, 1862-03-08
GEN. FREM0NT'S.,. Defense.

GEN. FREMoNT's:: Defense.
His Statement ind Evidence, 4. Pre.
santed to thu: Joint COMMITTEES Of
the tNo Houses oa The Con-
duct :ef the War. =:
IS: :i wAansezos; February l, 1saa.
I: 1btAe Hon. Ar.@Wade, 1zaan.au efths G.a
';saiteee on the nssdaet Of EAs Var, Gc.:,:
Agreeab1y to suggestion Of the Committee,
make the following statement coucernfnp
my administration Of the Western Department,
Notwithstanding my unwillingness to engToss
the time Of tie Committee, I shal have to ask
the documents which have appended to this
statement: md which comprehend the most
Important letters, orders, and telegraphic com.
municaflons concerning some Of the most In.
portant events and acta Of the period referred
70: Inc magnitude OF the department and ite
be done, the inadeguacy Of means. and the
short space into which many events were
crowded, together with the many accusations
and the strained and rigorous account to which
the Western Department has been held, make
It impossible to present the subject With fair
nees IN brief paper. In my desire not to
cnmher this statement, and having respect to
my character Of witness before you Commit
tee, have omitted facts and considerations In
E1nd1catlon Of myself on points where have
been attacked, but into which shall ask the
Committee to examine. This paper is only
directed td;1 to Leading points. leaving their de-
tails, and what Is more directly personal to
myself to the testimony Of witnesses have
asked to have summoned, and to the accom-.
panying papers.
When in July last I was assigned the com.
mand OF the Western Department., it comp-e-
dad ~E4 Ill
Territories west Of the Mississippi river to
the Rocky Mountains, including New Mexico.
No special object was given me in charge
to do, nor Was furnished with any particular
plan Of campaign. The general discussions
At Washington resulted in the understanding
that the great object in view vas the descent
Of the Mississippi, and for its accomplishment
was to raise and organize IN narmy, aud when
I was ready to descend the river, / was to let
the President know. My command was then
to be extended oyer Kentucky and down the
left bank Of the Mississippi. For military
reasons it was judged inexpedient to do SO in
the beginning.
Full discretionary powers Of the amplcst
Sind were conferred on me. Not line OF
written instructions was given me. The lead
ing object Of the campaign being settled, the
details Of its accomplishment and the man
agsm!ent OF ny Department we're left to my
Willie at Washington Informed myself
fully Of the nnprepared condition Of the West,
Illinois.
OF the Illinois contingent, 1000 men were
nna1mcd. Their cavalry was without horses
or sabres, their artillery companies had hard
II any guns, and were Wholly without equip
ments. Upon this information I procured an
order for 600 stand Of arms which. npon nv
arrival in New York two days after, found
had oeen co1ntermanded. Upon my COM
plalnt to Washington, and upon the direct in
was sent to aid me in procuring what I Judged
Immediately INN necessary for the Department.
with him arranged for getting together from
ytrlous arEenals, and forwarding to St, Louis,
arms and equipments sufficient for the com
plete equipment Of an army corps Of % 900
In the meantime, the rebellion In the West
vas daily assuming more threatening aspect.
In the northwest aggravated disorders had
broken ont. Gen. Pope was urgently REQUEST
ing to take the field with the Reminder IF the
Illinois eontinsents; Gen. Harding was asking
rc~1niorcements for Cairo and the southeast,
Tcst-
Urged by this serious condition Of affairs, I
applied to Gen. Scott for permission to take
the field Immediately, with any instructions
ne might have to give me. Having received
this permission, and being informed there
"SAE Nv 4aot! uItlous 1of me. 1e1L NcW 0rk
on the daJ following the battle Of Manassas,
and reached MY command at St. Louis on the
25th day Of July.
At tlis time the State of Missouri was
throughout rebellsous. 4 rebel faction in
every county, at least equal to the loyal pop
nlation in numbers, and excclling it in vim
dlct1Teness and energy. The local govern
ment vas in confusion and unable to aid. St.
Louis itself was rebel city, and, as q rule,
the influential and wealthy citizens were
friendly to secession.
Of fthe new levics of the Federal troops, few
we're in the field-the term Of enlistment Of
the three months men was lust eSpirinr-thc
troops in service had not been paid !: were
badly equipped and badly supplied; and. in
addition to the rebel parties which swarmed
throughout the State, . Confederate army OF
nearly $1,000 men was already on its Southern
frontier.
