395:
the monumental political problem that such an edict posed to his efforts to keep the border states in the Union. He was particularly worried about reports he heard of the furor in
Kentucky over the edict, writing, "I think to lose Kentucky is nearly the same as to lose the whole game." According to Lincoln in a letter to a supporter of Frémont, a unit of Kentucky militia fighting for the Union, upon hearing of Frémont's proclamation, threw down their weapons and disbanded. Lincoln determined the proclamation could not be allowed to remain in force. However, to override the edict or to directly order Frémont to strike out or modify the paragraph had its own political dangers—such an act would outrage abolitionists throughout the North. Sensitive to the political pitfalls on all sides, Lincoln wrote to Frémont, "Allow me to therefore ask, that you will, as of your own motion, modify that paragraph..."
246:
384:
20:
465:
federal government in a manner that was incontrovertibly constitutional. Equally important, the timing of emancipation would need to be orchestrated carefully, so as not to interfere with the war effort. Although in 1861, Lincoln had not yet espoused the idea of immediate emancipation and still hoped to work with state governments to accomplish gradual and perhaps even a compensated emancipation, the Frémont incident solidified
Lincoln's belief that emancipation was the President's responsibility and could not be accomplished by scattered decrees from Union generals. This realization was one of several factors that led to Lincoln's own
481:
107:
Lincoln then sent various government officials to
Missouri to build a case for Frémont's removal founded on Frémont's alleged incompetence rather than his abolitionist views. On these grounds, Lincoln sent an order on October 22, 1861, removing Frémont from command of the Department of the West. Although Lincoln opposed Frémont's method of emancipation, the episode had a significant impact on Lincoln, shaping his opinions on the appropriate steps towards emancipation and eventually leading, sixteen months later, to Lincoln's own
284:, it also caused a riot in St. Louis. As commander of the Department of the West, Lyon met with Gov. Jackson and informed him that, "rather than concede to the State of Missouri for one single instant the right to dictate to my government in any matter...I would see you...and every man and woman and child in the State dead and buried." After this, open warfare commenced between pro-Confederate militia and Union forces in Missouri. Gov. Jackson fled St. Louis, and the Missouri State Militia was re-organized to become the
375:, whose authority Frémont had now superseded by declaring martial law. Feeling that Frémont had greatly overstepped his authority, Gamble began to work for Frémont's removal. In neighboring Kentucky, there was widespread outrage. Although the proclamation pertained only to the state of Missouri, Kentuckians feared that a similar edict might be applied by Frémont to their state. Most slaves in Kentucky belonged to Unionists and threatening to free them could have pushed the state into the Confederacy.
402:, who met with the President in the White House on September 10. In the letter, Frémont stated that he knew the situation in Missouri better than the President and that he would not rescind the proclamation unless directly ordered. Angered, Lincoln wrote Frémont the next day, directly ordering him to modify the emancipation clause to conform with existing federal law—that only slaves themselves acting in armed rebellion could be confiscated and freed.
300:, Lyon was killed and the federal force routed. Pro-secession sentiment surged throughout Missouri following the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Estimates by Union army officials placed the number of armed secessionists in Missouri at roughly 60,000. Alarmed by the increasing turbulence, Frémont declared martial law in the state of Missouri on August 30, 1861.
340:
disagreement, whether a Union general had any basis of authority to emancipate slaves. This threatened to tip the delicate political balance in border states. Missouri, Kentucky, and
Maryland all might have been pushed towards secession if such a precedent had been backed by the federal government at the beginning of the war.
371:. All ardent abolitionists, these men encouraged and influenced Frémont's proclamation. More moderate Unionists were troubled by Frémont's proclamation and pro-slavery conservatives were outraged. Most important, among the moderates in Missouri alienated by Frémont's proclamation was the new governor of Missouri,
332:, Frémont declared capital punishment would be administered to any secessionists bearing arms north of that line. Further, the proclamation freed the slaves of any secessionists who took up arms against the government. Frémont issued his proclamation without consulting any authority in Missouri or Washington.
