The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-05-02
INEFFICIENCY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA
T,NLNDr

The Harrisburg correspondent of the Philade
phia North american and United States Gazette
makes the following ingenious excuse for the de
sertion of a number of volunteers
So intense is the desire oil the volunteers to reach
Baltimore and ayenge the shedding Of Pennsylva.
MIA blood, that large portion of a company which
came from MartiDsbUrg, Blair county, l2O men
strong, deserted from Camp Curtin and went tn
urE, aud the company actually short OF num-
bers e.! being necessary when it came to be mus
tered into service. Their desertion at first at
tributed to unmanly cuwardicr, but letters from
them to their companions eviuce how strong their
desire is to b. possible to the fUtur. scene
OF active services. Thus nverheeted patriotism has
caused soldiers to forget momentarily the obliga-
tions OF discipline and military fealtY.
he then proceeds with some remarks on the state
ef discipline at Camp Curtin
The criticism which was contained in the NORTH
american the other day, relative to the hygeniC
condition OF Camp Curtin, and the looseness Of dis
cipine there, caused little discussion among the
officers of the camp They very anxious to
obtain the name of the correspondent, and when
alter long, patient investigations thew did discover
it, their Illuminating and threats of vengeance van
shed into thin air. One of the valuable results
flowing from that criticism has been the reforma-
ton of many camp abuses and more rigid system
of granting leave of absence from the camp to the
men after night.
One of the amusing modes by which the men
escape, despite the refusal of the officers to grant
passes, is as follows: All around the southern and
eastern sides of the fair ground upOn which they
encamped, sheds have been erected, having the
wooden enclosure of the grounds as part of the
shed. The men knock of one of these boards at
the lower end, swing it to one side, and pass ont.
The officers commanding stupidity place sentines
inside the enclosure instead Of outside and egress
and ingress easy. The boys laugh in their
sleeves heartily at the way in which they outwit
the officers, and the latter have not been sharp
enough to discover it. When asked why they do
this, they reply that they spend sixteen hours day
in ''Uncle Sans pig-pen," and they don't see
why they shouldn't have the other eight to them
selves.
1t is great mistake to have camp so near a
town. The soldiers are exposed to ali kinds of evil
contact. Besides, the camp ground, with its nu.
merous tents and small wooden structures interven-
ing, is barely large enough to nlaneuvre a repi-
meat. There is not space enough to handle bri-
gade or division, abundantly shown last
Saturday, when a review of the troops was made
by the Governor
The Philadelphia Ledger also confesses that the
militia force in that city is not in such state of
efficiency as might be desirable and though it does
not say So evidently entertains grave doubts as to
the success of an attack on the South with such
material. 1t says:
The men at their armories ought to be put under
more rigid discipline and receive proper instruc-
tons IN the naHualOf arms and in marching Some
OF the companies we have seen drill are very ilv
prepared for taking the field and we are sorry to
say that some of the officers do not appear capable
ct instructing them. We saw, Saturday men
who evidently had never before handled a pun
served out with ball cartridge and ordered to load
and cap their guns. Some of the men would drop
their ramrOds in performing this dutv, and others
their guns, at the risk of shooting their comrades
We could not help remarking how much better it
would be If the guns all breech-oading how
much more simple the process of loading wonId he
and how much more safe for UDpractised soldiers