Knowlton recruited hale to an elite unit called minutemen?

Minutemen were civilian colonists who independently organized to form well-prepared militia companies self-trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They were also known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name.[1] They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats.

The minutemen were among the first to fight in the American Revolution. Their teams constituted about a quarter of the entire militia. They were generally younger and more mobile, and served as part of a network for early response.

The term has also been applied to various later United States civilian-based paramilitary forces to recall the success and patriotism of the originals

unless they converted, many non-christians (mainly jews and muslims) were persecuted