IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, March 2, 1863.

Resolved, by the Senate of the United States, (the House of Representatives concurring,) That in order to enable the "Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War" to complete their investigations of certain important matters now before them, and which they have not been able to complete, by reason of inability to obtain important witnesses, be authorized to continue their sessions for thirty days after the close of the present Congress, and to place their testimony and reports in the hands of the Secretary of the Senate.

Resolved, further, That the Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to cause to be printed, of the reports and accompanying testimony of the Committee on the Conduct of the War, 5,000 copies for the use of the Senate, and 10,000 copies for the use of the House of Representatives.

Attest:

J. W. FORNEY, Secretary.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 2, 1863.

Resolved, That the House concur in the foregoing resolutions of the Senate to continue the sessions of the "Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War" for thirty days, and to direct the Secretary of the Senate to cause the printing of the reports, &c., with the following amendment: insert at the end the words: "of the present Congress." Attest:

EM. ETHERIDGE, Clerk.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, March 2, 1863. Resolved, That the Senate concur in the foregoing amendment of the House of Representatives to said resolution.

Attest:

J. W. FORNEY, Secretary.

APRIL 6, 1863.

Mr. WADE, from the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, in accordance with the preceding resolution, placed in the hands of the Secretary of the Senate the following report in three parts.

PART 1.-ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

PART 2.-BULL RUN-BALL'S BLUFF.

PART 3.-WESTERN DEPARTMENT, OR MISSOURI--MISCELLANEOUS.

REPORT

OF THE

JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

PART III.-DEPARTMENT OF THE WEST.

The joint committee on the conduct of the war submit the following report, with the accompanying testimony in relation to the department of the west.

Your committee have been unable to take all the testimony necessary to enable them to present a comprehensive report in relation to the administration of affairs in the department of the west, more particularly while under the command of General John C. Frémont. Compelled to remain in attendance upon Congress during its sessions, they were unable to visit the department in order to take the testimony of witnesses there. And they did not feel willing to call from so great a distance the witnesses whose testimony was necessary to fully elucidate all the facts, as their services were constantly required in the field. Throughout their investigations your committee have strictly adhered to the rule adopted by them from the first, to ask the attendance of those in the military service only when no detriment to the public interests would result from a temporary absence from their commands. When Congress closed its session last summer, many of those who had been most actively engaged in the operations to which your committee desired to direct their attention had been ordered to other parts of the country; some were in Tennessee and Mississippi, some in Arkansas, some in the army of the Potomac, and others in the department of the south under General Hunter. Such testimony as was within reach your committee have taken. But they are fully aware that their investigation upon that subject has been far from complete; and they, therefore, present but a brief report, together with such testimony as they have obtained.

When the rebellion commenced Missouri was one of the most turbulent among those States which the rebel leaders sought to gain over to their cause by the connivance and treachery of the State authorities, and by the presence of armed forces to operate upon the fears of the people. The number of federal troops in that region was very small; a great portion of our troops, stationed in the Territories and at our military posts upon the western frontier, had been basely surrendered by Twiggs to the rebels in Texas. St. Louis, the great commercial emporium of the State, was preserved from falling under rebel control only by the prompt and fearless course pursued by General, then Captain, Lyon, who, not waiting for orders or authority, occupied the United States arsenal, when threatened by the traitor governor of the State, and dispersed the rebel troops who were collected under the specious name of State guards, in a camp of instruction near St. Louis.

The difficulty under which our commanders there labored in obtaining supplies of arms, clothing, &c., for volunteers, was far greater than was felt in any other part of the country. Distant from all the principal depots, at a time when the ability of the government was taxed to the utmost to arm and equip the large number of volunteers called into the field, those who were, from time to time, placed in charge of that department were compelled to act under the greatest disadvantages.

Just previous to the appointment of General Frémont to the command of that department, the state of affairs in Missouri had become very alarming. In every portion of the State the rebel forces had appeared and assumed the offensive; all through the State they were committing their depredations, and Jackson, the governor, had appeared with a large force of troops, furnished by the rebel authorities from Arkansas and Texas, in addition to those he had been able to collect in Missouri. Pillow and other rebel generals had collected a large force from Tennessee, Kentucky, &c., and were threatening the southwestern portion of the State, and Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio. General Lyon, who was the highest officer in command, after the removal of General Harney, had, with his limited means, been most active, and had taken the field for the purpose of preventing Jackson, with his superior forces, from getting possession of the northern portion of the State.

In July General Frémont was assigned to that command. He proceeded to New York city, where he spent some days, endeavoring to arrange for supplying his department with the arms, &c., which were absolutely requisite. He reached St. Louis on the 25th of July. General Pope, who had been assigned the command in northern Missouri, was calling for troops to enable him to take the field; General Lyon, in the southwestern portion of the State, had been calling for re-enforcements for some time; General Prentiss, at Cairo, was also asking for re-enforcements. General Frémont first re-enforced Cairo, as being the most important point, situated, as it was, at the junction of the Ohio and the Mississippi, and controlling the navigation of those two rivers. The number of troops that he could obtain for that purpose was small; but the enemy were led to believe, by the large number of steamboats that went down from St. Louis, that the re-enforcement was far greater than it really was; and Pillow, who had a force estimated at 12,000 men, was deterred from making the attack he had contemplated.

Cairo being re-enforced, General Frémont at once took steps to send troops to the assistance of General Lyon. The number of the enemy opposed to General Lyon was almost overwhelming. It was supposed by many that he would retire before them until he should meet supports. He himself seems to have contemplated such a movement, for after the affair of Dug Springs he retired to Springfield; and General Sturgis testifies that, at that time, General Lyon expressed his convictions that re-enforcements could not be sent to him.

Upon reaching Springfield, General Lyon halted his forces, and after waiting there some four or five days announced his intention to march out and attack the enemy. What reasons influenced him in forming that determination are not well established by the testimony. Some of the officers have expressed their conviction that he apprehended that the enemy, should he retire further from them, would fall upon his rear and cripple him, or force him to fight a battle under great disadvantages. His brave spirit, doubtless, led him to meet the enemy he had gone so far to reach, and endeavor to inflict such a blow as would lead them not to press very closely upon him. Whatever his reasons may have been, he determined upon the attack. The battle was fought at Wilson's creek, on the 10th of August, and, though the enemy outnumbered our forces four to one, our army was eminently successful.

General Lyon fell, leading on a regiment to the attack. His loss at that time was most deeply felt. Dying as a brave soldier would wish to die, fighting for the cause of his country against those who were seeking its destruction, his example has exercised its influence upon those who have since won the glorious victories which have made our armies in the west so illustrious.

After that battle our forces retired to Rolla, the enemy being so severely punished that they followed only at a distance. At Rolla they were joined by the troops that had been started to their relief, but had been delayed for want of transportation.