USA > Illinois > Military history and reminiscences of the Thirteenth regiment of Illinois volunteer infantry in the civil war in the United States,1861-65, pt 1 > Part 8
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Curtis said of Fremont, that the latter never consulted him on military matters, nor informed him of his plans. General Curtis remarked that while he would go with freedom to Gen- eral Scott and express his opinions, he would not dare to do so to General Fremont. He deemed General Fremont unequal to the command of an army, and said that he was no more bound by the law, than by the winds. * *
* * Colonel Andrews, chief paymaster called and represented irregularities in the Pay Department, and desired instructions from the Secretary for his government, stating that he was required to make payments and transfers of money contrary to law and regulations. Once, upon objecting to what he conceived an improper payment, he was threatened with confinement by a file of soldiers. *
* * The following is a copy of one of his appointments :
"'ST. LOUIS, August 28th, 1861.
"'SIR : You are hereby appointed Captain of Cavalry, to be employed in the land transportation department and will report for duty at these headquarters.
J. C. FREMONT, Major-General, commanding. [" 'To Captain Felix Vogele, present.']
" I also saw a similar appointment given to an individual on General Fremont's staff, as director of music, with the rank and commission of captain of engineers.
"THIS PERSON WAS A MUSICIAN IN A THEATRE IN ST. LOUIS.
"Among the supplies sent by General Fremont to the army now in the field may be enumerated five hundred half-barrels, to carry water in a country of abundant supply, and five hundred tons of ice. * * General Hunter stated that he had just received a written report from one of his colonels, informing him that but twenty out of one hun- dred of his guns would go off. These were the guns procured by General Fremont in Europe. I may here state that Gen- eral Sherman at Louisville, made a similar complaint of the great inferiority of these European arms. * In
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conversation with Colonel Swords, Assistant Quartermaster- General at Louisville, just from California, he stated that Mr. Selover, who was in Europe with General Fremont, wrote to some friend in San Francisco that his share of the profit of the purchase of these arms was thirty thousand dollars.
" When General Hunter, at Jefferson City, received orders to march to Tipton, he was directed to take forty-one wagons with him, when he had only forty mules, which fact had been duly reported to headquarters. * * * General Hunter stated that, though second in command, he never was con- sulted by General Fremont, and knew nothing whatever of his intentions. Such a parallel, I venture to assert, can not be found in the annals of military warfare. I have also been informed that there is not a Missourian on his staff, nor a man acquainted personally with the topography and physical char- acteristics of the country or its people. -X
"On his arrival at St. Louis, General Fremont was met by Captain Cavender, First Missouri, and Major Farrar, Aid to General Lyon, with statements from the latter, and asking for reinforcements. To Governor Gamble he said, 'General Lyon is as strong as any other officer on this line.' He failed to strengthen Lyon, and the result, as is well known, was the defeat of that most gallant officer. The two regiments at Rolla
"SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUSHED FORWARD,
and the whole of Pope's nine regiments brought by rail to St. Louis and Rolla, and thence sent to Lyon's force. Any other general, in such an emergency, would have pursued this obvious course. *
"General Fremont called four regiments from North Mis- souri, and went with them to Cairo. It is evident he had no intention of reinforcing General Lyon, for the two regiments at Rolla, one hundred and twenty-five miles from Springfield, received no orders to march, and were not supplied with trans- portation ; and thirty or forty hired wagons, just returned from Springfield, were discharged at Rolla, August 4th, seven
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days before the battle, and returned to St. Louis. After thie news of the battle reached St. Louis, four other regiments were drawn from Pope, in North Missouri, and sent to Rolla. Better to have called in these before the battle, as after the battle the whole revolutionary elements were called forth. The six regiments accomplished nothing, and were not or- dered to advance and cover the retreat of Lyon's army, although it was supposed, in St. Louis, that Price and Mc- Culloch were following it, and that Hardee had moved up to cut off its retreat on the Gasconade. An advance of these regiments would have enabled the army to retrace its steps and to beat the forces of Price and McCulloch so badly, that they would have been unable to follow our forces in their retreat. It is said that every officer in Lyon's army expected to meet re-enforcements and to return with them, and drive Price and McCulloch from the southwest.
