the least minimum active-duty service entitling them to Congressional pensions under legislation in the 1830s. Less service was required for entitlements of certain widows and dependent children enacted in the 1840s and 1850s, by which time very few such persons were still living. Good hunting, Judy </HTML>