time for fully surveying the field before him, and ascertaining the extent of the resources at his command, that even if he failed to do all that one under other circumstances might have done, still your committee can discover no cause of censure against him. But in regard to both General Lyon and Colonel Mulligan your committee have discovered no evidence of any disregard for the public interest, or want of energy or inclination upon the part of General Frémont. Troops were collected by him as soon as could be done, and they were promptly sent where the exigencies of the service demanded. Some of them were diverted to other purposes than those for which General Frémont designed them. The government called upon him for troops to be sent to the east at a time when he was most earnestly engaged in procuring forces for the assistance of Colonel Mulligan. Those that were left were sent promptly, and only failed to render the assistance needed from causes over which General Frémont had no control. General Frémont early turned his attention to the building of gunboats for our western rivers. Whoever is entitled to the credit of originating the idea of employing such means of warfare in that section of country, it is not to be denied that General Frémont perceived the advantage to result from them. Our brilliant victories in the west will bear enduring testimony to the correctness of his judgment in that respect. But that feature of General Frémont's administration which attracted the most attention at the time, and which will ever be most prominent among the many points of interest connected with the history of that department, is his proclamation of emancipation. Whatever opinion may be entertained in reference to the time when the policy of emancipation should have been inaugurated, or by whose authority it should have been promulgated, there can be no doubt that General Frémont at that early day rightly judged in regard to the most effective means of subduing this rebellion. In proof of that it is only necessary to refer to the fact that his successor, when transferred to another department, issued a proclamation embodying the same principle. And the President, as commander-in-chief of the army and navy, has applied the same principle to all the rebellious States, and few will deny that it must be adhered to until the last vestige of treason and rebellion is destroyed. The administration of General Frémont was eminently characterized by earnestness, ability, and the most unquestionable loyalty. In the exercise of the almost unlimited power delegated to him, there was no evidence of any tenderness towards treason, or any failure to fully assert the dignity and power of the government of which he was the representative. The manner in which that power was exercised was to be judged by the results, and the policy of continuing him in command was a matter for the authorities above him to determine. In order to pronounce a final judgment upon all the affairs in the western department, much more information is necessary than is in the possession of your committee. They have undertaken merely to state what seems to be borne out by such testimony as they have been able to obtain. B. F. WADE, Chairman. 2. CHANDLER. As the testimony which the committee submit in relation to the western department is so incomplete, the testimony of so many witnesses deemed material by the whole committee being wanting, the undersigned decline to concur in the above report, and for themselves prefer to submit the testimony without com ment. D. W. GOOCH. M. F. ODELL. TESTIMONY. WESTERN DEPARTMENT. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, D. C, March 12, 1862. SIR: I have the honor, in compliance with your request of the 28th ultimo, to transmit herewith copies of the following papers, viz: Report of Adjutant General Thomas upon the Western Department, and Hon. B. F. WADE, EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. Chairman Joint Committee on the conduct of the present war. HARRISBURG, PA., October 19, 1861. GENERAL: When I did myself the honor to ask you to accompany me on my western tour, it was with the view of availing myself of your experience as adjutant general of the army. Finding that the result of my investigations might (as I at first apprehended) have an important effect not only upon the army of the west, but upon the interests of the whole country, I requested you to take full notes upon all points connected with the object of my visit. As you inform me that you have carefully complied with my wish, I now respectfully request you to submit your report as early as practicable, in order that the President may be correctly advised as to the administration of affairs connected with the army of the west. