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State of Illinois
Executive Department.
Springfield Sept 23 1861
Dear Governor
Your letter has been received and should have been answered a day or two ago.
I saw while in St Louis, (for I was waited on by several leading men), that what you say is true, that there was a conspiracy to break down Genl Fremont, and I concur with you that it would be "disastrous to an alarming extent." I believe it would bring about a revolution and the consequences would be direful and disastrous.
Now, Governor, I know one thing certain, and that is the hearts of the soldiers and the people are with Fremont. I have taken occasion to converse with several officers and with the people from different parts of thi State and they would not willingly
submit to the displacement of Fremont.
Many things are at the bottom of this move - ambition, jealousy, money. Sharpers from Washington to Chicago & St Louis after fat contracts - seekers after place - and even the Presidential succession are at the bottom - for Governor, it is certain that the man be he McClelland or Fremont, or whoever he may be, who shall achieve the most brilliant victories during the present war and who shall impress himself upon the people as the master spirit of the [illegible] will be the next President. and they the wise ones at Washington & elsewhere see it.
I feel warmly attached to Fremont, and could I have his ear I would try to impress him with one view, and that is to concentrate all his troops into one grand army, with but few detachments. There is prestige in a large force - it can be marched any where and the march of an army through a country gaining brilliant victories has a moral effect spreading all over States, and dispensing with the necessity of small
State of Illinois
Executive Department.
Springfield______ 186__
and scattered forces for there will be no uprisings of the enemy. It is expected now by the country that our movements shall be aggressive - that we will not fight battles with the odds in numbers against us - and that we will fight battles when we chose and not at the choice of the enemy. But I will defer some other points to another time.
Your friend
Richd. Yates.
Copy to Gov. Koerner
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