 By February 1621 , the colonists had sighted Native Americans several times , but there had been no communication . The men of the colony were anxious to prepare themselves in case of hostilities , so they formed a militia on February 17 , 1621 consisting of all able @-@ bodied men , electing Standish as their commander . The leaders of Plymouth Colony had already hired him for that role , but this vote ratified the decision by democratic process . The men of Plymouth Colony continued to re @-@ elect Standish to that position for the remainder of his life . As captain of the militia , Standish regularly drilled his men in the use of pikes and muskets . 
