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Doc. 153.-Gen. Fremont's expedition.

St. Louis, Aug. 1.
Unusual interest has been created by the unwonted military activity which has followed the arrival of Major-General Fremont in St. Louis. Regiments have been constantly arriving, the city has been fairly thronged with troops; eight steamboats have been preparing for their transportation down the river, and on last evening there were strong indications that “the great fleet” was about to move. The commanding general of this department has not seen proper to inform the public accurately beforehand with respect to the precise objects of his enterprise, plans of his campaign, or date of the departure of his expedition. Upon these points time will undoubtedly enlighten the community.

The steamers City of Alton, Louisiana, and D. A. January remained at the arsenal at a late hour last night. On board the former were the baggage and arms of a large portion of the rank and file of the Nineteenth Illinois regiment. During the day the guns of these troops were exchanged for first-class Minie muskets. The D. A. January steamed up to the wharf during the afternoon and took on board an additional quantity of provisions and camp equipage, with which she then returned to the Arsenal, arriving at about five P. M.

The steamer G. W. Graham moved to the Arsenal at about noon, with stores of provisions and camp freight, and began taking on board the baggage of Lieutenant-Colonel Rombaur's command of Home Guards. The command embraces one battalion of Colonel Almstedt's, and another of Colonel Kallman's regiment--First and Second of the U. S. Reserve Corps. Commandant Rombaur is taken from Colonel Almstedt's staff, in which he is lieutenant-colonel. His detachment forms a splendid regiment, full eleven hundred strong. At 3 1/2 P. M. they were out on review and parade, after which they marched on board the G. W. Graham, filling every deck almost to overflowing.

The Iowa Second regiment was in readiness to embark, whenever ordered, upon the D. A. January. She already bore the baggage of the corps, and a battery of artillery, including a rifled cannon captured by them from the rebels [468] in North Missouri. The troops doubtless went on board during the night.

From the levee a very interesting spectacle presented itself, at about noon, to hundreds of spectators. On the firing of a signal gun, the steamers Empress, War Eagle, Jennie Deans, Warsaw, and City of Alton, simultaneously backed from the wharf, and dropped anchor in mid-stream. The movement was executed with admirable precision and fine effect. These steamers, with the Louisiana, January, and Graham, constitute the military fleet of eight vessels, to proceed down the Mississippi. Each bears aloft the Stars and Stripes, while the City of Alton, as the “flag steamer,” shows also the Union Jack and a broad pennon. The gallant vessels attracted much attention, and every movement respecting them was watched with keen interest.

At four P. M., the Seventeenth regiment, Illinois, Col. Ross commanding, broke up their encampment at the Abbey track, and marched into the city to Fifth street, and on Fifth, Washington avenue, Fourth, Chestnut, Main, Locust, and the Levee, to the steamer Warsaw, which had moved to the Keokuk landing, near the foot of Chestnut street, to receive them. The troops were preceded by an unusually excellent band of music, and presented a remarkably vigorous and imposing appearance. They were much admired as a corps of hardy and evidently intelligent and determined men. Company A of this regiment is Gen. Pope's body guard, and consists of picked men. Crowds gathered at the wharf and witnessed the interesting embarkation of the Illinois Seventeenth. The corps marched in good order on board the Warsaw, but a portion of them subsequently proceeded on board the Jennie Deans, which, together with the Empress, moved into the landing.

At eleven o'clock last night, the fleet and embarked troops remained awaiting complete readiness and orders to start. Major-General Fremont and staff went on board the City of Alton, to accompany and direct the expedition. Captain Bart Able is in charge of the fleet. The captains of the several vessels were published by us yesterday. It was expected that the boats would all start together at about daybreak this morning.


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J. C. Fremont (3)
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