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brigadier General L. THOMAS, SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War. Adjutant General of the United States Army. WASHINGTON, D. C., October 21, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to submit the report requested in your letter of the 19th instant: We arrived at St. Louis, as you are aware, at 21 a. m. October 11th. After breakfast, rode to Benton Barracks, above the city. On the street leading to the camp, passed a small fieldwork in course of construction. Found the camp of great extent, with extensive quarters, constructed of rough boards. Much has been said of the large sums expended in their erection; but some one mentioned that General McKinstry, principal quar termaster, who made the disbursements, gave the cost at $15,000. If so, it was judicious. The actual cost should be ascertained. General Curtis was in command. Force present 140 officers, 3,338 men; principally detachments, except the 1st Iowa cavalry, 34 officers, 904 men, having horses, but without equipments. General Curtis said of General Frémont that he found no difficulty in having access to him, and when he presented business connected with his command it was attended to. General Frémont never consulted him on military matters, nor informed him of his plans. General Curtis remarked that while he would go with freedom to General Scott and express his opinions, he would not dare do so to General Frémont. He deemed General Frémont unequal to the command of an army, and said that he was no more bound by law than by the winds. After dinner, rode to the arsenal below the city, Captain Callender in charge. The garrison for its protection is under Major Granger, 3d cavalry. But very few arms in hand; a number of heavy guns, designed for gunboats and mortarboats. The captain is engaged in making ammunition. He said he heard that some person had a contract for making the carriages for these guns; that if so he knew nothing of it; and that it was entirely irregular, he being the proper officer to attend to the case. This, in my opinion, requires investigation. He expected soon to receive funds, and desired them for current purposes. Was fearful, however, that they might be diverted for other payments. Visited a large hospital not distant from the arsenal, in charge of Assistant Surgeon Bailey, United States army. It was filled with patients, mostly doing well. In fine order and a credit to the service. The doctor had an efficient corps of assistants from the volunteer service, and in addition a number of sisters of charity as nurses. God bless these pure and disin terested women! 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. He exhibited an order for the transfer of $100,000 to the quartermaster's department, which was irregular. Exhibited abstract of payments by one paymaster (Major Febiger) to 42 persons, appointed by General Frémont, viz: 1 colonel, 3 majors, 8 captains, 15 first lieutenants, 11 second lieutenants, 1 surgeon, 3 assistant surgeons; total, 42. Nineteen of these have appointments as engineers, and entitled to cavalry pay.-(See paper No. 1.) A second abstract of payments was furnished, but not vouched for as reliable, as the paymaster was sick, and is only given to show the excess of officers of rank appointed to the major general's body guard of only 300 men: the commander being a colonel, &c.-(See paper No. 2.) The whole number of irregular appointments made by General Frémont was said by Colonel Andrews to be nearly two hundred. The following is a copy of one of these appointments: "HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, "St. Louis, August 28, 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. "To Capt. FELIX VOGELE, Present.” (See paper No. 3.) "J. C. FREMONT, "Major General Commanding. I also saw a similar appointment given to an individual on General Frémont'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. Colonel Andrews was verbally instructed by me not to pay him, the person having presented the two papers and demanded pay. Colonel Andrews also stated that these appointments bore one date, but directed payment, in some cases, a month or more anterior thereto. He was then without funds, except a small amount. The principal commissary, Captain Haines, had no outstanding debts, and expected funds soon. Major Allen, principal quartermaster, had recently taken charge at St. Louis, but reported great irregularities in his department, and requested special instructions. These he deemed important, as orders were communicated by a variety of persons, in a very irregular manner, requiring disbursements of money. These orders are often ver. bally given. (See paper No. 4, asking for instructions.) He was sending, under General Frémont's orders, large amounts of forage from St. Louis to the army at Tipton, where corn was abundant and very cheap. The distance was 160 miles. He gave the indebtedness of the quartermaster's department in St. Louis to be $4,506,309 73.