The New York herald., 1868-05-27
BOOK NOTICE.

GENERAL NATHANIEL LYON AND MISSOURI TN 1851.
monograph OF the Great Rebellion. BY James
Peckham, formerly Lieutenant Colonel Eighth in
fantry, Missouri Volunteers. New York: American
News Company publishers.
This Is small, neatly printed volume OF some 45O
pages, largely made up OF Official military CORE.
spondence interviewer In the general narrative. The
purpose OF the author Is TO show that the failure OF
the Missouri secessonists, including the Governor
Lieutenant Governor State civil officers and militia
officers and Legislature, to carry Off Missouri In 1881
into the great rebellion after the fashion OF South
Carolina and her confederates was mainly due to
General Lyon, although second only to Lyon In his
bold sagacious and vigorous movements in behalf
OF the Union cause stood Francis p. Blair Jr
The secesh Governor. G. r. Jackson and his secesh
Legislature had cut out the necessary work In view
OF the turning over OF Missouri to the confederacy
at the appointed signal Commissioner Russell. a
rebel envoy extraordinary from the seeded state of
Mississippi january, bsD had been received in
great state at Joint meeting Of the two houses of
the Missouri Legislature; bill for secession con-
vention was next passed, and measures for organ
izng and arming the militia, and various schemes
were adopted for suppressing the Union men of the
State and sezing the property Of the United States
especially the arsenal at st. Louis. This arsenal
embraced military workshops and military stores In
Guiding $4,000 stands Of arms (mostiy Enfield and
Springfield rnesl l,5oo,o 900 ball cartridges number
VI ueiu pieces ana siege guns together with large
amount oI machinery and munitions Of war I'm abun {.
d9nce. In the main magazine there were 10000
pounds OF powder. In January, 1851, this valuable
arsenal was so far undefended that small force of
resoluie men might have captured Il day or night
But the city OF st. Louis was, by heavy majority OF
tts people, loyal and wide awake city. Its heavy
German element was sound to the CORE and
We may say that without these loyal and trusty
Germans General Lyon could have done nothing, for
sne balance Of power wonld have been against
him. In view Of the Union popular strengfh in the
city and ts vigilance Governor Jackson and his State
omcial secesh confederaes had to proceed with some
caution 10 their designs upon the arsenal They be
hey began 70 muster their militia when Lyon. In
charge OF the arsenal, began To receive renGorce.
mente and to organize and arm the loyal volunteers
Of the city. Then Governor jackson estobiished MA
rcbe1 camp IN the city, known AZ Camp Jackson--a
camp which laner inspecting II In the disguise Of
wonan's 0utng Lyon was convinced was intended
solved to cke the initiative, ana RavinS perfected
his pians ne moved on the eneinyf works
On the l0th Of Nay 30 adroity as to compel 8
surrender without firing q shot and thus Camp
Jackson, with over thousand men and dispropor.
u0nately large supply OF artillery and munitions Of
war, was captured and the line OF the Mississippi
river was made secure from st. Louis down to Cairo
and the State OF Missouri was wrested nom the con-
The subsequent operations Of General Lyon down
to the great battle OF Wilson'S creek August TO- 1891
where he was killed, were all Of this bold and deci.
sive character Prom the ofncia vouchers OF this
volume We see that but for this right man in the
right place at the right time sMissour would have
the Southern confederacy which, under the condi.
tion Of things In 1881, woulc have been equal 10
reinforcement Of hundred thousand mon 10 JED
Dsva