Some good points here.

At that juncture in my nation's history, it was really THESE and not THE United States of America.

State government was a much more profound influence on the populace and the scope and role of the federal government was much less than today.

In that context, the militias of each county or city were of much greater import than the militias of today, and outside the cities the militia often comprised nearly every male from 16 to 60ish in their local area.

That condition does not obtain today.