Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1861-11-07
The gntlana Aerala.
THURSDAY MORNING, NOV. 7, 1861.
GEN. FREMONT.


pretty seriously handled. Several of the
charges have already been shown to be
false. Why the report was ever publish
ed passes all comprehension. 1t consists
Of loose rambling notes, hastily gathered
by Gen. Thomas during his flight through
the West, and is almost entirely of hear
say character. This attack made upon
Gen. Fremont while he is in the field of
active operations, serving his country, has
no precedent in history. 1t is calculated
to do the utmost injury to the Union by
causing the people to distrust the compe-
tency of the commander of the West, and
especially by exposing our weakness to the
enemy. The report may contain some
truth. but in the following respects. it is
already shown that the charges are des-
titute of foundation
/ Gen. Thomas charges that Gen.
Davis. member of Fremont's body guard,
obtained Il direct contract for blankets,
and that though they were condemned,
when purchased, as worthless. the iudg-
ment was overruled by Fremont, and the
blankets were received.
To this charge Gen. Davis replies by
letter to Gen. Thomas. that he is not
member OF Fremont staf-that he pur-
chased the blankets upon his own respon-
Sibility, and that when Gen. Fremont saw
them, he condemned them an1 ordered
them returned
=. Gen. Thomas says that the arms
purchased by Fremont in France are
worthless and that many of them will not
20 off
In respect to this grave charge, it is to
BE- observed that Gen. Thomas made no
examination of the arms himself A cor
respondent Of the Tribune has shown that
our Ministers to France and England.
Nessrs. Adams and Dayton. have pur-
chased several thousand stand of the same
kind Of arms, and that government
agent is now abroad buying them up, and
al prices greatly in excess of those paid
by Fremont The rifles were new. and of
the precise pattern of the best ,tandard
rifle in Use in the French army.
ApDYb.,. 1I,rr,1
al, i, that Fremont has constructed a pom
toon bridge when ferry boats would be
cheaper. If Gen. Stones column had
been supplied with pontoon bridges in
stead Of one Old >kitf, at the time of the
battle OF Balls Bluff. that sad reverse
would not have taken place. 1t seems a
WI precaution on the part of Fremont to
supply them. Another charge is, that he
had a large collection of half-barrel, for
water to accommodate the army. and sew
eral tons OF ice. and he says this is useless
IN country where water IS plenty. Per
hap 80. but water i plenty on the Poto-
mae and yet our troops would have been
glad Of halt barrels OF water on the day OF
the Bull Run fight. A, TOR The ice. ey-
eryhody knows OF it, value in hospital
practice. especially in the treatment of
wounds. We mention these thing, to
show how indu>triou>ly the smallest items
-eem TO have been collected together by
Gen. Thomas. with view. il would seem,
70 crush him under the combined effect of
the accumulated charges. Even his body
guard Is >neered at, and vet it has alrea-
dy made itself famous by the most bril-
liant and daring charge ever made on thi,
continent.
7; is said that Gcn. Thomas is an old
enemy OF Fremont'>, and if 50 he should
never have been sent upon this mission.
If the maxim, old as the Latin tongue,
''Falsus IN uno, falsus IN omnibus, false
in one, false in all,-is applied to his re
port it will not gain much credit with the
people-at any rate until Fremont can
have fair opportunity to defend himself
Even Gen. Thomas report in regard
10 the state of affairs in Kentucky is open
to equal criticism. He represents all the
young men to be secessionists, and says
the old men are averse to fighting, and
that "but few regiments could be raised
Almost simultaneously with this 'report,"
the Louisville journal stated that Ken
lucky will soon have her quota Of the
half million in the field, about 25,OOO,"