The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-10-12

Aaaisional Decamenes In the DlalF.Rre'
naeas 1snhssglls:.Charxes anS SpesM'
cations or Gel. 01alr againss Gen. Frs'
The Sunday Cincinnati Enquirer contains id
ditional official documents in the Fremont END
Blair imbrogio, bnt the substance OF them hal
hitherto been made public, and We make such o.
abstract as embraces the material points Of thu
controversy:
DLAIR's SECOND LETrER 70 ADJ. GEE. THOMAS.
Under date of Sept 20, Col. Blair writes 4
Adj. Gen. Thomas, and abiding to the letter or
dering his release from arrest. which letter VA
accompanied with structures on his breach ~
military proprieties," In using his family posi-
ton to lay private letters, with unsustained &C
cusations, before the President, disturbing the
President's confidence in the Commanding Gen
cra and seriously impairing the efficiency OF thi'
Department CO.. Blair says:
Il feel myself constrained to say that have
not, in my opinion, been guilty Of any act Of i'm
propristy, but have performed my simple duty
to the Government in the act to which the lettel
refers, which was moreover done at the instance
of the President himself, and that am unwill
ing, under any circumstances, to shield myself
from responsibility, by the influence or favor Of
any individual. could not, without utter dis
regard for my character, as an ofi1cer and gen
tleman, permit the statement-thnt had made
m,ssMstained accusations against the commanding
General of this department-to pass without
notice, and therefore a. soon a. the charges can
be made in form, shall transmit them to you,
through the proper channel, to be laid before the
President, aud II he shall consider it expedient
l. - Z ~1.11 ho Aor{H IN
sustain the accusations have made against the
commanding General of this department"
He complains also Of being assailed by the st.
Louis press, (which could hardly have been al
lowed, except by the sanction Of the commanding
General" He thereupon demands Court OF In.
quiry to clear himself of all stain ''in matter
vital to the honor of soldier"
This letter being made known to General FIRE.
mont, he ordered Blar's re.arrest on the same
day on which it was written, his limits to be the
post Of Jefferson Barrack.
CHARGES And SPECIFICATIONS AGAINST HREAoNr
Colonel Blair thereupon prepared charges and
specifications against Gen. Fremont and forwar-
ded them to Washington. Under the first charge
Of Neglect Of duty and unoficer-like conduct,
are twelve specifications, which, Invested Of legal
technicalities. are as follows
lat. In failing from the Sd day of July to repair
his duties as military chief to the serious injury
of the public service.
2. Failing to inform himself of the wants and
necessities of his Department from the Sd to the
26th day of July.
3. Failing to take proper measures to rein
force and succOr Gen. Lyon from the Sd OF July
to the 10th of August whereby the forces of the
United States, at or near said Springfield, were
many of them sacrificed, and the residue com.
PEELED to abandon said post to the serious detri-
nent of the Government Of the United States,
and the State of Missouri, and the people thereof
4. Failing and neglecting to reinforce Major
Becken at Lexington from the 10th of August to
the LIST of September, whereby said post was left
to the power of an overwhelming foe, and was
assailed by said foe, and preserved from destruc-
ton only by the heroic valor Of the officers and
men of the post afterthey had been grossly aban
doned by the said Major General John G. Fremont
). Failing to reinforce Col. Mulligan at Lex
inyton from the 10th to the goth Of September,
whereby the enemy were suffered to assault the
said post, aud conquer and take the same, to the
great disgrace of the National arms and the det-
riment of the service.
6. In suffering Martin Green and other guer.
rilla chiefs to recruit from 5000 to 5000 men
in North Eastern Missouri, and to overrun and
ravage it, without taking proper measures to
SUPPRESS tueu, WHeTeUS VusI aIIOuHt VI pro-
perty of loyal citizens was wasted and destroy
ed, and the Inhabitants driven out or compelled
to take the oath of allegiance to the Coniederacy
Z. In permitting Brig. Gen. S. A. Hurlbut to
remain in command of forces in Northern Mis-
souri,, from the 10th of August to the 10th of
September. knowing him, from the official report
of Gen. Pope, ito be a common drunkard, and
unfit all of said time to be in commandp
In refusing, on or about the FIST Of Sept,
when the army at Lexington was in imminent
peril, to receive or hear one Richard Vaughan,
Esq, who had come from Lexington to lay before
him the distressed condition of said post, and to
solicit succor and reinforoements for the same,
he (Frcmont) pretending and insisting that he
was too busy to receive or hear the message; and
although be was informed that the message re-
lated to matters of most urgent necessity, and
dem .nded immediate action he would not re-
ceive Richard Vaughan, nor hear him; nor did
he give any assistance to the post in Lexington,
in SO imminent peril.
g. In appointing DR.. Ed. H. Castle Master of
Transportation in the Western Department and
keeping him in it, after being fully informed of
his iisreputable character.
10 In establishing barricade about his head
quarters in St. Louis, whereby information alb
solutely indispensable to the public service was
repealed and shut out from his mind; he Gre.
mont) refusing and preventing himself, by such
means, from being informed of matters of the
utmost Importance for hours and even days.
H.. In not taking the proper measures to put
down rebellion in Missouri.
II. That Capt. Willard Of the steamboat Sum-
shine, was sent by Col Auligan from Lexington
Oh or about the 10th of September, with des
patches to Col. Davis, commanding at Jefferson
City. and when at Glasgow was fired upon by
armed enemies. and compelled to nd and trans
port the forces of the enemy from the north 10
the south side Of the Missouri; that Willard, OBJ
tanning the dispatches from Muligan to Davis,
made his escape and came without delay to st.
Louis, and repairing to headquarters, addressed
"A Eote to Fremont reciting the above facts and
stating that he had tie dispatches, but was re-
fused hearing, Fremont informing him that if
he was an officer Of the army he could take the
train the next day for the city of Jefferson, with
the desp stches to Gen. Davis, and il not Off
Ger Of the army he could leave the dispatches
next day, that by the refusal to see Capt. Viii
lard, and receive the Information which he was
prepared to give, the pubic service was deeply
injured; that the succor demanded in tile des.
patches sent by Cot Mulligan to Col Davis was
not sent and Col. Mulligan, with all his force at
Lexington, in the State of Missouri, we're cap.
tutei by the enemies of the United States Gov.
eminent.
The second charge against Fremont is "Diso-
bcdirnce to orders" Under this head are three
specifications:
l. That when ordered BY the Secretary of
War, on or about the Sd of July, to proceed to
St. Louis, he did not comply, but in disregard
thereof, went to New York and remained there
till about the cad of July.
That he issued the following proclamation,
land here follows the famous proclamation which
the President ordered him to modify, but which
it is alleged:]
The said Major Gen. ]. G. Fremont has ever
since failed, neglected and refused to do, in dis
obedience of said order and in contempt of the
authority of the President Of the United States.
8. That after the order Of the President had
been promulgated, Fremont caused to be printed
and circulated a large number of his procama-
tions, contrary to the order and in contempt Of
the authority of the President.
The third charge ia conduct unbecomng an