291:
By the time Frémont took command in St. Louis on July 25, 1861, Union forces under Lyon had fought in several engagements against the
Missouri State Guard. On August 10, a combined force of Missouri State Guard, Confederate States Army, and Arkansas Militia, consisting of about 11,000 troops, closed
106:
Nationwide reaction to the proclamation was mixed. Abolitionists enthusiastically supported the measure while conservatives demanded Frémont's removal. Seeking to reverse Frémont's actions and maintain political balance, Lincoln eventually ordered Frémont to rescind the edict on
September 11, 1861.
405:
Lincoln could not allow Frémont's insubordination to go unpunished. However, his dilemma again lay in politics. Removal of Frémont over the emancipation issue would infuriate radicals in
Congress. Lincoln determined that if Frémont were to be removed, it would have to be for matters unrelated to
343:
Unionists in
Missouri were divided in their reaction. Radical Republicans, who favored abolition, were overjoyed. This included much of the St. Louis press. Frémont surrounded himself with men of this faction, and several Radical Republican politicians had come to St. Louis with him as aides and
319:
All persons who shall be taken with arms in their hands within these lines shall be tried by court-martial, and, if found guilty, will be shot. The property, real and personal, of all persons in the State of
Missouri who shall take up arms against the United States, and who shall be directly proven
394:
President
Lincoln learned of Frémont's proclamation by reading it in the newspaper. Disturbed by Frémont's actions, Lincoln felt that emancipation was "not within the range of military law or necessity" and that such powers rested only with the elected federal government. Lincoln also recognized
464:
describes, Lincoln became determined, after Frémont's failed proclamation, that emancipation could not be a matter of martial law or some other temporary measure that would later be challenged in courts. To ensure its permanence, Lincoln felt, emancipation would have to be put into effect by the
339:
papers. This act received significant coverage by the St. Louis press. Frémont then issued papers to 21 other slaves. However, the greatest significance of the proclamation came in the form of political ramifications. The proclamation set a political precedent, over which there was tremendous
437:
For Frémont, the personal repercussions of his proclamation were disastrous. His removal from command of the Western Department did irreparable damage to his reputation. Giving Frémont a second chance, Lincoln approved his appointment to command the strategically important Mountain Department,
428:
made his own inspection and reported to Lincoln that Frémont was, "wholly incompetent," Lincoln decided to leak Thomas's report to the press. Amidst the resulting public outrage against Frémont, Lincoln sent an order on October 22, 1861, removing him from command of the Department of the West.
268:, commander of the Missouri State Militia. The truce was unacceptable to many Unionists and particularly to President Lincoln, as continued neutrality in Missouri would result in the state's refusal to supply men for the Union army. Harney was removed on May 30 and replaced with the hard-line
169:(1846–1848), Major Frémont took command of the Californian revolt of American settlers against Mexico and was appointed military governor of California in 1847. Frémont's independent actions ran at cross-purposes with the senior U.S. Army officer in California during the Mexican War—
49:. The proclamation placed the state of Missouri under martial law and decreed that all property of those bearing arms in rebellion would be confiscated, including slaves, and that confiscated slaves would subsequently be declared free. It also imposed
312:. Davis warned that officials in Washington would never stand for such a sweeping edict. Frémont responded that he had been given full power to put down secession in Missouri and that, as a war measure, the proclamation was entirely warranted.
420:
to Missouri to evaluate Frémont's management of his department. On his return, Blair reported that a tremendous state of disorganization existed in Missouri and Frémont "seemed stupified...and is doing absolutely nothing." When
230:
At the commencement of the Civil War, Missouri was a deeply divided state. Missouri had chosen to remain in the Union, and initially maintained a policy of neutrality towards both the Union and the
460:
The most significant long-term consequence of the Frémont Emancipation was the effect it had on Lincoln's perceptions of emancipation and, specifically, how it should be accomplished. As historian
457:, a Radical Republican and abolitionist, wrote that Lincoln's actions had a "chilling influence" on the antislavery movement. The outrage was only a short-term effect, however, and soon subsided.
