Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-06-13

Another incident. When Lexington fell
it was presumed that Price would throw
a column west of Kansas City, ravagc
Kansas and fall back to Arkansas along
! lur State line, destroying as he went
ne alarm was general. Lane had ret civ
ed percmptory orders to burn Kansas City
and fall back on Leavenworth. Blunt
was called into council. He advised that
the order should be disobeyed, as the exc-
eution would invite an advance from the
rebels. But Kansas was in dreadful peril,
and it seemed as though nothing could
prevent her devastation. Blunt asked for
four hundred men to find out Prices move.
ments. He was told that he might take
the men, but neither Gen. Lane nor Stur.
gis would order him on the perilous recon-
noissancc. Blunt took the men and the
responsibility. He marched forty miles
in one night, and discovered all that 1t was
necessary to know. He came SO near
Prices forces as to fall in with scattering
parties. His presence was made known
to Price and his force so exaggerated that
Price ordered direct southern retreat
and left Kansas out of his programme
Thus was Kansas saved.
Those incidents 60 to show the charac.
ter Of the man. His plans are the readi.
est his execution marvellous, Though
without routine military education he has
a military genius, which he could never
learn from books or schools. The thing
is in him. He always possessed the con4
idence and affection of his men, for they
say" Blunt never says go on, but come
m, ,'"and the toughest soldier Jared equal.
Iy well with his commander,
Gen. Blunt has never been absent from
his regiment day, except ON business.
From the beginning of his service he has
seen his family but twice, and then only
for few hours. When some one told
him he ought to go to Washington to
work for Brigadiership he responded
that the place for soldier was in the
field, and that man who would forsake
it in this hour of peril to work for person.
al advancement, ought to be shot. He
declined even making request for pro.
motion. "I'll earn it with my swords
said he, "or not OF ALL"
The General is thoroughly anti-slavery.
Freedom to him has meaning. You
shall hear no more about kidnappers or
kidnapping in Kansas unless it be that
some of the wrctches are caught and hung.
No General Orders will appear hereafter
outrag ging the sentiment of our people
General Blunt is terribly III earnest in
this matter of destroying the rebellion
and of making the cause of the war the
end of the war;"
Though so suddenly elevated to such
responsible position as the head of this
great Department from which two expe.
ditions are even now being fitted out Zone
for New Mexico-the other for the Indian
Territory Gen. Blunt wears his honors
meckly. He is accessible to all, and dis.
patches business with marvellous facility.
The General is of medium height,
strongly built, with face full of intelli.
genee and of undoubted pluck. He has
an iron will and great powers of physical
and mental endurance. 1t is part of his
plan to concentrate strong force in this
Department, ready to be thrown upon the
broken columns and scattered forces Of
Bealregard promising defeat of the
rcbes by Haleck) OH the west of the Mis-
sssissppi in Arkansas and Texas, and
he is now at work getting the troops up
to the highest state of discipline.
On the whole, then, you may rest as
>ured that the country will hear more of
Gen. Blunt and of the Department of
Kansas. The President has acted most
wisely in restoring the Department, and
with equal wisdom in putting in command
the man best qualified for the responsible
position.
-Corespondence Chicago Tribune.