incompetence, added to the fearful stories of
the corruption of the men immediately surrounding him, were making
his position very insecure. President Lincoln sent his intimate and
life-long friend, David Davis, whom he was about to elevate to the
Supreme Bench, to St. Louis with a commission to investigate the
rank-smelling contracts and disbursements. No report was ever made
public, but it was generally known that they found even worse than they
feared.

The Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, undertook a tour of investigation
on his own account, accompanied by Adj't-Gen. Lorenzo Thomas. Some of
the things which they found are set forth in the following extracts from
the memorandum from Gen. Thomas to his superior officer:

Gen. Curtis said of Gen. Fremont that he found no difficulty in having:
access to him, and when he presented business connected with his
command, it was attended to. Gen. Fremont never consulted him on
military matters, nor informed him of his plans. Gen. Curtis remarked
that while he would go with freedom to Gen. Scott and express his
opinions, he would not dare to do so to Gen. Fremont. He deemed Gen.
Fremont unequal to the command of an army, and said that he was no more
bound by law than by the winds.

Col. Andrews, Chief Paymaster, called and presented irregularities in
the Pay Department, and desired instruction from the Secretary for his
government, stating: that he was required to make payments and transfers
of money contrary to law and regulations. Once, upon objecting to what
he conceived an improper payment, he was threatened with confinement by
a file of soldiers. He exhibited an order for the transfer of $100,000
to the Quartermaster's Department, which was irregular. Exhibited
abstract of payment by one Paymaster (Maj. Febiger) to 42 persons,
appointed by Gen. Fremont, viz: one Colonel, three Majors, eight
Captains, 15 First lieutenants, 11 Second Lieutenants, one Surgeon,
three Assistant Surgeons; total 42. Nineteen of these have appointments
as engineers, and are entitled to cavalry pay.

282

Maj. Allen, Principal Quartermaster, had recently taken charge at
St Louis, but reported great irregularities in his Department, and
requested special Instructions. These he deemed important, as orders
were communicated by a variety of persons, in a very irregular manner,
requiring disbursements of money. These orders were often verbally
given. He was sending, under Gen. Fremont's orders,