John C. Fremont

[Borderruffian]

Did John Fremont's actions after being appointed Commander of the Department of the West increase the conflict in Missouri?

After his appointment Fremont pretty much IMO went off on his own hook by his issuance of his own Emancipation Proclimation, Declareation of martial law etc.

Had the Harney-Price agreement been adhered to would it have saved an escalation in violence?

[Ozark Iron John]

Originally Posted by Borderruffian

Did John Fremont's actions after being appointed Commander of the Department of Department of the West increase the conflict in Missouri?

After his appointment Fremont pretty much IMO went off on his own hook by his issuance of his own Emancipation Proclimation, Declareation of martial law etc.

Had the Harney-Price agreement been adhered to would it have saved an escalation in violence?

I concur with the borderruffian's assessment. John C. Fremont was an ........

self-proclaiming braggart who pushed partisan politics to the extreeme. He envisioned his little empire in the west after the slavery labor vs. free labor issue was sorted out and he went about doing whatever to whomever or whenever he wanted. He most definetely caused an escalation in the violence on an order of magnitude scale.

Manifest Destiny. Union-Pacific. Trans-continental Experssway and all that gold.

[cw1865]

Did you catch the show on the history channel about Fremont?

[ole]

Did John Fremont's actions after being appointed Commander of the Department of the West increase the conflict in Missouri?

Best I can say is that it did nothing to make things better.

After his appointment Fremont pretty much IMO went off on his own hook by his issuance of his own Emancipation Proclimation, Declareation of martial law etc.

Fremont had a rather elevated sense of personal importance. Maybe it was his wife's father. Maybe it was a natural sense of superiority. He was in there as a political appointee. That benefit wore off rather quickly.

Had the Harney-Price agreement been adhered to would it have saved an escalation in violence?

That would depend on how much actual influence Price had on Jackson. My understanding is that he was a fairly dull man and took his orders from Jackson. If Jackson was intent on escalation, I'm not sure Price could have stopped him.

Excellent questions, Border. You bring new life to the board.

ole

[Borderruffian]

I really believe Price thought he was defending Missouri in the beginning. And was convinced by Jackson otherwise and further goaded by Lyon's and then Fremonts actions.

[ole]

Excellent observations, Border. Price was not given to deep thought.

ole

[Borderruffian]

Just me and I've been known to be some what opinionated but. Had Fremont not reacted to the Union Loss at Wilson's Creek by treating Missouri as a State in secession and taken steps to assuge the high handedness that the population (Secessionist, Unionist and Neutral) felt had been perpatrated by Lyon (especially the removal of the legally elected goverment.

I think Missouri would have stayed largely Unionist or nuetral in sympathy.

[cw1865]

The Confederates really should've played up the removal of the legally elected pre-war governor of the state.

[Borderruffian]

It wasn't just Jackson that was removed it was the Legislature in total. Even though Jackson didn't have the votes to press seccession. The State house at the time was pretty heavily Unionist or Neutral.

[Borderruffian]

The best thing Fremont ever did was to tick off Lincoln and get relieved as Commander of the Missouri Dept.

Why you ask?

When he took command of the Mountain Dept. It left Rosecrans in limbo. Rosecrans was then transfered to Mississippi and went on to become a value to the Union in the West. So I guess Fremont did some good.