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CHAPTER IX.

FREMONT'S PROCEDURE IN MISSOURI. HISTORY OF HIS "ONE
HUNDRED DAYS"" RULE.

Disorganized State of

Affairs.

THE disaster to our army | may come to the possession of the State without at Wilson's Creek was pre- being captured by the United States. It is further ceded by much important enjoined on all citizens of suitable age, to enroll political action. The reorganization of the themselves in military organizations, that they may All citizens State Executive [see page 293] did not result take part in the defense of the State. who are embodied under the act of the last Assemin a peaceful acquiescence by the Secessionist bly, commonly called the Military law, are notified element. Jackson's emissaries were both that the act has been abrogated, the troops disalarmed and maddened at the deposition of banded, and the act of the same session for the aptheir chief. Soon, the entire arca of the State pointment of a Major-General has been annulled, became the seat of a relentless and distress- and all soldiers are enjoined to cease acting in a ing guerrilla war, which the want of arms and military capacity. If those citizens who, at the call of military organization prevented the Union- of the late Governor, have taken up arms, choose ists from putting down. Fremont addressed to return voluntarily to their homes, to the peaceful himself to a suppression of the bands of vil- pursuit of their occupations, they will find in the lains roaming every where in quest of plun- present Executive a determination to afford them der and blood; but, the heavy demands all the security in his power, and there is no doubt made for field forces to cope with the organ-officers and their troops of the Confederate States, entertained that they will be unmolested. ized armies of Pillow, Price and McCullough, who have invaded Missouri, are notified that it is left him but small means for chasing out the against the will of the people of Missouri that they August 5th. Governor should continue on the soil of the State, and that Gamble was constrained to their continuance in Missouri will be considered an issue a proclamation for the act of war, designed to bring upon our State the arrest and punishment of horrors of war, which Missouri wishes to avoid. the guerrillas. As it illustrates the state of They are, therefore notified to depart at once from affairs at its date, we quote:

ruffian freebooters.

Governor Gamble's

Proclamation.

the State."

The

Martial Law in
Northern Missouri.

"I do hereby strictly charge and enjoin upon all This heralded a strong sheriffs, and other magistrates who are conservators effort in Northern Missouri of the peace, to use all the powers conferred upon to place that section under them by law in arresting and bringing to punish-martial law. The county seats of Warren, ment all persons who disturb the public peace by Montgomery, Lincoln, Calloway, Andrain, using violence against any of their fellow citizens; Pike, Rollo, Monroe, Randolph, Howard, and especially are you charged to bring to justice

all who combine to practice violence against other persons on account of their political opinions; and if force should be employed to resist you in the discharge of your duties to an extent that you cannot overcome, by the means provided by law, you are charged to make known that fact to this department, that proper measures may be taken in such cases. It is enjoined on all citizens that they perform the duty of giving information of deposite of munitions of war belonging to the State, that they

Mason, Shelby, Marion, Lewis, Knox, Lynn,
Scotland, Clark and Livingston counties, it
was arranged, should be occupied by the
Union forces. The occupation comprised the
following features:

"The commanding officers of the forces will ap
point committees of public safety from the respon
sible citizens of the county, whose duty it shall be
to preserve the peace in their respective counties.
Each committee shall consist of not more than foar

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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR REYNOLDS' PROCLAMATION.

Martial Law in Northern Missouri.

323

persons, and whenever it can | laying down their arms at the nearest military post. be conveniently done the coun- and by performing their duty hereafter as peaceful ty officers shall be elected and lawful and law-abiding citizens, they will not be members. No one thus appointed shall be permit- molested by military forces, nor, so far as the Gented to decline, or shall fail to perform the duties, eral commanding can influence in the matter, will under such penalties as the Commanding-General they be subjected to punishment, unless they have shall affix. These committees are charged, accord- committed murder or some other aggravated ofing to orders issued by General Pope, with maintain- fense." ing peace and order in their respective counties, and shall have power to call out the citizens of the county, to assemble at such time and place and in such numbers as may be necessary to secure these

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objects. Any one who shall refuse to obey such call will be turned over to the military authorities.

If the people of the counties respectively are not able or willing to enforce the peace among themselves, and to prevent the organizing of companies to make war upon the United States, the military force will perform the service, but the expenses must be paid by the county in which such service is necessary. To secure their prompt payment a levy of a sufficient amount of property will be made by

the officer in command.

“On the call of a majority of the Committee of Safety in each county, troops will be sent to keep

the peace,
but as such expeditions are for the bene-
fit of the people concerned-who have in nearly
every case the power to discharge the service them-
selves the troops will be quartered upon them and
be transported by the county in the manner speci-
fied above, the whole period it may be necessary
for them to remain.

