CHAPTER III.

THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.

General Harney Relieved.--Price's Proclamation.--End of the
Truce.--Conference between the Union and Rebel Leaders.--The First Act
of Hostility.--Destruction of Railway Bridges.--Promptness of
General Lyon.--Capture of the State Capital.--Moving on the Enemy's
Works.--The Night before Battle.--A Correspondent's Sensation.


On the first of June an order was received from Washington, relieving
General Harney from command in Missouri. Captain Lyon had been
promoted to the rank of a brigadier-general of volunteers, and was
assigned to duty in General Harney's stead. On the 5th of June,
General Price issued a proclamation, calling for the State Guard to be
in readiness to defend Missouri against all enemies. The appearance
of this proclamation was not altogether unexpected. It was far more
satisfactory to the friends of the Union than to the Secessionists, as
it showed the hostile position of Governor Jackson and his abettors,
and gave an opportunity for proceeding actively against them. It
demonstrated very clearly that the Secessionists were determined to
make their actions correspond to their words.

It was ascertained that, a few days before the publication of Price's
proclamation, Governor Jackson was in consultation with an agent of
the Rebel Government, who promised twenty-five thousand men, and arms
and ammunition for fifty thousand more, if the State were fairly and
unequivocally out of the Union. He had also conferred with an agent