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； William Nelson； an officer of the navy； had been commissioned a brigadier…general of volunteers； and had his camp at Dick Robinson； a few miles beyond the Kentucky River； south of Nicholasville； and Brigadier…General L。 H。 Rousseau had another camp at Jeffersonville； opposite Louisville。 The State Legislature was in session at Frankfort； and was ready to take definite action as soon as General Anderson was prepared； for the State was threatened with invasion from Tennessee； by two forces： one from the direction of Nashville； commanded by Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and Buckner； and the other from the direction of Cumberland Gap； commanded by Generals Crittenden and Zollicoffer。 General Anderson saw that he had not force enough to resist these two columns； and concluded to send me in person for help to Indianapolis and Springfield； to confer with the Governors of Indiana； and Illinois； and to General Fremont； who commanded in St。 Louis。
McClellan and Fremont were the two men toward whom the country looked as the great Union leaders； and toward them were streaming the newly…raised regiments of infantry and cavalry； and batteries of artillery； nobody seeming to think of the intervening link covered by Kentucky。 While I was to make this tour； Generals Anderson and Thomas were to go to Louisville and initiate the department。 None of us had a staff； or any of the machinery for organizing an army； and； indeed； we had no army to organize。 Anderson was empowered to raise regiments in Kentucky； and to commission a few brigadier…generals。
At Indianapolis I found Governor Morton and all the State officials busy in equipping and providing for the new regiments； and my object was to divert some of them toward Kentucky； but they were called for as fast as they were mustered in； either for the army of McClellan or Fremont。 At Springfield also I found the same general activity and zeal； Governor Yates busy in providing for his men； but these men also had been promised to Fremont。 I then went on to St。 Louis； where all was seeming activity； bustle； and preparation。 Meeting R。 M。 Renick at the Planters' House （where I stopped）； I inquired where I could find General Fremont。 Renick said； 〃What do you want with General Fremont？〃 I said I had come to see him on business； and he added； 〃You don't suppose that he will see such as you？ and went on to retail all the scandal of the day： that Fremont was a great potentate； surrounded by sentries and guards； that he had a more showy court than any real king； that he kept senators； governors； and the first citizens； dancing attendance for days and weeks before granting an audience； etc。； that if I expected to see him on business； I would have to make my application in writing； and submit to a close scrutiny by his chief of staff and by his civil surroundings。 Of course I laughed at all this； and renewed my simple inquiry as to where was his office； and was informed that he resided and had his office at Major Brant's new house on Chouteau Avenue。 It was then late in the afternoon； and I concluded to wait till the next morning； but that night I received a dispatch from General Anderson in Louisville to hurry back； as events were pressing； and he needed me。
Accordingly； I rose early next morning before daybreak； got breakfast with the early railroad…passengers； and about sunrise was at the gate of General Fremont's headquarters。 A sentinel with drawn sabre paraded up and down in front of the house。 I had on my undress uniform indicating my rank； and inquired of the sentinel； 〃Is General Fremont up？〃 He answered； 〃I don't know。〃 Seeing that he was a soldier by his bearing； I spoke in a sharp； emphatic voice； 〃Then find out。〃 He called for the corporal of the guard； and soon a fine…looking German sergeant came； to whom I addressed the same inquiry。 He in turn did not know； and I bade him find out； as I had immediate and important business with the general。 The sergeant entered the house by the front…basement door； and after ten or fifteen minutes the main front…door above was slowly opened from the inside； and who should appear but my old San Francisco acquaintance Isaiah C。 Woods； whom I had not seen or heard of since his flight to Australia； at the time of the failure of Adams & Co。 in 1851！ He ushered me in hastily； closed the door； and conducted me into the office on the right of the hall。 We were glad to meet； after so long and eventful an interval； and mutually inquired after our respective families and special acquaintances。 I found that he was a commissioned officer； a major on duty with Fremont； and Major Eaton； now of the paymaster's Department； was in the same office with him。 I explained to them that I had come from General Anderson； and wanted to confer with General Fremont in person。 Woods left me； but soon returned； said the general would see me in a very few minutes； and within ten minutes I was shown across the hall into the large parlor； where General Fremont received me very politely。 We had met before； as early as 1847； in California； and I had also seen him several times when he was senator。 I then in a rapid manner ran over all the points of interest in General Anderson's new sphere of action； hoped he would spare us from the new levies what troops he could； and generally act in concert with us。 He told me that his first business would be to drive the rebel General Price and his army out of Missouri； when he would turn his attention down the Mississippi。 He asked my opinion about the various kinds of field…artillery which manufacturers were thrusting on him； especially the then newly… invented James gun； and afterward our conversation took a wide turn about the character of the principal citizens of St。 Louis； with whom I was well acquainted。
Telling General Fremont that I had been summoned to Louisville and that I should leave in the first train； viz。； at 3 p。m。； I took my leave of him。 Returning to Wood's office； I found there two more Californians； viz。； Messrs。 Palmer and Haskell； so I felt that； while Fremont might be suspicious of others； he allowed free ingress to his old California acquaintances。
Returning to the Planters' House； I heard of Beard； another Californian； a Mormon； who had the contract for the line of redoubts which Fremont had ordered to be constructed around the city； before he would take his departure for the interior of the State； and while I stood near the office…counter； I saw old Baron Steinberger； a prince among our early California adventurers； come in and look over the register。 I avoided him on purpose； but his presence in St。 Louis recalled the maxim； 〃Where the vultures are； there is a carcass close by；〃 and I suspected that the profitable contracts of the quartermaster； McKinstry； had drawn to St。 Louis some of the most enterprising men of California。 I suspect they can account for the fact that； in a very short time； Fremont fell from his high estate in Missouri； by reason of frauds； or supposed frauds； in the administration of the affairs of his command。
I left St。 Louis that afternoon and reached Louisville the next morning。 I found General Anderson quartered at the Louisville Hotel； and he had taken a dwelling hones on _____ Street as an office。 Captain O。 D。 Greens was his adjutant…general； Lieutenant Throckmorton his aide； and Captain Prime； of the Engineer Corps； was on duty with him。 General George H。 Thomas had been dispatched to camp Dick Robinson； to relieve Nelson。
The city was full of all sorts of rumors。 The Legislature； moved by considerations purely of a political nature； had taken the step； whatever it was； that amounted to an adherence to the Union； instead of joining the already…seceded States。 This was universally known to be the signal for action。 For it we were utterly unprepared； whereas the rebels were fully prepared。 General Sidney Johnston immediately crossed into Kentucky； and advanced as far as Bowling Green； which he began to fortify； and thence dispatched General Buckner with a division forward toward Louisville； General Zollicoffer； in like manner； entered the State and advanced as far as Somerset。 On the day I reached Louisville the excitement ran high。 It was known that Columbus； Kentucky； had been occupied； September 7th； by a strong rebel force； under Generals Pillow and Polk； and that General Grant had moved from Cairo and occupied Paducah in force on the 6th。 Many of the rebel families expected Buckner to reach Louisville at any moment。 That night； General Anderson sent for me； and I found with him Mr。 Guthrie； president of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad； who had in his hands a dispatch to the effect that the bridge across the Rolling Fork of Salt Creek； less than thirty miles out； had been burned； and that Buckner's force； en route for Louisville； had been detained beyond Green River by a train thrown from the track。 We learned afterward that a man named Bird had displaced a rail on purpose to throw the train off the track； and thereby give us time。
Mr。 Guthrie explained that in the ravine just beyond Salt Creek were several high and important trestles which； if destroyed； would take months to replace； and General Anderson thought it well 。 worth the effort