The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-10-17

OpectJcQtlOnS ~ COtOnet Btd2T
against General Fremont.
The Sunday Enquirer contains ad.
ditional official documents in the Ere.
mont and Blair imbroglio, but the sub.
stance of them has hitherto been made
public, and we make such an abstract
as embraces the material points of the
controversy:
BLAIR's SECOND LETTER TO ADJUTAN1
GENERAL THOMAS.
Under date of Sept. 90, Col. Blair
writes to Adjutant General Thomas,
and abiding to the letter ordering his
release from arrest, which letter was
accompanied with structures on his
breach of military prophecies" in u.s.
ing his family position to lay private
letters, with unstained accusations, be-
fore the President, disturbing the Pres
ident's confidence in the commanding
General, and seriously impairing the
the efficiency of this Department." Col.
Blair says:
feel myself constrained to say
that have not, in my opinion, been
guilty of any act of improperly, but
have performed my simple duty to the
Government in the act to which the
letter refers, which was moreover done
at the instance of the President him
self, and that am unwilling, under
any circumstances, to shield myself
from responsibility, by the influence or
favor of any individual. / could not,
without utter disregard for my charac-
ter, as an officer and gentleman, permit
the statement-tbat had made ss,astaina-
ed accusations against the commanding
General Of this Department-to pass
without notice, and therefore as soon
as the charges can be made in form, l
shall transmit them to you through the
proper channel, to be laid before the
President, and if he shall consider it
expedient to order court martial,
shall be prepared to sustain the accu-
sations | have made against the COM
handing General of this Department. I"
He complains also of being assaulted
by the st. Louis press switch could
hardly have been allowed, except by
by the sanction of the commanding
General" He thereupon demands a
Court of Inquiry to clear himself of all
stain " in matter vital to the honor of
soldier"
This letter being made known to
Gen. Fremont, he ordered Blair's re-
arrest on the same day on which it was
written, his limits to be the post of JEFF
ferson Barracks.
CHARGES AND SPECIFICATIONS AGAINST
FREMONT.
Col. Blair thereupon prepared
charges and specifications against Gen.
Fremont and forwarded them to Wash
ington. Under the first charge of
Neglect Of duty and unofficial like
conduct" are twelve specifications,
which, Invested of legal technicalities,
are as follows:
1st. In failing from the Sd day of
July to repair to his headquarters at
st. Louis, and enter upon his duties as
military chief, to the serious injury of
the public service.
2. Failing to inform himself of the
wants and necessities of his Depart
ment from the Sd to the Goth day of
July.
8. Failing to take proper measures
to reinforce and succor Gen. Lyon from
the Sd of July to the 10th of August,
whereby the forces of the United
States, at or near Springfield, were
many of them sacrificed, and the resi-
due compelled to abandon said post, to
q h. 1nfr
ment of the United States, and the
State of Missouri, and the people
thereof.
4. Failing and neglecting to rein
force Maj. Becken, at Lexington, from
the 18th Of August to the LIST of Sep.
TENDER, whereby said force was left to
the power of an overwhelming foe, and
was assailed by said foe, and preserved
from destruction only by the heroic
valor of the officers and men of the
post, after they had been so grossly
abandoned by the said Major General
John G. Fremont.
5. Failing to reinforce Col. Muligan
at Lexington, from the 10th to the goth
of September, whereby the enemy
were suffered to assault the said post,
and conquer and take the same, to the
great disgrace of the National arms
and the detriment of the service.
6. In suffering Martin Green and
other guerilla chiefs to recruit from 81
900 to 5000 men in North eastern Mis-
souri,, and to overrun and ravage it.
without taking proper measures to sup
press them, whereby vast amount of
property of loyal citizens was wasted
and destroyed, and the inhabitants
driven out or compelled to take the
oath of allegiance to the Confederacy.
7. In permitting Brig. General S. A.
Hurlbut to remain in command of
forces in Northern Missouri, from the
10th of September, knowing him, from
the official report of Gen. Pope, " to
be common drunkard, and unfit in all
of said time to be in command"
8. In refusing on or about the 1st of
Sept, when the army at Lexington was
in imminent peril, to see or hear one
Richard Vaughn, Esq, who had come
from Lexington to lay before him the
distressed condition of said post, and
to solicit succor and reinforcements for
the same, he (FremonD pretending and