mustered in on the previous day (Sunday). I was informed that one company had disbanded on Sunday evening, alleging that they could not be mustered. Lieutenant-Colonel McCalmont stated that this was not a proper reason, as at 5 o"clock p. m. that day two mustering officers were at his headquarters ready for duty; that one of these officers remained until after 6 p. m.; that the commanding officer of the company never reported his men ready for muster; that the true cause of the disbanding of these men was dissatisfaction on account of local bounty, and that, in his opinion, many of these men would join other companies then forming in camp. He also stated that one company had sibanded in town before reaching camp from dissatisfaction of similar nature; and although he had not in his possession data to give the exact total of all men who had thus left organizations in camp or in town; that he was satisfied the entire number would not exceed 150. He also informed me that, by order of General Couch, Captain hall, assistant quartermaster, furnished these recruits immediately upon their arrival with blankets, mess-pans, and camp-kettles, and that Lieutenant Geety, by the same authority, furnished them in like manner with forks, spoons, tin cups, and tin plates. Clothing other than blankets is not furnished until after muster. Subsistence has been furnished at once, and the men had been allowed their choice of rations cooked or in kind. While I was at the camp an order was received from Major-General Couch directing that cooked rations only be issued to recruits prior to muster, and that rations in kind be issued after muster. I visited the quartermaster and commissary storehouses and the kitchen; found them in good order and the stores and accommodations ample for a much larger force than is now present at the camp. I also found the statements as to issues hereinbefore reported corroborated by the employes in these departments. I then visited the body of the camp. On my way there I found one company presented for muster. Many of the members of this company were mere boys, apparently not over fifteen or sixteen years of age, but all that I saw examined willing to swear that they were over eighteen. Both surgeon and mustering officers seemed willing to give these boys the benefit of the doubt and accepted all of them that in their opinion could possibly do military duty. Many of those that were accepted I should have rejected at first sight. I saw one other company that wanted but nine men, which the captain informed me would be forthcoming that evening, and another that wanted but fifteen, or thereabouts, whose ranks were expected to be filled that night. One of these companies and some of the others in camp had been several times presented for muster with the minimum number for a company, but had failed to succeed in being mustered from rejections made which reduced their ranks below such minimum. Lieutenant-Colonel Bomford, Lieutenant-Colonel McCalmont, and the mustering officers at the camp were not assured that the organization of these companies would be hastened by changing the order of muster from that of organized companies to that of squads or individuals.

It will be noticed that Governor Curtin, in his General Orders, Numbers 50, annexed hereto, marked H, promised to each person furnishing forty men a commission of captain, on being accepted and mustered into service; a commission of first lieutenant on like terms to each person furnishing twenty-five men, and one of second lieutenant, in the same manner, to each person furnishing fifteen men. The result has been to prevent consolidation of squads, each candidate for office