Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-11-04


exploits on their own responsibility You have
heard, and the country has been aoprised Of the
successful expedition OF Major schshed, Of Blair's
Artillery, from 81; Louis, and OF Col Plummef
with his command, from Cape 6irardeau That
ostlmportant expedition was undertaken and Its
decisive result achieved. Fremonts orders to the
contrary notwithstanding. The Major, on hearing
to six thousand rebels threatened to attack 1ronton
and the Pilot Knob, prepared a small battery, out
Of the rawest materials. and started down the Iron
Mountain Railroad. He constructed temporary
crossing over Big river, where the rebels had
burned the railroad bridge, ana marched day and
night until he came upon JEFF Thompson, in
command Of the rebel forces at Fredricktown,
With the loss OF only killed and about 40
wounded on our side, the traitors were completely
routed.
An officer who arrived In this city on the Iron
Mountain Railroad from Fredericktown, confirms
and defeat Of ThomPson's army. The detail to
bury the enemy's dead reported near 2OO killed
and left on the field. So precipitate wss the re-
treat Of the rebel survivors, that they did not stop
to perform any oces for their less fortunate fell
low-soldiers; even leaving one OF their leaders
(Col Lowe) on the spot where he fell. Thomp-
son and bis command were pursued on the Green-
Vile road distance of twenty two miles beyond
Fredericktown, where the chase was aba udOnpd
Their army was completely demoralIzed. No
further misc hief 10 feared from them In the neigh
borhood Of Pilot Knob. But there 10 something
OF joke connected with this glorious achieve.
ment Fremont, on hearing that Major Schoiield
had started on the expedition, issued an order
calling him back to St Louis. The order did
was justiaa disregarded On he went, order
or no order; and the frst we heard Of him was his
success at the battle OF Fredericktown, which, by
those best acquainted with the topography Of
MISSOURI and the relative strategic importance of
the various localities where battles have been
fought In this State, Is regarded as one Of the
most valuable achievements Of the Union forces
here, and AZ worthy to rank with the exploits of
NJ tha MI
reached Fremont, who Immediately counterman-
ded the order calling Major Schofeld back, and
at once claimed the Fredericktown expedition as
part Of the plan of his campaign
You see from this that we are occasionally IA.
vored with victories, despite the incompetence of
Fremont, and even Notwithstanding the obstruc-
nons which he internoses. For this last and only
one gained since the death Of the lamented Lyon,
we are Indebted to the bravery. patriotism and
skill OF Maj Schoheld and Col. PIummer TIE
victory over Thompson at Fredericktown was
almost OF equal Importance with that which
would have been gained over Price by Lyon at
Springfield, E5d the latter teen reinforced as he
ought TO have been.
| will not, however, be content with asserting
tnet Gen. Fremont issued the orders to which
REFER will support my assertion with incontro-
vernDle evidence, and for that purpose send YOU
herewith copy Of the telegraphic dispatches
which were sent at the time and which hear ON
the event In question, copies of which | obtained
Iegtttrtdteiy.
In the early part Of October, Gen. Curtis was
sPPtl.e9 Of tie threatened attack by JEFF Thomp-
son on Pilot Knob. There were at that time but
l,5OO men at the Knob. He thereupon sent down
Z,OOO more, Including Schohelds battery After
those achievements had arrived at their destips-
tlon, The following dispatch was sent to General
Curtis by Colonel BOYD showing his force at that
time, and the necessity Of having patrol to guard
the railroad
PILoI KNOB, Oct II.
10 Gen Curtis: We will have about 3 500 men
al this post. Can take 1900 away to meet the
enemy IL near US. Two regiments are at Ironton
ana the remainder at Pilot Knob, one and one.
quarter mile apart The position would be very
suong II the railroad to st. Louis were well
guarded Without that guard we would be en-
tireiy at the mercy Ct the enemy, as we are in a
narrow valley, surrounded by mountains, the
gorgts Of which can be easily closed on either
inside or outside. r. L. Boyp. ColonpI
On the 2lst, the day before the battle at Freder.
icntown took place, Gen. Fremont sent the fol-
Lowing dispatch to General Curtis. 1t explains
HEADQUARTERS, Oct 81, 1891
To Brig Gen. Curtis Order all the troops that
you have sent on the Iron Mountain road back to
grossly exaggerated. Col. CsIIin should have
kept the road open Wilton any additional force,
BY order Of Major General Fremont:
Z. McKEEvER, A. A. A.G.
ne suD1olned dispatch shows that every avail
able force at Pilot Knob had been sent TO meet the
enemy, and that Col Boyd, with his command,
mad been len to guard the road garrison the post,
ana send out the train.
PILor KNOB, Oct ~, 1851.
10 GsH Ckris: i have sent two companies al
escort to train for Fredercktown. Two companies
Just started 70 guard bridges between this and Big
" L nave one hundred men here. know Of
no other forces r. l. BOYD,
Colonel Commanding Post
On the day after the battle, and when the in
the Union forces had reached Fremont a dispatch
was sent from headquarters to General Curtis. In
which the following sentence occurs -" The Sth
w isconsin and Col. Boyd's Missouri volunteers
10 At tlnfH
IL Will be seen from the above dispatches that
Fremont did everything he could to break up the
expedition against Thompson, and even went
further for that purpose than the DISPATCHES indi
cate; for learn that mounted patrol which wa.
started down the Iron Mountain railroad on the
iS.n 70 guard the road was stopped in 81. Louis
ana sent west 6y Fremont's telegraphic order
hsd no effort been made TO rout THOMPSON he
would have held the valuable lead and conner
mines OF lit1e Ia Motto. He would have advanced
on Pilot Knob and the Iron Mountain where ex-
al q eat cost, and which might have been made
usetui 70 tne rebel cause In the casting of cannon
ana cannon balls. He could then, IL not opposed.
nave reached In half days march, the valuable
leao mines OF Potosi and at his leisure could have
afterwards obtained Fossession of those of Cou,-
tors, FoNrehs I'RsHauIt, and Rieh,coods, besIdes
occupying the neighboring agricultural counties
OF st. Francois and 81 Genevieve and the beauti
full and productive valley Of BeIleyue Al the
southern end Of Washington county, from which
nc mig ut have eIacted ample su bsistence for his
enHfe command. Indeed had he been suffered
TO make the first step in his march nortbward
from Fredericktown, ii is impossible to tell what
nj have been the resulting disasters to the
Union cause In Missouri.
Fremont's conduct Ia this affair IL the subject of
general animadversion here among the people;
out az the Republican and Democrat are In the
hands OF his friends no mention of 1t will be al
lowed In those journals. The editors Of the Re
PnoNean, In fact, are now seizing every opportu-
MY 70 reViie the memory Of Gen. Lyon and to as
Perse the character Of Col. Blair I'm this thew
accompllsh the double purpose Of aiding Fremont
ana OF revenging themselves on Blair, who, I'm
conjunction with Lyon, captured the rebel soldi.ry
az camp Jackson, where one of the publishers Of
the RsPnbLteaH figured Lieutenant colonel, and
was 80 Indignant at his arrest that he ATTEMPTED
70 break his sword, for which be has since been
popularity Known as the Sword Smasher
From what has happened In Missouri since Free
mont became the military commander of the de-
Pdfunent, IL will certainly not be difficult to
perceive that all the disasters to the Union cause
neglect or his blunders; while the only Victory
mat has crowned our arms was the result of
movement which he not onIy did not favor but
which ne absolutely opposed and endeavored to
prevent ZErA.