"General Hunter arrived at St. Louis from Chicago, called thither on a suggestion from Washington, as an adviser. General Fremont submitted to him, for consideration and advice, a paper called 'Disposition for retaking Springfield.' It sets out with a statement that Springfield is the strong strategical point of that wide elevation which separates the waters of the Osage from those of the Arkansas ;
"THE KEY TO THE WHOLE OF SOUTHWESTERN MISSOURI,
commanding an area of nearly sixty thousand miles. Why did not this enter the brain of the Major-General before the fall of Lyon and he strain every nerve to hold that important key when in his possession ?
"General Hunter, to the paper, replied, 'Why march on Springfield, where there is no enemy, and nothing to take? Let me take the troops and proceed to Lexington,' in which direction Price was marching, and where he expected to be joined by four thousand rebels.
"Instead of this he was sent to Rolla, without instruc- tions, and remained there until ordered to Jefferson City, still
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without instructions, and thence to Tipton where we found him.
"No steps having been taken by General Fremont to meet Price in the field, he moved forward his line of march, plainly indicating his intention of proceeding to Lexington. When within some thirty-five miles of the place he remained ten or more days, evidently expecting that some movement would be made against him. None being made, he advanced and with his much superior force laid siege to Lexington, defended by Mulligan, with two thousand seven hundred men, Septem- ber 12th, and captured it the 21st, nine days thereafter.
"Now for the facts to show that this catastrophe could have been prevented, and Price's army destroyed before or after that disastrous affair.
"Before Price got to Lexington the forces to resist him were as follows : Jefferson City, five thousand five hundred ; at Rolla, four thousand ; along the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad, about five thousand ; western line of Mississippi, down near Fort Scott, two thousand three hundred ; Mulli- gan's force at Lexington, two thousand seven hundred ; a large force in Illinois along the Mississippi river, and on the Iowa line, outside of St. Louis, some seventeen thousand ; in St. Louis, eighteen thousand, but say-ten thousand. Total, forty-six thousand five hundred.
"Hunter's plan up to Sunday, September 22d, was to con- centrate from St. Louis, Jefferson City, and Rolla, also from the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad, twenty thousand men, and relieve Mulligan. He said that if Price was a soldier, Lexington had then fallen ; but he could, with energy, be captured with all his baggage and plunder. The objection that there was no transportation is idle. The railroads and river were at command, and the march from Sedalia was only forty five miles. The force could, so General Hunter sup- posed, be thrown into Lexington by Thursday, as it appears, before it was taken.
"General Fremont ordered Sturgis, in North Missouri, to Lexington, and by crossing the river to reinforce Mulligan.
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Sturgis had only eleven hundred men, and on reaching the river opposite the town found it commanded by Price, and of course was compelled to fall back.
"Hunter's plan of moving these troops was to strike the river at a point below Lexington in our control, cross, and march up to the place.
"In the interview with General Fremont, the question was asked whether any orders had been given to reinforce Mulli- gan, and the reply being in the negative, General Hunter suggested orders to Sturgis; and had the order then been given by telegraph, he would have reached the river before Price had taken possession of the north bank, and could have crossed. The order was not given until three days after the interview. This loss of time was fatal.
" Mulligan was ordered from Jefferson City, then garri- soned with five thousand troops, with only one regiment, to hold Lexington until he could be relieved. When Lexing- ton fell, Price had twenty thousand men, his force receiving daily augmentations from the disaffected in the State. He was permitted to gather much plunder, and fall back towards Arkansas unmolested, until we were at Tipton, the 13th of October, when the accounts were that he was crossing the Osage.
"Fremont's order of march was issued to an army of nearly forty thousand, many of the regiments badly equipped, with inadequate supplies of ammunition, clothing and trans- portation.
"With what prospect (it must be inquired) can General Fremont, under such circumstances, expect to overtake a re- treating army, some one hundred miles ahead, with a deep river between ?
"General Hunter expressed to the Secretary of War, his decided opinion that General Fremont was incompetent and unfit for his extensive and important command. This opin- ion, he gave reluctantly, owing to his position as second in command. The opinion entertained by gentlemen who have approached General Fremont and observed him is, that he is
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more fond of the pomp, than of the stern realities of war; that his mind is incapable of fixed attention or strong concen- tration ; that by his mismanagement of affairs since his ar- rival in Missouri,
"THE STATE HAS ALMOST BEEN LOST.
and that if he is continued in command, the worst results may be anticipated. This is the concurrent testimony of a large number of the most intelligent men in Missouri."
