Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-03-26
Srlertei 3nis ellanp.
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
Gen. FR EMONT'5 4FENCE

From the Cincinnati Gazette
Gen. FREMONT5 DlFENCE
The statement Of Gen Fremont before
the committee on the conduct of the war
has been published, with the official cor
respondence relating thereto, in the New
Ork Tribune. We give brief abstract
OF the statement The whole matter is
too voIuminous Tor newspaper, although
the Tribune has enterprisin1ly and gcner
ously Published 1t, giving four pages to it.
We doubt If any one can read the state
ment and evidence wi hout the conviction
that Gen. fremonts administration of the
western department is fully justified, and
that 1t WAS exceedingly un orlunatc for
the country that 1t WAS Droaen down at
last
The correspondence gives 4 lamentable
picture OF the neglect OF the western de
partm Mt beior- Fremont took the com
mand-a small army cudeayoring to occu-
py Il country three or four hundred miles
IN extent, with q disaffected population
which could only be kept down by
strong force, the army scattered In small
detachlnents. on every hand calling for
reinIorcements; the troops neglected, rag
scd, poorly equipped, unpaid; the force
just on the point OF falling to peices bv
the expiration {, the enlistment Of tho
three months men; they suffering and in
dignant fnr the want Of their pay. and
scouting the idea Of re-enlist ne under
such neglect; all appeals to Washington
unnotIced, and General Scott even order
Ing regulars from Lyons command at
Springfield, to swell the useless army Of
the Potomac
1t was in this state of affairs. when Gen.
Fremont arrived on the ground, that he
wanted money to pay several three months
regiments, to induce them to rc-cnlst-
The paymaster at st Louis had 100000
in hIs hand, but refused to apply it to
that purpose. General Fremont perempt-
orIly ordered him to disbursc SI0J0U0 for
the pay OF the volunteers. and compelled
him to do lt Stating in a private note to
the President his = as ms This was that
act which the investigating committee
charged to be arbitrary and illegal, dan
-erous to constitutional liberty and in
defiance of law" The people Will iusti-
iy It. and will wish that all the acts Of ar
bitrary power. even against persons in
civil life. had as good Justification as this
act Of military necessity. The committee
further We"t on to say that the act was
not required by any military necessity
They gave nttlc attention to the military
necessity.
General Fremont was assigned to the
command Of the Mississippi department
IN July, with instructions thai he was to
CT ate and organize an army and material
to descend the Mississippi. and when
ready report for further orders He i'm
mcdIatclv set about procuring arms. and
cot an order on New \ ork for 900 stand.
and when ne arrived there found 1t had
been couutermanded This is Il specimen
of the way he was aided all through The
fate Of Lyon had been fixed by the cir
cumstances before Gen. Fremont took
command Fremont did what he could.
but it was too late
Not only was Gen LYON in . critical
condition. but Cairo Bird : Point and
Cape 'iirarlcau We're threatened with
greatly superior force then at New Mad
rid The attention Of Gen EcC 5cllau.
who was in command up to the time that
Fremont arrived. was chiefly directed to
this danger. and he warmed the officers i'm
metiateiy IN co:u.nlnd. of tie large force
gathering against them at these points
! his attack was prevented by the show Of
force Fremont sent to that place which he
displayed as much as possible. for elect
on the enemy whom he had not sufficient
force to meet This display has also been
charged against him.
he corre>po dencN shows that after it
bccumc known where Prices intended
point of attack Was-which Was at frs
supposed to be Boonyillc-prompt DISPOSE
tions We're made to reinforce him troIh
iu lr points where troops were available.
The very numerous dispatches from
Gen fremont to the various detachments,
and tile iuii and energetic ARRANGEMENTS
ment on the charge that he was unmind-
iul and inaccessible at that time
In the midst Of these efforts. With al
most every point in Missouri threatened
hy the enemy and Cairo and Paducah in
danger the army scattered IN small de-
tuchmentS. trying to save the whole State.
not half troops enough to send the rein
torccmentS tsat were called for. and not
arms Tor what we had, the peremptory or
der OF ten Scott TO send J.uU0 well armed
troops To Washington. shows the bliSsful
state OF mind at the capital in regard to
We tern affairs. This was backed by an
order from Secretary Cameron and the
President, and left no alternative. Two
regiments were sent and reached CinCin-
natl ou their way. when the western men
at Washington rot the order countermar-
dCd These regiments were then diverted
to kentucky.
About this time, with situation of af-
fairs requiring immense exertions and
great additional supplies TO save the safe,
without money which had at all times
been scantilv supplied tc him, the credit
Of Gen. Fremont was broken down by
attacks from Washington The sUhse-
qucnt advance of Gen Fremont, in the
face of all these Obstacles 10 southern
with two Of the finest months Of the wear
for campaigning before him, the mission
OF Cameron and Adiutant General Thom-
is t3 Missouri, their cool,v se5tin. them
selves at work 70 break down his advance
nd The rornnral of Con Eromnnt from