, 1863-03-18

kE16s NAEs
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribunc,]
ST.. LOUIS, March 49, 1868.
The change In the departmental command
| has caused no special comment here. Gen.
Sumner is not now expected before the close
Of the week. Gen. Curtis, meanwhile, is
closing up the afElirs Of his Office, and will re-
tire with clean hands and clear conscience
when his successor arrives. There was re-
port in circulation few days ago, that the
| friends Of Curtis we're making an effort to
have hin reiustateu, but the General ex pressly
discountanccs any such proposition, having
for long time advocated the right aud duty
Of the President to change commanders Of
departments Whenever he pleased. One of
the results Of this change will probably be ad-
vantagcous to Gen. Curtis. It will allow him
time TO expose the charges Of cottsD frauds
made against him, and settle forever the
question If bis guilt or innocence III that con-
| nection.
Gen. Summers reported declaration that he
will take Tie field whenever any fighting is to
be dore, strikes the right spot, Too many
Generals have f1ncied that theycan fight battles
| By telegraph, while feasting in fine lenses
in large cities. No commander of the Mis-
| souri, Department, save the lamented Lyon
| had ever seen 4 ba tie, while holding that COM
mand, and Gen. Summers proposed inaugu-
ration of Il new style of things is good
| augury. Whether there will be any conEidera-
BILE fighting in this Department in the next
! sir 1nonths is question which nobody eau
/ answer There. are 10 many contingencies
that a solution of the problem is impossible.
Though Prices expected return is already
stirring up the souls of rebels with jog, 1t may
be set down as a fixed fact that unless Grant
is driven ANONYMOUSLY from Vicksburg,
Prlee Will be unable to receive the co.opera-
ton Of any troops now East of the Mississippi,
or to procure any artillery or munitions Of
war, without which campaign towards Mis-
souri, will be out Of the question.
Marmadnae's reported advance toward
Southeast Missouri is mystery. On Friday
night, the military telegraph operatora at Pilot
| Knob mentioned report that had cansed
some excitement there, to the effect that Mar
maduke was within twenty-five miles, with
1000 rebel cavalry. On Saturday morning he
reported that the excitement Ind subsidized.
The people Of the vicinity were more scared
than hurt. A1armaduke's advance was sup
posed to mean M attack on Cape Girardcau,
but We are not positively assured yet that he
had ever entered the State, Those most con-
ycrEant with the country believe that the first
| blow at some point, rs the rebel General
must move fast in order to subsist his men,
and cclcrity is SO very advantageous that Mar
maduke will appreciate it.
vail reaches Us from the Southwest. The
people are in state Of starvation, and appeal
TO the charitable everywhere for. .foodi There
Is doubtless reasonable ground for asking re-
lief-the country has seen more of the deyas-
tations and ha1dships Of war than any section
OF the Union, excepting strip Of territory
around Washington. Tie Union troops have
been compelled to support themselves in many
| in%fHr1GS hV from ha
| mcrs, and lgnOEnt commiEsaries and quarter
masters have failed to do their duty by fur
nisl1ing the suffering families with proper
vouchers to enable them to procure funds
whcrewlth to rcplenish their stock. An i'm
ncnse deal Of suffering has been needless1y
imposed upon the inhabitants in this way, and
as the sufferers are in the Inain honest Union
lists, whose fathers, and sous, and brothers,
have voted to send cnlancipatiunists to the
Missouri Legislature, their case calls for
Gen. Tottcn's division is on an extensive
forag:ng expedition on the Huntsville road,
having exhausted the supplies of forage
around Camp Bliss, on Crane Creek previous
y. This is a strange business mpelliny
large army to forn5e on the country where
by which al necessary forage and
st. Louis. We're the roads unrassa5le
the necessity which forces ourgencrals 10 lay
bic, might be recognized as Legitimate The
1larch Of Gen. Toitens Division, from their
old to their new camping ground, caused con-
siderable speculation in Springfield and
vicinity rs to their movements. At first it
vas % supposed to make an advance toward
Little Rock, Mississippi.
It is rather singular That Gen. Mcneil, ono
Of our hanging and fighting officers, should
capture Il rebel Provost Marshal in the South
east, upon whose person was found an order
from his superior officer authorizing him 20
deal sumnnrily with Union prisoners, and
closing By suggesting hanging rs the best
means Of preventing prisoners from telling
lies. The original Of the order is now III the
possession Of Gen. Curtis, and will probably
be sent to Washington for preservation. 1t
will be 4 sweet document to draw on JEFF
Davis the next time lie proclaims retaliation,
or complains Of our severity towards rebel
prisoners.
The absence Of several hundred parolcd SOL
this city, is a la,nentable affair. The Presi-
dents call to these dcserters to return to
their quarters by the first Of April, should be
backed by the cxcrtions Of every Union man
in the Northwest. The deserters themselves
will save deal Of trouble and avoid punish
ment By quickly returning. There is i ncces.
eity for more strict discipline among tie
pa5olcd soldiers stationed here from time to
TING. They pass their time SO idly that
vicious habits arc formed, and laziness be-
| ASlnNs oIAuAu Hal
Though not strictly war item, It may in
tcrcst your readers to know that the Bellyillc
Railroad Company is abont to commence tho
extension Of their road to the vicinity Of Car
bonda1e, on the Illinois Central Railway The
work is in the hands Of the Tcrre Hautc Rail-
road Company, who hare closed the necessary
contracts for labor and for the iron, to insurr
the carly completion Of the enterprise. This
will shorten railroad communication between
St: Louis and Cairo, fifty miles.
The immense shipments of hemp and to-
bacco daily arriving from the Missouri River
arc suggestive. Nine-tenths Of this property
is raised BY planters whose sons, or brothers,
or fathers, are III the rebel army, and whose
rcbcllious sympathics are defiant and noto-
rious. Is there such thing in existence as
eontiseation law, and it so, why is it not en-.
forced.
1t would puzzle brace Of Philadelphia
lawyers to keep the run Of the Missouri Leg
ielaturc. Legislation for the last week has
been confined to local business entirely. The
I proposed revival of the Senatorial question is
not regarded rs serious.
The decease Of tho Hon. John ". Noell is
d serious loss to the emancipation cause in
this State. The event raises an interesting
question, Noell held the certificate Of cleo
tion to the next Congress, but his election is
| contested By ]. G. Scott-since Ills death
another election will be held, and the question
is, should Scott prosecute his first contest and
establish his claim, what will become Of the
person elected under the last election?