The exasperated president was sorely tempted to dismiss Frémont but hesitated when Illinois Governor Richard Yates warned that “the army of the West would rebel.” Finally, Lincoln sent Cameron and Adjutant General Lorenzo Thomas to Missouri with an order relieve the Pathfinder, but only if he were not about to fight a battle. The meddle-some Chase, who informally assumed many of the war secretary’s responsibilities, urged Cameron to “bear in mind that we must have vigor, capacity and honesty. If F[rémont] has these qualities sustain him. If not let nothing prevent you from taking the bull by the horns. We have had enough dilly dallying, temporizing and disgraces.”
Source: Abraham Lincoln ∶ A Life ▫𓂃
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