276:. Earlier, while still a subordinate of Harney's, Lyon had raised tensions in Missouri to a fever-pitch by acting independently and capturing a portion of the Missouri State Militia during the
216:. The department was headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Frémont arrived there and assumed command on July 25, 1861. His chief task was to establish control within the state of Missouri.
173:. Frémont was arrested, brought to Washington, D.C. for a court-martial and resigned from the Army in 1848. Returning to the Pacific coast, Frémont became one of the first senators from
335:
The proclamation freed very few slaves. First, and most prominently, two slaves belonging to an aide of the former Gov. Jackson, Frank Lewis and Hiram Reed, were given their
320:
to have taken active part with their enemies in the field, is declared to be confiscated to the public use; and their slaves, if any they have, are hereby declared free.
181:
which established a platform advocating the limitation of slavery to those states in which it already existed. Frémont won 33 percent of the popular vote, but lost to
1124:
453:
For Lincoln, the immediate effects of Frémont's removal resulted in the furor the president had anticipated from northern abolitionists. Massachusetts Governor
196:
and was commissioned major general, becoming the third highest ranking general in the U.S. Army (according to date of appointment), just behind Maj. Gen.
68:
in Missouri, his policy had national repercussions, potentially setting a highly controversial precedent that the Civil War would be a war of liberation.
308:
Just before dawn on August 30, Frémont finished penning his proclamation of martial law and read it to his wife and a trusted advisor, Edward Davis of
1109:
1104:
1114:
438:
overseeing the mountainous region surrounding the Virginia and Kentucky border. Frémont's forces were badly defeated, however, in the
324:
The two measures described within this passage threatened to alienate Unionists in each of the border states. Drawing a line from
134:
in 1813, John Charles Frémont would become one of the nation's leading antislavery politicians in the 1850s. Frémont was granted a
253:
Before Frémont, two generals had previously served as head of the Department of the West during the first four months of the war.
234:. However, Missouri was also a state in which slavery was still legal, a factor which generated sympathy for the Confederacy and
242:, was in favor of secession and attempted to use the Missouri State Militia to resist the build-up of Union forces in his state.
757:
315:
The most controversial passage of the proclamation, and the one with the greatest political consequences, was the following:
442:
in Virginia on June 8, 1862. He eventually resigned from frustration at being passed over when Lincoln appointed Maj. Gen.
494:
225:
84:
1083:
1041:
1017:
993:
964:
938:
914:
890:
398:
Frémont wrote a reply to Lincoln's request on September 8, 1861, and sent it to Washington in the hands of his wife,
254:
139:
80:
64:
from July 1861 to October 1861. Although Frémont claimed his proclamation was intended only as a means of deterring
407:
182:
178:
235:
143:
65:
231:
35:
443:
193:
177:
when it was granted statehood in 1850. In 1856, Frémont became the first Presidential candidate of the new
414:
297:
165:, Frémont earned the nickname, "the Pathfinder" and attained the status of a national hero. During the
100:
1119:
486:
466:
260:
had taken a diplomatic approach in Missouri, attempting to respect Missouri's neutrality through the
108:
325:
166:
135:
399:
288:—a pro-secession force under the command of Sterling Price and Governor-in-Exile Jackson.
201:
61:
372:
293:
150:
617:
948:
439:
285:
170:
8:
417:
329:
277:
197:
192:
At the onset of the Civil War in April 1861, Frémont sought to resume his service in the
76:
42:
1052:
383:
1003:
454:
269:
261:
149:. As a young army officer, Frémont took part in several exploratory expeditions of the
50:
46:
125:
75:
the proclamation created a difficult situation, as he tried to balance the agendas of
38:
24:
1079:
1058:
1037:
1013:
989:
982:
960:
953:
934:
910:
886:
281:
257:
239:
205:
131:
447:
422:
410:
368:
1071:
1031:
1007:
977:
928:
924:
904:
880:
388:
158:
154:
72:
57:
425:
360:
352:
273:
265:
186:
1098:
450:, and spent the rest of the war awaiting a new appointment which never came.