"If, in consequence of a disturbance not reported by the Committee, the General commanding finds it necessary to send a force into any county to restore order, they will be, in like manner, billeted upon the county, unless the combinations against the peace are too powerful to be resisted, or the parties engaged in them were organized in other counties, and brought on the disturbance by actual invasion. It is not believed that the first case can arise in any county of North Missouri, and in the second, the forces will be marched into the county or counties where the marauding parties were organized, or from wherever they made the invasion, and will in like manner be quartered on them. If peace and good order are preserved the troops will not be required. When they are disturbed they will be restored at the expense of the county.

All these rapid and stringent regulations bid fair to secure the peace of Northen Missouri; while the progress of Lyon southward, gave hopes of a defeat of the rebel armies organized for the invasion of the States by way of Springfield-a hope soon doomed to a bitter disappointment.

The absconding Governor Jackson, and Lieutenant-Governor Reynolds, were co-operating with the Confederate authorities during the latter part of July and the early part of August to secure the means of overrunning the State. Reynolds issued his proclamation as “acting Governor," in the absence of Jackson, dated New Madrid, July 31st, in which he advised the people of Missouri, among other things:

Licut. Governor Reynolds' Proclamation.

"In an address to you on the 8th inst., I stated that, on a proper occasion and at a proper time,

our brethren of the South would extend us efficient aid in our struggle for our liberties. That occasion

and that time have arrived. The sun which shone

in its full midday splendor at Manassas is about to arise upon Missouri. At the instance of Governor Jackson, expressed through Major E. C. Cabell, of St. Louis, Commissioner of Missouri to the Confederate States, and in gratification of the wish which during the last two months I have labored to accomplish, I return to the State to accompany, in my official capacity, one of the armies which the warrior statesman, whose genius now presides over the affairs of our half of the Union, has prepared to advance against the common foe. In thus doing justice to the warm and active sympathy of the Presi dent and people of the Confederate States for our cause, I also feel bound to allude to the very essential aid rendered us by Major Cabell. As our Commissioner, he has displayed at Montgomery and Richmond a zeal and ability in our behalf which deserve the very highest praise. He remains at Richmond to represent our interests. It gives me great

To preserve the peace is the duty of all good citizens, and so all will alike suffer from the breach of it. Men of every shade of political opinion can act together in the discharge of a duty as full of in-pleasure thus publicly to acknowledge his impor

terest to one as another. All persons who have hitherto been led away to take up arms against the

tant services."

The proclamation then proceeded, at some United States are notified that by returning and | length, to cite, in the sounding sentences so

Lieut. Governor Reynolds' Proclamation.

The Military Programme.

peculiar to Southern docu- | ed, menace General Lyon ments, and with the falsity in Southwest Missouri by of statement so habitual to threats of attack from GenSouthern dignitaries, from Davis down to erals Price and Rains, while the forces at New Wigfall and George Sanders, the history of Madrid and Pocahontas effect a junction at events which had necessitated the advance Pilot Knob, and from thence march on St. of the army of the "gallant Pillow." His Louis, take it, reinstate Governor Jackson, rhodomontade ended with the following ap- and, with this city as a base of operations, wrest Missouri from the General Government." peal: If this really was the enemy's programme, Fremont's disposition of his forces was such as to meet them at the points menaced, St. Louis and Cairo, rather than to cope with them in the field until his strength would seem to justify an attitude of offense. St.Louis, like Washington, was a point of too much importance to be left in peril; and the Com

"Citizens of Missouri: In this decisive crisis of our destiny, let us rally as one man to the standard of our State. The inscription on the border of Missouri's shield warns us against division among ourselves. United we stand, divided we fall.' I particularly address myself to these who, though Southerners in feeling, have permitted a love of peace to lead them astray from the State cause. You now see the State authorities about to assert with pow

erful forces their constitutional rights; you behold manding-General proceeded, with all haste,

the most warlike preparation on the globe, the people of the lower Mississipi valley, about to rush with their gleaming bowie-knives and unerring rifles to aid us in driving out the abolitionists and their Hessian allies. If you cordially join our Southern friends the war must soon depart Missouri's borders; if you still continue either in apathy or in indirect support of the Lincoln government, you only bring ruin upon yourselves by fruitlessly prolonging the contest. The road to peace and internal security is only through union with the South. We will receive you as brothers, and let bygones be bygones; rally to the Stars and Bars in union with our glorious ensign of the Grizzly Bear."

