The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-01
DEPARTMENT OF THE WEST.
Its Commander, and the way 1t has
been Managed.
INTERESTING LETTERS FROM ST. LOUIS.
spondence of the Philadelphia Press.

ST.. LOUIS, Oct. Is, 1861.
GEN. FREMoNT's PLANS TO CAPTURE PRICE.
My letter of the LIST contains an intima.
ton that you might hear from me again,
with reference to the regal state in which
our military commander lives and moves,
and the lavish expenditure of the public
money by government officials. But events
have since transpired more worthy of i'm.
mediate attention, end to which the SUBJ
jects above indicated must, for the present,
give place.
Upon the fall of Lexington, the press of
st. Louis, controlled by General Fremont,
undertook to quiet the public mind by as
serting that the omission to reinforce Col.
Mulligan would in the end be advantageous
to the government as General Fremont
would cut off Prices retreat, surround him
at Lexington, and either cut him to pieces
or force him to an unconditional surrender.
This promise OF speedy humiliation OF
the rebel General and his command, was
heralded far and near by the corps of news
paper correspondents who accompany Fire.
mont in his march and, no doubt, sue
ceeded in postponing any definite action by
the Cabinet at Washington on the Generals
case. But those of our Union men who
had measured the calibre OF Price and Ere.
mont, entertained no such hope, but conf.
IDENTIFY predicted that Price would slip
through bis hands, and this prediction has
been fully verified for Price is on his re
treat to the southwest, and at least ten days
ID advance of the Grand Army of the
West.
The escape of Price adds one more blum.
der to the already extended list. Instead
cfsendng his army forward to Sedalia by
railroad, and by forced march of two days
encampng at Warrensburg, Immediately in
the rear of Price, Fremont remained with
large portion of his army week at JEFF
ierson City and another week at Upton,
and by this delay gave Price ample time to
fail back IN the direction of Arkansas, and
escape with his entire army.
THE SUMNER CAMPAIGN IN MISSOURI.
Thus ends the summer campaign in Mis-
souri,, by no means creditable to the Fede-
raj arms, and only remarkable for the fact
that it indicates conclusively the incapac-
ity of Fremont to take charge of mill
tary command. No one doubts his patriot.
ism Or loyalty, bat his unfitness for a mill
tary leader is too apparent for any cavil,
and the sooner he is superseded the sooner
will rebellion meet its reward in Missouri.
Price is bis equal in energy, and far his su-
perior in intellect, shrewdness, and the pow
er to command and control large body of
men. He, moreover, has thorough know
ledge of the country, and the people who
inhabit it, while Fremont is ignorant of
both, and refuses to receive information
when rendered to him by the prominent
Union men of the State.
GEN. FREMONT oUTGENERALLED BY PRICE.
The avoidance of general engagement
by the rebel army and its retreat towards
the South are in keeping with the plan of
the Confederates to break up the contem-
plated movement down the Mississippi, for
as soon as Fremont draws his army to the
Mississippi Price will again take up his line
of march for the Missouri river, in which
event Boonvlle and Jefferson City will fall
into his hands. FIR mont is, therefore,
driven to the necessity OF wintering his ar
my in Southwestern Missouri, and aband-
oning his long cherished river expedition,
or leaving Missouri in the hands OF the rebel
leaders.
The opinion EXPIRE ssed to you, that no
battle would be fought, was predicated up
on these facts, and the result has shown that
my conjecture was we'll founded. Had Ere
mont reinforced Lyon, or after the battle of
Springfield sent five thousand men to
Sigel, with orders to return to Springfield,
the rebellion in Missouri, long before this,
would have received its death blow. But
he was either unable to comprehend the
magnitude of the work before him, or was
too much occupied with the military pomp
and display that he had inaugurated around
him in ST. Louis.
GEN. FREMoNT's REGAL HABITS.
Much has been said in the public jour-
nails about his silly attempts to ape the
habits and customs of foreign courts, and
while | have no disposition to allude to
them as matters OF serious reprOach, yet it
may be useful as indicating the metal status
of the man.
All great men exhibit some peculiar
weakness of character, and if Gen. Fremont
can be classed in that category, his consists
in a feverish apprehension that the world
will never discover his greatness. The
WluuiDS vi d lew odttltS OVtT Ddl StarVeu
and barefooted rebels would scarcely per.
pe,uate his name beyond dozen generas
lions but if he could establish an imperial
court in the Western wilds that would
eclipse the most polished nations of Europe,
who knows but what a thousand years
hence his name might fill the largest page
OF history? The idea is certainly novel if
1t possesses no other merit, and our general
seized 1t with an appetite that would have
done credit to the vainest and most conceit
ed potentate.
In growing city like st. Louis, of one
hundred and sixty thousand Inhabitants, it
is not unusual to find men, who from indus.
try and long life of activity, have accu,
mulated immense fortunes. Among these
was Colonel Brant, an old and much es
teemed citizen, who in the latter part of his
lite, as many have done before him, con-
ceived the idea of building a palatial resi-
dence that would not only be an ornament
to our city, but serve as monument to
perpetuate his memory. No money was
spared IN its erection, and l bestow upon it
no empty compliment when l say that it is
not surpassed 10 grandeur by The mansion