Soon after I took command at Cairo, General Fremont entered into arrangements for the exchange of the prisoners captured at Camp Jackson in the month of May.  I received orders to pass them through my lines to Columbus as they presented themselves with proper credentials.  Quite a number of these prisoners I had been personally acquainted with before the war.  Such of them as I had so known were received at my headquarters as old acquaintances, and ordinary routine business was not disturbed by their presence.  On one occasion when several were present in my office my intention to visit Cape Girardeau the next day, to inspect the troops at that point, was mentioned.  Something transpired which postponed my trip; but a steamer employed by the government was passing a point some twenty or more miles above Cairo, the next day, when a section of rebel artillery with proper escort brought her to.  A major, one of those who had been at my headquarters the day before, came at once aboard and after some search made a direct demand for my delivery.  It was hard to persuade him that I was not there.  This officer was Major Barrett, of St. Louis.  I had been acquainted with his family before the war.

CHAPTER XX.

General Fremont in command—­movement against Belmont—­battle of Belmont —­A narrow escape—­after the battle.

From the occupation of Paducah up to the early part of November nothing important occurred with the troops under my command.  I was reinforced from time to time and the men were drilled and disciplined preparatory for the service which was sure to come.  By the 1st of November I had not fewer than 20,000 men, most of them under good drill and ready to meet any equal body of men who, like themselves, had not yet been in an engagement.  They were growing impatient at lying idle so long, almost in hearing of the guns of the enemy they had volunteered to fight against.  I asked on one or two occasions to be allowed to move against Columbus.  It could have been taken soon after the occupation of Paducah; but before November it was so strongly fortified that it would have required a large force and a long siege to capture it.

In the latter part of October General Fremont took the field in person and moved from Jefferson City against General Sterling Price, who was then in the State of Missouri with a considerable command.  About the first of November I was directed from department headquarters to make a demonstration on both sides of the Mississippi River with the view of detaining the rebels at Columbus within their lines.  Before my troops could be got off, I was notified from the same quarter that there were some 3,000 of the enemy on the St. Francis River about fifty miles west, or south-west, from Cairo, and was ordered to send another