thorized to ask in my name for your removal"; and he
sent a despatch to that effect to General Halleck.

The next day (August 12) despatches were exchanged between General
Halleck and Colonel Blair, of which the latter furnished me a copy,
inclosed with the following note from himself:

"St. Louis, Mo., August 13th, '62.
"Brig.-Gen'l Schofield.

"Dear Schofield: I inclose you a copy of a despatch (marked 'A')
received yesterday from Major-General Halleck, and my answer thereto,
marked 'B'.

"Yours,
"Frank P. Blair, Jr."

Copy "A."

"To Hon. F. P. Blair,

"August 12, 1862.
"(By telegraph from War Dep't.)
"Washington, 12:50 P.M.
"The committee from St. Louis--Henry T. Blow, John C. Vogle, and
Thomas O'Reilley--told me, in presence of the President, that they
were authorized by you to ask for Gen. Schofield's removal for
inefficiency. The Postmaster-General has to-day sent me a letter
from Mr. ----, asking that you be put in Gen. Schofield's place.
There has been no action in this or on the papers presented by the
above-named committee.

"H. W. Halleck,
"General-in-chief."

Copy "B."

"St. Louis, Mo., August 12th, 1862.
"Major-General Halleck,
"General-in-chief, Washington City, D. C.:

"I despatched to you yesterday, and wrote the Postmaster-General
last week. Let the letter be submitted to you. Nobody is authorized
to ask in my name for Gen'l Schofield's removal. I think the State
military organization should be abandoned as soon as practicable,
and a military commander, in this State, authorized to act without
respect to Gov. Gamble. I do not want the place, but want the
commander in the State to be instructed to act without any regard
to the State authorities.

"Frank P. Blair, Jr."

The foregoing gives, so far as I know it, the essence of the Missouri
quarrel of 1862. I have never had the curiosity to attempt to
ascertain how far the meeting of August 4 was hostile to me
personally.

During the time, subsequent to General Halleck's departure for
Washington, July 23, 1862, that the Department of the Mississippi
was left without any immediate commander, there appears to have
been a contest in Washington between the military and the political
influence, relative to the disposition to be made of that important
command. The following from General Halleck to me, dated September
9, 1862, indicates the situation at that time:

"(Unofficial.)

"My dear Gen'l:

"Ther