, 1861-10-11

Especial Correspondence Of the No. Democrat
JEFFEBsoA Crr1, October 9, 1861.

Especial Correspondence Of the No. Democrat ]
JEFFEBsoN Crr14 October 9, 1861.
Aftai,s in the Southwest are rapidly assum-
ing definite shape. Pr'te is steadily retreat.
between himself aud General Fremont that it
mny be impossible to overtake him il he con
tia7tss to fr1reaf. The intelligence telegfaphed
yesterday that he has been disappointed in the
number Of armed men who have rallied to his
standard since he invaded the State, may ex-
with the boldnese of his advance On Ltxing
ton. Or the explanation gsyen By his officers
may be the true oue, that be is falling back to
meet reinfo1cemeots, and will then return
and give battle; or, frightened BY the ap-
preach ct well disciplined army, and without
he mag be about to abaudonithe State. Either
Of these three hypothesis may be correct,
and BY one or the other this present move
ment must be explained. In any event, he is
like novice who has stumbled On coDjnra
ton and raised the devil when he least ex.
unmethodical and dieordered to warrant the
belitf that it was deliberately planned, and is
part Of a gigantic point tt draw Fremont ont
rom st. Louis aud Jefferson City. There are
many, however, who think that this has been
tie design, and that, Instead Of battle In The
SouthWeBt, ne ehll next hear Of an attack on
Cape GiEardeau and en- I'd vance upon ct. Louis
e1able reason In this conjecture. The rebels
are fully alive to the political importance Of
the possession of Jefferson City, md have
been casting Wlstful eye upon st. L2ais
Tor long time; even threatening to make
it 'heiE winter quarters, bns if movement is
IN sfterthought, and not the result Of q deiib
e1ate sud pIeco2ceEted plan. Fremont is pre-
pared to follow Price and McCul7och to the
Gulf Of Mesicn If necessary. If Al attacE il
MT dltated from TIE force which marched west
ward fur the purpose, from Columbus and
Belmont, it will be met by Tic columns which
are preparing to descend the Mississippi at
Cairo. It SEXES now impossible that any
sufficiently large force Should be ab17 to march
between these co1amns OF St. Laris-
With regard. to Jefferson Clty there NAV be
higher grounds for tne apprehension Of an at
tack The present aspect Of uffairs at Hermann
may indicate it, and Jet there is no sufficient
force In The Eeighborhood, or that eau elude
General Fremont, which should occasion us
any uneasineEs- johnson, OF Maries county,
may have GOO OF l 500 bfigauds, with whom
he attacked the Home Guards near Hermann
day before yesterday, but, he did not dare to
molest tie Disciplined force at the bridge, nor
Pill be: There are perhaps Two thousand OF
the robbers at Linn Creek, Lebanon and
Iberia, but they are without organization or
discipline, ana indiferently armed, and while
they may be the ecourge Of defencele5s cean-
t1y neIghborhood, would be utterly powerlees
IN an attack upon fortified military post like
thiF.
The number of troops which marched with
Gen. Ffemcnt Of course canCot state, but
Nay be permitted to say that the General re-
marked before he left here that his force .oat
anzae-~zhat he acasated no greater to march
triumphaz1ly to Neso Orleans
We have no news fom the west to-day. Ali
is quiet here. A regular daily mail will be
carried from this place to Sedalia the first
YES dispatched yesterday. The United States
Express Company have made arrangements to
convey IN express to the same point three
times week. We have telegraphIc commu
1,ieation us far as Upton, and the line will be
Immediately put in working order to SSra,