SAINT LOUIS, MO., August 12, 1862-3.30 p.m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK:

Nobody is authorized to ask Schofield's removal in my name. I have written to Honorable M. Blair, asking that his powers may be more ample, and that he be disembarrassed from the authority of Governor Gamble.

FRANK P. BLAIR, Jr.

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 12, 1862.

Honorable F. P. BLAIR, Jr.,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

The committee from Saint Louis (Henry T. Blow, John C. Vogle, and Thomas O'Reilley) told me, in the presence of the President, that they were authorized by you to ask for General Schofield's removal for inefficiency. The Postmaster-General has to-day sent to me a letter from Mr. Broadhead, asking that you be put in General Schofield's place. There has been no action on this or on the papers presented by the above-named committee.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

SAINT LOUIS, MO., August 12, 1862-12 m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK:

I dispatched you yesterday and wrote to the Postmaster-General last week. Let the letter be submitted to you. Nobody is authorized to ask in my name for Schofield's removal. I think the State military organizations should be disbanded as far as practicable, and a military commander in this State authorized to act without respect to Governor Gamble. I do not want the place, but want the commander in this State to be instructed to act without regard to the State authorities. Nobody has any confidence in Governor Gamble, and nobody believes that any good will come out of a good measure proposed by him. We have men enough to exterminate all our enemies in this State if anybody believed that measures to that end would be vigorously prosecuted.

FRANK P. BLAIR, Jr.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, August 12, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

GENERAL: I have received your unofficial letter of the 9th instant.* I fear that some of my friends, as well as my enemies and those who care nothing for me one way or the other, may use their influence in the effort to break up this department. I deem it my duty to protest against it now as I did last spring when the question was agitated. Though I write this unofficially, you are of cause at liberty to use it officially if it can be of any weight in support of your views.

I deem it not only important but absolutely necessary, that Missouri and Arkansas be under the same command, in view of future military operations, aside from the fact that Saint Louis is the base of supplies

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*Not found.

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