Near the end of August, Major John Schofield, a plump young West Pointer in his early 30s, a serious, scholarly soldier, and formerly Lyon's chief of staff, arrived in St. Louis to inform Fremont about Wilson's Creek. Accompanying him was Frank Blair, recently made a colonel. The two were admitted to the general's headquarters after some delay and were surprised when Fremont didn't ask a word about the battle and instead proceeded to show them a large map on his desk. He talked of the great campaign he had planned out, going down Missouri and Arkansas, to the Mississippi River, and eventually to capture Memphis. This would outflank and scatter all Rebel defenses on the river. New Orleans could be taken by year's end and the war would be over by next summer.

Schofield and Blair departed, both shaking their heads. The latter finally asked the obvious. "Well, what do you think of him?" "I feel my thoughts would be too strong to put into words," Schofield replied. Blair replied that he felt the same way.