TWO MILES SOUTH FROM WARSAW, MO.,

November 6, 1861-2 p.m.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,

Commander-in-Chief, Washington, D. C.:

Your dispatch of November 2 meets me on the road at this place on my way to Saint Louis. On the 2nd instant I received at Springfield, at 10 o'clock a.m., the order of Lieutenant-General Scott, dated October 24, relieving me of my command, and directing me to turn over the department to General Hunter. On the same day I published my general orders to this effect, and on the night of the following day was relieved by General Hunter in person, who is now in command of the department.

J. C. FREMONT,

Major-General U. S. Army.

SPRINGFIELD, MO., November 3 [?]

(via Rolla, November 7, 1861.)

ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY:

I take command of the department to-day. General Fremont left for the East this morning. I do not think the enemy is in force in our neighborhood. I will telegraph you daily.

D. HUNTER,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Springfield, Mo., November 7, 1861.

Brigadier-General THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: Inclosed you will find copies of certain negotiations carried on between Major General J. C. Fremont, of the first part, and Major General Sterling Price, of the second, having for objects, first, to make arrangements for the exchange of prisoners second, to prevent arrests or forcible interference in future "for the mere entertainment or expression of political opinions"; third, to insure that "the war now progressing shall be confined exclusively to armies in the field"; and, fourth, the immediate disbandment of "all bodies of armed men acting without the authority or recognition of the major-generals named and not legitimately connected with the armies in the field."

You will also find inclosed [D] a copy of my letter of this date, dispatched under a flag of truce to General Price, stating that "I can in no manner recognize the agreement aforesaid or any of its provisions, whether implied or direct, and that I can neither issue nor allow to be issued the 'joint proclamation' purporting to have been signed by Generals Price and Fremont on the 1st day of November, A. D. 1861."

It would be, in my judgment impolitic in the highest degree to have ratified General Fremont's negotiations, for the following, amongst many other, obvious reasons: The second stipulation, if acceded to, would render the enforcement of martial law in Missouri, or in any part of it, impossible, and would give absolute liberty to the propagandists of treason throughout the length and breadth of the State; the third stipulation, confining operations exclusively "to armies in the field," would practically annul the confiscation act passed during the last session of Congress, and would furnish perfect immunity to those disbanded soldiers

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