Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-18

| teenth Infantry, commanding. ~
his limits will be those of the post of Jefferson
| Barracks.
By order of Major General Fremont.
CHAUNoEY McKEEvER,
| Assistant Adiutant General
Immediately upon his re arrest Col Blair pre-
pared the following charges and specification.
| against Gen. Fremont, and forwarded the same tC
Washington:
COI.8Iair's Charges against Gcn.FremOnt,
CHARGE Neglect of duty, and unoficer-like
conduct
Specification DIN failing and neglecting from
the Sd day of july 1861 to repair to the city of St
Louis in the State of Missouri the headquarters OF
| the Western Department, and there enter upon the
duties belonging to him the military chief of said
department to the serious injury of the public ser
vice therein and the loyal people thereof.
Specification (2)-In failing and neglecting to in
form himself Of the wants and necessities of the said
Western Department, from the Sd day of July, 1861
to the 10Th day of JGy 1861, to the great detrment
of the public service and the injury of the said de-
| psrtment.
Specification (3) In failing and neglecting to take
proper measures to reinforce and succor Brigadier
| General Nathaniel Lyon commanding part of the
army of the United States, at Springfield, in the
State of Missouri from the 81 day of July, 1861 TO
the 10Th day of August, 1861, the said post of
Springfield being all the while in immediate peril
from the enemy, whereby the forces of the United
States at near Springfield were many OF them
sacrificed and the residue compelled to abandon
said post, to the serious detriment of the govern
ment of the United States and State of Missouri and
the people thereof.
Specification (4)-In falling and neglectlug to take
proper measures to reinforce or succor Major -
Beckett, commanding part of the army of the
United States at Lexington, in the State of Missouri
from the 18th day of August 1861, to the LIST day
of September, 1861, the said post at Lexington be-
ing all the while in imminent peril from the enemy
whereby said post was left to the power of an over
whelming 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 hey had
been so grossly abandoned by the said Major Gen
eral John c. Fremont.
Specification (5)-In failing and neglecting to take
proper measures to reinforce and succOr Colonel
James A Mulligan, commanding post of the army
Of the United States, at Lexington, in Lafayette
county in the State of Missouri from the 10th day
of September, 1861, to the 10Th day of September,
1861 the said post at Lexington, being all the while
in imminent peril from the enemy, 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 aetriment of the ser
vice.
Specification (6)-In suffering one Martin Green
and other guerilla chiefs of the enemy to recruit
an army in Northeastern Missouri of from 5000 to
5000 men, and to overrun and ravage Northern
Missouri - day of August, 1861 to about the
10th day of September 1861. without taking proper
measures to suppress the bands of said Martin
Green aud other gUerillas, whereby vast amount
of the property of the loyal inhabitants of said sec
ton of the State of Missouri was wasted and de-
stroyed many of said inhabitants we're driven out
of said Northeastern Missouri by the enemy, and
many were compelled by the enemy to take oath of
allegiance to the pretended traitorOus and insur>
rectiOnary government, called the Confederate
States of America.
Specif alton OH suffering and permitting one
Stephen A. Hurlbut, Brgadier General In the
army of the United States, and his authority to be
and remain in command Of the forces of said Gov
ernmant in Northern Missouri, from the 10th of
August, 1861, to about the 10th day of September,
1861 knowing him, the said Stephen A. Hurl6ut,
from the official report Of his superior officer Briga
der General Pope, to be a common drunkard, and
unfit all of said time to command, to the great
detriment of the service and of the loyal people of
Missouri
Specification (S)-In neglecting or refusing, on or
about the lst day of September 1861, when post
of the army Of the United States, at Lexington IN
heIcounty of Lafayette, State of Missouri, in
imminent peril from tDe enemy, and in need of i'm.
mediates suCC0r and reinforcements, 10 receive or
hear one Richard Vaughn, Esq, who had come
from said Lexington to his headquarters in the city
of st Louis, to lay before him. the said MsjorGen
era G. Fremont the distressed condition of said
post, and to solicit suceOr and Feinfsrcements for
the same, he, the said Major General ]. c. Fremont
pretending and insisting that he was too busy to
receive or hear the message of said Vaughn; and
although he, the said Maj General j o. Fremont,
was informed that the message of said Richard
Vaughn related to matters of the most urgent neces
sity, and demanded immediate action, he, the said
Msjor-G General J. G. Fremont would not receive
him. the said Richard Vaughn, nor hear hGa; nor
did he give any assistance to the said post in Lex
ington, in go imminent peril.
Specification (s)-Jn appointing, on or about the
9th day Of August, 1861, 10 2 high place of conf
dence and trust under his authority W. Master of
TransportatOns in the Western Department one
DR. Edward II. Castle, person of disreputable ChR1
aCter; in keeping the said Castle in said Cfye and
place of trust after being fully informed of his
character, to the great setri ent and disgrace OF
the service,
Specification (l0)-In establishing about mis- head
quarters in the city OF ST. Louis, barrlcade, where-
by information absolutely Indispensable to the pub
lie service repealed and shut from his mind
he, the said General Fremont, refusing and prevent
ing himself, by such means from being informed Of
matters of the most Importance for hours and even
days to the great detrmsnt Of the public service.
Spec fcQtion (IIj-In not taking proper measures
while IN command Of said Department of the West
to put down rebellion within the State of Missouri,
drive out and expel the invaders from said State,
and reestablsh the authority of the United States
therein.
Specification 2)-In this, that Captain Willard, of
the steamboat Sunshine, steamboat IN the employ
of the United States Government, was sent by Col,
Mulligan from Lexington on or about the 10th day
of September 1861. convey certain officers with
dispatches to Col Davis, commanding at Jefferson
City, in the State Of Missouri. And when said
steamboat Sunshine reached Glasgow, in the State
of Missouri on its way to Jefferson City, it was
fired into and upon blythe armed enemies of United
States Government and compelled to land and trans
port the forces of the enemy from the North to the
South side of the Missouri river and that the said
Capt. Willard obtaining the dispatches from Col. |
Mulligan TO Col. Davis from the officers having |
them in charge and making his escape, came with |
out delay to tbs city of St. Louis and repaired i'm
medisteiy to headquarters, and then addressed |
note to the said Major General John c. Fremont,
stating briefly the facts above recited, and that he