Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-11
GENERAL FREMONTs FORCE.

The Hon. schuyler OoIaA III Ms last hs6i''ef '"uo
speaks of the strength of the opposing forces and move
ments in Missouri fortnight ago.
We had not intended to alude publicly to some facts
that happen to be in cur possesaon but We thnk the
public interest will not be eOpardz ID by referring
10 them.
Fremont has had four rebel arms in the field against
him besides smasr divisions. Prcs threatening Lex.
ogton with 10000; RcOuoch threatening Rolla and
J,fsrsou City with 10 900; Hardee, with an unknown
number theatening Irontou; Polk and Pillow, with 20
OOO at Colun bus KY ard with the q. States forces
at Paducah and Cairo inferior 10 numbers to them
Besides these are Martin Green, JEFF Thou pson, and
others with smaller armies, mainly drawn from Home
Rebels In all not less than $4,000 have been In the
field against him. large number OF them from Arkansas
| Tennessee, Mississippi and TetaswneaTty as large =
number as have been threatening Washington for the
defence of which the whole country has been called up
ON for re-infocemens Yet Mcclellan has not been SUBJ
icted to the cruel charge Of inefcieney and We are
glad he has not been.
Besides clearing North Missouri OF the heoeis IRE
mont hsd the following points 70 defend Lexington
Roa 1.-THE terminus Of the s. W. Branch ct the Pacic
Jefferson City the capital s.. Louis, lronton 1.-THE
terminus Of the Iron Mountain X X boonsvihe, Tape
Grardcau ION the Mississippi River) BIRDS Point, NOR
folk Cairo Fort Holt ou the Kentucky side OF the nv
er South Of Cairo and guarding the approach to and
paducab which command the tnoah Of the Cumberland
and Tennessee rivers How large force Ms b. at his
to defend these points, and also 10 hight these
opposing armies we do not feel at liberty to state
Again. Il y well known at st. Louis that he had ai
h;s rlans laid some ne Ence for surrounding and cap
ruring Martin Green, while in North hssoIr. The In
toxication of United States Brigadier General heus
| ted them and allowed him to escape Another move.
ment was Immediately planned which, By bold and
successful dash in the West would haze probably bro
| ken I'd the Rebel army on the Potomac, In thei'
anxiety for their homes yhe regiments ron inclana
and Wisconsin on which no relied 10 ssell the mum.
bsrs of bis attacking party, were just at this time ordered
East which ended that movement Price then advanced
toward Lexington and the orders were already prepared
for the concentration OF sufficient troops TO renfoioe
Mu,ssu and capture the Rebel army. Just then came
the order from Washington for five thousand Of bis st
armed and equipped troops W b. sent thher immedi-
atey and they accordingly went East instead Of west
We know what his feelings were when be received the
order We we're there at the time and he said wash
In oon II la DANGER must be saved II the West Is
los, and myself destroyed But reinforcements were
ordered to Mullgan Why those which LEFT North Mt-
sour bv his orders Eve days before the surrender did
not arrive 10 yet knows Those which LEFT Jer-r
son City tive days before the surrender, on steamers
we're compelled, doubtless, TO proceed slowly and eau
tously up the river and the messenger 10 ine n han'
sas) may not have reached bin.
We do not alude to these things as the apogist for
Gem Fremont or any one else We are no mans part-
san in this cont st. and the ocef The having sufficient
troops allows his countrys cause to be defested we
would have displaced If he were our nearest and dearest
friend. To show, however, how the number Of hi'
troops has been exaggerated by those on spot
we would state that while we we're in St. Louie two 81
the highest provisional State officers told us that there
were 20 900 troops in the city, and that half of them at
least could be spared and should be sent with Others
from other point after Price. So we thought too and 60
told the general he handed US the muster roll OF all
the United States troops In and around St. Louis that
day, numbering barely 5000, composed of two full reg
ments, and number Of frsgmentary ones. After that,
he received the order for troops to be sent to Washington