Pennsylvania, colonial and federal : a history, 1608-1903 . bronze cannon) and about 575 camp tents infair condition. Of these arms about 2,500 muskets were of newmodel and 1,200 rifles were of modern style, but the balance wascomprised of old heavy flint-locks, unfit for use in the field, aslikely to injure the possessor as any one else. The pieces ofordnance were in good condition, though not of modern types, butonly about 500 of the cavalry swords were fit for service. Thus, at the outbreak of the war of 1861-5, the volunteers ofthe Pennsylvania militia possessed only 4,200 efifective small
Pennsylvania, colonial and federal : a history, 1608-1903 . bronze cannon) and about 575 camp tents infair condition. Of these arms about 2,500 muskets were of newmodel and 1,200 rifles were of modern style, but the balance wascomprised of old heavy flint-locks, unfit for use in the field, aslikely to injure the possessor as any one else. The pieces ofordnance were in good condition, though not of modern types, butonly about 500 of the cavalry swords were fit for service. Thus, at the outbreak of the war of 1861-5, the volunteers ofthe Pennsylvania militia possessed only 4,200 efifective small arms,while 14,500 members of organized and uniformed companies hadno arms fit for use when they entered the United States service inresponse to the presidents call for troops in the spring of the period of the war the character and composition of themilitary forces were changed and enlistments were accepted bothbelow and above the age limits prescribed by the act of rolls show^ thousands of names of volunteers under the 236. S = .. or- —- > 3 £ ti u to S n! 5 £ « o s •- J5 Military Affairs age of twent}-one years at the time of enlistment, while manyothers are noted who were over forty-five years.^ But of what-ever age, condition or calHng, the demand for troops met withgenerous, loyal response, and on April i8, 1861, three days afterPresident Lincolns first call for 75,000 militia from the severalStates to suppress treasonable insurrection, five volunteer com-panies of Pennsylvania troops arrived in Washington, ready foractive service. Under that call the quota of this State was 14,000 men, andwithin ten days next following April 18 more than 25,000 loyalsons of Pennsylvania were in Camp Curtin at Harrisburg, whereall the organized militia were ordered to assemble. The volun-teers whose services were not immediately required by the wardepartment were temporarily held at Harrisburg, and after thepassage of the act (May 15) to organize th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidpennsylvania, bookyear1903
