, 1864-12-15
lFrom Our SPECIAL CorrespondentJ

lFrom Our SPECIAL CorrespondentJ
ST. LOUIS. Dec, Il, 1864.
Mnj. Gen. Dodge assumed commapd Of this
department on Saturday. Gen. Rosecrnns
leaves for Cincinnati this p, m. He signalized
his retirement by issuing long order in rela-
ton to the invasion Of the State by Price, and
The military operations preceding his retreat.
This was followed By long general order
from Mai. Gen. Pleasanton, who commanded
the troops in the field, in which Gen. P. very
decidedly slurs Brig. Gen. E. B. Brown and
Gen. John Mcneil. His complaint against
Brown has been ventilated before Court
Martial, and, though the finding has not been
made public, the general opinion ia that the
proof failed to maintain the charge. Pleas
anton ordered both Brown and AIcNeil to ex-
ccute impossible movements. The result of
The BroWn tTia1 will be apt to decide the case
At present The prevailing rumor In military
circles Is that counter-charges Of unoiacer-
like conduct are prepared and ready to be
filed against Gen. Rosecrans By those whom
he SO lately excused. Gen: Rosecrans passes
over the services of the kansas troops with
silence. Gen. P1easanton does more; he
speaks Of battles being fought in Missouri
which really were fought in Kansas. The re-
tirement Of Rosecraus will put an end to this
ycxcd question. for 1t Is not likely General
\ delicate point in military history to disturb
the harmony between Che officers Of this de-
partment and the department Of Kansas un-
der Gen. Curtis.
The conservative politicians arc currying
favor with Gen; Dodge, already. They ex-
lions, which means, according to their inter
pretatfon,-he will decide against the Radi-
Gals. Probably the leading radicals are as
much opposed to partizan policy as any
body, but they expect and will secure justice
from Gen. Dodge whether 1t suits the con
the Department Of Missouri without interior
ine in Questions which In ordinary times would
be deemed political, is an 8bsurdity. The
surrender OF military to civil law In counties
rayaged BY guelillas and their sympathizers,
and kil as they please. Under the
now radical State government, the conflict
tciwe.n the military and civil authorities
| will I've less frequent than heretofore. In fact
the rule will probably be reversed. Hereto
| fore the State authorities have been radically
| it is doubtful whether Gen. Dodge will or can
| he wholly Radical enough to come up to
Gov. Fletcher's standard. Working In hat-
mony, the secessionists Nto remain In Mis-
souri, will have o poor show. The annlhifa-
tion Of slavery by the State Convention, and
/ Tue HpTOE@ LlOU VI luG nl1 pIush4AfET9 0AEA
Laws by Legislative enactment Will wholly
change the face of Missouri politics and In
The official election returns arc nearly oil
in. The total vote Of the State will far c1-
ceed thc St, COO and odd giren In my last let
motc counties to be received, which. with
those now addcd 10 the previous totals, in
crease the whole vote to %, 3,000-the largest
number polled since 1850. 1incoln's major
ity is over 81 600. Tho only result changed
BY the ot'icial figures is the election Of Col.
district, instead Of Col. 8. q. Boyd, as tor
1nerly stated. This votc Is the result Of per-
soual popularity Of the successful candidate,
coupled with M intense hatred of"Boyd BY
John S. Phelps. and other Copperheads in the
So. ineficld District Kctso boasts that he
Border Rutlian in the Kansas Free State war,
thus out -Herodins Herod In his claim to Rad
ical votes. lie will he found In full support
Of the Government in Its Radical measures.
The people of the interior arc still troubled
by wandering gangs Of gncrillas, though they
the extreme cold weather set in. Last week
several Of these outrugcs were reported on
both sides Of the river. Tho promptness Of
| the retaliation on rebels will, doubtless, deter
an immediate renewal OF the attempt to trou-
tle Union men in Saline county. There nrc
not many Of that stripe in Saline county, but
the few who do live there are plucky aud rad
icnl. When the rebels burnt the house OF q
Union man, near Arrow Rock, List Monday
night, the Union men took care to burn two
houses of the secessfonists on Tuesday night
It is quito well understood all over North
Missouri now, TINT Ill cases Of robbery, md
areon, and assassination will be rctaliated al
tho rate Of two for one upon rebel sympathiz
| ers in the immediate vicinity. The complicf
ty Of the latter in such cases Is shown by tht
| -sa1,f 4np% fhpra ia
munitY nearly, If not quite, unanimously
Union, guerilla outrages are scarce, but in 4
: mixed community, where q half Of the people
I | are secesh, the Lnfon men suffer often.
TO Tbs iRqft!a9lx tf1ssggaGhsd a relation
sas confirms a1l that had been previously re-
+ | ceiyed to chow the disastrous character O
Prices departure from Missouri and Kansas
, Fagin's division WAS foreahadoWed by thei'
complaints and violence while in Boonylllc
!. | Their principal grievance was that Price al
lowed Shelby,s division to 60 In advance and
; swallow mp all the plunder: Price sent Fagi1
ahead from Boonville, but while the latter
and Curtis on the Little and Big Blue, tht
whole Of the rebel army passed TO the south
+ and again left Fagin in the rear and Shelby
in the advance. This position they main
. taintd in the retreat: The report of caval
: ~ expedition from Fort Smith In search o
rebel wounded and sick, came by private
letter from Fayetteville, Ark, via Springfield
! No. This expedition captured go prisoner
! and carried them safely to Fort Smith. Ths
! official report will arrive in about six month
i Fia Little Rock and Memphis.
: There is considerable indignation anon;
d our merchants just nov concerning the cours
8 Of the Hannibal & St Joseph Railroad Com
pany In refusing to carry any freight west
s ward from Macon city, until the freight accu
q mulated at Quincy and Hannibal is removed
!" The complaint is made that this is an unjus
!. discrimination in favor Of Chicago interest
t It is argued that 80 long as freight can b
carried promptly from West Quincy and Han
nibal the merchants Of North Missouri, Kan
Eas and Nebraska will have an inducement t
10 trade with Chicago in preference to st. Louis
. The question will probably be carried int
and sr'sfS IT, HPpnnpa PGoppngsa snd
J. Joseph influence In this matter is not stron9
u nearly all the counties west Of Macon Cit
2 prefer Trading with st. louts instead Of Ch
IS cago, and will be apt as line Of policy to I:
j. y0r any bill designed to equalize the priv
). 1cges Of the two cities. The Hannibal an
J. course on this question. Their road by th
J. non-rayment Of interest, h1s been forfeited I
Il the State, and can be seized and sold frol
:. under their hands at any time. The discrim
Is uation against St. Louis has made the roa
o enemies In quarters where it had nougf
but friends previously.
The cold weather has rendered narigatio
It Of The river very difficult. The ice is sti
moving slowly, and the ferry boats manage
cross in about two hours to the trip, but Il
morrow will perhaps close the river entire1
s By Ice. The Eastern mail WIS delayed oye
night BY the Ice.
I CUR INDIANAPOLIS LETTER.