Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-11-08

tl,e topography and physical characteristics o.
the country or its people.
The failure of Gen. Fremont to reinforce
Gen. Lyon demands notice. Gen. Fremont
arrived at St. Louis on The Goth of July
called there by Geographic dispatch from
New York, stating that Gen. Lyon was
threatened with destruction by 10000 rebels.
At this times Gen. Pope had nine regiments
in North Mi ,souri, where the rebels had no
embodied force. The Confederate forces In
the State were those under Price and McCul,
loch, near Springfield, in Southwest Missouri,
and those under Pillow, JET. Thompson, and
Hardee, in Sout beast Missouri.
Two regiments left Rolla, near the termi-
nus of the South western branch of the Pa
citic Railroad, while Jefferson City, Boonvillc,
Licking ton and Kansas City had each a gar
rison of 800 or 400 men behind entrench-
ments. Cairo and Birds Point were forti-
fed and defended with heavy artillery. (Pi-
lot Knob and Cape Girardeau were fortified
after Gen. Fremont's arrival.) All these pla-
ces could be reinforced by railroad and river
from st. Louis and Northwestern States, and
could hold out till reinforced, even if attack
ed by superior force.
On his arrival in ST. Louis, Gen. Fremont
was met by Capt. Lavender, LIST Missouri,
and Maj. Farrar, and aid-de-cafnp to Gen:
Lyon, with statements from the latter, and
requests for re-inforcements Major Phelps,
M. O., from Springfield, Or. Miller, OF Oma-
ha, and many other citizens, having ample
means of information, made the same repre-
sensations. and urged the sending of rein
forcements. To Gov. Gamble, Gen. Ere
mont SAID: "Gen. Lyon is as strong as any
other officer in this line" He filled to
strengthen Lyon, and the result, as is we'll
known, was the defeat of that most gallant
officer. The two regiments at Rolla should
have been pushed forward, AMI the whole of
Louis and Rola, and thence sent to Lyons
force. ANY other General in such an emer-
gency would have pursued this obvious
course.
The battle Of Springfield (or more strictly
Wilson's Creek of the most desperate
ever fought on this contnent-took place
August 10, when the brave Lyon fell, and
the troops, borne down by greatly superior
numbers, were obliged to fall back, but were
unpursued by badly beaten foe.
Gen. Fremont called four regiments from
North Missouri, and went with them to Cal,
70. 1t is evident that he had no intention
of reinforcing Gen. Lyon, for the two regi-
ments at Rolla, 1876 miles only from Spring
field, received no orders to march, and were
not supplied with transportation, and thirty
or fol ty hired wagons, just returned from
Spring field, were discharged at Rolla, Aug. i,
seven days before the battle, and were re.
turned to St Louis.
~, - loktl H. \
St. Louis, four other regiments were drawn
from Pope 10 North Missouri, and sent to-
Ro LA. Better to have called in these troops
before the battle, as after the tatle the
whole revolutionary elements were let loose.
The six regiments accomplished nothing. -
They were not ordered to advance and COW
er the re treat of Lyons army. although it
was supposed in st. Louis that Price and
McCuiloch were following it, and that Har-
dee had moved up to cut off his retreat on
the GaSconade
An advance Of three reg iments would have
>uabled the army to retrace its st, ps, and to
non TIE forces of Price and McCuloch so
,,dl,, hat they would have been unable
a fof1ow our force III their retreat. 1t is
,ad that very officer in Lyons army ex
,ected to meet reinforcements, and return
With then and d. ",Se Price and McCulloch
rom the Southwest
G.n uunter arrival at St. Louis from
chicago, called thither on a suggestion from
Y as blngt0n. as an adviser. 's"' iiIhio'i'
ub mitted to hm for conuidcrat,, " apu au-
ice paper called dispositions for he'aN-
ng Springfield 1t sets out with >sase-
nent that Springfield is the strong strag, "
a! point OF that wide elevation which sepa
ates the waters Of the Usage from those o!
be Arkansas, the key to the whole South
restern Missouri, commanding an area of
early 10000 niles. Why did this not en-,
er the brain of tho Major General before
he fai! of Lyon, and he strain every nerve
o hold that important key in his posses
ion ?
Gen. Hunter, in answer to the paper, re-
lied "Why march on Springfield, where
here is no enemy, and nothing to take p
Iet me rather take the troops and proceed
0 Lexington, in which direction Price was
marching, and where he expected to tie joined
y 40, 900 rebels Instead of this he was
ent to Rolla, without instructions, and re-
named there until ordered to Jefferson City,
till without instructions, and thence to
Upton, where we found him. (See exhibit,
10. 49,
No steps having been taken by Gen. FIRE.
nont to meet Price in the field, he moved
onward his line of march, plainly indicating
lis intention Of proceeding to lexington
When within some So miles of the place, he
emained ten Or more days, evidently eX
gainst him. None being made, he advanced,
al, L, RI |
iege to Lexington, which was defended by
lulligan with 200 men, on the 18th of
september, and captured it in nine days
hereafter, On the 2lst of September.
Now for the facts to show that this catas-
rophe could have been prevented, and
'rices army destroyed before or after that
disastrous affair; Before Price got to Lex
pgton, the forces to resist him were the fol-
owing: At Jefferson City, $500; at Rolla,
200; along the Hannibal and st. Joseph |
Railroad, about 5000 on the western line
# Missouri, under Lane, down near Fort |
scott, 2.3Q0: Muligan's force at Lexington,
ZOO; large force in Illinois, along the
Mississippi River and on the Iowa line. Out.
ide Of St. Louis were some 1900; in st.
louis itself, $4,000. Say, however, that
here were only 10 900 there. Hunters plan
lp to Sunday, Sept. -, was to concentrate
rom St. Louis, Jefferson City, and Rolla,
lso from the Hannibal and st. Joseph Rail-
Dad, 10000 men, and relieve MulGgan. BE
aid that if Price was soldier, Lexington
vas already fallen; but with energy, Price
ould be captured, with all his baggage and
,Iunder. The objection to this that may
,e urged-that there was no transportation
8 an idlsonc. The railroad and the river
we're at command, ard the march from Soda
ia was only As miles long. The force could,
len. Hunter supposed, be thrown into Lex
ngton by Thursday, and, as it appears, be-
ore it was taken.
Gen. Fremont ordered Sturgis in North Mis-
souri, to Lexington, and by crossing the river
o reinforce Mullgan. Sturgis had only l.
100 men, and on reaching the river opposite