Gen Pope was in North Missouri, with
nearly a1l my disposab1c forces Gen. Lyon
was at Springfield, with about $500 men, and
Gen: Prentiss was holding Cairo, with seyen
regiments Gen. Lyons troops were, in
greater part, three months men, whose term
o. service was ending, and all of Gen. Prem
tlss.s force was in the same condition.
The arms collected for me in New York had
been directed to Virginia, and had neither
money nor credit Want of arms and want of
money we're the Chief difficulties to be met.
while The necessity to meet the enemy On
Three sides at once was urgent and imminent,
There was no lack Of men- The loyal popula-
ton OF the West, and among them tic Ger
mans, with noble unanimity, were willing to
come in mass to the standard Of the Union.
The saving Of time demanded by these most
urgent circumstances made me especially
anxious to retain the services Of the Home
Guard regiments and three months men,
whose term OF service was just expiring.
These were themselves anxious to rculain In
service, but tue dcstitution Of their families,
made 50 by their absence and failure to re.
ceive the pay due them, rendered this impos-
s1bie. Ill this necessity directed the use of
Rart Of an unaRpropsiated sum lying in the
son and fact Of my conduct to the President
in the following letter:
HEAn9rARTERE WEsrERs DEPAErnEsr,)
lcnontciaL1 ST.. LOUIS, July 80, 1861. f
Nh DEAR SIR:-You were kind enough to say
that 81 occasions Of sufficient gravity arose,
nave 1ouud this command in disorder, nearly
every county IN an lneusrec'ionacy condition, and
u tae ,s sne@y adsancin ia force by different points
miles around Gen Prent1ss there are about 120O0
OF the Confederate forces. and 5,0QO Tcnuessceans
% and Arsan as men, under aardee. well armed with
rifles, are advancing upon Ironton. OF these 8. 60
are cavas1y, which yesterday morning were within
"a hours march OF ltontou. Col. Blind who had
kecn ssduced from this post. is FILLING back upon
melt, Eent on another this morning, and fortified
it. ] an holding the railroad to Ironton aud fhat
% Kol!a. 90 securing our connections with tho
rot trust to letter. and write this only to Inform
yon as 10 our c.conj;tlon, and to say That II
can obtain the material aid am expecting you
ma. feci tecure that the enemy will be driven ant
and tie State reduced to order. have ordered
Gen. Pope back to North Missouri. OF which he is
now in eunlmand-. an sortly pressed for want
q arms. bAye arrapsed with Adams's Express
company to bring me every thing with speed and
yin bny arms To-Day in New York Our .rnops
have not hccn paid. and come regiments are in a
STATE Of n9t1ny, and he men whose term of ser
fine 7ceim. II ]s:s night from inability to pay
ihe1n po1ti"n Of the money due. THIS regiment
had been INTENDED to move on critical post last
p'eht The Treasurer Of the United States has
mere *HNusu entirely unaplropriatcd. applied
10 him yesterday for $1tn.tn, for ny Paymaster-
Gelt ral Andrews, but Has refused. We hare not
IN hour for dela}. There are three courses open
some Ct the strongest points in the State. aad
threaten St.. Louis, which is insu1rectionary,
seeoEd; X To force loan from Secession banks
GoyeInmept, which is IN the Treasury hsre. Of
conIee VIII neither laose the State nor permit
The enemy foot OF advantage / haye Infused
fhhe e1Ty in'o s;l; r.
This morning will order the Treasursz 10 deliver
the money IN his possession to Gen. Andrews. and
VIII send force 70 the Treasury to take the money,
@ sna Will di1eSt such payments as the exlgencs re.
qni1es VIII hBZard ever. thing for the defense
OF the Department you hare confded to me- and 1
trust 10 yon FOR support.
With respect and regard, am yours truly,
c. FREMONT. Mat: Gen. commanding.
To THE PRESIDENT OF the UNITED STATES,
I respectfully ask tie attention Of the Com
mittee to this letter, because the Investigating
COMMITTEE In their report, have made this aci
EeF1ous charge against me, holding me up to
the reprobation Of the country, as having act.
ed In mannec "arbitraly and Illegal - danger.