WASHINGTON, D. C., October 24, 1861. Brigadier-General S. R. CURTIS :
DEAR SIR : On receipt of this, with the accompanying inclosure, you will take safe, certain, and suitable measures to have the inclosure, addressed to Major-General Fremont delivered to him with all reason- able dispatch, subject to these conditions only, that if, wlien General Fremont shall be reached by the messenger-yourself or any one sent by you - he shall then have, in personal command, fought and won a battle, or shall be in the immediate presence of the enemy in expecta- tiou of a battle, it is not to be delivered but held for further orders. After, and not till after, the delivery to General Fremont, let the inclo- sure addressed to General Hunter be delivered to him.
Your obedient servant,
A. LINCOLN.
GENERAL ORDERS No. IS.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, WASHINGTON, October 24th, IS61.
Major-General Fremont, of the United States Army, the present Commander of the Western Department of the same, will, on the receipt of this order, call Major General Hunter of the United States Volunteers, to relieve him temporarily in that command, when he ( Major-General Fremont) will report to General Headquarters, by letter, for further orders.
By command-
WINFIED SCOTT, E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.
WASHINGTON, D. C., October 24th, 1851.
Brigadier-General S. R. CURTIS.
MY DEAR SIR : Herewith is a document-half letter, half order- which, wishing you to see, but not to make public, I send unsealed. Please read it, and then inclose it to the officer who may be in command of the Department of the West at the time it reaches him. I can not now know whether Fremont or Hunter will then be in command.
Yours truly, A. LINCOLN.
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This letter contained suggestions to halt his main army, divide it into two corps of observation, one occupying Sedalia, and the other Rolla. Then recruit the condition of both corps by re-establishing and improving their discipline, etc., but largely discretionary. Thinks any further pursuit of Price unwise.
SPRINGFIELD, MO., I a. m., October 30th, 1861.
Brigadier-General D. HUNTER.
GENERAL : I am directed by the Commanding General to inform you that he has received information that the rebel army is marching directly on this place. He therefore orders that you march immediately to join him at this place with your command, and that it will require your utmost exertions to reach him in time to aid with your troops.
Same to Pope, Mckinstry, Sturgis and Lane.
EATON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General to FREMONT.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., October 31st, 1861.
Same to Same :
Since forwarding the dispatch of last night, duplicates of which are herewith sent, the General commanding has received more positive information of the movement of the rebel army, which is now, or soon will be, but a day's march from this place. You will, therefore, see the imperative necessity of moving with the greatest celerity, even if your command has to live on beef alone. Please acknowledge receipt instantly.
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, November, 2d, 1861.
Brigadier-General D. HUNTER.
GENERAL: Your dispatch of this day en route is received. General Fremont directs me to say, that having been relieved from the command of the Western Department, and having relinquished command in orders into the hands of Major-General Hunter, when you reach here the con- trol of the public service at this point will fall upon you. You should, therefore, he says, push on to reach here with all dispatch.
EATON, Act. Asst .- Adjt. Gen.
General Orders HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
No. 28. SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, November 2, 1861.
In compliance with General Orders, No. IS, from the Headquarters of the Army, this day received, the undersigned hereby relinquishes
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command of the Western Department, and of this army in the field, into the hands of Major-General D. Hunter, U. S. Vols.
J. C. FREMONT, Maj .- Gen. U. S. Army.
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, November 2d, IS61.
Major-General D. HUNTER, en route.
GENERAL : I am directed by Major-General Fremont to inform you that the advance guard of the enemy will be at Wilson's Creek to-night. The Union men are flocking in here for protection, and he urges you to hurry forward your division with all possible celerity, and to push on yourself in person, to assume the command.
EATON, Act. Asst. Adjt .- Gen.
We search these War Records in vain, for any verification of the camp rumors prevalent at the time, and long afterwards, to the effect that General Fremont placed every possible obstacle in the way of General Hunter's assuming command of the army, until after a battle could be fought.
