, 1861-12-10
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE il.


DUR fAAN3AS ANL L d H0hs ]
,Mi1itayu Matters al Fort Lsa,ruuo,7A-R,r17arn-
tious for IPintcr Qu1rteEs-1he Loyal force Of
Eaasas-Vinter Operations Fotrshddoned-
Col. Jtnnison's Force -ReJe1 Narandings-
GucTiNu JIar1d9e 1uauyuTatcd.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Tsibune.1
Foar LEAsESwouTH; T., Dec. =, 1861.
Activity prevails here as preparations are be-
Ing made for winter quarters. A large force
is expected here from Southwest Missouri.
The Kansas Brigade will winter at Fort Scott,
or at least remain there fora while in order to
recruit and draw together the scattered Kansas
regiments. Col. Jennison will move to TINT !
post when lie gets through, III Missouri. The |
Kansas First is expected back shortly. The |
Second is being reorganizcd and its ranks arc |
filing up. Col. DaEis's Cavalry Regiment,
+ the 18th, has about 600 men in quarters, and
the 18th, Col Root, has about 500 men en-
listed. When all the Kansas forces assemble
they will be a respectable army. consisting Of
not less than 5000 effective men. There will
be ten regiments, though all are not full.
! Gen. Lane and friends at Washington are
urging that our young State is fairly entitled
| to the appointment Of Major General and two
| Brigadiers. Lane asks, and it is Eaid will be
| likely to obtain, the first commission, with ac.
tive work in the field. They urge that the
/ Kansas boys would rather winter South than
! remain III their own State. Il is at least feast
| bic to retakc and hold, during the winter, the
Federal forts taken by the Confederates in the
Indian Territory, with Fort Smith in Arkan
| saa If the column Of the centre is to move
down the river under Major General Halleck,
it certainly seems desirable that Lane, with
would threaten the rear and flank Of the
Southwestern division of the Confederate
| States. This Department could be made
strong enough, by the addition Of some troops
from Missouri, with artillery and equipments.
Gen. Denver, it is understood, will head a
movement from New Mexico, with the Cali
fornia, New Mexico and KANSAS Regiments.
Two Of these are being raised By Gov. Robin
son for service in that division. It Is to be
hoped that the Administration Wil1 not con
deinn our gallant soldiers to inactivity during
Quite number of the officers Of the Kansas
Brigade are in town at present. Among them
notice Col Weir, and Lieut.. Col Burns, Of
Captains Stewart and Allen, all Of the same
corps. Col Davie and Major Wittenhal1, Of
the 412tl, are also in this city. Major Witten-
hall is . nephew Of the lan1cnted General Ly-
. Oh, and looks extremely like his relative. He
: is ! well known nountaineer, aud by the boys
is generally called the "Buck5kin Major,
; from what canse DO not know H. was al
) Lexington. The indefatigable Quartermastel
and Comnissary Of the Kansas Division, Cap
: | tains Inslry and Wilder, have been most IN
: tiriug il providing for the wants Of tho troops
. q Capt. Ins1ey has Started a train Of Is wagon:
: with provisions, and tomorrow Will despatcl
I train Of $50. Major General Hunter has or
dered him to prepare barracks for the men
II and sheds for the stock, at Fort Scott. Til
:, point will be q very convenient basis Of oper.
. lions during tho winter, as well as mos
a comfortable climate for this season.
= Col. Jennison is in command at Camp kaSl
~ He had with him when I left two companie
is not yet mounted, Capt. John Brown and Capt
" Kier1rick. On "Wednesday lie was reinforce
he by five companies Of the 71A Missouri, who /
IN fact formerly composed part Of Col. Mulligan'
;n Ie Irish Brigade. They were under the coni1aan
~ Of Major Church. 4 section Of TotteNs f
nous battery has also been attached to til
~ force. These troops were OH the march
Fort Lcaycnworth and were detalned by Co
If. Jcnnison until hc could communicate vii
nd Major General Hnnter, who acqulesced IN HI
ut disposal ofthcm. This rlises the Federal for<
Ear in Jackson county to 1G00 men, with thr'
ID pieces, i riflcd 6-pounder and two 12-poun
q, iowitzcrs, one a light mountain gun. The:
nv nv forces are in two columns, ono moving tro
mr. Independence, the other from Kansas Cit
Iay When my informant left, the country was in
lck blaze with burning buildings. The deeds
'gy forfeiture are being largely signed by the mt
Il, WHO desire peace. Their property and that
oseS sS Union men is vigorously respected
era There call he no doubt that the State OF Ii
ave souri, is given over to d horrible guerilla ";
te- fare during the ensuing winter. 1t is all il
the possible that the Kansas border count
hat can escape from it entirely. The last two da
fll haYc brought it quite near to this post a
a. a. city. For several days past the air has be
ub. thick with ru1nors Of 1 large seccsh gathcri
,ce, ut Platte City and county. A force Of se7
to raj hundred infantry was ordered from
!; Joseph to report to Col Jennison at Kan:
iet; S City, taking Platte and Clay counties IN tn
ms atf march. They got within four miles Of Plat
fhc City, and returned to st. Joe on learning Il
rec. tue town was in possession Of the rebels. ~
he'd las been the course pursued for some til
this by the kid glove officers in command OF
ing Federal forces on the east side of the Nilsson
not Tic stage came in this evening with int
atoT ligcnce that the train when it came in
am = takcn by the armed party that captured
iIgS Kansas officers, yesterday, and the conduct
the engineer, and express agent taken prlsonc
be- and the baggage, express packages, aud N
carried Off The telegraph is down betwt
tlis point and st. Joseph, and with the r:
rie. road in the hands Of tic Confcderatcs,
- NAY expect some warm work in that secti
H. Weston is only five miles from this post,
d is threats 1arc been made Of an attack on it
,ear tue Tebcls.
,,,1. Major General Hunter has been appealed
Pu but hesitates somewhat, as Weston is in &
md cral Hallcek'G department. He has, howe.
With | sent over a dispatch demanding the return
INST tile officers captured recently BY Mill
gang. If this IS not done bF morning, i
lu1, probable that large force will cross the ri