-(See paper No. 5.) În regard to contracts, without an examination of the accounts it would be difficult to arrive at the facts. It is the expressed belief of many persons that General Frémont has around him, in his staff, persons directly and indirectly concerned in furnishing supplies. The following is a copy of a letter signed by Leonidas Haskell, captain and aide-de-camp. He, though on General Frémont's staff, is said to be a contractor for hay and forage and mules; the person named in his note, Colonel Degraf, being his partner. "HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, "Camp Lillis, October 2, 1861. "SIR: I am requested by the commanding general to authorize Colonel Degraf to take any hay that has been contracted for by the government, his receipt for the same being all the voucher you require. "Respectfully yours, (See Exhibit No. 6.) "LEONIDAS HASKELL, What does this mean? Contractors deliver forage direct to quartermasters, who issue the same; but here another party steps in, and, if a contractor, or the partner of one, to fill his own contract. This double transaction, it is difficult to suppose, is done without a consideration. The accounts should be examined, and the price paid to Degraf compared with that paid to the contractors whose forage was seized. This same Captain Haskell, aide-de-camp, was a contractor for mules. He desired Captain Turnley to receive his animals, good, bad, and indifferent, as Captain Turnley said. This he would not do, and stated his prices for dif ferent classes, wheel, lead, &c. Besides, he had more mules than he could possibly send to the army. Notwithstanding all this, he received an order to inspect and receive Mr. Haskell's mules as rapidly as possible. Captain Turnley very soon received orders from General Frémont to leave St. Louis and proceed to the interior.-(See paper No. 7, showing his great labor and heavy responsibility.) By direction of General Meigs, advertisements were made to furnish grain and hay, and contracts made for specific sums-28 cents per bushel for corn, 30 cents for oats, and $17 95 per ton for hay. In face of this, another party at St. Louis, Baird, or Baird & Palmer, (Palmer being of the old firm in Cal ifornia of Palmer, Cook & Co.,) were directed to send to Jefferson City, (where hay and corn abound,) as fast as possible, 100,000 bushels of oats, with a corresponding amount of hay, at 33 cents per bushel for grain, and $19 per ton for hay. (See paper No. 7-Captain Turnley's letter.) Captain Edward M. Davis, a member of his staff, received a contract, by the direct order of General Fremont, for blankets. They were examined by a board of army officers, consisting of Captain Hendershott, 4th artillery, Captain Harris, commissary of subsistence, and Captain Turnley, assistant quartermaster. The blankets were found to be made of cotton, and to be rotten and worthless. Notwithstanding this decision, they were purchased, and given to the sick and wounded soldiers in hospital. These facts can be ascertained from the report of the board or the officers themselves, and the bill of purchase. Amongst the supplies sent by General Fremont to the army now in the field may be enumerated 500 half barrels, to carry water, in a country of abundant supply, and 500 tons of ice. We examined the barracks in course of construction in St. Louis, near and around the private house occupied by him as quarters-the Brant House, rented at $6,000 per annum. These barracks have brick foundations and brick outer walls, weatherboarded, and are sufficient as quarters and stables for 1,000 men. Like those of Camp Benton, these barracks were not built by contract or proposals; they are certainly more expensive and more permanent than the quarters of a temporary army would require; and the exact expense, though perhaps difficult to ascertain, should be discovered. A pontoon bridge has been thrown across the Ohio river at Paducah. A ferry boat, in a region where such boats are readily procured, would be just as efficient and much less expensive. Contracts, it will be seen, were given to individuals without resorting to advertisements for bids, as required by law and regulations. Having received an intimation from another quarter of an impropriety, I called on Captain McKeever, assistant adjutant general, for the facts, which he gave me as follows: One week after the receipt of the President's order modifying General Frémont's proclamation relative to the emancipation of slaves, General Fremont, by note to Captain McKeever, required him to have 200 copies of the original proclamation and address to the army of same. date printed and sent immediately to Ironton, for the use of Major Gavitt, Indiana cavalry, for distribution through the country. Captain McKeever had the copies printed and delivered. The order is as follows: "Adjutant general will have 200 copies of proclamation of commanding general, dated 30th August, together with address to the army of same date, sent immediately to Ironton for the use of Major Gavitt, Indiana cavalry. Major Gavitt will distribute it through the country. "SEPTEMBER 23, 1861. "A true copy: "J. C. F., Commanding General. "CHAUNCEY MCKEEVER, We left St. Louis, October 12, for General Frémont's headquarters, at Tipton, 160 miles distant, passing the night at Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri, 125 miles from St. Louis; General Price was in command of the place with a force of 12,000 men. The 8th Iowa was there en route for Tipton. At this place there were accumulated a large quantity of forage landed from steamboats, and some wagons and mules for transportation; also the half barrels for carrying water, and a number of mules, which Captain Turn |