The sad, but glorious day
upon Wilson's Creek defeated the Rebel designs, and compelled McCulloch,
Pillow, Hardee, and Thompson to retire.

Relieved from immediate danger, General Fremont found an opportunity to
organize the expedition down the Mississippi. Won by the magic of his name
and the ceaseless energy of his action, the hardy youth of the Northwest,
flocked into St. Louis, eager to share his labors and his glory. There was
little time for organization and discipline. They were armed with such
weapons as could be procured against the competition of the General
Government, and at once forwarded to the exposed points. History can
furnish few parallels to the hasty levy and organization of the Army of
the West. When suddenly required to defend Washington, the Government was
able to summon the equipped and disciplined militia of the East, and could
call upon the inexhaustible resources of a wealthy and skilful people. But
in the West there was neither a disciplined militia nor trained mechanics.
Men, indeed, brave, earnest, patriotic men, were plenty,--men who
appreciated the magnitude and importance of the task before them, and who
were confident of their ability to accomplish it. But to introduce order
into their tumultuous ranks, to place arms in their eager hands, to clothe
and feed them, to provide them with transportation and equipage for the
march, and inspire them with confidence for the siege and the
battle,--this labor the General, almost unaided, was called upon to
perform. Like all the rest of our generals, he was without experience in
military affairs of such magnitude and urgency, and he was compelled to
rely chiefly upon the assistance of men entirely without military training
and knowledge. The general staff and the division and brigade staffs were,
from the necessity of the case, made up mainly of civilians. A small
number of foreign officers brought to his aid their learning and
experience, and a still smaller number of West-Point officers gave him
their invaluable assistance. In spite of all difficulties the work
proceeded. In six weeks the strategic positions were placed in a state of
defence, and an army of sixty thousand men, with a greater than common
proportion of cavalry and artillery, stood ready to clear Missouri of the
invader and to open the valley of the Mississippi. At this time the sudden
appearance of Price in the West, and the fall of Lexington, compelled the
General to take the fiel