▁milit ia , ▁which ▁required ▁a ▁fairly ▁settled ▁population . ▁The ▁last ▁census ▁conducted ▁under ▁French ▁rule ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 3 ▁ ▁" est im ated " ▁that ▁the ▁Ark ansas ▁Post ▁District ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 6 0 0 ▁with ▁a ▁milit ia ▁of ▁ 1 5 0 . ▁ ▁Milit ia ▁law ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Louisiana ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 8 0 4 , ▁the ▁governor ▁and ▁jud ges ▁of ▁Indiana ▁Territ ory ▁met ▁as ▁a ▁legisl ative ▁body ▁to ▁begin ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁form ulating ▁laws ▁for ▁the ▁huge ▁District ▁of ▁Louisiana . ▁It ▁is ▁from ▁this ▁date ▁that ▁the ▁Ark ansas ▁National ▁Guard ▁tracks ▁its ▁earliest ▁formation . ▁ ▁The ▁Milit ia ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 8 0 4 ▁contained ▁ 2 4 ▁sub sections . ▁It ▁made ▁all ▁males ▁between ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁ 5 0 ▁li able ▁for ▁milit ia ▁service ▁except ing ▁superior ▁court ▁jud ges , ▁supre me ▁court ▁jud ges , ▁the ▁att orney ▁general , ▁the ▁supre me ▁court ▁cl erk , ▁all ▁lic ensed ▁minister s , ▁j ail ▁keep ers , ▁and ▁those ▁ex empt ed ▁by ▁the ▁laws ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁The ▁act ▁laid ▁out ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁officers ▁required ▁for ▁each ▁company , ▁batt alion ▁and ▁regiment ▁and ▁required ▁priv ates ▁and ▁officers ▁to ▁arm ▁themselves ▁" with ▁a ▁good ▁mus ket , ▁a ▁sufficient ▁bay on et ▁and ▁bel t , ▁or ▁a ▁f use , ▁two