to place it in a state of defense by the erec-
tion of batteries and earth-work forts at
He also massed
several covering points.
troops there, forming a camp of general ren-
dezvous, where his reviews, if they did not
vie with those of the Commanding-General
of the East, still presented a pageant the like
of which few persons ever had witnessed.
Arms, ordnance and stores came in, by Aug.
25th, in heavy instalments, from the East, by
express trains. Men flocked to the "Path-
finder's" standard, in vast numbers, from
every State of the Northwest. The levee
swarmed with steamers hurrying in and out
accomplishing Fremont's orders. The city
became a vast arsenal and barracks, where
men of thirty nationalities swelled the Union
ranks. It was a sudden creation of an army:
had the General been as fortunate in making

Governor Jackson reappeared by his "Declaration of Independence," issued also from New Madrid, August 5th. It was published as a reply to the "Address" promulgated by the Convention [see pages 293-94] to the people in vindication of its action in depos-use of his men as in gathering them, he would ing Jackson and reorganizing the State Government. Jackson's "Declaration" especially

addressed itself to a vindication of his own

course. Having the two documents before

him the reader will be able to form his own estimate of their merits. [The "Declaration" is given at length in the Appendix.]

As stated by Reynolds, Pillow was in possession of New Madrid. Jeff. Thompson's army of about six thousand men was above New Madrid, in Mississippi county. It was announced that the rebel plan was "to keep up a threat to attack Cairo and Bird's Point, so as to keep the Union troops there employ

have whipped treason out of Missouri, and have sent consternation to the rebel heart throughout the entire Mississippi valley, while the General in the East was preparing to take

Manassas.

The defeat (Aug. 10th) of Lyon, at Wilson's Creek, and the retreat of the Union army from Southwestern Missouri to Rolla, left the way open for McCullough and Price to march upon Jefferson. They were somewhat slow in availing themselves of their great advantage, but the dismal forebodings of the gallant Lyon were verified; his rapid conquests were lost, and the Unionists of all that

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Disastrous Result of

Lyon's Defeat.

FREMONT'S CALL FOR HELP.

325

Fremont's Cail for
Help

portion of the State lying | every county in an insurrec-
tionary condition, and the ene-
my advancing in force by dif
ferent points of the Southern frontier. Within a cir-

south and west of Rolla
were made to feel the iron
heel of the despot. Thousands of men, wo-
men and children fled from their homes
abandoning all to the cut-throats from Ar-
kansas and Texas rather than submit to their
atrocious mercy. More fortunate than the
Unionists of East Tennessee in having had
the opportunity of escape, they still were
great sufferers by that melancholy retreat.

Could Fremont have reenforced Lyon and have saved Missouri from the great disasters which followed? The question arose when it was known that the brave and true hearted Lyon had fallen a sacrifice in the effort to stay the tide of rebel invasion. Fremont had, at his call, about twenty-three thousand troops by August 1st. These men were chiefly raw volunteers, who had seen little or no service. Only about one third of them were armed and equipped. The three months volunteers were rapidly disbanding, and, as a consequence, more or less affected the new regi- | ments with a spirit of disorganization. Treason lurked every where throughout the State. Any moment might witness the uprising of Jackson's friends and supporters, and Cairo,*

at

any hour, might be assailed by the
rebels then in force at New Madrid and Hick-
man. Fremont's position was one of peril.
demanding the exercise of extraordinary en-
ergy.
He thus stated his case to the Presi-
dent. We quote the docu-
ment, since it is used by
himself in his own justi-

Fremont's Call for
Help.

fication.t

"HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, "[Unofficial.] ST. LOUIS, July 30th, 1861.

}

"MY DEAR SIR: You were kind enough to say that as occasions of sufficient gravity arose, I might send you a private note.

cle of fifty miles around General Prentiss, there are

about twelve thousand of the Confederate forces. and five thousand Tennesseans and Arkansas men, under Hardee, well armed with rifles, are advancing upon Ironton. Of these two thousand are cavalry, which yesterday morning were within twenty-four hours march of Ironton. Colonel Bland, who had been seduced from this post, is falling back upon it. I have already reenforced it with one regiment, sent on another this morning, and fortified it. I am building the railroad to Ironton and that to Rolla, so securing our connections with the South. Other measwhich I am taking, I will not trust to a letter,

ures,

and I write this only to inform you as to our true condition, and to say that if I can obtain the material aid I am expecting, you may feel secure that the enemy will be driven out and the State reduced to order. I have ordered General Pope back to North Missouri, of which he is now in command. I am sorely pressed for want of arms. I have arranged with Adams' Express Co. to bring me everything with speed, and will buy arms to-day in New York. Our troops have not been paid, and some regiments are in a state of mutiny, and the men whose term of service is expired generally refuse to enlist. I lost a fine regiment last night from inability to pay them a portion of the money due. The regiment had been intended to move on a critical post last night. The Treasurer of the United States has here $300,000 entirely unappropriated. I applied to him yesterday for $100,000 for my Paymaster-General Andrews, but was refused. We have not an hour for delay. There are three courses open to me. One, to let the enemy possess himself of some of the strongest points in the State, and threaten St. Louis, which is insurrectionary. Second: To force a loan from secession banks here. Third: To use the money be longing to the Government, which is in the Treasury here. Of course, I will neither lose the State nor permit the enemy a foot of advantage. I have infused energy and activity into the Department, and

"I have found this command in disorder, nearly there is a thorough good spirit in officers and men.

