Under these circumstances, what can I do? The United States has not got the accouterments ready, as General Patterson informed me, and the United States seems to be unwilling to take what I have on hand. If the United States want these now they can have them, and let our Pennsylvania reserve troops receive a like number from the United States as soon as they can get them ready. I inclose copy of letter from Secretary of War.

Very respectfully,

R. C. HALE,

Quartermaster-General, Pennsylvania Militia.

P. S.-Please let me hear from you by telegraph to-morrow whether I shall deliver accouterments or not.

[Inclosure.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, May 20, 1861.

R. C. HALE, Esq.,

Quartermaster-General, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pa.:

DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 14th instant, relative to infantry accouterments, was received and its suggestions taken into consideration. Arrangements have been made for procuring and issuing from the U. S. arsenals accouterments in ample quantities to supply all the troops mustered into the U. S. service, and it would be unadvisable, in my opinion, to provide them otherwise.

Respectfully, yours,

SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Philadelphia, Pa., May 23 1861.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

A. A. G., Headquarters of the Army, Washington City:

SIR: In compliance with verbal intimation from the General-in-Chief I present for his information in tabular form the locations of the regiments now in this department; the condition of their equipment, accouterments, clothing,&c., and the probable time they can be put in motion, fully equipped. The probable time is based on the accompanying statement from the commander of Frankford Arsenal, to which I respectfully refer. I also call attention to the offer herewith of the quartermaster-general of this State.* With his aid six regiments can be thrown into the field as rapidly as the accouterments can be distributed, say Monday. Without his assistance (accepted by telegraph through me) the term of service of some of the regiments will expire before they are equipped, or they will be provided at so distant a day that new shoes and other clothing will have to be issued, unless accouterments are provided outside of this department. Colonel Hale offers some four thousand sets. I am anxious to forward the views of the General-in-Chief and to execute his designs, and will be much gratified to have the means of putting in the field regiments well drilled and desirous of seeing service. If desirable, they can be sent forward without accouterments,

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*Not found.

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