New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-10-03
CEN. FREmONr,s PROSPECTS.

west Of Jefferson Clty, INC caPitai vi niioeouii'
which ia hut 100 miles from Lexington, now
the rebel focus in that State-that the rebels
mean TO take Bonneville and Jefferson City,
rraparatory to an attack on st. LOuis-that
Gen. f., on the other hand, is strongly sus-
pected of designs against Lexington and its
present pOssessors-all point TO an early aud
serious collision. The cautiOus. diplomatic,
doubtless wise strategy of Mcclellan and Beau.
regard is not adapted to the West, where
those who 90 to war are strongly suspected Of
a disposition to hurt somebody, and to look for
the enemy with a decided intent to pitch
in. We strongly hope not to hear OF any
Union forces are widely scattered on almost
every side of the rebels, and there is Immi'
nent danger that the latter may strike the first
blow east OF west in overwhelming force. We
have no faith in the strategy which would sur
round an army OF Fifty Thousand with three
or four independent corps, separated by two or
three DAYS march, and so liable to be attacked
and beaten in succession. Yet, pre5umlng the
rebel leaders TO understand their business, it
is hardly possible TO avoid such attacks before
efiecting q concentration; while to protect Kan
sas on the west, ST. Joseph and the lue OF
the North Missouri Railroad on the north, and
Bonneville and Jefferson City on the east might
seem to preclude the necessary concentration
at all. We judge, however, that the control
of the Missouri River and of the Railroad
aforesaid are advantages to the Unionsts
which cannot fail to be improved.
Gen. Fremont is, with regard to Military op-
erations of magnitude, an untried commander.
His fitness to lead thousands is now to be
established or disproved. Success is the worlds
test of merit; and, should he now be beaten
by the rebels, he will be judged pretender
and a charlatan. lie may have less than half
SO many men as he cOnfronts-his may be the
greenest recruits, while the enemy are cOmPar-
alive veterans, flushed with repeated triumPhs
he may DO crippled for want Of arms and
munitions while the allies Of Floyd before him
may have stolen themselves rich in everything
needed-no matter be must triumph, or be
whisted down the wind as unequal TO his posi-
ton. We presume he cOmprehends this hard
necessity, and is prepared to wrestle with For
tune on such conditions as she sees fit to pre-
scribe. He may be beaten-he may even prove
incompetent to lead an army-but we sadly
mistake the man if any bullets stall touch his
back unless in the way Of exit from his body.
His raw troops may be scattered by an equal
force, though we do not believe they will.
Should the rebels await his attack at or near
Lexington, they will of course avail themselves
of every natural advantage OF position, and
will improve these by feld-works. They have
never yet fought equal numbers on fair field,
and we do not think they ever will when there
is any alternative. Aud should he fail and fall,
simply because he is compelled, like Lyon, to
fight an overwhelming force, We are sure his
countrymen will not refuse him the tribute OF
O manly tear.
How many men he will be able TO muster in
front of Lexington we do not know, but be.
lieve the number cannot fall short Of Thirty
Thousand, and hope it may be swelled to Forty
Thousand If he can but have arms and mu-
nitions, we shall hope for the beet. We know,
however. that be has at no moment been able
to arm or equip the Volunteers pressing to his
standard-that he left at st. Louis, when he
started up the river last Friday, whole regi-
ments for which he had no weapons, while
regiment of cavalry lately drew up before him
with but a single saddle and never belt or
scabbard-and that feld-gunS ordered by him,
and deemed essential to his service, have lain
for weeks and still lie in this city, simply be-
cause some underling Of the War Department
does not see fit to accept and forward them.
Such facts may well justify the grayest sPpre-
tensions. The Detroit Advertiser states that
the Ordnance Department at Washington sold
ten thousand Enfield muskets (or rifes) since
Bull Run to a private dealer for $40 each, and
that the Government has since tried to buy
them back for $40. Had but these arms been
sent promptly to Fremont instead of being so
fooled away, we believe affairs in Missouri
would have worn far brighter aspect to-day.
To buy serviceable though not the very best
arms at exOrbitant prices, may in these times
be an unwelcome necessity; to sell them, under
existing circumstances, Is, IN pubic func-
tionary, a blunder if no worse.
However, we shall probably soon hear that
Missouri is won or lost. We believe tho rebels
have now collected in and around Lexington
the strongest army that they will be able this year
to concentrate in Missouri and that tho defeat
of this will drive them from the State. A cor
of The Times. who witnessed (under