New-York daily tribune., 1861-11-05

n
ueuarlS e, ugh appeared in partial support Of Gen.
S,opo, idea " de The rest of the report ID not IN
cr;u). SAYS thas The trips might have been mase "
on ,nimtes eash; while Lieut.. Brambsll declares
tba, i, WAS with infinite labor that Col. Ccggswell
md himself could ret over with the I2pOund gun il
baf an hour.
The mention Of this gun, bring us to that censurng
line in Gen. Stones report, in which be says, The
forwarding of artillery before it's supporting force Of
infantry, also impeded the rapid assembling Of an i'm
posing force on the Virginia shore," but we defend
Col Baker from the point of this reproacb if reproach
is by the fact that the Massachusetts, troops alone
wele supporting force enough for all the guns that
could lie got across and that but for The working Of
Lieut.. Bramlalls cannon, Col. Baker could not have
sustained himself ba.f an hour after the heavy portion
Of the fight set in.
It, perhaps is pertinent to this portion Of the sub
ject to mention, that some time near 8 P. IN. Col.
Baker sent dispatch to Gen. Stone, which was
handed to the General by Lieut.. Baker, Col. Bakers
con, about 81 or, perhaps, near O'Clock. Ihn dis
patch read us follows:
."The enemy are in our neutrality-suspicious.
slow Send me more artillery. sball not retire.
When Gen. Stone had read this dispatch he asked;
'sCan your father hold his position tonight Lieu
tenart?
"He requires more artillery" was the answer.
"Has lie not got six pieces" returned the Gene
raj.
General" answered the Lieutenant, Z" it is i'm
possible TO get over more than one piece at a time,
from the Island TO the Virginia shore"
"Win he not have sufficient il those pieces get
over" gain inquired the General
"Yes, Sir, 1 think lie will" said Baker.
"Well, If be can hold bis position there till his
troops cross" concluded Gen. Stone, IL will keep
that thousand men in check directing the attention
of the Lieutenant to the shore opposite to Edwarcss
Ferry till his troops can CROSS"
Gen. Stone then wrote an order, and handed 1t to
Lieut.. Baker; but it could not possibly have reached
the battle-ground before bis fathers death. AT this
time, large part of the brigade of Col. Baker had
not left the Maryland sdei and yet we learn from
Gen. Mcclellan, through bis dispatch to Secretary
Cameron, that Gen. Stone, during the day and
epening Of the 2la," telegraphed hun Of the fall Of
Col. Baker, tie check sustained by troops land
hat nearly all his (SfOas's) force had crossed he
rtrer." Now, it is in proof that barely 800 men
had crossed that day under Col. Baker one half Of
whom never got back, while the 500 which, se
cordDg to bis supplementary report {" hieh We get
through the letter Of Lieut.. Cobum 10 DIR. Baker,,
be stated be had furnished Col. Baker, dwindled iu
effect TO about 1900. Surely, he could not reasona-
bly, assume that for any such practical effect as bat.
tie the brigade Of German was given TO Col. Baker,
since be COMMANDED it I'll day himself and did not
=. xri,k i'm ~ of
the bat le II seems therefore, that Col. Baker was
really the only General who did find the eremyi
and inasmuch as, with all bis honors, his experience
in war, his refusal Of Msjor-Generashp in order
that he might remain Sepa,or) be cheerfny served
under youthful Brigadier Of lees experience than
himself. His acts were entitled TO the most liberal
translation and the most generous report Az it Is
his glory is obscured by cloud OF injurious infer
ences and bis military memory sihAs usds- the inu-
endo, possibly not intended, OF "disobedienee OF
orders" Poor payment for his heroic services;
small recompense TO the family whom he loved, and
WHO inherit nothing but bis fame
There are but few words that need be added to
this story; but there is a sequel, which grows 30
from the body Of the drama, that it must be told.
When Gen. Stone telegraphed during the day
and evening of the 2st October" 10 Gen. Mcclellan,
" the fail Of Col. Baker, the check sustained by
troops, and that nearly all his Stones) force bad
c-ol sed the river" the COmmandern Chief naturally
supported that there were nearly 500 men on the
western bank Of the Potomac. and with this idea
bis mind he consequently felt warranted in sending
Stone the following dispatch at l0i p. M:
Intreneh yourself on the Virginia side, and
await reenforcements if necessary"
Acting either under this authority, or proceeding
from an earlier notion of his own Gen. Stone ac-
companied by Gen. Banks, crossed several thousand
troops over Edwards Ferry on Tuesday mornings
which troops, however, Gen. Mcclellan, who arrived
in perfon at the scene on Tuesday afternoon,
promptly ordered back. He found that the means
Of crossing and recrossing, even after that ex.
tended time Of preparation were still too
meager TO have warranted such an expeditions
in other words, that the error Of Monday had been
repeated by those who had participated in the prey-
Ous lesson We may ugde, therefore, of the anxiety
be must have suffered during the many hours re-
quired for their rotrograde lest the enemy might
stumble on the situation and repeat the calamity Of
the first OCCASION The second error 10 betray
the yarsDtage Of the FIRST aid thus enabled 10
scquit Col. Baker Of the deplorable disaster which
lie consecrated by his death, and which Is only en-.
durable to the country through the sublime herois
be impaired to the field.
The public may probably be puzzled to understand
why any but parties who appear to be Immediately
interested should desire to reflect upon the conduct
Of fuch gallant soldier as Col. Baker; and there
FORE in justice to the friends Of Gen. Stone it should
be stated that the erroneous report, which appeared
in the earliest detail Of the battle, TO the effect that
Col. Baker, reading bis first order, said "Pll do
it, but is my death warrant" was ecrious
reflection upon General Stone. Az such