146:
1062:
1027:
900:
461:
348:
309:
162:
245:
345:
336:
174:
19:
280:
on May 10, 1861. Although the maneuver eliminated a threat to the
213:
209:
96:
92:
88:
984:
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America
364:
355:
who had been murdered in 1837 by an anti-abolitionist mob),
292:
in on Lyon's Union force numbering approximately 5,000 near
249:
Death of Brig. Gen. Lyon during the Battle of Wilson's Creek
153:
in the 1840s. For his success in mapping a route across the
378:
356:
955:
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
53:
for those in rebellion against the federal government.
204:
which included all states and territories between the
923:
238:. The governor of Missouri at the start of the war,
87:
whose support was essential in keeping the states of
1078:. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press.
476:
981:
952:
1096:
1125:Military emancipation in the American Civil War
832:
830:
60:and politician, was in command of the military
734:
732:
730:
728:
34:was part of a military proclamation issued by
882:General William S. Harney: Prince of Dragoons
802:
800:
790:
788:
827:
576:
574:
520:
518:
303:
83:and slave-holding Unionists in the American
853:
851:
725:
552:
550:
797:
785:
615:
602:
600:
590:
588:
586:
564:
562:
548:
546:
544:
542:
540:
538:
536:
534:
532:
530:
142:in 1838, primarily through the support of
1002:
885:. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
571:
515:
41:(1813–1890) on August 30, 1861, in
1050:
1009:Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
848:
382:
379:Lincoln's reaction and Frémont's removal
244:
208:and the Rockies as well as the state of
18:
16:Military proclamation by John C. Fremont
947:
933:. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
597:
583:
559:
527:
351:(brother of the antislavery journalist
200:. Frémont was placed in command of the
1097:
1026:
976:
899:
1069:
1012:. New York: Oxford University Press.
878:
909:. New York: American Heritage, Inc.
406:the proclamation. He therefore sent
344:advisors. These included Illinois
13:
1110:Missouri in the American Civil War
1105:Politics of the American Civil War
1036:. New York: Simon & Schuster.
988:. New York: Simon & Schuster.
959:. New York: Simon & Schuster.
495:Missouri in the American Civil War
226:Missouri in the American Civil War
14:
1136:
1115:Abolitionism in the United States
140:Bureau of Topographical Engineers
1076:Dictionary of Missouri Biography
1051:Violette, Eugene Morrow (1918).
479:
56:Frémont, a career army officer,
1057:. Boston: D.C. Heath & Co.
860:
839:
818:
809:
776:
750:
741:
716:
707:
698:
689:
680:
671:
662:
653:
644:
622:The American Presidency Project
45:during the early months of the
1033:Frémont: Pathmaker of the West
758:"Frémont's Slave Proclamation"
635:
609:
506:
138:commission in the U.S. Army's
1:
879:Adams, George Rollie (2001).
872:
114:
432:
7:
472:
219:
10:
1141:
927:; Eicher, John H. (2001).
223:
123:
119:
1070:Volpe, Vernon L. (1999).
487:American Civil War portal
467:Emancipation Proclamation
304:Proclamation and reaction
109:Emancipation Proclamation
500:
326:Cape Girardeau, Missouri
298:Battle of Wilson's Creek
212:and the western part of
930:Civil War High Commands
747:Nevins, 500 – 503
686:Violette, 339 and 352.
391:
322:
296:. During the ensuing
250:
202:Department of the West
62:Department of the West
27:
1054:A History of Missouri
949:Goodwin, Doris Kearns
415:Quartermaster General
400:Jessie Benton Frémont
386:
373:Hamilton Rowan Gamble
317:
294:Springfield, Missouri
248:
22:
764:. September 14, 1861
556:Volpe, 320–322
440:Battle of Cross Keys
286:Missouri State Guard
171:Stephen Watts Kearny
167:Mexican–American War
32:Frémont Emancipation
1004:McPherson, James M.
