Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-03-14

} avoided and declined TO receive, aud have
suppressed, testimony which initiated
} against this object, and further to show
that there are in their report many inaccu.
rAcies and peryenions and some positive
falsehoods. a Is. Hts g.eIf
The labors Of tho investigating Commit.
tee appear to have resulted in single res
olution, 10 which the purchase of certain
arms by myself is made prominent sub
ject. With respect 10 the sale Of these
arms by the Government have nothing 10
say. They were new, aud | am told we're
sold without being condemned. The con-
tract price at which they were bought by
tho Government was, believe, $l7, 7,50.-I
The price at which they are set down in
the Ordnance Manuel is $2l. After they
had been riHed aud otherwise improved, /
purchased them at $22. Taking into con-
sideration the advance in the price Of arms,
caused by the war, submit that the pur-
chase is not deserving of especial censure.
| have digressed from the rule laid down at
the outset Of this paper, but the passage of
the resolution, which is soon TO be before
the House, would be vote of censure, and
as the report itself, together with the Off
, cial accusations, have beer broadly spread
over the country, respectfully ask that the
Committee will cause this statement, to-
gother With the accompanying documents,
to have equal and immediate publicity Civ
en- to them, in order that Congress may act
, understaDdingly, and the censure asked for
go where it properly belongs.
The turbulent condition of the State at
the end Of August, rendered it in my judg-
ment necessary to issue proclamation ex-
tending martial law to the State of Missouri
and enforcing some penalties for rebellion.
AS explanatory of some of the difficulties
of my position, and Of my ideas concerning
| the conduct of the war in my department, I
: refer the committee 10 the annexed cores
: pondence with the President in this connec-
| ton.
j. So late as the 9th TO the 10th Septem-
( Der, as accompanying papers under this date
t show, no immediate danger was apprehend-
: ed for Jefferson City and Lexington.
, Price was still on the Upper Usage, and l
! was organizing as rapidly as possible force
: TO march from Rolla and from Jefferson
: City on Springfield with the intention of
} forcing him to retreat or cutting off his COM
, munications with Arkansas. Want of trans
portation, arms and money was delaying
this movement. We had just effected lodg-
ments at Paducah and Fort Holt, and were
occupied in contesting with tho rebels in
0 western Kentucky, for which rcinforcements
were constantly requirnd. The'condition Of
/ North Missouri required vigorous effort to
r suppress rebellion in that quarter, and ar
r expedition which occupied considerable
II part of our real force, was sent there undel
Generals Pope and Sturgis.
. These three points, on which we were nc
\ tually engaged, fully taxed our resources.
AT this time sent for General Hunter
;, to give him command of the movement up
! on Springfield. On the IIth, it will b
!, seen, that Gen'l Pope with all the force un
der his command, was fully occupied il
North Missouri.
On the same day received the rumor
and only rs a rumor of Gen. Prices arriva
at Clinton, more than 800 miles from ST
Louis.
Upon the 18th, despatch from Genera
Davis informed me Of Col. Mulligan's arri
val at Lexington. Col. Mulligan reports 9
!. portion of his command-Col Marshalri
a regiment Of cavalry-as securing the coun
: try. The same day another despatch from
> him informs me that Price is reported neal
! Warrensburg, with force variously estima.
\ ted from 5000 to 10000 men. He in-
! forms me that measures were being taken
to begin fortifyiug Lexington. Finally, il
appears that Gen. Davis was giving his atten
! ton yiglantly to that section Of country.
1t will be seen, from the kilograms o
;. this day, that Cairo was requiring more
;. troops.
On the 18th two regiments we're ordered
: from st Louis TO jefferson City, and two
: others from Jefferson City, to the relief o
i Lexington; Lexington is 24o miles from
: : St. Louis and lI5 from Jefferson City, anc
= in the opinion Of General Davis, who wa
occupied with that place, it was deemed ex
- pedient. And, generally, it will be seer
- y that all possible activity aud promptitud
!" - was used in sending forward troops to th
~ ~ points threatened along the Missouri rive
J. y and meeting with all our disposable fore
: the movements Of General Price. Il wi
= = be seen that up to the 18th, BoonyilIe, an
= not Lexington, was considered the threat
!. : ened point.
" On the l4th General Sturgis was direct
e. ed to move, with all practicable speed, up
q. on Lexington. General Popes dispatch Q
4. the 10th gave me every reason to believ,
n. as he did, that a reinforcement Of 400
n mon, with artillery, would be there j
! abundant time, and If the. Committee wi
/. take the time to read tho accompanying ps
p pers, it will be seen that from every dispot
- = able quarter where there were troops th
- promplest efforts were made to concentrat
u them on Lexington, bat chance defeate
J. these efforts. 80, -. ss.,sss ..,l..,
h Also on the l4th, 10 the midst Of th
IL demand for troops, / was ordered by II
Of Secretary Of War and Gen. Scott to Ssen
I 5000 well armed infantry 70 Wsshingtc
without momcnt's delay s,oe-i adf
l. It will in some degree explain my col
~ dition toinscrt the following telegram:
- 10 Est4 CVol. g. page 99.1 e $3.50
~ HEAD-QuARrERs WESTERN DEPART1EsT.
ly ST. LOUIS, Sept is, 1861.
IN To- Col. 4. d. TowSsEND Asa. Adj. Gene,
Headquarters fths -ATmy at WaskiHgtoN ID.
ict Reliable information from the vicinity
70 Prices column shows his present force 70
he IL 900 at warrensburg and 1000 at Georgetow
III with Psckets extending towards Syracuse.