Carolina Militia

William Rhett&Boat Captain — Colonel William Rhett and a Captain in the Charles Town Militia

The Carolina Militia is a military force created from the ranks of the able-bodied men of Carolina Colony. They are known for their effectiveness and brutality in combatting pirates. The main base of the militia is Charles Town, the colony's capital.

In Charles Town, the militia mans the Battery, the defensive walls that surround Charles Town, and the Charles Town Fleet, a small fleet of three brigs that defends Charles Town Harbor and patrols the area around it.

History[]

Background[]

Before Governor Peter Ashe arrived in Charles Town, pirates would routinely attack the colony's shipping, as far south as the Cumberland Sound and as far north as Mount Pleasant. However, Ashe soon committed himself to fighting piracy, and successfully eliminated the problem from most of Carolina.^[1]

Season Two[]

When Flint and the Spanish Man O' War arrive in Charles Town, the Fleet deploys in the harbor. Flint tells Mr. Scott that the patrol ships won't fire while the Man O' War is out of range of the Battery's guns. A small delegation of longboats equipped with swivel guns. The Boat Captain announces that they are willing to pay the sum Charles Vane requested for Abigail Ashe. Flint announces who he is and that he has no demands, only a request to meet with GovernorPeter Ashe. The Boat Captain then rows Flint, Miranda Barlow and Abigail to the docks, where they are met by Colonel William Rhett. The Captain informs Rhett of the situation and Rhett escorts the trio into town.

In town, Rhett explains how pirates used to plague Charles Town until Governor Ashe made them realize that once you stop fearing something, it loses its power. Rhett's men then begin beating Flint, and Rhett explains that if Rhett was able to get his hands on Vane, he was to kill him, by order of Lord Ashe. Rhett adds that he cannot see why the same doesn't apply to Flint. Abigail tells him that Flint is a friend of her father's, and if he is struck again, she will tell her father that it was after she made this clear. Rhett escorts the three to the Charles Town Governor's Mansion, where Abigail happily reunites with her father, and Lord Ashe is stunned to see his old friends.^[1]

Rhett attends the meetings between Ashe, Flint and Miranda. When Miranda stands and begins to get close to Ashe, Rhett points his pistol at her. He tells her that while Ashe may know them, he does not, and if they get any closer to the governor, he will be forced to consider them a threat, and shoot them. Rhett stands guard at the dinner between the Ashes, Flint and Miranda. During dinner, Rhett is asked to leave along with Abigail by Lord Ashe. Rhett returns to find Miranda screaming about hanging Lord Ashe, and he shoots her. Flint charges him, and two militia members arrive and beat him unconscious.^[2]

At Flint's trial, Rhett and two of his men stand guard at the steps to the Apothecary, in front of which Lord Ashe and the jury sit. Several members stand guard around the dais where Flint is shackled, with others dispersed through the audience. Four men bring the coffin of Miranda Barlow to the trial, and open it, allowing the townsfolk to pelt her corpse with garbage. In the middle of the trial, a militia guard brings Charles Vane to the trial, who announces that he wishes to provide testimony in defense of Captain Flint. Ashe asks the guard if he captured Vane, but the guard says that Vane turned himself in. The militia guard gives Lord Ashe Abigail's diary, which Vane had with him. Vane announces that he has come to offer Abigail's testimony.

Meanwhile, Vane's men assault the Battery, taking control of a section of the walls and killing the guards they find. Vane interrupts the trial to give a speech to the citizens of Charles Town. While Kensington calls for Vane to be removed from the dais, Vane gives the signal and his men open fire on the square. Flint and Vane overpower their guards despite being shackled. Flint finds Ashe trying to escape, and two militiamen try to defend the Governor, but Flint easily dispatches them and mortally wounds Ashe. Vane's men on the walls begin firing at the ships in the harbor. Jenks tries to flee but is killed by Billy Bones and his men, who retake their ship, and sink the Charles Town Fleet before they can be flanked.

Flint and Vane move to the jetty, killing any militia who cross their path. At one point, several slaves locked in a cage grab hold of a militiaman Flint was fighting, allowing Flint to kill him. Flint then frees the slaves, who scatter, fleeing from the militia. The Militia try to retake the Battery, but the stairs to the ramparts are blocked by flaming debris, and Vane's men fire on them. Eventually, Vane's men retreat from the walls using their ropes and grapnels. At the jetty, Flint and Vane find a boat and begin rowing towards the Spanish Man O' War. As they make their escape, Rhett and a small company of men arrive at the jetty. After failing to hit the targets with small arms fire, they load a cannon and prepare to fire it at the longboat. Before they can, a barrage of cannon fire from the Spanish Man O' War hits their position, killing them all. Once back aboard his ship, Flint has his gun crews lay waste to the rest of the city, all but leveling it and decimating the city's inhabitants.^[3]

Season Three[]

Flint leads his men in attacking the city of Bath after the magistrate, Hazzard, hangs three men for piracy in the town square. They attack at night from the interior, using the crop fields to conceal their approach. Flint cuts down the first sentry after his pistol misfires. The pirate vanguard then fans out and begins burning down buildings. As they battle the militia, Flint cuts his way through several men to get to Hazzard's home, where he executes the magistrate and his wife. The pirates then take their plunder and set the entire town on fire before returning to their ship.^[4]

Members[]

Uniform []

The Carolina Militia is a force of well trained, well equipped colonial regulars under the command of William Rhett. Under the leadership of the governor of Carolina Colony, Lord Peter Ashe, they became an effective fighting force, expelling all pirates and brigands from the area. They used the weapons of the British Regulars- standard issue Brown Bess muskets and carbines, pistols and cutlasses. They had no set uniform, but most wore various shades of gray and green.

Equipment[]

The Carolina Militia use similar equipment to the British Regulars. They use a variety of pistols. Most carried French Briquet swords, but William Rhett carried a backsword. The Militia also carried Brown Bess muskets and carbines.