The final effect of not looking after the boat service was seen in the pres-ence of the fifteen companies at Harrison’s Island on their way to the sceneof action at the moment of defeat. This error, like the others, was the resultof Colonel Baker’s inexperience. No one has ever sought to blame him.The whole load was at once thrown upon G-eneral Stone, though not, indeed,by those who knew the facts and were capable of judging.
With the light we have to-day, it would, indeed, be easy to admit that,even with forces outnumbering the enemy as four to one, to cross a rapidriver in a few boats at two points practically four miles apart, climb a steepbank, and thence advance against an enemy centrally posted within two milesof either landing, is too delicate an operation to be undertaken by inexperi-enced troops, without that knowledge of individual qualities which can onlybe gained by the test of actual warfare, and, moreover, without a positivecommand or an object adequate to the risk.
If we are to judge by the light of ’61, then it must be remembered thatGeneral Stone supposed himself to be carrying out the wishes of his com-manding general^ in regard to dislodging the enemy from Leesburg, that thescouting parties found no large force of Confederates, that he had no reasonto apprehend any one of the negligences and ignorances which followed, thatthe main body of the Confederates seemed to be in Gorman’s front ; finally,that he believed McCall to be still reconnoitering beyond Dranesville.!
It was thus that General McClellan , no less just than generous to his sub-ordinates, judged in vindicating Stone from reproach, and retaining him incommand when self-interest would in any case have suggested his retirement,and duty would have demanded it if he were to blame.\ So, too, judged theleading officers who took part in the battle, including those who sufferedwounds and long imprisonment.
But with the cry of grief that went up all over the land at the untimelydeath of the brave and eloquent Baker, who had left the Senate to take thefield, was mingled the cry of rage of a few men among his personal followers.They filled the public ear with misrepresentations, to which Stone and hisofficers, restrained by discipline, were unable to reply. ☆
| Although the strict letter of his instructionswas admittedly exhausted. But this was not theonly communication that had passed. Observe, thatalthough surprised by the movement, and greatlydistressed by the disaster, General McClellan ut-tered not a word of censure. He even telegraphed,“Take Leesburg.” Curiously enough, this dispatch,being in cipher, could not be read by General Stone ,who replied, “I have the box, but not the hey.” Atfirst this was supposed to refer to a box, and I wassent to General Stone ’s family for the key; ofcourse, to no purpose.— R. B. I.
j) General McClellan says he thinks notice wassent to General Stone of McCall’s withdrawal fromDranesville. He had a right to think so ; but thefact remains that no such notice was sent. I statethis of my own knowledge.—R. B. I.
\ In “McClellan’s Own Story,” the general writesof Stone : “He was a most charming and amiable
gentleman; honest, brave, a good soldier, thoughoccasionally carried away by his chivalrous ideas.He was very unfortunate, and was as far as possi-ble from meriting the sad fate and cruel treatmenthe met with.”— Editors .
■fc The following extract denotes the substanceof such irresponsible accusations against Gen-eral Stone as reached the public at the time:“ Bi-igadier-General Charles P. Stone was arrestedin Washington this morning, at 2 o’clock, by aposse of the Provost Marshal’s force, and sent toPort Lafayette, New York harbor. The chargesagainst General Stone are: First, for misbehaviorat the battle of Ball’s Bluff; second, for holdingcorrespondence with the enemy before and sincethe battle of Ball’s Bluff, and receiving visits fromrebel officers in his camp ; third, for treacherouslysuffering the enemy to build a fort or strong work,since the battle of Ball’s Bluff, under his guns with-