Adjutant General annual reports, 1861-2010

Office of Adjutant General established, Oct. 30, 1779 - “Act for Better Forming, Regulating & Conducting the Military Force of this State” (C#00210 – Acts & Resolves of the General Assembly, 1779 – 1780, Vol. 7 # 19).

1780, first appointment by colonial legislature, Archibald Crary chosen Mar. 6; re-affirmed May Session; member of staff department of governor (C#00204 – Rhode Island Colony Records, 1779 – 1781, Vol. 11, pp. 66 – 67; 84; Journal of the House of Deputies, Feb.1780)

1794 annual military returns mandated by “An Act to organize the Militia of this State” passed April 5, 1794 (C#0210 - Acts & Resolves of the General Assembly, 1791 - 1794, Vol. 27#162; abstract March Session, 1794, pp. 14 - 25). There shall be an Adjutant-General appointed in each state, whose duty it shall be to distribute all orders from the commander in chief of the State to the several Corps; to attend all public reviews when the commander in chief of the state shall review the militia, or any part thereof; to obey all orders from him relative to carrying in execution and perfecting the system of military discipline established by this Act; to furnish blank forms of different returns that may be required, and to explain the principles on which they should be made; to receive from the several officers of the different Corps throughout the State, returns of the militia under their command, reporting the actual Situation of their arms, accoutrements and ammunition, their delinquencies, and every other thing which relates to the general advancement of good order and discipline; All which the several officers of the division, brigades, regiments and battalions, are hereby required to make in the usual manner, so that the said Adjutant-General may be duly furnished therewith; from all which returns, he shall make proper abstracts, and lay the same annually before the commander in chief of the state.

Annual reporting requirements:

1857 General Statutes, Title 34 Chapter 236 Sec. 4 – The adjutant-general shall make duplicate abstracts of the active militia, one to be delivered to the commander-in-chief, who shall present the same to the general assembly, and the other to be delivered, in the month of January, to the major general; re- codified 1872 Statutes, Title 34, Chapter 7, Sec. 4.

1882 General Statutes, Title 34 Sec. 98 - The adjutant-general shall annually make a report of the militia, and the quartermaster-general an inventory of the military property of the state, and shall present a copy of the same to the commander in chief on or before the first day of January, or at such other time as he shall direct; see also 1896 Statutes, Title 34 Sec. 130; Public Law 1909 Chapter 394, Sec. 21; Public Law 1917 Chapter 1497, Sec. 21 & Public Law 1956, Chapter 3742, Sec. 32. Current Rhode Island General Statutes, Title 30-2-18