A "Native of York" writing from "Camp Scott" to the Philadelphia Press gives the following interesting account of the condition of the clothing furnished the soldiers by the State. The defenders of the CURTIN dynasty have all along been asserting that no specific charges could be made of mis-management by the State authorities. We should consider these specific enough, and true enough, coming as they do from their own party. In the equipment of our troops the soldiers have been shamefully treated and the citizens robbed. When and where are these outrageous peculations to stop? It is all well enough to arrest secessionists, but if a few arrests were made about Harrisburg, it would be better for the condition of our soldiers and the finances of the State.--Valay Spirit.

    I have now in my possession, and shall leave at your office for inspection, a shoe, worn by one of the soldiers two days. It has not a vestige of sole left upon it. I have been fortunate enough, also, to secure a portion of the insole or filling. What do you suppose it is made of? A pine shaving! Think of that, my dear Press. Such shoes furnished to the men who are to fight the battles of our country! In some cases the in-soles or fillings, are made of paste-board. The heels in many cases drop off in one hour's wear. The man who could furnish such shoes is as soulless as the old shoe above referred to.

    Such material and such workmanship the veriest slop-shop in Chatham or South street never saw. With two fingers the cloth can be readily separated, and, in many instances, the soldiers cannot try them on without bursting them in some part. I have secured two pairs of these magnificent specimens of army clothing, which I shall leave at your office, and to which I invite special attention.

    I saw a pile of blankets thrown outside the commissary's tent of one of the regiments, any one of which could be torn to atoms as readily as a sheet of paper. Held by the four corners, an ordinary pleasant breeze would split them from end to end.--They are not fit for a decent horse or dog, much less for brave men. They are about as well calculated to keep men warm and comfortable in a cool night as a piece of bobbinet. The only use I can find for them will be to make mosquito bars, should they hold together until the soldiers reach the South.

    These are far from coming up to my idea of what a soldier's overcoat should be. The material is flimsy; the workmanship wretcher. In some cases, several shades of color appear in the same coat. In others, the cloth is cut wrong, turning the nap upwards instead of down.
    What a contrast between this and the clothing furnished by the United States!--You should have seen the coats of the Michigan regiment as they passed through here yesterday. The men looked comfortable, as they deserved to be.
    As a conclusion, or tail-end to this sad story, I will state upon the authority of Gen. Wynkoop as well as other officers high in command, that many of the men are compelled to wear their overcoats all day, to hide the nakedness consequent upon the rotten fabric of which their pantaloons are made, and these pantaloons in many cases worn not more than a day or two. To mend them is worse than useless. The stitches won't hold.

Source:

"Valay Spirit", "The Swindle," The Compiler, Gettysburg, Pa., Monday, 27 May, 1861, p. 2.