, 1861-10-31
Ct)iraqo Grihutre
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 81, 1861.
TEE mFeTMRX UNExPLAINED.

THE mXExAHX DREAEkA4M6E&
Gen. Stones report Of the battle Of Lees
burg Heights Is published, and Tue essen-
1ial portion u transmitted to Us by tele~
:raph. The whole affair remains as much
:. mystery as eIe1. Why did Gen. Mccall.
ca The south side Of the Potomac, advance
y ith nineteen Thousand men from Ptospecs
Hill to Drainsyi1le, that is, half way to
Leesburg} and then suddenly withdrew to
his old quarters at Prospect Hill7 Why
did Gen Stone himself, simultaneously
with this movement, and simultaneously
with the sacrifice Of Col Baker and
his command, cross the Potomac
at Edwards Ferry, SIX miles below
with eight Thousand men, and then
as suddenly toithdrato to the Maryland sue!
The fact that he did 60 cross, while the
attention Of the enemy Was engaged By
Col Baker, is asserted in the National In
telligenesr, and confirmed BY our own cor
respondent, who was there. Indeed, the
truth as to this matter VAS allowed to
come over the wires just after the battle at
Hau;son's Island, where the gallant
Baker fell. And the first intimation
we had that General Stones column
was not on the Virginia side, was
brought by subsequent dispatch
announcing that flag Of truce had been
sent over to the rebels to obtain permission
to bury our dead All the facts that
we have been able to CLEAN in 1ela-
tion to the affair point to the conclusion
that plan mas on foot to surprise and
capture the rebel force al Leesburg- that
for this purpose Gen MCCALL with his nine
teen thousand men was ordered to move
up to Drainsville-that Col. Baker was OF
dered to Cross the river at Harrison's Is
land and engage the enemy, while Gen.
Stone should improve their misBpprehen-
sion Of the real point Of attack, and throw
over his eight thousand to join Gen Nc
Call in combined assault On Leesburg.
After these movements had been sue
cessfully effected, all hands suddenly take
the back track-Gen. Mccall to Prospect
Hi, and Gen. Stone to the Maryland side
Of the river! And We are told that Gen.
McCall's movement was merely recen-
noisarce, "a recon noisance accomplished
by nineteen Pennsylvania regaments,) and
Col. Bakers movement Was another re-
counoisance, and it is more than limited
Tat the disaster Of the day is due to poor
Bakers rashness. Why Gen. Stone threw
his eight thousand men across the river
and then fe11ied them back, is not ex-
planned at all.
The people will demand an explanation
Of this mystery, so horrible in its result:
to Col. Baker and his brave men-Dot an
explanation Inconsistent with the public
interests, but something which shall an
s#er all the requirements Of the enigma,
rather than one which leaves the larger
haH IS mysterious as ever. It is reported
t1at after the two main divisions Of the
army had advanced toward Lee5burg, a
higher officer than Gen. McC1.usn, to.Vit,
Lieut.-Gene1al Scott, ordered Gen. Mccall
to courtermareh to Prospect Hill, and
that General Mcclellan, hearing the
fact, rode IN hot haste to Edwards's
Ferry, and ordered General Stones
column back just in time to save it from
sharing the fate OF Col Baker and his men
deprived as they were Of the support 0
McCalrs division This is the third time
that important movements Of Gen. McClel
Ian have been defeated, on the eve Of con
summation, by base treaehery or wretched
Interference with bis plans.