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Hunter arrived at myheadquarters, where theofficers were assembled.I handed to him the planof battle and turned overmy command.
The order which gavemy command to GeneralHunter was dated Octo-ber 24th, and had beensent to one of my sub-ordinate officers in St.Louis , to be served onme at his discretion. Ac-companying it was aletter from the Presidentin which he directed thatit slioidd not be servedon me if I had fought abattle or was about tofight one. His intentionwas disregarded; the or-der was put in forcewhen both ourselvesand the enemy wereready and intending bat-tle. In the face of posi-there was no enemy near
five knowledge, General Hunter assumed thatand no battle possible, and withdrew the army. A
The correctness of the operations in this campaign to meet the intendedmovements of the enemy, have all been corroborated and proved by subse-quent information. My expenditures to raise and equip this army werevindicated and sustained by decisions of the United States courts. Theestablishment of martial law at St. Louis , which Avas denounced as arbitraryand unnecessary, was maintained and acted upon by all my successors untilpeace was declared; and the fortifications of that city, upon which all lines ofdefense rested, aided its enforcement and made the dyke between the North-west and the South. The taking of Paducah , for which I was censured, hassince been made the pivot of success to others. And the gun-boats, for thepreparation of which, also, I was censured, the work being countermanded asa “ useless extravagance,” became historic in the progress of the war.
Q In support of the facts, I quote from the the ground to be selected by General Price andreport of General McCulloch to his Secretary of myself.” Official Records, III., 748.—J. C. F.War,at the close of this Missouri campaign: “We Hunter’s withdrawal was in pursuance of in-met next day at a point between the two armies structions of a general nature from President Lin-where it was agreed upon by all the Missouri gen- coin, dated October 24tb, 1861, and accompanyingerals that we should wait an attack from the enemy, the orders relieving General Fremont.— Editors.