The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1861-10-12
The Frcmop, aud Blnir pimcul,,

Fremont to prefer charges against him for trial |
by Court Martial whish are as follows:-
FItsr CHARoE-Conduct unbocoming an
officer ard gentleman.
Sp,c. fcoGoh -1battaid Col Frank p. Blair
while a"ing rs Colotel f the LIST Regiment
Missouri Light Artillery, then in the service Of
the United States and in the Western Depar
mtbt thereof did, at the City Of st. Lou -
the State # Mi souri,, on Divers occasi' 4, in
tween tie ls' and 20th day Of Septer as be
speak Of and concerning Major Gee .oer, 1861,
mont, VITO was then the Conn - j. Q. Fro
Of said Department, in tern dnding General
cfie'r and gentleman, I" .,; 81 unOeeoming an
Iil,,y and incficicnc larging him W "a
posiiion as mem =; that said ,,,ir u,cd hi.
T the o'%manr. .n ISt OF the military housshSli
his tStul's General, to give weight to
Second ~
made 49, .fcd;ion That said Col. Blair
~" -.cnargcs seainst his said Command .
.eneral ~ letter which he wrote on the
ut day d september iS6l to his brother.
Montgomery Blair, Postmaster General Of the
! lmt,d 5 ates, one Of the Presidents Cabinet
officers, wherein he SOU hit to effectua,c tho no
mtval Of said Commanding General Said
charges were made not to tbs Secretary Il War
~ TO the Commander in Coio' OF the amy. but
| TO the Po~mas or. General his brother; thus
using h family rel itions WITH the Cabinet to
set seciet, insdous unsustlinod AID ungcn.
| temanly charges against said Commanding
Getual before tho Presiien' Of the United
states, his purpose being 20 have appointed
without consultation with tho militart author.
| tiles, a Commission 20 investigate tho affairs
aud management OF siid Western Department.
| to he directed by anil 10 consist in part of toe
brother Of said Col. Blair, the accuser
That said voxatiOus aud hauassing proceed.
ings were calculced Ia, and did in part disturb
the Presidents confidence in said COMMANDING
t.FnpIal the .ft Lao n
.. , estern Dep rtmant.
That said Col. B'ait's course also impaired
and paIalyzed the efficiency of said military DO
paitmeBt.
Third SpCeifca'ion.-That said Col. Blair
wrote aid letters 10 bis Uru,,,, - '"'Nerv
Bl,irrr 49,, . -''r'"~o Of elloe'ing the removal
Of hi, said commanding genet, r;'hort af
trdng him an opportunity Of deicfsc.
CHARGE SIC Nh That said Col. Flank r.
Blair, VII acting as tnc Colonel Of tho lat
IL GIN, ut Missouri Light Artillery. " 10 in 'ho
service Of the Amy Of the United States and
in the Western d. partnent thereof wrute and
carried ~ b' published, over h., own ssniti-e,
IN the Missouri DemorU, an article on the sub
jet If saii liar stfos', b. an.wer the ch irges
herein Tfeirrcd against him, IN WI, I'd. tic,o &c
ours the following language, W; 90. assure you
(moaning tho editors Of said 1splpo) whether
you believe me or not q A. | IL u,t even shrink
from the pnmpus threats which appear in
your columns, 'ut who unfamiliar garb he
trays another origin - which said article was
written and pubshet by said lair tO- the par
poe OF and with the intent 10 convey the un-
just and lalse impression that said article was
written or ciusUd to bo written hy said Mljor
q neral.
y chi er.frd'iot --Tbtt sail Blair, while
a ting ~ Colonel ot tho 1t Regiment Missouri
H. lat Artillery, wrote and calsM to ho pub
listed in ito Cuy al s.. Louis, ia tho SAC Of
VI sour ia rs AMI d'lanlatoty article Oyor
bis own sigma urr, IN which occurs TIL follow
ipg Language, VIZ II reply that ! never
a-kel Gen Fremont pegsouI fsvr that he
did not grant II i'm nod Atelv. | never
recommended him to give contract TO any o 10
that he dill not use hi, influence to OBTAIN IT,"
The copies Of tho fr'spDn icnCo which pro-
ceded aud resulted h the final production OF
the copy Of the letters fom Col. Blair TO his
brother, M1hi gomcry Blair, aro hereto append
ed and made part hereof J. G.. FREMoSr,
Major General Commanding.
The letters between Mrs. From ont and tic
President relate to the demand by the fj mer of
a copy Of letter sent by Col. Blair 10 his bro
ther, the Postmaster General, and which had
been laid before the President, who declined to
ac,cde to her request without authority from
the writer. Finally, in response 10 a demand
from Cen. Fremont. the Postmaster General sent
him Col. Blair's letter which forms the basis of
the charges for which he is to be tried by Court
Martial, and from which We extract tho follow
ing
ST.. LouIs, Sept. I 1861.
Affairs are becoming quite ALARMING in tn
northern part Of tho -lato as veil az in the Soutl
| Men coming he q TO give iniormatoH are MOI
allowed to approach Fremont, and 80 away in
disgust.
ihave felt il my duty to tell him what thoy
say and he throws himself behind the reports
Of his officers, who are trying TO prevarica,e and
shield themselves for neglect Of duty, and no
| still Clings To them and .eluses TO fce for him
self Ii is very certain that II he lfxd sent the
regiments TO Lyon that lie took TO Cairo, when
it was supposed that place was threatened,
Lyon would have dIlyea McCullUch from the
| state.
| cannot say whether the attack was seriously
con emplatet on Cairo that time or rOt but
am Opposed TO believe thai tn movements by
McCulloch and Pillow were intended 10 he
Simultaneous and oo-opcrae but Lyon should
have had some part Of tne roiniOrcements at any
rate, and il he had received tWo regiments, his
victory would have been complete. undertake
to say, If Fremont acted on them as he does
now Il was away and cannot sp'lk on that
head) he could not rave Informed himself very
accurately Of the necessities of bis position.
The event shows that no attack was made upon
Cairo, and il was probably avertcd by the re n
lbINtultIAh teHl. II same VI oil' l&ill VI
regiments had been sent to Lyon, we should
have had equally satisfactory results.
There is one point which did lot refer TO in
my letter, and which intended 20 remark on,
ard that is tie utter wait or discipline in the
camps round and about s. Louis. II is re-
hearsa Of the state Of affairs in Washington be-
fore tie tight at Manassas, and will, am ap-
prchtnsive, cOnduce 10 similar results. |
brought these matters to Fremont's attention,
but he put it aside by saying it would not do 20
be too exaciing at once. Our enemies at the
door, and yet too early TO impart discipline to
our troops and keep them out Of the whiskey
shops! know that you and | are both in some
sort responsible for lremonts appointment, and
for his being placed in command Of this Depart
ment, and therefore feel another and an NdGi-
iional motive to speak out openly about these
matters. My decided opinion is that he shOu
lie relieved Of his command, and a man Of abil-
ity put in his place. The sooner it is done the
better.
An ! are worse than they were two weeka
ago, and are getting wore every day. Secs
SION increasing Union men driven out, AMI the
General, fear, incapable Of comprehending his
isiiiOn. His recent proclamation is the best
thing Of the kind that has bcan issued, bu,
should have been issued when he first came,
, hen he had the power 10 enforce IL, and the
enemy no power 10 retaliats.
Yours aiTcctionately,
TSignol FRANK p. BLAZE.
| ---------------------
! DLstrIct Attorney.