A NEW YEAR'S PRESENT.

153 of supplies, had marched his forces from Atlanta through the heart of the Confederacy, "subsisting them" as they went, not upon "hard tack," but upon the fullness of their enemies, and resting them within the fortifications of captured Savannah, which he announced as a "New Year's present to the President. The army of Lee was held motionless in Richmond, and in the rebel Congress and among its authorities there was dissension.

Worthy were the above triumphs to be recorded on the same page with the capture of Vicksburg, the victory at Chattanooga, and the brilliant charge and carrying of Missionary Ridge, of the preceding year. It was no longer heard that one Southerner was superior in prowess to five Yankees! That miserable bluster had ceased. The world, too, had learned that we so appreciate our Government as to think no price too great for its preservation.

The outward signs warranted the closing paragraphs of Governor Yates' last message.

"Now I am here to-day to say in behalf of the loyal millions of Illinois, and I trust this General Assembly is prepared to say, and to throw in the face of Jeff. Davis and of his minions, and of all traitors who would destroy our Union, the determined response that in the booming thunders of Farragut's cannon, in the terrible onslaught of Sherman's legions, in the flaming sabers of Sheridan's cavalry, and in the red battle glare of Grant's artillery, our voice is still for war-war to the knife-all the dread enginery of war-persistent, unrelenting, stupendous, exterminating war, till the last rebel shall lay down his arms, and our flag float in triumph over the land.

*

*

"The black wall of slavery, which, like a frightful specter, drove the emigrant from the sunny fields and rich savannas of the South, is, or soon will be, broken down-the process of intermixture, intermarriage, reciprocal business and commercial relations, will assume the place of the unsocial isolations which have heretofore divided the sections. And though the war has been bitter and bloody, yet the history of most nations of Europe teaches that they have survived long and bloody civil wars, and yet afterwards lived in peace and harmony under the same government. Such is the history of France, after her revolution. The civil war of England, in the

memorable days of Cromwell, was marked by scenes of violence, of confiscation of property, of devastation of estates and desolation of towns and cities, as intense and terrible as those which have marked the progress of our civil war. Upon the re-establishment of the government, the people became united, and every memory of the rancor of the war soon disappeared. And so, after the vindication of our national authority, each section awarding to the other the credit due to lofty and indomitable prowess, like friends who have fought it out and are better friends ever after, so will the North and the South bury the memory of their wrongs. Massachusetts and Illinois will again reunite with Virginia and Georgia over the grave of treason, and together with the new-born sisters of the Confederacy, will live on in the bonds of a new brotherhood, and with fresh allegiance to the Constitution, and an unfailing faith in the proved strength of our institutions and man's capacity for self-government, strengthened and reassured by the baptism of blood through which the nation has passed, they will move on as one people, united forever.

"Such is to be the end of events passing before us, and I trust that the people of the United States, and their posterity, while they offer up praises and thanksgiving to Almighty God for the deliverance he has brought to our people out of this red sea of bloodthey will bless, with a nation's gratitude, from age to age, the memories of the brave men who have perilled all for their country in its dark and trying hour. And when our own Illinois, upon some national holiday, shall meet all our returning soldiers, as they shall pass in serried ranks, with their old battle-scarred banners and shivered cannons, and rusty bayonets and sabers-with rebel flags and rebel trophies of every kind-at this mighty triumphal procession, surpassing the proudest festivals of ancient Rome and Greece, in their palmiest days, then the loud plaudits of a grateful people will go up: All hail to the veterans who have given our flag to the God of storms, the battle and the breeze, and consecrated our country afresh to Union, Liberty and Humanity."

CHAPTER IX.

FREMONT'S ADMINISTRATION.

IT LINOIS TROOPS IN THE WEST-SITUATION OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS AND LYON-ATTACK ON BOONEVII LE-CARTHAGE-ARRIVAL OF FREMONT "WESTERN Department "—A CRITICAL TIME-SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI--REYNOLD'S PRONUNCIAMENTO-Gov. JACKSON'S PROCLAMATION-WILSON'S CREEK-DEATH OF LYON-PRENTISS TO FREMONT— FREMONT'S STATEMENT-PLAN OF HIS CAMPAIGN-HIS CELebrated Order—LexingTON-COL. MULLIGAN'S FORCE-THE ASSAILANTS-1ST, ESTVAN'S TESTIMONIAL-INDIGNATION-COLFAX AND FREMONT-RETREAT OF PRICE-CROSSING THE OSAGE-FREMONT'S MARCH-ZAGONYI'S CHARGE-PRICE AT PINEVILLE-REMOVAL OF FREMONTHUNTER'S RETREAT ITS ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES-FIGHT AT MONROE-GEN. HURLBUT'S ORDER-GEN. POPE'S ORder-Battle oF CHARLESTON-FREMONT'S REPORTCOLONEL DOUGHERTY-THE MARCH-CHARGE-ITS RESULTS-KILLED AND WOUNDED-BATTLE OF FREDERICKTOWN-COL. PLUMMER AND HIS COMMAND-THE ENGAGEMENT THE VICTORY.

