The following decisive order was one of the inclosures:
Headquarters of the Army, Washington, Oct. 24, 1861.
General Orders No. 18.
Maj.-Gen. Fremont, of the U. S. Army, the present Commander
of the Western Department of the same, will, on the receipt
of this order, call Maj.-Gen. Hunter, of the U. S.
Volunteers, to relieve him temporarily in that command, when
he (Maj.-Gen. Fremont) will report to General Headquarters,
by letter, for further orders.
WINFIELD SCOTT.
A special messenger arrived at Springfield, Nov. 2, with the order, which created consternation at Fremont's headquarters. It is more than probable that Fremont felt his elevation to be such that he could try conclusions with the Administration, and refuse to obey the order.
There was considerable talk at that time about military headquarters as to a dictator, and this was so rife about McClellan's that his journal constantly abounds in allusions which indicate that he was putting the crown away from him with increasing gentleness each time. There was much of the same atmosphere about the headquarters of the Army of the West, and it is claimed that Fremont at first decided not to obey the order, but on Sigel's urgent representations finally concluded to do so, and issued the following farewell order to his troops:
Headquarters Western Department,
Springfield, Mo., Nov. 2, 1861. Soldiers of the Mississippi
Army:
Agreeably to orders this day received I take leave of you.
Altho our army has been of sudden growth, we have grown up
together, and I have become familiar with the brave and
generous spirit which you bring to the defense of your
country, and which makes me anticipate for you a brilliant
career. Continue as you have begun, and give to my successor
the same cordial and enthusiastic support with which you
have encouraged me. Emulate the splendid example which you
have already before you, and let me remain, as I am, proud
of the noble army which I had thus far labored to bring
together.
Soldiers, I regret to leave you. Most sincerely I thank you
for the regard and confidence you have invariably shown me.
I deeply regret that I shall not have the honor to lead you
to the victory which you are just about to win, but I shall
claim to share with you in the joy of every triumph, and
trust always to be fraternally remembered by my companions
in arms.
J. C. FREMONT,
Major-General, U. S. Army.
He left at once for St Louis, with his Body Guard for an escort. Though these men had been enlisted for three years, they were ordered by Gen. McClellan to be mustered out, and Maj. Zagonyi was offered the Colonelcy of a new regiment.
The time and manner of the removal enabled Gen. Fremont's ardent partisans to complain loudly that he was relieved on the eve of a battle in which he would have accomplished great things, and was thus denied an opportunity to achieve lasting fame and render essential service to the country. The evidence, however, is conclusive that at that time Price was at Pineville, fully 50 miles away, and in the midst of a very rough country, instead of being in Fremont's immediate front, as Fremont certainly supposed.
Whether he would have accepted battle after Fremont had reached him at Pineville, is a matter of conjecture. The pressure in favor of Fremont continued strong enough, however, to bring about the offer of a new command to him the following year, but it was grotesquely shrunken from the proud proportions of that from which he had been relieved. It was styled the Mountain Department, and embraced a large portion of West Virginia. Even in this restricted area he again failed to give satisfaction.