s of this arrangement the force would remain subject to
the governor's command; but at the suggestion of Major-General
McClellan, then general-in-chief, to avoid possible conflict of
command it was stipulated by the President that the commanding
general of the department should be ex-officio major-general of
the militia. And it is due to the memory of Governor Gamble to
say that although partizan enemies often accused him of interfering
with the operations of the militia in the interest of his supposed
political views, there never was, while I was in command of the
militia, the slightest foundation for such accusation. He never
attempted to interfere in any manner with the legitimate exercise
of the authority of the commanding general, but was, on the contrary,
governed by the commander's views and opinions in the appointment
and dismissal of officers and in other matters in which his own
independent authority was unquestioned. This authority, given by
the President, was subsequently confirmed by act of Congress, by
which the force was limited to 10,000 men.

As stated above, I was appointed brigadier-general, to date from
November 21, 1861; and on November 27 was assigned by General Halleck
to the "command of all the militia of the State," and charged with
the duty of raising, organizing, etc., the special force which had
been authorized by the President.

The organization of the militia was not completed until about the
middle of April, 1862, when the aggregate force was 13,800 men,
consisting of fourteen regiments and two battalions of cavalry
(mounted riflemen), one regiment of infantry, and one battery of
artillery. But the troops were enrolled mainly in the districts
where their services were required. As rapidly as companies were
organized and equipped, they were put in the field with the United
States troops then occupying the State, and thus rapidly acquired,
by active service with older troops, the discipline and instruction
necessary to efficiency, so that by the time the organization was
completed this body of troops was an efficient and valuable force.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL OF THE MISSOURI MILITIA

My official report, made on December 7, 1862,( 1) to the department
commander and the general-in-chief, gives a detailed account of
the purely military operations of that period. But many matters
less purely military which entered largely into the history of that
time des