By Lee A. Wallace, Jr.
The 83rd Regiment (Dinwiddie County) was a militia command. With the reorganization of the State Militia shortly after the Militia Act of 1792 was passed by Congress, the militia regiments of each county were given numerical designations; hence the 83rd Regiment (Dinwiddie County), 39th Regiment (Petersburg), 19th Regiment (City of Richmond), etc. The regiments were then organized geographically into brigades, hence the regiments were from Dinwiddie County, Brunswick County, Greensville County, Mecklenburg County, Lunenburg County, and Petersburg, formed the 15th Brigade. The State was then geographically organized into four, and later five, divisions. As the population increased, so did the number of regiments, brigades, etc.
Within the county, the regiment was geographically divided into battalion and company districts. All men between the ages of 18 and 45 were liable for militia service, and were required by law to be enrolled in the company within the district in which they resided. Regimental musters were held once a year, in April or May, for one day. A fine was imposed upon those who failed to attend these musters. At various periods there was a laxity in the enforcement of the State's militia laws, and no musters were held. These militia companies, designated by numbers, such as Company No. 1, Company No. 3, etc., were not uniformed or armed by the States. The Governor did, however, have authority to arm the companies if he thought it really necessary. Officers were required to procure uniforms, and meet for training twice a year. What I have been explaining was the line or compulsory militia. To these line regiments, there were attached companies of the Volunteer Militia. These companies were uniformed and armed by the State, and drilled at least four times a year; some even monthly. They procured their own uniforms, and no expense to the State, and sometimes bought their own weapons. If a man belonged to the Volunteer Militia for seven years, he was not required to attend the annual musters of the line regiments.
I don't have any record of a Volunteer Militia company in Dinwiddie County. There was a company of riflemen organized on 9 December, 1859, under Captain W. H. Lewis, but I believe it soon disbanded. I doubt that the Dinwiddie Grays were ever enrolled as a Volunteer Militia company as they went into active service soon after the company was organized about 26 April 1861. The organization of many Volunteer companies for the war in 1861, drained the strength of many of the militia of the line regiments, so much so that they actually existed only on paper. If a man was enrolled in, say the 83rd Regiment, it did not prevent him from joining a Volunteer company such as the Dinwiddie Grays. In fact, they were encouraged to do so. Some line militia regiments were called into active service for short periods of duty, and this was especially true of some of the regiments in the western part of the State. I don't believe the 83rd Regiment was ever called into the field.