Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-11-15
A Defense Of Fremont,

At the request Of q military gentiemln o.
some distinction, we print TIE toi.nSIn. de.
fence Of General Fremont. though W. think
that tie bst defence to be made ot hun
must he made by his own sword \ great
success will best clear him of all charges As
the battle of Blena Vista clears General
Taylor.
To The Editors Of the Erema9 Post
" VIII You permit one Of tie people, who
makes no pretcasi1n to any >. !n,iu lie Icla-
tions with General Fremont" ike Mr..
Tweed, has no " prejudiccs TO conquer. nor
under any such pretenccs anv wish to give q
Fictitious weight to his words. 10 submit
through your columns few brief reflections
induced by the recent official and unofficial
attacks upon him?
In the first place. let it b. borne in mind
that while still in Europe attending to his
own 1--iYate Gairs, and without solicitation
IN his part, !. neral Fren mt was app int.
ed by the prcsiden. M.i5r q neral in the
United States army. II suppose that thus
important appointment was male without
the most undoubted proofs Of his fines for
the Office would be - impcach the official
competency OF the President, Without hes
itatlon General Fremont abandoned his own
important private interests TO accept the po-
sition rendered him, returned home. and
was at once assigned u his present clmmlnd
IN Missouri, with a clcIr understanding. and
in the fullest confidence on his Part. that
the arduousness OF the duties thus imposed
upln him, and the almost insurm5untthle
difficulties lie would have to encounter in
their discharge, deserved ami would receive
the most implicit support and aid OF the
Administration.
General Fr,mont's first great task was TO
provide himself with a military force adc.
quate 10 his great undertaking for the gov
ernment, in Its anxiety 10 provide for it, own
safety and that of the capital. had lett the
Western Department almost entirely with
out either arms or an army. The cxigency
demanded that he should be clothed with
large discretionary powers. II had IN al
ready proved that the y ar Department with
the aid OF all the military experience at its
command, up to this date, Was but Just com.
petent 10 carry on the operations necessary
To the defence OF Washington, the disaster
n Bull Run clearly elucldatin. its military
inability 10 extend its sphere Of operations /:
although, even then. as now. the strategic
abilities Of Adjutant General Thomas were
al It's service
On the other hand, there IS not doubt
that 1t was perfectly well understood by the
President that these large discretionary pow
ers shoudextend to the very subjects, which,
in the Adiutant Generals report, are set
forth as assumptions of authority on the
part eff General Fremont, such as the selec-
ton of his subaltern officers and other de
tails connected with the administration OF
his department, which, under less pressing
circumstances, might have properly awaited
the ordinary red tape routine Of the bureau,
at Washington, and that his acts done in
the faithful exercise Of these powers should
be confirmed by tie government
No friend OF General Fremont claims for
him infallibility. That he may have made
mistakes is not unlikely Is he the only
one guilty of mistakes Who planned and
who fought the battle of Bull Ran? Who
is accountable for the terrible blunder of
Balls Bluff? What else, ia fact, have our
generals and military authorities been doing.
up to this date, but educating themselves up
to their positions and duties est Point
graduates, regulars, no less than volunteers
and ottenest through tile bitter teachings
Of mistakes and blunders If n. this then