 Under existing laws, they could not be compelled to do so. Indeed, there were instances where the militia of one state refused to cross a state line to defend their neighbors. These actions lasted until passage of the 1903 Militia Act, bringing the militia, now National Guard, under federal control in time of war. That's interesting. And on 25 July 1866, Ulysses Grant was named General of the Army, the first officer to hold that rank.