The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-30
Matters in Saint Louis.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. Is, 1861,

Or LOUIS, aug. ID 1861.
Correspondence ojMe Pioneer and Democrat:
Events crowd upon US so fast in this quar-
ter that it is next to impossible to keen
pace with them. First from the Southeast
then from the Southwest, and next from
the North-in fact from every point of the
compass--we are greeted daily with rumors
of battles, and skirmishes-of forward
moves" and retreats-of shooting, stabbing,
hanging, and manning. The papers (what
there are left of them are kept constantly
busy in getting out their regular editions
and extras, in order to salty the demands
of the public for "the latest news" ats
an ill wind that blows nobody good" every
person has heard; and just now it proves
itself true, to the benefit of the thousand
ragged, rugged, and dirty news boys, who
throng the streets with their saleable mer-
chandize, almost from dawn to dawn.
On Monday evening last rumor of more
than ordinary interest crept into town. "a
battle had been fought at Springfield" it
said, "merely this and nothing more" Who
brought it, how if came, and what was the
result OF the battle, no one knew. "The
State troops have cut the Federals to pieces
said the Secessionsts and "the Federal
forces have gained a glorious victory" was
the cry Of the Union men. And so they
went to bed-each party believing what it
hoped and hoping that fortune had battled
upon their side. On Tuesday morning an
extra train, being courier to General Free
mont, for once substantiated the skirmisha
ing rumors of the previous evening, and
shortly after groups of eager readers were
assembled throughout the city eagerly por-
ing over one or the other of the five differs
ent extras issued from the several newspa-
per offices. The Secession papers would
insist that victory perched upon the
banner of the Southern forces, while
the Democrat, and NeDs and the RepubH-
can as strenuously held to the contra
ry. Ere this the telegraph has flash
ed to you the same accounts from which St.
Louis makes up its opinion and from them
you can draw your own deductions and form
your own conclusions as to the issue of the
conflict, which, l may say, has been repres
sented to me as having been most sanguina-
ry and bloody as Manassas. Lyon was
killed. but both McCuIloch and Price es.
capped
Immediately upon the heel of this infor-
nation came rumor that General JEFF.
Thompson had advanced upon Pilot Knob,
(about eighty miles to the south of here.
where Federal force is station and for
tiied,J with force of15OOO, and was with.
in twelve miles of that point; and that his
advance column, under General Hardee,
bad already driven in the pickets of Colonel
Blairs forces. More excitements-more
arrests-more predictions as to the result of
the coming battle-and more extras from
the newspaper offices. This rumor, how
ever, was not so fortunate as the one of the
previous eveniDg-it received no confrma-
ton. and consequently was cursed as a lie,
and passed by as a weak invention OF the
enemy.
About noon, cut came a proclamation
from Major General John @. Fremont, or
dering the city and county of st. Louis un-
der martial law. Then in quiet succession
followed the suspension of the DailyEvening
MissoW'am, the Daily Var Bulletin and
the Daily Morning Herald newspaper es-
blsbments-supposed to be on account of
leaning towards the Southern cause-al.
though no such explanations, l understand,
was vouchsafed them. The balance of the
day was passed in searching houses, confs-
eating contraband arms, and running down.
smoking out of their hiding places, and ar.
resting unfortunate secessionists, who still
remained in the city. Up to the present
time, the same spirit is kept up by the SOL
diers, although l understand the game is
shy and had to be uncovered. Among
those arrested and consigned to close quar-
tiers, are Mr.. Medner, formerly of the Jour-
nal, and Mr.. Brownlee, President of the
Board of Police Commissioners. The
humber of soldiers at present quarter in
and and around the city is about $4,000.
Every other man you meet on the street
wears Uncle Sans livery, and embryo he
roes outnumber all other men, two to one.
IMPORTANT FROM UTAH News has ars
rived in st. Louis from Utah to the effect