469:in September 1862.
418:Montgomery C. Meigs
330:Leavenworth, Kansas
278:Camp Jackson Affair
198:George B. McClellan
136:second lieutenant's
77:Radical Republicans
43:St. Louis, Missouri
618:"Election of 1856"
455:John Albion Andrew
446:to command of the
408:Postmaster General
392:
270:Radical Republican
264:, negotiated with
262:Price-Harney Truce
251:
159:Mexican California
51:capital punishment
47:American Civil War
28:
1072:"John C. Frémont"
282:St. Louis Arsenal
258:William S. Harney
255:Brigadier General
240:Claiborne Jackson
206:Mississippi River
132:Savannah, Georgia
1132:
1120:1861 in Missouri
1089:
1066:
1047:
1028:Nevins, Allan C.
1023:
999:
987:
978:Guelzo, Allen C.
973:
958:
944:
925:Eicher, David J.
920:
896:
867:
864:
858:
855:
846:
843:
837:
834:
825:
822:
816:
813:
807:
804:
795:
792:
783:
780:
774:
773:
771:
769:
754:
748:
745:
739:
736:
723:
720:
714:
711:
705:
702:
696:
693:
687:
684:
678:
675:
669:
666:
660:
657:
651:
648:
642:
639:
633:
632:
630:
628:
616:Gerhard Peters.
613:
607:
604:
595:
592:
581:
578:
569:
566:
557:
554:
525:
522:
513:
510:
489:
484:
483:
482:
448:Army of Virginia
423:Adjutant General
411:Montgomery Blair
369:John P.C. Shanks
183:Democratic Party
179:Republican Party
144:Secretary of War
1140:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1130:
1129:
1095:
1094:
1086:
1044:
1020:
996:
971:Team of Rivals.
967:
941:
917:
893:
875:
870:
865:
861:
856:
849:
844:
840:
836:McPherson, 357.
835:
828:
824:McPherson, 356.
823:
819:
814:
810:
805:
798:
793:
786:
781:
777:
767:
765:
762:Harper's Weekly
756:
755:
751:
746:
742:
737:
726:
721:
717:
712:
708:
703:
699:
694:
690:
685:
681:
676:
672:
667:
663:
658:
654:
649:
645:
640:
636:
626:
624:
614:
610:
605:
598:
593:
584:
579:
572:
567:
560:
555:
528:
523:
516:
511:
507:
503:
485:
480:
478:
475:
435:
389:Abraham Lincoln
381:
306:
228:
222:
155:Rocky Mountains
128:
126:John C. Frémont
122:
117:
73:Abraham Lincoln
39:John C. Frémont
25:John C. Frémont
17:
12:
11:
5:
1138:
1128:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1091:
1090:
1084:
1067:
1048:
1042:
1024:
1018:
1000:
994:
974:
965:
945:
939:
921:
915:
897:
891:
874:
871:
869:
868:
859:
847:
838:
826:
817:
808:
796:
784:
775:
749:
740:
738:Violette, 399.
724:
715:
713:Violette, 363.
706:
704:Violette, 353.
697:
688:
679:
677:Violette, 351.
670:
668:Violette, 337.
661:
652:
643:
634:
608:
596:
582:
570:
558:
526:
514:
504:
502:
499:
498:
497:
491:
490:
474:
471:
434:
431:
426:Lorenzo Thomas
380:
377:
361:John A. Gurley
353:Elijah Lovejoy
305:
302:
274:Nathaniel Lyon
266:Sterling Price
224:Main article:
221:
218:
187:James Buchanan
124:Main article:
121:
118:
116:
113:
71:For President
23:Major General
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1137:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1102:
1100:
1093:
1087:
1085:9780826260161
1081:
1077:
1073:
1068:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1049:
1045:
1043:0-8032-8364-4
1039:
1035:
1034:
1029:
1025:
1021:
1019:0-19-503863-0
1015:
1011:
1010:
1005:
1001:
997:
995:0-7432-2182-6
991:
986:
985:
979:
975:
972:
968:
966:0-684-82490-6
962:
957:
956:
950:
946:
942:
940:0-8047-3641-3
936:
932:
931:
926:
922:
918:
916:0-618-00187-5
912:
908:
907:
906:The Civil War
902:
901:Catton, Bruce
898:
894:
892:0-8032-1058-2
888:
884:
883:
877:
876:
863:
854:
852:
845:Goodwin, 395.
