, 1863-01-14
OUR ST. LOUIS LETTER.

Springfield, HTo., NIL sAfe--Its Capture
KcbeIs E!uded Hunt and Herron-
mThe 1lI1se,1 ExPsditleq3 J. ire, from Southeast
Frontier 7-AnnIrs In tho Interior
The Senatorial StrugEle-Steamboat
Seized, etc., ctc.s
Especial Correspondence OF the Chicago Tribnnc.]
ST. Louis, Jan. II, 1863.
Our worst fears concerning the fate Of
Springfield are over. The town held opt, aud
is still in tic possession Of the Union troops.
This is tho bright gleam In the news Of
the morning, which will counterbalancc the
shocking affair ut Galveston, and the terrible
detai1s Of our own non.succcss at Vicksburg.
The good news is donbly gratifying because
tic capture Of Springfield was regarded as a
foregonc conclusion. The advantage gaincd
by The rebels in getting inside the stockadcs,
the deficiency Of our troops ndartillery, the
improbability Of any relief reaching the be-
sfeged in time to save them, and finally, the
retirement to Fort Lyon, which was interpret
ed Is sign tllat they could not prevent the
advance Of the rebels into town, and had re-
tired to the fort to save their lives. All these
things combined to impress everybody, from
Gen. Curtis down, with the conviction that
Springfield had fallen. Knowing that the
1aid Of the rebels would be only tcmpora1y6
arrangements were made On Saturday to
replcnish tho commissary stores without
delay. Several carloads were shipped to
Rol1a, and large wagon train with d strong
escort was ordered to prepare for moving this
morning. This suspense lasted until II p. m.
last night, when the telegraph to Lebanon
which had been cut during the day resumed
Morking and II the gratifying news Was pub.
tack on Springfield.
Already inquiries nrc made as to how any
| large rebel force could reach the suburbs Of
| Springfield from Arkansas without attracting
tie notice Of the army of the Frontier lying
between, Springfield and Arkansas. A single
| glance at the map will show anybody how
easy this feat may be accomplished By skill
full enemy. Gen. Bluntand Con. Heron are on
the Fayetteville road, which Is rather south
west Of Springfield. Whereas, there is
the southeast Of Springfield, and from
Forsyth to Tellyille, Ark, the country Is in
the bands Of the rebels, This road Is SO far
/ to the castpf Boston Mountain, that the Army
| Of the Frontier would scarcely hear Of any
rebels moving northward upon it. The coun-
are mostly rebels. Marmaduke who is repor-
ted in command of the rebel forces, cuuningly
! avoided the main roads and got between Tho
ontposts Of Springfield and the town itself.
When the first attack was made, the Army Of
| the Frontier was nearly 100 miles of
! Doubt il expressed By parties who left
| Springfield on Thursday morning whether Mar
madnke was really in command Of the rebels.
Some Of the country people who brought
the first alarm to Springfield state that ono
| Campbell is the leader, and others report that
the robel forccs arc under JEFF. Thompson,
and are those who were reported concentrated
Mt Pocahontas, some days ago, By Gen. David
son. The last report is doubtless untrne.
disappointed in not finding Springfield an easy
| prize In his hands. Gen. Brown made gal
| liant resistance while he remained unharmcd,
| and Col. Crabbc OF the 10Th Iowa nohly imi-
tated him. On the withdrawal of tho rebels,
they made fclnt toward Sand Spring.. as ii
mcditating raid on Lebanon. According to
| the best information NC can get on the SUBJ
ject, they are now on grand skedaddle to the
| southward to avoid the pursuit Of our troops.
The principal pursuing force is under COM
nland Of Gen. fltz Henry Warren from Hous-
| ton =
Gen. Davidton's expedition from Southeast
Missouri toward Pocahontas mar have an cx-
trcmely casy time capturing that place, If any
| portion OF the rebels lately gathered there
took part In the rid on Springfield. General
Davidson's command unaccountably halted
several days In the vicinity Of Van Bu7cn, In
Carter county, during the week after Christ
mas. Parties from Pilot Knob state tha: a
train Of 800 wagons with provisions, left that
place carly last week for D.yidson's expedi-
lion. What a tempting prize such a train
offers to the Eucrlllas. Now that the White
and Arkansas Rivers are high, something to
relieve tic long Inactivity In that country
may be expected.
Communication with theArmy Of the From
tier has hrcn cut of for several days, owing to
the Springfield raid. The return Of the army
toward Missouri was doubtless delayed by
rains. It eeems that when the dash was made
| into Van B1lren portion Of tue army remain
| cd in Fayetteville to cover 4 retreat ii ease of
danger. In: going to Van Buren the march
| over Boston Mountain was made In two daya.
On the retnrn the same march occupied four
or five days, and Gen. Blnnt's division was
two or three days reaching Huntsville, short
distance eastward from Fayetteville, III search
Of fursEc for cavalry mud artillery lorscs.
Tired and worn out from their forced marches
! to Van Buren,, md ncrcr dreaming Of au enc
my in their rear, the Army Of the Frontier log
gcd along ut IN easy pace. This will sniff.
! Cicutly account for the distance between this
, army and Springfield at the time Of tbs raid
IL Military operations elsewhere in Mfssour
|, have bccn Insignificant. "A notorious rucrilla
captain WINS captured in johnson: county ont
: day last week, and some: government prop
T. erty recovered, The local provost marshal.
: in.lhe interior arc fG!sing protection to con
! trabands known or proven to belong to rebo
/: sympathizcrsi hy The dozen. 'asThe tntctfcy