Year: 1862

Private Letters Published by General


Fremont.


Accompanying Major General Fremonts Defoncs,' .
published in the New York Tribune OF March A. were,
among many Others the following important CONFIDENTIAL
ietterss- lE


MY DEAR sR-Two points in your proclamation or
August 80 give me some anxiety.


Fr.t-Should you shoot man, according 10 the pro-
our best men in their hands in retaliation and
for man indefinitely is therefore, my order that you
allow no be shot under the proclamatJn without
6rst having my appreciation or consent.


Scnd-I think there Is great danger that the closing
para raph relation TO the conscaton OF property and
the iberatng slaves Of traorous owners will alarm our
Southern Union friends and turn them against us-per
haps ruin rather fair prospect for Kentucky Allow
me, therefore to ask that you will as OF your own mo
ton modify that paragraph to conform 10 the rst
and fourth sections OF the act Of Congress- entitled IAN
act to conscatc property used for par
poses approved August g. 1861 and copy OF which act
herewith send you. This letter is written in spirit OF
caution aud Of send it by special mes
songer in order that may certainly and speedy reacn
you Yours, very truly, A. LNColN.


HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT


ST. LOUIS, Sept. 8, 1861. I


My DEAR SIR-Your letter of the ID, by special mos
senger know to have been written before you had
ceived my letter. and before my teegfaphc dispatches
and the rapid devcopement of critical conditions here,
had informed you Of affairs in this quarter. had not
writtcno you fully and freely; frst because in the in
change OF affairs would be exposed TO give you
c,ntradctory accounts and secondly, because the
amount Of the subjects to be laid before you would de-
mald too much Of your time. Trusting to have your
confidence have been leaving IL 10 events tnemScVeS
g. showyou whether or not was shaping affairs here
according your IDEAS Tho shortest communication
between Washington and ST. Louis generally involves
two days and the employment of days in time of
goes largely towards success or disaster there
fore, went along according to my judgment, eav.
ing the resGlt Of my movements to justify me with
YOU And regard to my proclamation OF the 3Oth
Between the rebel armies, the provisional government
and home traitors, ! felt the position bad, and saw
ami the form Of it, wrote IL the next morning. and
printed 1t the day. did it without consultation





mcnt the country and yourself and perfectly
willing to receive the amount Of censure which should
bo thought due il made false movement This is as
much movement in the war a battle, and in going
into these shall have to act according to my judgment
Of tho ground before me, as did on this occasion. IT,
upon reflection your better judgment still decides that
am wrong in the article respecting the liberation Of
slaves have to ask that you will openly direct TO
make tho correction. The implied censurc will be re-
ceivod as q soldier always should the reprimand Of
his chief. If were to retract OF my own accord il
had acted without the reflection which the gravity Of
the point demanded. But did not acted with full
deliberation and upon tho certain conviction that it
was o measure right and necessary-and think
STILL In regard to the other point Of the proclamation to
which you refer desire to say that do think the
enemy either msconstruo or urge anything against
H. or undertake make unusual retaliation. Tho shoot
ing Of mon who shall rise in arms against army in
the military occupation Of country merely neces
sary Of Defence and entirely according to the
usges Of civilized warfare The article does not at all
refo prisoners Of war; and certainly enemies have
ground for requiring that VIC should waive in their
benefit any Of tho ordinary advantages which the usages
Of war allow u.s. AS promptudo itself advantage
ont Onou the spo tho Provisions the procaa
tion in this respect Looking at affairs from this point Of
view, satisfied that strong and vigorous measures
have beeome necessary to the Of our arms
and hoping that my viows may have the honor TO meet
your approval, I am, with respect and regard very
truly yours, J. {. FREMONT.


WASHINGTON, Aug "a, 1861.
DEAR GlNgRAL-Don't suppose that don't attend to
your matters and do all thatI to forward them be-
cause do not write frequently lam be interrupted
take up pen by people that the run Of my Of
hco house, and keep Of both and after your
business in person and effect il if can.


Iwrito to-day in reply to your letter about Heigs
that you must not suppose that he intended by his des
patch TO TURNKEY to reflect you Far from it: hap
ked to me, substantially what he teegr aphed
TURNKEY But he did not know that Turnkey had any
from you get horses Of any superior quail
~. No such suggestion accompanied the requson and
will guarantee that TURNKEY makes any explanation
which puts the responsibility on you, will be sats'ac


Isay this without having seen him at all since the
ceipt OF yours the subject; but think UNDER
timo ago that il he would name day when he must
have horses they should be ready "I next week. they
would cost $3.50; II the week after, $iz5. The price
was nothing. horse might be worth the price many
times 70 the government II ready when wanted, and
course, vslcs not" This is the style OF he
delay difficulty from him. The trouble Is elsewhere.
Chase has horror Of seeing Treasury below
sct too huE ~ ali naS IN ss
ssys Of managing tho Treasury 1t depends the war,
and 10 better to get ready and beat the enemy by sell
ing stock fifty per cent discount than wait nego
date lose battle. have got you splendid officer
for your Navy Department and guns He will be
for you In day two, when he win be posted up
call for what you want. You will have credit at tho
Navy Department when you get him under you.


showed the President Billings letter. and read him
yours about Adams He said that you were right in
ssying that Adams was devoted to his money bags.
Schuyler had already gono to Europe about arms
when and tecgraphed you, and your letter in re-
ply handed to Mr.. Seward to be forwarded to him
suppose IL would put him IN relation with Billings
which would bring about your wishes. If had known
when you were hero what you communicated to my
father, think from my knowledge Of Megs, with your
endorsement, could have turned the whole matter
70 him. At the present time, you must not expect
much Of me In tho Cabinet have, as you know, very
ittlc Influence, and now, when the pelicy have
advocated from the first Is being nagurated, it does not
keem to bring me any great power over tho admins.
tration. This can see is partly my fault have
been too obsre erous perhaps, in my opposition, and
do not like those who have opposed their mistakes
beforehand, and taunt them with them aierward The
main difficulty Is however, with Lincoln himself. He s
Of the whg school, and that brings him naturally
only to incline to the feeble policy Of whigs but give
his confidence TO such advisers. II cost great deal
of labor to got anything done because Of the inclination
Of wind tho part Of the President leading members
Of the Cabinet including Chase who voted demo
cratic ticket in his c But you have the people your
back and am doing all can to cut red tape and get
things done. will be civil and patient than hero.
tefore, and see IL that won't work. Yours truly,