842:
833:
831:
821:
812:
806:Goodwin, 390.
803:
801:
794:Goodwin, 389.
791:
789:
779:
763:
759:
753:
744:
735:
733:
731:
729:
719:
710:
701:
692:
683:
674:
665:
656:
647:
638:
623:
619:
612:
603:
601:
591:
589:
587:
580:Goodwin, 393.
577:
575:
565:
563:
553:
551:
549:
547:
545:
543:
541:
539:
537:
535:
533:
531:
524:Goodwin, 391.
521:
519:
509:
505:
496:
493:
492:
488:
477:
470:
468:
463:
458:
456:
451:
449:
445:
441:
430:
427:
424:
419:
416:
412:
409:
403:
401:
396:
390:
385:
376:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
347:
341:
338:
333:
331:
327:
321:
316:
313:
311:
301:
299:
295:
289:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
256:
247:
243:
241:
237:
233:
227:
217:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
190:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
151:American West
148:
147:Joel Poinsett
145:
141:
137:
133:
127:
112:
110:
104:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
85:border states
82:
78:
74:
69:
67:
66:secessionists
63:
59:
54:
52:
48:
44:
40:
37:
36:Major General
33:
26:
21:
1092:
1075:
1053:
1032:
1008:
983:
970:
954:
929:
905:
881:
862:
841:
820:
815:Nevins, 494.
811:
782:Guelzo, 309.
778:
768:February 23,
766:. Retrieved
761:
752:
743:
722:Nevins, 498.
718:
709:
700:
691:
682:
673:
664:
655:
646:
641:Eicher, 773.
637:
627:February 25,
625:. Retrieved
621:
611:
508:
462:Allen Guelzo
459:
452:
436:
404:
397:
393:
367:Congressman
359:Congressman
349:Owen Lovejoy
342:
334:
323:
318:
314:
310:Philadelphia
307:
290:
252:
229:
194:Regular Army
191:
163:Oregon Trail
129:
105:
79:who favored
70:
58:frontiersman
55:
31:
29:
866:Guelzo, 60.
857:Guelzo, 57.
695:Adams, 230.
659:Guelzo, 48.
650:Nevins, 474
606:Guelzo, 79.
594:Guelzo, 56.
568:Guelzo, 55.
512:Nevins, 503
346:Congressman
337:manumission
272:Brig. Gen.
232:Confederacy
1099:Categories
873:References
387:President
185:candidate
175:California
115:Background
1030:(1992) .
903:(2004) .
444:John Pope
433:Aftermath
236:secession
81:abolition
1006:(1988).
980:(2004).
951:(2005).
473:See also
220:Missouri
214:Kentucky
210:Illinois
161:via the
157:to then
130:Born in
97:Maryland
93:Kentucky
89:Missouri
1063:3423629
365:Indiana
120:Frémont
99:in the
1082:
1061:
1040:
1016:
992:
963:
937:
913:
889:
501:Notes
101:Union
1080:ISBN
1059:OCLC
1038:ISBN
1014:ISBN
990:ISBN
961:ISBN
935:ISBN
911:ISBN
887:ISBN
770:2010
629:2010
413:and
363:and
357:Ohio
95:and
30:The
328:to
1101::
1074:.
969:.
850:^
829:^
799:^
787:^
760:.
727:^
620:.
599:^
585:^
573:^
561:^
529:^
517:^
189:.
111:.
103:.
91:,
1088:.
1065:.
1046:.
1022:.
998:.
943:.
919:.
895:.
772:.
631:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
