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Meantime the untoward and obstructing conduct of the people of Missouri had decided me to assert the power of the Government. Accordingly, onthe 30th of August, I issued a proclamation affixing penalties to rebellionand extending martial law over the State of Missouri . By this proclamationthe property of persons in rebellion against the United States v T as held tobe confiscated, and their slaves were declared free. As a war measure this,in my opinion, was equal to winning adeciding battle. The President disap-proved it, as likely to lose us Kentucky ,the loyalty of which was so strained andthe temper of which was so doubtful,that he had agreed to the neutral atti-tude Kentucky demanded. He desiredme to withdraw it as of my own motion.
Unwilling to put myself in this position,
I asked him to order it withdrawn, whichhe did. Shoi’tly following upon this act, Iwas in many ways made to feel the with-drawal from me of the confidence andsupport of the Administration, but, ac-ceding to strong representations fromleading citizens of St. Louis , I did notresign my command.
I had already been brought into col-lision with the intrigues of men who werein confidential relations with the President, and the occasion was promptlyseized by them to urge misrepresentations which were readily acceptedas reasons for my removal. The visits of high officers charged with inquiryinto the affairs of my department, and the simultaneous and sustainedattacks of leading journals, accumulated obstructions and weakened myauthority. In fact, my command at the end of August had virtuallyexisted little over a month; but the measures which I had initiated hadalready taken enduring shape, and eventually worked their intended result.
The inadequate space to which I am restricted compels me to pass overhere the circumstances which made inevitable the loss of Lexington, uponwffiich Price advanced after his victory at Wilson’s Creek. All possible effortswere made to relieve Colonel Mulligan, but, notwithstanding the large concen-tration of troops for his relief, these efforts were baffled by absolute want oftransportation and by river obstructions. To the Confederate general it wasa barren success, and he was shortly forced to retreat to the south-west. Asa military position Lexington was of no value to him. In the midst of thedemand for troops for Lexington, I was on the 14th ordered by (General Scottto u send five thousand well-armed infantry to Washington without a moment’sdelay.” Two thousand were sent.
At the end of September I left St. Louis to take the field against Price. Thearmy numbered 38,000 men. To complete the defenses of St, Louis, after