FREMONT'S FAREWELL TO HIS ARMY. SPRINGFIELD, Mo., November 2d, 1861.
SOLDIERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI ARMY :
Agreeably to orders this day received, I take leave of you. Al- though our army has been of sudden growth, we have grown up to- gether, and I have become familiar with the brave and generous spirit which you bring to the defense of your country, and which makes me anticipate for you a brilliant career. Continue as you have begun, and give to my successor the same cordial and enthusiastic support with which you have encouraged me. Emulate the splendid example which you have already before you, and let me remain, as I am, proud of the noble army which I had thus far labored to bring together.
Soldiers, I regret to leave you. Most sincerely I thank you for the regard and confidence you have invariably shown to me. I deeply re- gret that I shall not have the honor to lead you to the victory which you are just about to win, but I shall claim to share with you in the joy of every triumph, and trust always to be fraternally remembered by my companions in arms.
J. C. FREMONT, Major-General United States Army.
CHAPTER VIII.
FREMONT REMOVED .- HUNTER SUCCEEDS HIM AND REPU- DIATES HIS NEGOTIATIONS WITH PRICE ; AND THE LATTER IN FULL RETREAT SOUTH.
B Y implication, the report of the Adjutant- General of the army, in the investigation of General Fremont's administration of the Department of the West, by order of the Secretary of War, fragments of which we have given in preceding chapter, General Fremont is charged with the needless sacrifice of both Lyon and Mulligan, and thereby dangerously jeopardizing the Union cause in that department, and that another fine army may now be sacrificed by his incompetency, unless imme- diately removed. It is noticeable that in three different orders to General Hunter, during the last three days of General Fremont's command at Springfield, he represents Price at three different stages of rapid approach, and thus throwing down the gage of battle.
Our army, without moving out of camp to secure posi- tion, and without changing anything, except commanders, four days thereafter beheld the army of Price in full retreat.
It is a question whether this meant that Price did want to fight Fremont, but did not want to fight Hunter.
HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, November 3d, via ROLLA, MISSOURI, November 7th, 1861. ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY.
SIR : I take command of the Department to-day. General Fre- mont left for the East this morning. I do not think the enemy is in
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force in our neighborhood. I will telegraph you daily. [It turned out that on that identical day, November 7th, Price left Cassville in full retreat upon Arkansas, and McCulloch one day sooner. ]
The above, in face of the fact that, for seven days, General Fremont had been urging forward the troops by forced marches to meet the enemy, who, he says, "will be at Wil- son's Creek on the night of November 2d." On November Ist General Fremont urges forward with the greatest celerity, and that a forced march is imperatively necessary. Novem- ber 2d he urges General Hunter forward "with all possible celerity." And General Pope, in special orders, expresses his "high appreciation of the soldierly response of the Thirty- seventh Illinois, by a forced march to Springfield, but which," he says, "proved to be unnecessary."
The following communication will explain itself :
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, November 7th, 1861.
ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY.
GENERAL : Inclosed you will find copies of certain negotiations carried on between Major-General J. C. Fremont, of the first part, and Major-General Sterling Price, of the second, having for objects, first, to make arrangements for the exchange of prisoners; second, to prevent arrests or forcible interference in future " for the mere entertainment or expression of political opinions " ; third, to insure that "the war now progressing shall be confined exclusively to armies in the field " ; and fourth, the immediate disbandment of " all bodies of armed men acting without the authority or recognition of the major-generals named, and not legitimately connected with the armies in the field."
You will also find inclosed (D) a copy of my letter of this date, dis- patched under a flag of truce to General Price, stating that "I can in no manner recognize the agreement aforesaid, or any of its provisions,. whether implied or direct, and that I can neither issue nor allow to be issued, the joint proclamation purporting to have been signed by Gen- erals Price and Fremont on the first day of November, A. D. 1861."
It would be, in my judgment impolitic in the highest degree to have ratified General Fremont's negotiations, for the following, amongst many other, obvious reasons. The second stipulation, if acceded to, would render the enforcement of martial law in Missouri, or in any part of it, impossible, and would give absolute liberty to the propangandists of treason throughout the length and breadth of the State. The third.
