Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-01

OF whom, at least achieved international
fame:
Dear Seen aud Heard.
Recent events in connection with the
Dreyfus affair fla France nave brought 10
my mind events during tho war OF tAe
rebellion. 'Gl 10 'ej. ] have thought n the
cases OF MaiOr-General Charles p. stone
and OK Fitz John Porter. General stone,
i1 81 and 60. commanded the United
states forces along the Potomac between
Washington and Harper's Ferry. in DC
lIber, '6l crossing Of the POTOMAC ar
Edwards Ferry by large part or stone
command was made about October ls-n
and goth. and on the 2lst Genera. Bahet
was 20 cross the Potomac dt Conrad
T,Iry with his comm@N fnd D. som,
failure or miscarriage u plans ne SUE
ceedld in crossing one battalion or tne
slvenly-hrst Pennsylvania, known as the
First California Regiment, ana part on
the F0rty-second New YORK. better known
as tLe Tammany Regiment. BAKER
move resulted in disaster he losing ID.
own NE and more than tWo-t1Ids OK
those who had crossed 70 the virginia
side. This affair is known la history as
the PaIs Bluff disaster FOR the ldlluie
1I this movement General stone was
placed under arrest. and, IL j recOllecl
FIGHT. stone was placed 10 ono or our
forts in confinement and was released
only through the most persistent elIyI
OF the late Senator sumner ana le5tgltu
On the Red River territory until the enc
of the war After being placed IN CON
fnement why was he not tried ana
upon what charge was he confined In
dungeon
the case of Fitz John Porter? Why ala
each succeeding President refuse re-
hearing OF his case, and why was nc
finally cleared OF all charges upon "hlcu
ne WIS c0urt-martiallcd2 And can you
afr al g.
ei.ion 10 a rehearing Of the case. De
licve the history Of the matter NJuie De
among the most interesting of your seen
and Heard" Talks. am
Respectfully, a. W VI 10
Philadelphia September p, 1859.
The Bals Bluff disaster referred TO
occurred while General stone VINO wa
then only a colonel, was in coIhiAdLu ~.
the CORPS Of observation or the army ~
the Potomac BY direction ~ Genera.
George b. Mcclellan he was otdeIgd
simply to keep a good lookout ana lldhe
n feint of crossing the Potomac riF 't al
Balls Bluff. He exceeded his orders,
however. and being led 10 believe lhit
the enemy might be sufpfSeu' he ii5'''
more than a feint and actually caused q
part OF his command t0 cross me river
in the night. The result was that nest
morning the Union forces were driven
back into the Potomac with great los7'
In his report of the affair General Nc
Tioiia, eafd referring to Stone: Il did
not direct him TO cross. nor did [ intend
that ne should cross the river, IN torce'
Tor the purpose of fighting. Not"llh-
standing this disObedience Of orders ana
the lamcntable result, Colonel stone con-
unucd in charge OF the same command
for a period Of nearly four months. out
on February .. 1862, he was suddenly
arrested and taken 10 and imprisoned in
Fort Lafayette. i'm New York narbor,
where he remained in confinement until
August l6, 1862 lie was discharged, be-
cause in the meanwhile no charge mad
been preferred against him. 10 was gene
rally considered that his Valor had over
leapt his discretion. He remained on the
waiting list until NJ j., 1863, when he WIS
again given active service IL the Depart
ment of the Gulf figuring CALAMITY ~
the siege OF Port Hudson. and acting
as senior member Of the commission Tor
receiving the surrender of that place. lie
was subsequently made chief Of the stat
OF General Nathaniel +. Banks, and
served crcditably until the end ~ the
war. when he resigned his commission.
General Stone. by the way. is the same
man who figured so prominently In Esyp-
tian affairs from 1870 until 1885, dchleNihb
prominence and fame the world over uh-
der the name OF Stone Pacha. lie was
acting as engineer ana superintendent on
q mining company IN Virginia When nc
was induced 10 accept ccmmlsal'ii III lHe
Egyptian army, ana subsequently ~
made chief OF the general sian re did
much to improve the Egyptian military
service giving much attention TO the
military schools that had already oeeh
set i'm motion by French officers Ia the
Egvptian service. he brought his eXecu-
tive ability TO bear upon the creation OF a
geographical and Typographical buIeau,
whereby valuable maps were produced
and the government printing executed.
MANY civic hOnOrs We're thrust upon MN,
and Isman Pacha decorated MIN with the
order OF the Commander Of the Osmanien,
made him grand officer Of the Mediidien
and Osmanieh, and also elevated MIN 10
! the positiOn OF Ferlk Pacha, or general OF
! division. When ismail was dethrOned, IN
| 1879 the reform government which sue
| ceoded determined upon measures OF
| economy and one of these Included the
mastering out OF the American officers In
| the Eeyptlan troops but General Stone
| alone was retained and acted as chief OF
| the military stan When Arab and the
army rose in revolt he took no part 10
| The movement. but resigned his commls-
| sion and returned TO this country, III
| March 1859, His abilities as an en-
| gineer were recognized by his being made
| engineer-in-chief 10 the committee Tor
| the construction Of the pedestal Oh the
| Bartholdi Liberty statue In New loik
| harbor. and when that giant enlgy was
| dedicated ne acted as grand marshal oil
| tho ceremonies that signallZed the occa-
! sion. re died in New York city IN Janu-
airy, 1881.
General Fitz John Porter was CHARGE
before Il court-martial. whieh was CON