MISSOURI. 



495 



the State Government, and to meet the present 

 emergencies. 



An ordinance was adopted to postpone the 

 State election until the lirst Monday in Novem- 

 ber, 1862, and providing for the continuance of 

 the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and Secre- 

 tary of State in office until their successors 

 should be duly appointed. Another ordinance 

 was passed providing for the abolition of cer- 

 tain offices, reducing salaries, &c., which con- 

 tained a section providing that all persons tak- 

 ing the oath prescribed by the ordinance, with- 

 in thirty days after its passage, should be 

 exempt from arrest or punishment for taking 

 up arms against the Provisional Government 

 of the State, or giving aid and comfort to its 

 enemies in this civil war; and the Governor 

 was directed to request the President, in the 

 name of the people of Missouri, by proclama- 

 tion, to exempt ail persons taking the said oath 

 from all penalties incurred by taking up arras 

 against the United States, or giving aid and 

 comfort to the enemy in the present civil war. 



The objects before the Convention having 

 been accomplished by providing sufficient 

 funds, and authorizing the State officers to con- 

 tinue until their successors were appointed, the 

 Convention adjourned to the first Monday in 

 November, 1862. 



The Federal force in Missouri at this time 

 was estimated at 27,000 men, of whom 5,000 

 were under the command of Gen. Hunter, 4.000 

 under Gen. Siegel, 4.500 under Gen. Asboth, 

 5.500 under Gen. McKinstry, 4,000 under Gen. 

 Pope, under Gen. Lane 2,500, and under Gen. 

 Sturgis 1,000. 



On the 6th of November the army -was in 

 good spirits at Springfield. Gen. Fremont had 

 left, and no battle was then soon expected. The 

 chief command was held by Gen. Hunter, the 

 oldest officer in the field, who expected soon to 

 be superseded by Gen. Halleck. Gen. Price 

 fell back near the State line, and remained until 

 the Federal army began to recede, about the 

 loth. They were accompanied by long trains 

 of emigrant wagons containing Union refugees. 

 As they retired, Gen. Price followed up after 

 them. The advance of Gen. Price was made in 

 three divisions, and with the intention of mov- 

 ing upon Kansas, and making that the field of 

 future operations. The opinion in the Con- 

 federate States was that Gen. Price never had 

 any difficulty to procure men. His only ob- 

 stacle had been the want of arms. 



On the 30th of November his right wing, 

 6,000 strong, was at Stockton. The left wing 

 held position near Nevada under Gen. Rains, 

 4,000 strong. The centre, under Gen. Price, 

 5,000 strong, was near Monticello. 



In Boone County, on the 3d, Gen. Prentiss 

 broke up a secession camp, with some loss on 

 both sides. 



On the 18th of November Gen. H. W. Hal- 

 leck arrived at St. Louis, and took command 

 of the Western Department. Gens. Sturgis 

 and Wyman arrived on the same day. The di- 



visions of Gen. Hunter and Pope had reached 

 different points on the Pacific Railroad, there to 

 await the orders of Gen. Halleck. About the 

 20th the divisions of Gens. Siegel and Asboth 

 arrived at St. Louis. 



The plan of Gen. Price now, was to approach 

 the borders of Kansas, and supply his forces 

 with arms, destroy the track of the Northern 

 Railroad, and thus cut off the communication 

 with St. Louis. This, however, was defeated 

 by the strategical combinations of Gen. Hal- 

 leck, and on the 25th of December almost a 

 clean sweep had been made of the country be- 

 tween the Missouri and Osage rivers, and Gen. 

 Price was cut off from all supplies and recruits 

 from Northern Missouri, and in full retreat for 

 Arkansas. 



In the last two weeks of December, the Fed- 

 eral army captured 2,500 prisoners, including 

 seventy commissioned officers, 1,200 horses and 

 mules, 1,100 stand of arms, two tons of powder, 

 100 wagons, and an immense amount of com- 

 missary stores and camp equipage. Several 

 skirmishes took place during these operations. 

 On the 22d of November the town of Warsaw 

 was burned by incendiaries, to prevent its fur- 

 ther occupation by Union troops. At Salem a 

 skirmish took place on the 3d of December, 

 between a small Federal force and a body of 

 State Guards. Several were killed and wound- 

 ed on both sides. At Shawnee Mound, on the 

 18th of December, Gen. Pope captured 150 

 Confederate prisoners, with wagons, tents, and 

 baggage. At Milford, on the 18th, a body of 

 the enemy were surrounded, and surrendered. 

 Thirteen hundred prisoners were taken, includ- 

 ing three colonels and seventeen captains, and 

 one thousand stand of arms, one thousand 

 horses, sixty-five wagons, and a large quantity 

 of tents, baggage, and supplies. 



A list of all the battles and skirmishes is 

 given on the following page. 



This close of military operations in the State 

 at the approach of winter left Gen. Halleck free 

 to use a large part of his army in Western Ken- 

 tucky. The struggle in the State during the 

 year was vigorous and active, especially on the 

 part of Gen. Price, under the contracted re- 

 sources at his command. 



It was stated at Richmond, Va., that after 

 the capture of Mulligan, Gen. Price intended to 

 attack Gen. Fremont before he could concen- 

 trate his army, but was prevented by a lack of 

 ammunition from executing his design. When 

 Lexington surrendered he had but 2,000 per- 

 cussion caps in his whole command. He sent 

 to Gen. Hardee and to Gen. McCulloch for a 

 supply, but for some reason it was not sent. It 

 was thought at that time in Richmond that if 

 Gen. Price had been zealously and efficiently 

 seconded, he would soon have driven the Fed- 

 eral force from Missouri, and thus have secured 

 to the Confederacy one of the most important 

 Western States. A consequence of such an acqui- 

 sition would involve the destinies of Kansas, the 

 Indian Nation, Arizona, and New Mexico. Th 



