ThemostseriousofallthesestrugglesintheborderStates，however，wasthatwhichtookplaceinMissouri，where，owingtothestrengthofbothfactionsandtheirpromptnessinorganizing，realwarbeganimmediately。AUnionarmyledbyGeneralNathanielLyonattackedtheConfederateswithgreatspiritatWilson\'sCreekbutwasbeatenbackinafierceandbloodybattleinwhichtheirleaderwaskilled。
EvenbeforetheseeventsFremonthadbeenappointedtochiefcommandinMissouri，andhereheatoncebeganastrangecourseofdawdlingandposing。Hismilitarycareermustbelefttothemilitaryhistorians——whohavenotrankedhimamongthegreatgenerals。Civilhistoryaccuseshim，ifnotofusinghisnewpositiontomakeillegitimateprofits，atleastofshowingrecklessfavoritismtowardthosewhodid。ItishardlyunfairtosaythatLincoln，inbearingwithFremontaslongashedid，showedatouchofamiableweakness；andyet，itmustbeacknowledgedthatthePresidentknewthatthecountrywasinadangerousmood，thatFremontwasimmenselypopular，andthatanychangemightbemisunderstood。ThoughLincolnhatedtoappearanythingbutafriendtoafallenpoliticalrival，hewasatlastforcedtoact。FraudsingovernmentcontractsatSt。Louiswereapublicscandal，andthereputationofthegovernmenthadtobesavedbytheremovalofFremontinNovember，1861。Asanimmediateconsequenceofthisactiontheoverstrainednervesofgreatnumbersofpeoplesnapped。
Fremont\'spersonalfollowers，aswellastheabolitionistswhomhehadactivelysupportedwhileincommandinMissouri，andallthatvastcrowdofexcitablepeoplewhoareunabletostandsilentunderstrain，clamoredagainstLincolninthewildestandmostabsurdvein。Hewasaccusedofbeinga\"dictator\"；hewascalledan\"imbecile\"；heoughttobeimpeached，andanewparty，withFremontasitsleader，shouldbeformedtoprosecutethewar。ButthroughallthisclamorLincolnkepthispeaceandlettheheathenrage。
Towardtheendoftheyear，popularrageturnedsuddenlyonCameron，who，asSecretaryofWar，hadtakenanactivebutproperpartintheinvestigationofFremont\'sconduct。Itwasoneofthosetremulousmomentswhenpeoplearedesperatelyeagertohavesomethingdoneandarereadytobelieveanything。ThoughMcClellan，nowinchiefcommandoftheUnionforces，hadanimmensearmywhichwasfastgettingproperlyequipped，monthfadedintomonthwithouthisadvancingagainsttheenemy。Againthepopularcrywasraised，\"OntoRichmond!\"ItwasatthismomentofmilitaryinactivityandpopularrestlessnessthatchargesofpeculationwerebroughtforwardagainstCameron。
Thesechargesbothwereandwerenotwellfounded。Himselfarichman，itisnotlikelythatCameronprofitedpersonallybygovernmentcontracts，eventhoughtheacrimoniousThadStevenssaidofhisappointmentasSecretarythatitwouldadd\"anothermilliontohisfortune。\"Thereseemslittledoubt，however，thatCameronshoweredlucrativecontractsuponhispoliticalretainers。AndnobosshaseverheldtheStateofPennsylvaniainafirmergrip。HistenureoftheSecretaryshipofWarwasonemeanstothatend。