New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-18

as time sheds light upon them, and which will
come to be read of, by and by, as the heroic
DAYS of the wharf.-the war that has had so few
heroic DAYS, that can point in nine months only
to Winthrop at Bethel, to Baker and Putnam
at Balls Bluff, and for all the rest must 60 to
Lyon, to Sigel, to Zagonyi, to the Fremont
Guards, and the Fremont army OF the briei
campaign in Missouri. 1t is to one point OF
interest in that campaign that we wish now 70
recall attention, because it is one that should
be made clear while it is easy to verify the
facts. and while it is still remembered how
strong an influence they exercised in the for
nation of the Judgment Of many people in re-
gard to the competency and conduct Of Zen.
Fremont.
1t cannot yet be forgotten that as the oliicia'
DAYS of Gen. Fremont drew nearer to Close
he drew nearer to the enemy. Day by day The
assertion came, and day by day was contra
dicted that he was to be removed; but every
Jov the progress of the soldier was watched
with no annoying and contradictory r'mors,
for it was clear, if anything could be believed,
that he was gaining daily upon the rebel army,
and no man doubted that once oyertaken :" the
[" Lord would deliver them into bis hands,"
At length came the two facts together-Fremont
and Price stood face to face, and on the NOR
row would try the issue of battle; and on that
very eve the Government messenger entered
the Generals tent and presented him the order
q. ba of of
would have been an end of Secession in
Missouri; never did men more long to meet an
enemy than the army of Fremont hungered and
thirsted to be led by their beloved Chief to the
ordeal Of battle, to which the whole country
friendly aud unfriendy, had urged him TO
appeal But even at that moment, moment
so longed for and 50 watched for, General, ana
army, and peOple-we may remember WIN
pride-bowed with submission to the authority
and tie wisdom OF the rulers at the Capital.
Fremont babe farewell to his tellow-soldiers,
bidding them crown the labors they had per-
formed together BY victory, next day, under
another Then be returned to St. Louis, and
Hunter succeeded him.
Hunter succeeded him; but it was not to go
out with the next mornings sun and cut Price,
hs rebel army, and Secession, to pieces, but after
n few days, in obedience to perewptory orders
from Washington, to lead the whole army back
to st. Louis. Why was this Had that forced
march Of Iremont's been q foolish waste of
energy aud meensl Had he not oyertaken the
euemy' Was the attempt TO do so futile and
absurd Was IT the disagreeable duty of the
rew General TO expose most gigantic preten-
sion 1t is on this point We wish to put the
facts on record
Whether it was in obedience to an uDrcason-
able popular clamor, or suggestions from higher
powers, that Fremont started in pursuit of
Price, after the fall of Lexington, and was
compelled thereby to change his own well
matured plans, we need not stop now to con-
slider, as it il not to our present purpose.
Enough that he started in hot pursuit OF the
rebel General, and race commenced between
the two armies, one burning to revenge the
loss of on important city, aud to justify itself
and it. General against popular asPersion, the
other to reach a point where 1t might have
come hope either OF escape or succor. Price
from Lexington made straight for the south
western section of the State, for his point was
Forsyth, on the White River, in fancy County,
and his road a direct one. Fremont aimed to
him anywhere on the way, but long
aud formidable march must be made-we know
how he did it, performing what his detractors
sneered at beforehand as impossible, and
overcoming ali obstacles-eyen before he
could get upon the trail of Price His
aim was to oyertake the rebel when he
could and where be could, but to oyertake
him at any rate, before no reached Forsyth.
At Warsaw Fremont turned his face from the
west southwark, and fastened onward toward
Springfield, where Zagonyi had preceded him
with his body guard, the world will not speedily
forget how. And here we beg the reader to
turn to his map.
If he will turn to his map he will observe
that the towns of Springfield, Green County,
Cassye, Barry County, and Forsyth, fancy
County, make triangle, of which the side
from Springfield TO Forsyth where the road IS
straight aud good is shorter than that from
Cassvle TO Forsyth where for half the way
there is no road at all. Forsyth, as We have
said before, was the aim of Price, because
upon that town. situated on the nayigable
waters of White River. and connected with
the Mississippi by a line of steamboats,, Us we'll
as by railroad, he depended for his supplies
and for ANY succor that could possibly reach
him. His commissariat II not exhausted, was
so much in need of replenishing, that the long