As an illustration of the kind of arms furnished the Ohio troops, the Philidelphia
Enquirer tells the following story:
The captain of some of the companies, we learned, have announced a determination not to lead their men
into battle until better arms are furnished them. The arms which they have are unserviceable, and
have been condemned time and again. As an illustration of their utter inefficiency, we will instance
the following well attested fact, which has been narrated to us by half a dozen different parties
until it has come to be a sort of Thompson's news, but may be new to some of our readers:
While at Lancaster last week, one of their men died of lung fever and a detachment of twelve men was detailed to fire a salute over his grave, he having been buried with the military honors. When the twelve flintlocks were discharged, four of the nipples flew off at the explosion, the flash-pans being actually set in with sheet brass! Thus it would appear that thirty three percent of these weapons are not only unserviceable, as against the enemy, but are actually so many infernal machines, that may explode at any moment and scatter death and destruction upon all who may chance to be near them.