Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-03-27

a large force. and urged that force be
sent without delay to cut him of. He re-
piled; Mr.. Colfax. will tell you. conf
dentially. how many men we have in st.
Louis. though / would not have it publish
ed on the streets for my life. The opinion
in the city Is that we have twenty thousand
men here, and this gives us strength. If it
were known here what was the actual
number. our enemies would be promptly
informed. But will show you how ma
ny there are" He rang the bell. and
his secretary brought in the muster-rolls
of the morning. read them. and there
were in the city and for circuit of seven
miles round. less than eight thousand men.
home guards and all. There were actual
ly but two full regiments. and the remain
der of the force vas made M Of fragmen-
tary and undisciplined regiments Of two
hundred and fifty. four hundred. aud six
hundred men. 1t was beggarly array OF
an army in proportion to what was needed
at that time for the defence even Of that city
against enemies without or within, and
told him So. But" said |, 'scan't Won
spare some ofthese men?' The tears stood
in his eyes as be handed me two telegraph.
ic dispatches. just received by him. which
| read then with pain aud sadness. and will
read now. and the House can Judge how
they aided him in his plans for the rein.
forcement of Mulligan. or the capture ii
Prices army.
''WAsHrSGroS. September ii. 1861.
To Major General FREMoST:
On consultation with The President and
head of Department. it was determined to
call on you for five thousand well-armed
infantry, to be sent here without a mo-
ment's delay. Give them three days
cooked rations. This draft from your
forces to be replaced by you from the States
Of Illinois. Iowa. Kansas. &c. How ma
ny men have you under arms in your dis
trict? Please answer me fully and imme-
diately. SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary of War"
"WAsHINGToN, September IA, 1861.
To Major General FRENoST:
Detach five thousand infantry from your
department. to come here without delay,
and report the number Of the troops that
will be left with yon.
WINFIELD SCOTT"
have shown you before that there were
regiments there waiting, without guns,
and yet, when uader these desperate cir
cumstances, Gen. Fremont bought guns,
the best he could get. he was denounced
because they were not Springfield muskets
or Enfield rifles, or the best arms known 10
the service. He was not allowed to send
unarmed regiments. to be armed after they
reached Washington. or on the roal.-
From these he could have filed the order
easily But they must be "well- armed in
fantry." And he had been begging for
"arms. arms Of any kind" the whole fifty
days he had teen in command in the West
but mostly in vain. And now, five thou.
sand well armed infantry" were needed to
swell the forces Of the army OF the Poto.
mac. l do not allude to this to criticise.
Like Fremont, believe the capital of the
country was. first of all, to be defended
and if he was fc;led in his plans by de-
mands like these. at such a critical moment,
impartial history hereafter will show that
it was his misfortune. not his fault.
Mr.. BINGHAM. What is the date of these
dispatches?
Mr.. CoIFAx. Saturday. the 14th of Sep
;ember; the very day was there-iust
six days before the fall of Lexington-for
/ wish the House 10 remember that Multi
gan surrendered Friday. September 90. !
asked him what he would do and my heart
sank as l asked. Here were the best Of his
forces ordered away to Washington.
told him would, if in his place. telegraph
to Mr.. Lincoln that he had not the eighty
thousand efficient soldiers in his depart
ment that rumor stated he had tha: Mis-
souri, would be lost il the troops were ia :
ken away. NO." said he. 'that wo, be
insubordination. with which have already
been uDjustly charged. The capital must
be again in danger. and must be saved,
even If Missouri fall and l sacrifice my.
self" ssf s m
After that interview. after the noble and
patriotic sentiment that fell from his lips.
l should have been false to my convictions
Of right and justice. if / had not stood up
here to-day and defended the man who was
willing. even at his own sacrifice, to saye
the capital Of the nation.
Mr.. BLAIR. OF Missouri. The gentleman
says Gen. Fremont on that day took out
the mnster rolls, and showed him how ma
ny loops there were at ST. Louis.
Mr.. CoLFAx- Yes. sir; less than 5000.
Mr. BLAIR. of Missouri. 1t SO happens
that on that same day-tbe 14th Of Sep
tember-Gen. Fremont returned to Simon
Cameron. Secretary of War, the following
statement of the forces under his command:
St. Louis (including home guard) 6,s9O
Under Brigadier General Pope Tin
Guiding home guard) 5.4S3
Lexington (including home guard) 2,40O
Jefferson City Zone quarter home
guard 9,677
kolia stZ 3. 400
Trenton 3.957
Cape Girardeau $50
Birds Point and Norfolk 3.5lO
Coiro (including cClernan's brig
ade( 1926
shore 1896
Paducah 7.79l
Under General Lane "a 2,2O0
Monroe City. near Caro- ~ 900
Total 1893
Tins you viii see that there were some
20. 600 men at and about Csiro. and you
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