, 1875-07-18
itAfy knowledge OF any capacity to taxa chARe
OF military operations in the field, aud ware


At TIRE CAMP OF INSTRUCTION
III that clty-Bantoa BarrAcks-hafors 10
after that post passed under tue command o
Gen. Sherman, and both-more especiai1y Col
Blair-expressed ov words and speeches thei
nee1 aud their desire for military instruction whe
witnessing the df,u OF the various troops
Blair more particularly had done some activ
work, and Jet aald, whilst ha knew no military
science in devotion, in loyalty. N Willingness t
place bis life and fortune at the service OF tn
Government, no educated military man shonit
do more than he- In the very darkest hour o
the Governmen1-when the Democratic inhu
euco and individual selishness placed every Oh
staeie in the way Of obtaining recruits tor tn
army, and nearly stopped the progress OF tht
Goverument.-Mr. Lincoln appealed to 1lr. Blall
and other men, like Gov. Fletcher, OF Missouri
tor sd, aud VT. Blair at unce put forth alt biz
Not only did he raise hio regiment but bis popu-
laritY was such that his regiment swelled int<
several regiments, aud became even more tnau g
otlgade- The people thus volunteering became
unanimous in tha desire that Blair should COM
mand than. and that under bis cara they you'd
made him the
aR1aAp1En-oEyERA1, coM1ASp1So
the brigade. which was raised through his tn-
a;runentality, but made him soon Maior-G Gen.
eta'. he soon became = corps commander,
where his influence was felt over all the country,
and ahere Ia waa 80 placed that his bravery,
sagacity, aud ioYalty to the Government. became
a. important as the military knowledge then Dos
sessed " Grant, Sherman, Sheridan. Thomas
ana the IKE.
a. before said, Blair disclaimed military kuowl-
edge, but he possessed, claimed and daaarrad
other qualities in 3 most eminent degree. There
was no hotd-up, no deficiency. no failure, in Blair,
such aa there Was in him under whom he firat
assumed military duty, or those Others, OF like
deficiency appointed in other statea through
mere civil and political influences.
In the earlier period Of his military duty, while
acting Oh the ataf OF Gen. Fremont Col. Blair
BECAME full, satisfied, not only Of the entte
want OF military capac;sy aud OF proper execu-
tire ability iu his chiet but also OF the utter un-
reNabihty OF large gang Of men who surround-
ed tbe General. who obtained Offices OF trust and
profit under hun, who controlled his will asaiDst
better adyicss, who used tho power Of the Gen.
era1 aud their own, from him, 10 the advance
ment Of their own pecnniary afaira and who
we're rushing tie Hovaromsnt into most extraor-
dlnarY and useless expensea- Col Blair felt
that, II continued the acta OF these meE would
corrupt utterly the people. aud IN short timo
ruin the Government In dehance OF military
usage, be- openly and boldly spoke against their
courses and pointed out the frauds. Gen. Fre-
mont, lnstead OF pay1ng attention to the expos
tulatlons OF Col Blair, Was induced to exercise
bis hlgn military power superseded hum from
his staff-duty, placed him
uSDKn ARREST,
and con 6ned him urder guard rs It guilty Of
criminal odense. Col Elalr was not to bo in
Inundated; but. recognizing the absolute need
OF personal representations in the Executive
Asnsion at Washlngton, at private midnight
meeting with Col. John a. Guriey and friend,
he induced Col. Gurley to resign. proceed to
Washington. and present to the President tho
true posture OF affairs In Missouri within his
personal knowledge and that of Cot. Blair.
Thus tt %ss that fremont was removed from his