IN

N the disposition of the armies of the Union, the Illinois troops, with the exception of a few regiments, have been with the armies of the West and Southwest, and not with those of the East; have fought along the Mississippi, the Tennessee, the Cumberland, the White and the Savannah, rather than the Potomac, the James and the Rapidan. This they do not regret, for with occasional disasters the armies of Belmont and Donelson, of Henry and Shiloh, of Corinth and Iuka, of Vicksburg and Stone River, of Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain, of Atlanta and Savannah, may compare their roll of marches and battles with that of the veterans of the famed captains of the past.

The military operations of the West began with the occupying of Cairo, the importance of which has been stated. Missouri, with a disloyal Executive, was plunged into the vortex of secession by his act alone, for not even the pliant, cringing Legislature he assembled would go to the extreme length of voting the State out of the Union, though quite willing to do all lesser acts of treasonable aid

and comfort; willing to vote the School Fund, and the money set apart for the payment of the July interest on the State debt, and such other funds as they could bring under their control, for military purposes, "that the State might be protected against invasion and insurrection;" willing to give Governor Jackson, as thorough a rebel and as vile a traitor as there was in South Carolina, exclusive military authority, arming him virtually with dictatorial powers, and making merely verbal opposition to his mandates, treason; willing to enact that every citizen, subject to military duty, should be at the traitor Governor's pleasure, subject to draft, and required to take an oath of obedience to the State Executive; all this it could vote, but dared not vote the State out of the Union. The Governor appointed Sterling Price Major-General of the State troops, and divided the State into military districts, under the following named Brigadiers, of his own appointment: viz., Parsons, M. L. Clark, Jno. B. Clark, Slack, Harris, Rains, McBride, Stein and Jeff. Thompson, who were to organize and send their troops to Booneville and Lexington.

The commercial metropolis of Missouri and the Southwest, St. Louis, would have been seized and held but for the intrepid promptness of Captain, afterwards Brigadier-General Lyon. Says Col. Estvan of the Confederate cavalry, "With the permission of the Confederate Government, a body of troops had formed a camp outside of St. Louis. The Captain of the Federal troops stationed there, did not, however, allow this germ of a revolutionary movement to grow under his very eyes. Relying upon the German population of St. Louis, as well as upon the loyalty of their feelings as citizens of the Union, he assembled some battalions of German troops, marched to the revolutionary camp, and after an energetic summons made them surrender. This gave great annoyance to the Confederates at St. Louis. The Germans were received with showers of stones and pistol shots, which unpleasant welcome was responded to by the poor fellows with a volley, which killed some of the ringleaders. The excitement increased, and St. Louis, that beautiful and flourishing city, was on the point of becoming the scene of strife between two contending factions, which it only escaped through the presence of mind of Captain Lyon, of the United States army."

RETREAT THROUGH CARTHAGE.

157

This Captain Lyon was subsequently made Brigadier-General of volunteers, and his characteristic promptness and decision led him to move immediately upon the Confederate forces, which occupied Booneville, on the 18th of June, 1861. Accordingly, with some two thousand men, he left St. Louis on steamers; and after landing at Jefferson City, re-embarked and reached Rockport, nearly opposite Booneville, on the morning of the 17th, and crossing, met the forces of Marmaduke, which came toward the landing to suprise him, but to their own surprise, met him more than half way from the landing to their own encampment. A conflict followed, and the "State troops," under their secession organization, were routed, and fled in wild confusion, leaving their camp equipage, provisions, stores, two iron six-pounders, with horses, and small arms. The loss was small on either side. General Lyon entered the town at half past twelve, and established his head-quarters at the Fair ground, quartering the regiment of Col. Frank. P. Blair in the Thespian Hall.

On the Fourth of July Col. Franz Sigel met the forces of Jackson, and though vastly outnumbered, made a gallant fight, and conducted a masterly retreat to Carthage, and through that town to Sarcoxie. Jackson was reinforced by the command of Price, and Sigel, outnumbered nearly fourfold, was compelled to continue his retreat via Mt. Vernon to Springfield, where he effected a junction with Lyon. This affair was held to reflect great honor upon our arms, both in the engagement and the necessary retreat. The rebel loss far exceeded that of Sigel's force. The latter, a mere handful, after the previous day's march of twenty-two miles, marched more than thirty miles, fought three distinct engagements, besides incessant skirmishing with superior numbers, and when compelled, by lack of ammunition, to fall back, did so, with the enemy hovering on both flanks and pressing his rear, with a loss so small as to excite wonder.

The attention of the War Department appeared, perhaps necessarily, to be directed almost solely to Washington and its defenses. The West, the great rivers and long lines of railway, the cities and immense stores of provisions of the Southwest, were doubtless important, but were left to take care of themselves.

On the 9th of July, 1861, John C. Fremont, who had just arrived