The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-28
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The History - the RAss ana Pre-
gress Of 1eoOssaSn In HissSuFi.


practical workings Of the doctrine Of Sc
cessiOn, or the treachery Of men in power,
or from whatever cause-I shall start with
the assumption that the people Of Missouri
were, at tie time Fort Sumter was bonn
barded, and even later still, loyal to the
United States Government. -
Still further, shall undertake 10 prove
that only by system Of usele>s-worse
than useiess-acts on the part Of those in
whose power it was to stir up strife aud
war has this trouble been brought on in
the State Of Missouri
Gov. Claib. +. jackson was elected last
year as 4 Douglas Democrat. That he
strongly sympsthized with the secession
lists, up to April LIST, is very evident from
his subsequent course Of action; but that
he contemplated revolutionary and violent
measures as late as the taking Of Camp
jackson in ST. Louis, do not believe
Be this 40, or otherwise, it is certain he
could do little for harm in his executive
capacity, without the completely Of the
Legislature and the action and hearty CO.
operation Of the people Of the State at
large. have asserted that they were al
along even until far later periOd-lOyal
to the United States Government. 1t Is
true that Governor jackson had called the
Legislature together and had recommended
the appropriation Of large sums Of money
with which to arm the State This bill.
however, was supported by large major
ity Of both branches of the legislature.
and clearly could not have been passed
but for the events which actually trans.
pired whilst that restless body was in
session.
Early in April the State troops were or.
dered by Gov. Jackson to go t" - Lru'>.
under General Frost. There Ma u"'hing
unusual III this, since it was rcIttiripn
Of an order which hal been executed iDr
many years successfully by other Gov
errors.
\ question has been raised as to the
propricty Of this aSsemblage Of troops,
especially at this time, but there was IA
warrant for It both in the Constitutions Of
the United States and Missouri. The lie.
gal warrant existed for their aSSembiage
but not for their designs-if those de
signs were hostile to the United States
Government.
For the space Of two months, antccedenl
to their encampmcnt, the federal force,
had been gradually nugmenting and drill
ing at the Arsenal, under the nominal
command Of Capt Lyon. This force al
the Arsenal consisted Of German adopted
citizens, with rare exceptions. They were
men by whose suifraScs Francis p. Blair
DR., had been elected to Congress last year
and who being thrown out Of employment
by the financial revusion the country had
suffered, were eager to accept this Oppor.
tunity to receive price for their services
They numbered about 1900 at the time
Camp Jackson was taken. The limit ap.
pointed by the Executive for the Encamp
nent to last vas one week. Four day.
before it expired, it was determined by
the Federal Commander to break it up
This determination would have been les,
hastily formed, ! am sure, had not cannon
:and small arms been smuggled into Their
Camp from the South.
Accordingly on Friday, two days before
Camp Jackson~b by Law should expire, G0(
men composing the State Army were sur.
rounded by Capt Lyons force nearly 9O(
str0ng-cannOn mounted on the heights
surrounding it, SO as to command the
whole Camp, and as the whole country
well knows, an unconditional SURRENDER
was demanded, and made. While hi.
was going on, boy ten years old who had
climbed tree shouted for jeff. Davis, and
instantly became target for n dozen Mn
ME rifles, and fell from the tree dead. -
This was followed by insults and taunts
from some Of the bystandcr$, whercupou
some fifteen were shot dead-includine
six or eight women and children.
Amidst the triumphant shouts OF the
Federal troops, the Missouri State troops
were then marched as prisoners to the Ar.
senal. Here they were placed in filthy
clubhouse, with no place to sit or lie down,
and kept thirty.six hours without food
On Sunday evening they were all released,
on taking parol Of honor never to bear
arms against the United States, with the
exception Of Emmet McDonaldJ. Thus
ended Camp jackson, but its consequen.
ces follow.
Regarding the event at this late period,
it appears to have been a sad mistake that
the camp was SO hastily attacked. What
reason was there for demanding surren.
der before the remaining two days Of its
life had expired
1t has been asserted that they meditated
an attack on the Arsenal, but the foolish
ness Of such an attack was too apparent,
so long as the Federal force exceeded the
State force by ten times, besides, there
would have been good reason for order
ing its dispersal, ter the week had ex.
pired, OnIv two days Of which remained.
The news Of this unfortunate and ill.timc,l
action was Immediately telegraphed 10 JEFF.
ferson City, the capitol Of the State. The
Legislature was then in session. The
doors were Immediately closed, and this
body went into secret session.
All objections to the Military Bill were
withdrawn, and it passed. The excite
ment throughout the State became in.
tense, still there are unmiStakabie eviden.
ces that the people Of the State remain,
loyal to the Government. In the city Of
st. Louis, however, the excitement battles
description. {es.
On Friday, one week later, some8 Ger
man troops were marching up Walnut
street a pistol shot was fred from the
steps Of church on the corner Of Sixth
street Although no one was harmed, il
served to excite the soldiers to madness,
and they Immediately turned and dis.
charged their weapons Some taking aim
ut the people, large numbers Of whom
were on the sidewalk, some at the win
dows of the houses, aud some in the air.
then throwing down their guns they fled
in every direction.
BY this action some fifteen lives were
sacrificed, mostly women aud children.
The Indignation Of the people agains; the
adopted Herman citizens became deep and
terrible. The Germans in large numbers
fled from the city. Many were shot down
on the streets in cold blood. Many rushed
to the arsenal aud joined the Federal ar
ms. This condition Of things continued
during Saturday aud Sunday. Large and
impronptu meetings were held in various
portions Of the city, both day and night,