the 182nd infantry regiment traces its origins to the north regiment which was constituted and organized on 7 october 1636 from existing "training bands" at charlestown, new town, watertown, concord, and dedham. the regiment was redesignated on 10 march 1643 as the regiment of middlesex. as a colonial regiment operating in the american wilderness, the regiment was quick to incorporate changes in tactical doctrine based on conditions encountered in fighting native americans in king philip's war and other conflicts, requiring each militiaman to own a modern flintlock musket prior to 1675. the unit was divided into two regiments on 13 october 1680, one designated as the lower regiment of middlesex, to include the town of charlestown, cambridge, watertown, woburn, malden and reading. it was redesignated prior to 1733 as the 1st regiment of militia of middlesex. (the 2nd middlesex regiment, born of this division, has also survived as the 181st infantry regiment).