, 1862-01-15

Sr. LOUIS, jan. 13, 1862.
How the delusion came to be entertained by
SO many correspondents and military men at
Cairo that a large body Of troops were on
their way from this city for TINT point is be-
yond conception. The knowledge that no
considerable number had gone, tended to
throw discrcdit in the minds Of our citizens
upon the reported magnitude Of the expedi~
tiou. Various indications yesterday and to-
day, however, point to a movement Of several
thousand troops in that direction during the
present week. The D. a. January starts to-
day with reg g1ment, and the Continental and
may be the Express, or some other boat, will
soon drop down to Sulphur Syringe, twenty
three miles southward, and take On board the
8th and 1lth Wisconsin regiments destined for
Cairo likewise. But the idea OF ten or even
6rc thousand troops leaving st. Louis without
its being generally known is preposterous,
and for this reason: Between onc~ffth and
onc-half Of the commissioned officers Of every
regiment stationed in st. Louis county, spend
two-thirds Of their time at the hotels Of the
city. The boarders at Barnu1n's, the Planters.
and the Virginia hotels, are composed largely
VI tl4CCl9 W 1CSAuCnt9 6k+AAA0AG<A AEAV. ILL
number has not been materially diminished
within a few days, and assuredly would be up
on the departure Of five or six regiments. The
leaving Of single battalion by railroad or river
has Invariably been known at the public hotels
because Of the absence Of the officers, and SO
it will ever be while captains and ieutenants
are permitted to lodge and live in town, while
their men are subject to all the exposures of
camp life.
There arc numerous advocates Of q theory
that large movement from Ro11a is intended
soon to take place. The steady movement Of
| commissary stores, extra horses and wagons,
| IN that direction, is adduced as proof positive
Of IN early advance. But Gen. Hal1ecks plans
| arc usually in his own keeping. He has no
confidential advisers here. Possibly GEL
| Mcclellan and the President may know his In
tcntions, but no political harpics are allowed
to go around communicating them. Within a
| few days, the friends Of Gen. Pope have COM
| planned Of this mysterious way Of doing things
adopted by Hnlleck- It seems that Pope
| pleaded and besecchcd Gen. Hal1eck for per
mission to pursue Price Whcn he was last on!
on the Milford expedition. &c telegraphed
and wrote; sent special messengers, and kept
telegraphing; but all TO no purpose. Pernis
sion was refused. Whenever Gen. Halleck in
tends to move, it will be done SO quickly tha
an advance from Rolla will not be known her.
for days after 1t tha.-eoznzaeread-.s} Still 1t mus
be admitted that Gen. Halleck's promise tt
Gen. Hunter, that Price would be attacked o,
or about Jan. Sd, has not been Kept. Perhap
the programme was changed after the dispatcl
was telegraphea.
Certain friends of Fremont are just nov
| parading with unnecessary satisfaction the re
ported statements Of Joseph G. Palmer Of th
late California banking firm Of Palmer, Cool
4 Co., to the effect that if the appointment O
L c. Woods by Fremont was bad appoin.
ment, It was made at the requcst Of Mont
gomery Blair, Postmaster General Nov thi
is mere subterfuge to avoid responsibility.
the appointment of Woods was not fit to b
ms dc, Fremont knew it as well as any ma
who crer lived in CalnornIa, where Woods wa
regarded as bad man. Why didn't he II
move Woods when the charges were brough
against hims Can he possibly profess igno
| rance as to Woods's history? An answer t.
those questions will show how shallow is tn
effort to dodge the effect Of this bad appoint
ment. But Palmer admits that be came her
at Fremont's request What excuse can th
Pathfinder offer for that? Palmer Was regard
ed as political intriguer in California, an
] had been repeatedly denounced as unworthy c
| public confidence. His lobby operations in th
Fremont, and the reputation Pslmer bore as
cunning, reckless man should hare warne1
| Fremont against the bad effects Of such
reputation IN the midst Of those who Tishe'
him well, hut disrnsted his associates
Palner's declaration that he has not been in
contracts in this Department suggests the in
auiry: s'What on earth was the man her
. | for s' He had no connection with Fremont
staff he Tas not military adviser; be WI
| unknown to merchants and others in 81
Louis his presence did Fremont an- injury
yet he had no interest in canttacts- Verify,
Fremont has any moro defenders like Jo
Palmer, he will do we'll to keep them in th
. background They only make hiscase worse
, @ @19ad;eEtsntlY S Yen . ,dId . Wo1thg citizen i
) connecting Albert Peatce, who was electe
President of the Chamber Of Commerce by Sc
cezh Totee, With the etraito1s3athense1yes. Th
fact Is. the election Of Pearce BY the secession
ISIS Vas trick to conciaiate. Union men. 4
: voted for Lincoln; and has ever sine
| maintained the highest sort of uncor
ditiona1 Union ground. For this be ba
, i been In meaBure persecuted by secesh mel
; chants, and Was selected By them for th
: Presidency Of the Chamber Of Commerce .
| the most ultra Union merchant in the citJ
: in the belief that such a concession woul
l hnrmonize all difficulty. But Mr. .Pearee wz
: one Of the bolteTs, and WaE instrumental
T organizing the new Onion Chamber OF Com
: merce- His firm {Henfng s. Woodruff WIS on
I Ut the frat to enter the new organization. Th
: split between the. merchants on the Unio
! question has led to some .curiou
t results. Two OF the most notoriop
: secessfonists in town, who were tousp1tuou
: in their opposition to the admission OF ue1
e members IN the old concern, have sudden1
i turned good Union men, and one of them hs
Q taken 8 very strong oath of allegiance. 1h
3 other has Joined the Union Exchange and prt
: | fessed his unswerying loyalty. The old Chan
+ her Of Commerce is pretty e1eetuallJ broke
up.
0 Iatred without the estraordiaary aid coat N
r plated BY Gen. :Ha1leck's order iu1pressing n
+ groes and secessIouists into the service. Tt
c | railroad company has done the work. md tt
d directors of the corporation are altogether to
+ tender iuoted to resort to such measures
= | their own volition. The destruction Of wat'
J t tanks has proved even more Of 3 damage
the running Of the road than the loss
It bridges, because the latter could be repalre
= | easter than ihc former. The wells mrs: frpze
It up, and the ground is SO hard with frost, tn
i they are not easily reached. Tbs engsn'
'" above Mexico, durirg the time the road h
l. been in operation since. the -bteakAge, ha'
It been flied BY buckets drawn By hand, fro