Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-09-04
AFFAIRS IN MISSOURI.

AdpanceS of the RebelS-ROHa Threat
ened-Gen. Fremont FortJying the
CitieS-Gen. .SiegelS command, etc.
The st. Louis correspondent of the n.
York Times, writing under date of August
a. says:
The most important military line south
of the Missouri river and west OF Jefferson
city, is now in the hands of the enemy. A
glance at the map Of Missouri will at once
show that this line is drawn by the Osage
river, and that its military occupation is
of the highest importance. This line is
almost completely in the hands Of the en-
emy. Bodies of troops belonging TO Jack
sons Southwestern Army, have taken
possession of Warsaw, Tuscumbia and OS>
ceola. And wha: makes it worse, the
most important stpategical points on the
Missouri river, north of this line, viz:
Konsas city, Lexington and bonneville,
are unoccupied, and the last two places
are now virtually in the hands of the enc
my. Should Kansas city be added to the
list, ard Gen. lIardee's or Gen. Prices
forces at the same time make an advance
from the south, the western half of the
State will be entirely lost to our forces.
1t may be impossible to prevent this,
since the first and most necessary duty of
the Western Department is TO secure 81.
Louis and Jefferson City. For this pnr-
pose we need all the troops that can pos
sibly he spared from other States, until
the Notifications thrown up around these
places shall have been rendered sufficient
iy strong to make it possible for small
l,nt al
while the great body of the army can be
pushed forward in offensive movements
against the enemy. The most important
strategical points for the defence Of the
city of st. Louis and Jefferson City from
an attack from the South are Rolla,
lronton, ard Cape Girardeau. lronton
may te considered safe from its superb
natural advantages, to which a few judi
cious.y erected batteries have added ma
trial strength. A position at Cape Girar-
deau could be much easier secured by the
Confederate troops and in that case they
would have complete control of the navi5-
alton Of the Mississippi. Boats plight be Sc
cured to convey the troops within very
short distance of st. Louis, if that should
be the design; and the late attempt to
erect battery at Commerce seems to
warrant this conclusion.
Unfortunately, Cape Grardeau is not
very strongly defended, nor Is it at pres
ent possible to send down more men-
We must simply risk it, and if we lose the
position, try to get our troops in time
back to st. Louis.
The most exposed point at present is
Rolla; and all the movements of the en-
emy seem to be directed towards that
place. The Creates. portion OF Gen. Sic
gels army consisting Of the Third and
Fifth Missouri, Fir and Second Kansas,
and First Iowa, all three months yolun,
teers, whose term of service had expired
long before tie battle of Springfield
have returned TO st. Louis, to be muster
ed out of service. and reOrganized for
three years. This leaves little more than
six thousand men at Rolla for the present
emergency.
Gen. Siegel is still here, arran ging plans
for future operations with Major General
Fremont. His chief want is artillery and
cavalry, which the Department is at pres
ent unat le to supply. The only cavalry
we have at present is Col. Marshall's First
Repim ont Illinois Cavalry, now Mt Jettrr-
son City.
jefferson City itself is garrisoned at
present with five thousand uoors under
the chief command OF Gen. Graft. Forts
ticatons will be erected and Home
Guards organized in similar manner as
has been done in ST Louis, with view to
secure proper defence for the capitol at
the least possible expense of men, who
will all be needed when the proper time
arrives for offensive demonstrations.
The forces of McCulloch and Price are
for some timea dvancing towards the
north. Both Price and McCulloch
have issued aproclamations to the Peo-
pie OF Missouri, inviting them TO-
return to the government Of their legal
Governo, jackson, and promising pardon
to all Union men who will so acknowl.
edge allegiance to his EXcellency. Me-
Culloch is especially profuse in his protes.
tations of mild treatment, and to give the
devil his due, he has been no, only mild
but even kind to our prisoners, who all
unite in praises of his gallantry and cour-
tesy. Most of the prisoners have been
Internationally released. and are now on
their way home. This mildness has a
slgnlhcant meaning. jackson intends
probably to stake ali on the election, now
so near at hand, anu so kindly arranged
for its especial benefit by llie late State
Convention. There will be powerful odds
TO contend sgainst when the day comes
and unless the most vigorous measures
are resolved upon to clea' he State Of the
traitoIs before the lst of November, he
will be reelected, and the whole action
of the Convention declared null and void
This would lie terrible blow fer Missou-
ri, and ioa the whole Urion blow which
we must do our utmost to avert.
In Southeast Missouri matters have
been quiet since the skirmish at Com
merce. Gen. tIardcc is at GreCnville with
about seventy.five hundred men and
jeff. Thompson is in the vicinity Of Skies
ton, with a similar force. Our advance
guard in that direction is Col Heckers
regiment, Twenty.fourth Illinois volun-
t.k tpl. 4