The following is the organization rules for an early volunteer militia for Bourbon. All spellings and punctuation have been left uncorrected. From the Marshall County Museum.
May 13th 1854
Know all men by these Presents that we the undersigned Citizens of Marshall County and State of Indiana do hereby associate ourselves to geather into a volunteer Company or Military association to be known by the name of the Bourbon Light infantry company and to continue therein for the term of six years from this date unless sooner discharged by law and we do ordain and establish the following constitution and by laws by which we are to be governed
Article first
each member shall be uniformed as follows towit with fine
Boots with red top pants white drilling pant aloons red sash at least
six feet in length black or deep blue frock coat black Stock black
glased cap and plait and ploom.
Article 2d
the said company shall meet at Bourbon for company drill of
each year successive towit on the last Saturday of April May June
August and September on the fourth day of July of every year and train
according to the dissiplin of the United States.
Article 3rd
the fines for none attendance of members shall be as follows
to wit pr day for each commisioned officer not to exceed two dollars pr
day for each none commisioned officer or private not to exceed one
dollar pr day.
Article 3rd (should be 4th)
each commisioned officer who shall behave in an unofficer like manner
while on paraid shall be fined one dollar and each non commisioned
officer or private who shall behave in an unsoldierly like manner while
on duty shall be fined fifty cts for each and every said affense.
Article 5th
any Member who shall get
drunk While on duty if a
commisioned officer shall be fined five dollars or if an uncommisioned
officer or private two dollars and be liable to be discharged by the
captain.
Artical Sixth
the fines and forfeiturs assessed of the company for
delinquences shall be applied to the procureing of Music and camp
equipage to pay the regular Musitions and to defray the other nessecary
expenses of the said company.
Article Seventh
there shal be a treasurer Elected who shall hold his office
one year Who shall have power to collect all fines and forfeiture of
members by action of Law or other-wise before any justice in the
Township Where the delinquent may reside without regard to any releaf
valueation Appraisment or exemption Lands what ever and shall be alowed
twenty five pertcention on all money he may be compelled to collect.
Article
8th
there shall be no member taken in only by a vote of a magority of the
Company and no member shall bee discharged on less by a vote of two
thirds of the members.
Article 9th
a magority of two thirds of all the
members may amend this constitution at any time no amendment shall ever
be made to admit any person to become a member who is in the habit of
getting drunk.
Article 10th
We authorise our names to be hereto annexed and Consider
ourselves to be fully organised as agreed upon and have elected our
officers as follows to wit this 27th day of May 1854
our hands the day and year above written as
follows to wit
John L. Hedrick, Captain | John Barnett |
John E. Mooney, first Leut | Schuyler Miner |
William Bennett, 2 Leut | Henry Houghman |
William M C Whorter, S | William Johnston |
Ralph Curry 2nd Sargent | Jesse Nidig |
William Brouder, 3d | Edward Thompson |
E. G. Melser 4th | Onis Ennis |
Oliver Morris, Treasurer | Abreham Nidig |
John MC Whorter, Drummer | J W Plummer |
John Sharley | Robert Piper |
John Nidig | Stephen Sharp |
Joe Nail, first corprol | Ally C Boylor |
Bengamin Johnston 2d | John Hall |
Zachariah Senour 3d | T Lynn |
William Gillospie 4th | J Lynn |
Edward Osborn | Joseph Staley |
Jacob Barkey | S. Miner |
James E. Plummer | David Bonemger |
James E. Perry | James Proffit |
Peter Disher | Joseph Nidig |
William Bowin | John G Bales |
Jacob Henry | Arthur Lawrance |
James Johnston | Loid Williams |
William Sullavin | Sidney Hatfield |
Ephram Cooper | Elisha Plummer |
William A Apple | William T Plummer |
Jonnathan D. Sanner | David Nidig |
Orange (George?) E. Ecclestaffer | Jerremiah Herner |
John Baxter | John Sullovin |
John Phillops | Patterick Kincade |
Loranso France | James Lynch |
Joseph Thornburg | John Davis |
Harmon Baylor | Jackson Bale |
George Allen | Irey Linch |
James Jinkens | Jesse Burkett |
Samuel Mooney | William Parker |
Abreham A. Nidig | John Seinour |
B. F. Bemmett |
(Additional names added) September 16, 1854
Manleus Joiner | Jeptha Disher |
William Johnston | Solatheil Lightner |
William B. Coldwel | Thomas M Curren |
William Carter | Jonas C. Mooney |
Charles Deviney | John Richmond |
Jacob Shafer | Simon Lefferts |