Up to last Tuesday eighty companies of volunteers had arrived at Harrisburg from various sections of Pennsylvania. Of these nineteen were from Schuylkill County alone, making nearly one fourth of the whole number that had arrived there, up to the above mentioned time. Two more companies left for Harrisburg on Wednesday morning; the "Union Guards" of Pottsville, Capt. J. Anthony, numbering one hundred and twenty-five men, and the "Schuylkill Guards" of Minersville, Capt. Frank T. Bennett, numbering about eighty men. Thus twenty-one companies, with an aggregate number of nearly two thousand men, have already left this county. If the other counties of the State were to send men in the same ratio to their population, nearly seventy thousand men would be furnished by Pennsylvania alone. This outpouring is unparalleled, and demonstrates how great is the spirit of patriotism, that has so aroused the whole population. We learn that several other companies are full, and others are forming with a view of offering their services. This is all right. Every able bodied person in the County, who has the time and means to do so, ought to devote a portion of his time to drilling at home in case his services should be required. But we would not advise any more companies to leave until the Government is prepared to furnish them with arms, and they are called out by the proper authority.
    We append the list of companies that have already left up to this time:

    The "Union Guards" was composed principally of the members of the Hydraulion Fire Company of this borough, and are, we believe, all Irishmen. This was unquestionably one of the most imposing companies that left Schuylkill County, and presented a splendid appearance in their Garibaldi uniforms of Red shirts and Blue pants. None of them were below 5 feet 9 inches, and many are upwards of 6 feet in height and powerfully built. Capt. Anthony, their commander, is but little inferior in size to Gen. Scott.
    We learn also, that Capt. Bennett's company of "Schuylkill Guards," which left Minersville, were a fine body of men.

Source:

Unknown, "Volunteers of Schuylkill County," The Miners' Journal and Pottsville General Advertiser, Pottsville, Pa., Saturday, 27 April 1861, page 2, col. 1.