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stinulation, confirming operations exclusively to armies in the field, "would practically annul the confiscation act passed during the last session of Congress ; and would furnish perfect immunity to those dis- banded soldiers of Price's command who have now returned to their homes, but with the intention, and under a pledge of rejoining the rebel forces whenever called upon. And lastly, because the fourth stipulation would blot out of existence the loyal men of the Home Guard, who have not, it is alleged, been recognized by act of Congress, and who, it would be claimed, are therefore " not legitimately connected with the armies in the field."
There are many more objections quite as powerful and obvious which might be urged against ratifying this agreement. Its address, "to all peaceably disposed
"CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI,"
fairly allowing the inference to be drawn that citizens of the United States, the loyal and true men of Missouri, are not included within its benefits. In fact, the agreement would seem to me, if ratified, a conces- sion of all the principles for which the rebel leaders are contending, and a practical liberation, for use in other and more immediately important localities, of all their forces now kept employed in this portion of the State.
I have the honor to be, General, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
D. HUNTER, Major-General Commanding.
November 9th, 186r .- General H. W. Halleck takes com- mand of the Department of the Missouri.
HEADQUARTERS, CAMP IN BENTON COUNTY, MISSOURI,
Fifteen miles south of Warsaw, November IIth, IS61.
L. THOMAS, Adjutant United States Army.
GENERAL : In conformity with the views of the President, in which I fully concur, I fall back on Rolla and Sedalia. Price left Cass- ville ou the 7th in full retreat upon Arkansas, McCulloch having pre- ceded him by one day's march, and I have no doubt they are both now out of this State. My command is in good order and fine spirits. Please correct a slander which has gone forth with regard to the Ger- mans. An effort was made to induce them to mutiny ; and I have found them loyal and efficient.
I shall order to St. Louis, about eighteen thousand men, ready for service at the South, retaining sufficient garrison for Rolla and Sedalia.
D. HUNTER,
Brig. Gen. Comd'g.
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Same to same :
Nov. 11th, IS61.
GENERAL : Great portions of the army stores and other public property in the department are in the hands of irresponsible, ignorant and illegally appointed persons, who have given no security, hold no commissions, and are accountable to no tribunal.
THIS MUST BE AT ONCE CORRECTED,
and the department placed on a basis of integrity, capacity, and respon- sibility.
D. HUNTER, Brig. Gen. Comd'g.
HEADQUARTERS C. S. A., RICHMOND, VA. November 30th, 1861.
General BEN. MCCULLOCH.
SIR : I can not understand why you withdrew your troops, instead of pursuing the enemy, when his leaders were quarreling, and his army separated into parts under different commanders. SEND AN EXPLANA- TION. JUDAH P. BENJAMIN, Sec. of War, C. S. A.
It seems from the above, that General McCulloch, in his reports to his chief, did not keep his words close together or, in other words, had " drawn the long bow."
On this identical date, Colonel Wyman wrote General Halleck that McCulloch was ordered North but refused to go and is falling back into Arkansas. Colonel Wyman has a scout who is cousin to Price's quartermaster, and is reliable.
The reader will have discovered before following this his- tory thus far, that its historians have found means, not only to find access to the papers of the officers of our Union gener- als in command, but have compelled, not only Price, McCul- loch, Pillow, and other Confederate generals, to report to the Thirteenth Illinois, but even the headquarters at Richmond, with its Cabinet officers, including Jeff Davis himself, have promptly, though reluctantly, delivered up their papers for the inspection of the Thirteenth Illinois. And so your histo- rian has kept you lingering about Springfield, until Price & Co. complied with our order to send in their reports, which
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you have just read ; so now we are ready to march to-morrow morning back towards Rolla.
November IIth, Monday .- Reveille roused us at 2:30 and we were on the road at 5 a. m. The weather was rough and windy, and threatened rain. We took the direct road back to Rolla, which was new to us, as but few of the regiment had ever been over this particular road. We passed through Sand Spring, Lebanon, Hazle Green, Belfort and Waynes- ville.
November 12th .- On Tuesday we started at daylight and marched about twenty-five miles. Our camp was in a large meadow, and the hardships undergone by reason of the long and tedious march were partly assuaged and compensated for by plenty of fresh pork. No good soldier will go back on the hog ; but all will admit, yea, stoutly maintain, that the hog is a public benefactor.
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