The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-01-17
The Disaster at Balls b B'uff...who is
agnnrk vac Res pons,ble7

the disaster ut Balls Buf-..Who 10
.Bsar &8g Res ponsible3
The Hocse OF Representatives adopted
y resolution on the second day Of the pres.
ent Session, requesting the Secretary OF
War tciuiorm that body IL any measures
had been taken to ascertsir who is re-.
sponsiole for the disaster at Balls Bluff
The Secretary replied, 10 substance. that
Adjatan,- General Thorn as whose report
was also submited) had laid The resou.
ton before Gen. Mcclellan, who bad
given his opinion that such an inquiry, at
the presen; time. would be- Injurious 10
the public service. The House, having
since resolved That the answer is not re /.
sponsive or satisfactory, and that the Sec.
tetary be requested to return a further
one, are finally assured that measures
have been taken to ascertain who is re.
sponsible for the disaster.
Now, this is matter OF no common i'm.
portance. and we are glad to see dispo.
siion manifested in the House, 10 have Il
thoroughly Investigated. II Gen. Nc.
Clellan, or any other officer in the service.
regards his conduct as above inquiry by
the Representatives Of the people. il is high
time that the fact should be known. TAe
lives o. six hundred thousand men are too
valuable 10 be placed at the disposal Of
one irresponsible commander, however
clear may be his title 10 the confidence
aud admiration of his couutrymeu aud.
when il is considered that tho sbIiiIy OF
Gen. Mcclellan to lead our great army to
victory, is yot TO bc provon, tho absurdits
OF the claim of nfaIlbility in his boiiaIf, is
squsled ouly by the danger which might re.
suit from its practical recognition.
Tho Battle of Balls Bluff will figure
prominently on tho darkest page OF our
eountrys history, as q wau,ou aud wicked
sacrifice OF $50 brave and loyal men, under
circumstances the most aggrava'ng and
appalling. An inadequate io'ce was o' derod
20 cross dangerous river, at the worst
point tilat could DO selected for the purpose.
and win no sufficient means of crossing,
while ah adequate force was already on the
other side, aud, with timely procaution.
sufficient means of crossing might have
been procured The awful and heart sick.
oning result all know. TO our mind. tho
circumstances OF this Battle utterly preclude
the idea thHt it was mistake or blunder.
Sach words fail TO exprWs the crilninality y
Of Tho tragedy. which has mover. TO our
knowledge, beeu justified or defended No
man could deliberately plan such n schorno
of wholesale slaughter, without treason and
murder in his heart. Somebody 10 re-
spousiblc. Aud has.tie country no right TO
know who il is? All the circumstances
point to Brigadier.G General Stone. who had
tho Immediate supervision OF tho movement,
as the guilty man, and, whether ho be guilty
OF innocent, an equal amount Of circum
stancial evidence against person charged
with murder, would DO almost certain to
Insure his conviction. II Con. Stono is
jus,fy chargeable with. the Balls Bluff dis.
5aster. u weight of guilt rests on his soul. in
comparison with which the treason Of Arnold
was a virtue. Ii not. he should be re.
liovcd of tho suspicion which attaches 10
hin, Let the whole matter no Investigated,
and Tho guilty brought TO justice.
This Gen. Stone is. we bulioye. q citizen
Of Maryland, Pro-Slavery man, and bo.
liover in tho duty of army officers to return
tho fugitive slaves of rebels. Ho is said TO
have recently written letters, couchod in
insulting language to Gov. Andrew, and
Sonator Sumner, of Muss.. in reply TO cer-
tain srictures of theirs upon his conduct.
The Washington correspondent OF the New
York Times speaks of him thus:
But the charge Of military mismanapo.
ment and the improper ompoymcn, of his
troops to The return Of fugitive slaves. tho
last made by Gov. Andrew, ara not The only
or the harshesr f,fsos made against Gen. Stone.
It is ailedgrd that he holds 10 amieable re-
lations with rebel officers across tho POto
mac. corresponding with them regularly /;
and that ho synpathiZas and protects trait
nrously disposed crizsns Of Maryland living
near bis camp. refusing 10 take fo-age from
such. IL 10 alleged. aud is no doubt true
that never until Friday last was tho Ma
sional flag seen TO dnnt over tho bead
quarIsrs uf Gen Stone. its absence has
long been subject Of Comment and un.
friendly criticism The ipjnFv
20 the country. resulting from tho discoris
IN regard to Gen Stone, is already greater
char dozen Of our best G, morals arc worth.
----->--~