Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-12-06

Fremont,s Campaign In missouri.


Gen. Fremont's campaign ia Missouri having
been brought to a close, the time seems properly
to have arrived for succinct narrative Of its
history; and such n narrative we accordingly
proceed to lay before our readers, SO far as the
iacts can be ascertained from newspaper CORE
spondence and from official documents already
made public 81 IHsH 'rn .fc
Cen Fremont reached st. Louis and assumed
the command Of his Department on the 9th OF
July. The little army which, up to that time,
mad maintained the cause of the Union in Mis-
souri,, was almost entirely composed of three
months men. The time Of enlistment was Just
expiring, and by the middle Of August that ar
my, with the exception Of about 5000 men, was
disbanded Cairo was occupied by a feeble
force The garrison Of st. Louis consisted of a
low companies, not sufficient to guard the Ars-
enal. Northern Missouri was infested tv pred
atory rebel bands Lyon was at Springfield
confronting force greatly superior 70 his little
army. A few troops held Ironton, against
which point Hardee was advancing while Pill
low with powerful column was operating up
on the west bank of the Mississippi, and had al
ready fianked our positions at Birds Point and
Cairo. Under these circumstance Gen. Fre-
mont was compelled to raise, equip, officer, and
discipline an army, for the protection Of Mis-
souri, and also for offensive operations in the
Valley of the Mississippi, to defend an extend
ed line, at every point of which the enemy were
superior to hini-to fortify important positions
to build fleet of gunboats, TO purchase horses
mules, wagons, arms, and stores. In this great
work he could not expect assistance from ahl
organized staff. There was no Quartermaster' S
Department, no Board of Ordnance, no shipyards,
no founderies or manufactures of arms. The
Government was so situated that it could rem
der him but little assistance. The defeat at
Manassas had made il necessary for the Govern
ment to exert all its power to recreate and
strengthen the army of the Potomac. The War
Department became the competitor of Fremont
1t diverted to Washington the arms he had pur-
chased in Europe. 1t monopolised the products
of the public and private armores Of the North
to meet the sudden and unexpected emergency.
1t purchased all the army cloth, all the wagons
all the camp equipage which the industry OF the
country could create Fremont found himself
supplanted in every market, and compelled tC
accept arms and equipage which had been re-
jected at Washington. The Government did moi
send to him, as he requested, staff officers from
the regular army, and he was obliged to call into
his staff foreign officers, or civilians.
Within few days after he arrived at St.
Louis, and before order could be introduced into
the chaos in which he found affairs the enemy
began offensive demonstrations. Price and
MeCulloch advanced upon Springfield. FIRE.
mont was unable to send sufficient reinforce
ments. He had only few regiments at hand.
However, these were organized with all possible
haste, and an expedition formed for the re-en-
forcement Of Lyon. Rolla was the nearest point
to which the railway could carry the troops
From there the distance to Springfield the dis
tance is l2O miles over difficnlt country. There
was an entire deficiency of transportation, and
the troops could be moved from Rolla to SPRING
held only by gathering the wagons and teams
OF the neighboring farmers work Of time.--
Whlle this expedition was in preparation, the
Administration became alarmed for Cairo and
Birds Point, and an imperative order was sent
to the General to re-enforce those POSITIONS
The force designed for Springfield was sent
there. A small body was however by great ex-
ertion collected at Rolla, but before tfansporta-
tlon could be obtained, Lyon gave battle.
This act was performed by Gen. Lyon upon
his own Judgment and with full knowledge oil
all the circumstances. Events have shown that
he Judged wisely. The day was disastrous to
the design of the enemy. The flight of part OF
Prices men, and the destruction of McCulloch 3
camp and train, made it impossible for the reb-
els to advance and their forces fell back along
the whole line. Hardee retreated from his ad-
vanced position at Greenville, excusng himself
to his friends by saying that the loss of McOul-
loch's transportation compelled retreat; and
the march of Pillow was also arrested. IfLyon
had fallen back to Rolla, we do not doubt that
st. Louis would have fallen, and the Union
cause have received blow more severe than
Manassas. f......a.
The time occupied by Price and McCulloch
III repairing their losses, afforded Gen. Fremont
an opportunity to organize his army and
strengthen his position. The succeeding weeks
were devoted by him and his assistants to ear
nest and unintermitted labor Cairo and Bird s
Point were strengthened, and powerfully re-en-
forced. Paducah, the key Of Kentucky, was
seized few hours before the enemy reached
there. lronton and Cape Girardeau We're pro-
tected, Notifications were commenced at Jeffer-
son City and st. Louis, and Northern Missouri
was cleared of the rebel forces. While still bu-
sy with the organization and equipment of fhe
regiments which the zeal and patriotism of the
North West poured into ST. Louis, Price sud-
denly appeared in the Western part of Missou-
RI at the head of large army, which in a few
dayshad flocked to his standard, and cut off the
garrison at Lexington. The loss of Lexington
has given rise to much criticism, and more than
any other event has prepared the public to ac-
quiese in Fremonts removal 1t is proper to
say that facts have come to our knowledge which
completely relieve Gen. Fremont from the re
sponsibility of that disaster. But as we sup
pose, for reasons affecting the public service he
has not published these facts, and we will moi
anticipate the statements which. at the proper
time, he will doubtless make. Lexington may
for the present be charged against the General
We will merely say that as soon as information
reached headquarters that Lexington was invest
ed four powerful columns were started for its
relief An entire lack oftransportation DELAYED
its movements. The Notifications at Lexing-
ton were i'll supplied with water, and the garri
son was forced to surrender before reinforce
ments could reach them.
As soon as practicable, Gen. Fremont left st.
Louis in pursuit of Price. The plan of the cam
paign- was simple, bold and comprehensive
The 1otilla he was building could not he ready
for service before the lst Of December and there
fore the expedition down the river could not
start before that time. But an expedition into
the Southwest promised TO restore to the Uu-
ion valuable region, relieve from oppression a
loyal people, and place column within easy
reach of Little Rock, the capital Of Arkansas
from which point operations against Memphis
might begin with the advantage Of having flank
ed the enemy's position, 1t is true the enter
prise was difficult, battles must be won, rivers
crossed, long marches made hardships ehcorn-
tered, but these are theincdents of war The
General did not shrink from them, and he was
Of the ability to inspire his troops With
On tho 9th of September he left st. Louis
with about 10000 men. They were raw levles,
with but htue discipline and imperfectly arm
ed, Some. OF the regiments had several kinds
OF arms The cavalry which was numerous and
well mounted, was very deficient in arms. Dol.
0asaia nau.1e,. ,k. m A 4