e premature mutiny of the
regiment ordered to New Madrid, nipped the plot in the bud. I
refer to the circumstances now only to show that I was not unjust
in my denunciation of the "revolutionary faction" in Missouri.

In General Halleck's letter of September 26, inclosing the President's
written approval of my general order, he said:

". . . Neither faction in Missouri is really friendly to the
President and administration; but each is striving to destroy the
other, regardless of all other considerations. In their mutual
hatred they seem to have lost all sense of the perils of the country
and all sentiment of national patriotism. Every possible effort
should be made to allay this bitter party strife in that State."

In reply, September 30, I expressed the following opinion:

". . . I feel compelled to say that I believe you are not altogether
right in your information about the factions in Missouri. If the
so-called 'claybank' faction are not altogether friendly to the
President and administration, I have not been able to discover it.
The men who now sustain me are the same who rallied round Lyon and
sustained the government in the dark days of 1861, while the leaders
of the present 'charcoal' faction stood back until the danger was
past. I believe I have carried out my instructions as literally
as possible, yet I have received a reasonable support from one
faction and the most violent opposition from the other. I am
willing to pledge my official position that those who support me
now will support me in the execution of any policy the President
may order. They are the real friends of the government. It is
impossible for me to be blind to this fact, notwithstanding the
existence, to some extent, of the factional feeling to which you
allude."

The improvement produced by the order was so decided that publication
of the President's approval was thought unnecessary. It only became
public through his letter of October 1, 1863, of which he gave a
copy to the radical delegation.

In September the governor of Missouri placed all the militia of
the State, including those not in active service, under my command.
I published orders intended to control their action and prevent
interference with political meetings; also to secure freedom of
voting at the coming election in November. Several militia officers
guilty of such interference were dismissed, which produced a
wholesome effect.

[( 1) The division of the U