*Fremont had been assigned the command of Illinois and Kentucky. Cairo was, therefore, in his Department.

+ See also letters of Colonel Harding and General Prentiss as cited in the evidence submitted to the Investigating Committee. Colonel Harding's letter of July 21st, gives a full and clear statement of the state of affairs up to the date of Fremont's arrival in St. Louis

This morning I will order the Treasurer to deliver the money in his possession to General Andrews, and will send a force to the Treasury to take the money, and will direct such payments as the exigency requires. I will hazard everything for the defense of the Department you have confided to me, and I trust to you for support.

"With respect and regard, I am yours truly,

"J. C. FREMONT, Maj. Gen. Commanding. "TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES."

me.

"I find my position extremely embarrassing, and am at present unable to determine whether I shall be able to maintain my ground or forced to retire.

I shall hold my ground as long as possible, though I may, without knowing how far, endanger the safety of my entire force with its valuable material, being induced, by the important considerations involved, to take this step. The enemy yesterday made a show of force about five miles distant, and has doubtless a full purpose of making an attack upon me.

"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

This, we believe, did not paint the picture | ing country; his large force of mounted men ena. too strongly. The peril was great and the bling him to do this without much annoyance from means of immediate defense were inadequate. An enterprising enemy could, at any time, precipitate forces upon Cairo sufficient to carry and to retain that most important position, thus menacing St. Louis and arresting the navigation of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. That danger Fremont first confronted, with all his energies. "Lyon could retreat, but the position at Fremont and Lyon. Cairo could not be abandoned," said the General. He further added: "The question of holding Cairo was one which involved the safety of the whole Northwest. Had the taking of St. Louis followed the defeat of Manassas, the disaster might have been irretrievable, while the loss of Springfield, should our army be compelled to fall back upon Rolla, would only carry with it the loss of a part of Missouri-a loss greatly to be regretted, but not irretrievable. Having reenforced Cape Girardeau and Ironton by the utmost exertions, I succeeded in getting together and embarking with a force of 3,80 men five days after my arrival in St. Louis."

He returned to St. Louis Aug. 4th, "to provide reenforcements for General Lyon." "I did not accept" Fremont says in his defense, "Springfield as a disaster belonging to my administration. Causes wholly out of my jurisdiction had already prepared the defeat of General Lyon, before my arrival at St. Louis. His letter to me on the 9th August, with other papers annexed, will show that I was already in communication with him, and that he knew his wants were being provided for. It will be seen that I had all reasonable expectations of being able to relieve him in time, and had he been able to adhere to the course indicated in his letter, a very short time would have found him efficiently sustained :"

"SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Aug. 9th, 1861. "GENERAL: I have just received your note of the 6th inst., by special messenger.

"N. LYON, Brig. Gen. Vols. Commanding. "Major-General J. C. FREMONT, Commanding Western Department, St. Louis, Mo."

Fremont and Lyon

This is Fremont's only defense in the matter. Let the reader judge if it is valid. Lyon was killed August 10th, and the entire Southwestern section of the State was lost. Had Generals Pillow and Polk followed up the rebel success in that section by sudden advances, it is conceded that nothing but bad generalship on their part would have left the Unionists Cairo and St. Louis. Fremont's energy at least saved these points. His activity led the rebels to believe him greatly stronger than he really was thus holding both Price and Pillow in check.

But, Lyon's defeat opened the way for Price and McCullough into Central Missouri. Fremont at once addressed himself to mecting the advance, and to completing the fortications of St. Louis projected by General Lyon. Extraordinary danger demanded extraordinary measures. Contracts were given for the work on the excavations and embankments of the forts which, in ordinary times, would have been deemed outrageous in price; but, what was money in a moment of peril like that?* Purchases of arms were made which, afterwards, were cited as an evidence

*The enemies of Fremont used the price paid for work on the fortifications and for the muskets, as one of the chief weapons to effect his deposition. It "I retired to this place, as I have before informed was a low proceeding, at best, to weigh cost in the you, reaching here on the 5th. The enemy followed balance with the public peril. The charges of “iuto within ten miles of here. He has taken a strong competency," it would appear from the showing of position, and is recruiting his supplies of horses, evidence made by the Investigating Committee, were mules and provisions, by forages into the surround-only an incidental citation.

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