Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-02-21
gaattbman s. State 1ournal.
MONTPELIER, FEBRUARY 2i, 1862.
THE CASE OF GEN. STONE.
BY Z. p. WALTON

conveyed to Fort Lafayette to await a trial
The following are the charges on which he
was arrested
lst. BY misbehayirr At the battle Of Balls Bluff
2d For holding correspondence With the enemy he
fore and since the battle or Balls Bluff and receiving
the visits of rebel Office in his camp.
ID. For lreacherously suffering The enemy 20 build
fort or strong work, since the battle Of Balls Bluff,
der his guns without m0lestati0n.
4th. For treacherous design 10 expose his force 20
capture and destruction by the emmy, under pretcnse Of
orders of movement from the commanding general,
which had not been given.
There have been unfavorable rumors against
Gen. Stone for long time but it seems that
proof Of his treachery, sufficient to warrant
his arrest, has at last been placed in the hands
Of the military authorities, and that he is to
tried by court-marlial Whether the charges
alleged will be fully proved against him re-
mains to be developed when be shall have
been brought to trial. Nothing positive has
yet been developed in the case, but from the
numerous letters that are published in the
city papers respecting it, it would appear that
there are two sides to the question. With
out being suspected Of the least sympathy for
Gen. Stone, should the traitorous acts be
proved against him, we may be allowed to
give the substance Of both sides Of the ques-
ton, aud leave our readers to await the de-
yelopments Of the trial to establish the truth
or ialsiiy of the charges against him
On the one hand it is alleged that he alone
is responsible for the Balls Bluff affair, and
that he has on a certain occasion received
deputation of rebels from the other side Of
the river, and delivered to them sealed
paceage, and other things which are set forth
in the charges against him. Col. Forney
writes to the Philadelphia Press, in support
of the charges against Gen. Stone, as follows:
'.rho arrest VI Brgader Gcnenl g P Stone 90 Sat
urday night AVID his ausfe 90 Fort LafN ette not
unexpected hY those who had known hs strong secession
prpruyites His conduct In the battle of bsls Bluff
which resulted u the massacre of The gallant Baker and
his rnic baud, and he manner u which be attempted
20 brawbeat Senator Sumter Tor cririsiug h- military
pnc, thr Senate would think have led 60 his almost
unanimous lection Ind hc heeu previously confirm
ed At the called session, for the office Of Bngader Gen
eral
The fact there are too many Of the officers pariicu-
larly ~ the regular army who. while fighting against
the rebels DO not hesitate 90 indulge in certain express
sious 0f conditional and qualified patriotism. This class
is composed f fhoe who have hal intimate associations
with Sou bern society and are well inocuated with the
hefcsy II State rights. lucy talk hppantly against
Atohuousts and BLACK Republicans aud parii, ular
~ addicted 90 compiimentiug The rebel Traders They
forget the great issues inynyfd this and
consciously guoTe their duty iu the premises Hap
pil, however they are 10 minority even in the regular
army But Il it we're not Tor hebfaYe and unmurmuriug
npu taken from private life, and clothed with the
hdeucr ard commissions pf the Enverumea even the
jlroas
The sympahizers with secession in private life have
been greatly assisted and encouraged by the example Of
haii hearsa oiioe's n the Esular sImy and u vas
high tme for Secretary stanton 90 give them such an
adnonition as Rill not fail to be effective"
Others claim that Gen. Stone evinced
his loyalty TO the Government by promptly
responding to the call Of Gen. Scott to assist
him in unrayeling and counteracting the Sc
cret plots of the rebels to prevent the count
ing Of the electoral vote, and defeat The inau-
guration Of President Lincoln. Stone was
not then in the service, having resigned years
before, but "vithout asking or waiting for rank
or pay, devoted his days and nights to the
service of his country, with an assiduity, skill,
prudence and seli-sacrifciug disinterestedness
that would be exp c,ed Of few men" His
friends claim that the charges now brought
against him will be cleared up to the salts
faction Of the Government and the county
This may be so, and yet he may be clearly
proved to De a traitor oulriyaliing the yillany
Of Benedict Arnold
Respecting the affair at Balls Bluff, the
New York Times makes the following state
ment, which we give as he gives it, 1t is
from hiend Of Gen Stone, aud the public
must make allowances for that fact
Baker the Balls BluH with the raitofous
purpose having him beaten AZ tive hands uf Che enemy.
The Chuse assumes NJ coarse, that Col Baker simply
obeled oracrs which he could NOT dspuc-thai he was
carrying out Stone views and his cuand that he
sacrifice 70 the soldiers duty 10 obey his superior
at every cost Not So 40 all, II am correctly inform
ed Col. Baker was as inpul>ve aud impatient Of re-
straut he brave lie had felt for some time
fed AMI chaururd al the inactivity # the army VI the
Potomac lie believed that few bold ishes upon the
enemy by the army ofihe Potomac nervcd by confidence
in good cause would break he rebel lines and open the
way u our forces m Richmond and the disperson Of the
ftba army fun ui lti'h' "n. "hlch ne was Wllmg 20
stoke bis reputation and his life be lch Washington for
he upprr Potomac delefn ed lo pu has theory to me
test and lead the way u glorious triumph of the Ma
tiona lie notify ambitious On be ielder in
50 grand eCrprise,-aud VAS de temmed TO win i'm
pelishabe glory b, the capture or Lre,burgh.
In this frame ofinnd he arrvcdat Gen stones quar-.
ters aud stated his paus The General demonstrated
aud " he erred at all Il was IN not exercising his auhori
~ aud positively rbddiug the desperate though heroic
enterprise proposed by Col. Baker But the latter in
SISTED upon being permitted 70 carry It out urging con
would win ,ietu that would be Of ipcalculable value
The vas indeed a delicate Here was Baker
only Colonel, u be sure, but he many years Stone
senior aud the President Of the United States had Just
m1nif sed his confidence in the Cul0uels superior mil
itaIy judam and skill by conerriug upon him Ma
jor Generals coumisson, which he had only To accept
and thus at out rank Brig Gen Stone, and he
hed then TO exercise for himself the discretion tina
Mr. Lincoln had seon TT TO vest in him Is It Ia be won
defed that under such circumstances Stone yielded h
Judgment that of Bikerl II he had persisted il
refusal woald not have ueen charged evidence of
traitorouS Upwiliugness 20 have Union Victory
Technically, the responsibility Of the Balls Bluff dsas
ter mHy upon Gen. Stone but morally and justly
in the eyes Of all fair men, IL must (f the ab0V,
statement Is true believe 70 bel upon Col Baker
whose error an honest and chiydrous one, atone,
for with his hearts blood BE not the first com
mander who led his army across river and sought th
enemy without providing means for his Hisor
awards highest hohors 10 soldiers who have purpose
cut OH their own means OF retreat that they might gh
the more desperately aud win victory all the surely
Had ker been successful in his emulation Of that ex
ample, the name he has le upon the military annels
the country would be ustreless By the side Of the gor
with which Balls Bluff would have encrcled his memoir
foreyer. Why, then because the result equal t
the grand design, think i'll Of the martyr to his chy
alre faith
Ethan Allen Hitchcock, confirmed by thu
Senate as major general of volunteers, viii
. Immediately take command at Cairo. Gen
Hitchcock is Vermonter, a grandson o
!; Ethan Allen, and has given evidence that h
n inherits the courage of the old hero. H