The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-03-18

the outset in this paper, but the passage of
the resolution, which is soon to be before the
/ House would be a vote Of ccnsurc, and as til F,
report ITSELF together with tho official accusa.
tions have been broadly spread over the coun =
try, respectfully ask that the Committee
will cau.e this statement together with the
accompanying documents, to have equal and
immediate publicity given to them, in order
that Congress may act undentandingly and
the censure asked for go whore it properly be-
longs.
The turbulent condition of the State at the
end of Angus, rendered it in my judgement
necessary to issue a proclamation extending
martial law to the State of Miss souri, and cu
forcing some penalties for rebellion.
An explanatory of some of the difficulties
of my position, and of my ideas concerning
the conduct Of the war in my Department,
refer the Committee to the annexed cores
pondence with tho President in this connec
ton.
So late as the 9th, to the 10Th September
as accompanying papers under this date show
no immediate danger was apprehended for
Jefferson City or Lexington.
Price was still on the Upper OSage, and !
was; ;organzing "a rapidly "a possible a force
to march from RoIa and from Jefferson City
upon Springfield, with tho intention Of fore.
ing him to retreat or cutting off his communi.
cations with Arkansas Want Of ransporta.
ton, arms, and money was delaying this move
mcnt. We had just effected Judgments at
Paducah and Fort Holt, and were occupied
in contestng with the Rebels in Kentucky +,
for which re.inforcements Were constantly ro-
quired. The condition Of North Missouri re-
quircd vigorous effort to suppress rbeiion
in that quarter, and expedition which occu.
pied considerable part of our real force,
was sent there under Gems. Popo and Slur.
gis.
These points, on which we were actually
engaged, fully taxed our resources.
At this time | sent for Gen. Hunter, to
give him command of the movement upon
Springfield. On Tho llth, II will be sccn,
that Gen. Pope, with all the f'rce under his
command, was fully occupied in North Mis-
souri,.
On the same day received the rumor, and
only as a rumor, Of Gen. Prices arrival at
Clinton, moro than 800 miles from st. Louis
Upon the l2th, - dispatch from Gen. Da
Wis informed me q; Col. Mullgan's arrival at
/
Of his command-Col MarshalPs regiment OF
cavalry-as securing the country. The same
day another dispatch from him informs me
that Price is reported near Warrensburg with
force variously estimated from 5000 to l5,.
600 men. He il forms mo measures were be
inc taken to begin fortifyng Lexington. Fl.
nally, it appears that Gen. Davis was giving
his attcrtion vigiantly to that section Of the
country
1t will seem, from the tclegrams of this
day, that Cairo was also requiring more troops.
On the 18th two reg gmentS Were ordered
from St. Louis Jefferson City, and two 9th
ers from Jefferson City. to the relief OF Lex
ington, Lexington is $50 miles from ST. Lou
is, and l5 from Jefferson City. and, in the
opinion Of Gen. Davis, who was occupied
with that place, t was deemed cXpedient -
And generally, it will be seen, that all pos
sibe activity and promptitude was nsed in
sending forward troops to the points threat
anoA along tho Missouri River, and meeting,
wi h all our disposabe force, the movements
Of Gen. Price. 1t will be seen that up to
the 18th, Bonneville and not Lexington, was
considered the threatened point.
On the 18th Gen. Sturgis was directed to
move, with all practicable speed, upon Lex
ington. Gen. Pope's dispatch of the 10Th
gave mo every reason to believe as he did
that are enforcement of 1000 iron, with ar.
tillery, would be there in abundant time, aud
if the Committee will take the time to read
the accompanying papers, 1t viii be seen that
from every disposabe quarter whore there
were troops the promptcst efforts were mad"
to concentrate them on Lexington; but chance
defeated these efforts.
Also on the lith, in the midst Of this dc.
msnd for troops, was ordered by the Secre
tary at War and Gen. Scott to send 8 900
well armed infantry to Washington on with
out moments delay"
1t will in some degree explain my cand.
tion to insert tho following telegram:
y rora