BALL'S BLUFF IN CONGRESS.

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remarks afford an idea of the impressions this event, seemingly so difficult of comprehension, created on the public mind. A month after this debate General Stone, having been continued in his command on the Potomac, was arrested by an order from the War Department, on charges, it was said, among other matters, involving his conduct at the Battle of Ball's Bluff. Of that, however, no authoritative information was given to the public. The fact only was certainly known that he was carried to Fort Lafayette, and was there detained a prisoner of State till the following August, when he was released without trial or any other public proceedings.

In the month of July the Battle of Ball's Bluff was again brought before the attention of Congress in the speech on the conduct of the war already cited by Senator Chandler of Michigan. The battle of Ball's Bluff was reviewed on this occasion, chiefly in reference to the neglect of General McClellan and of General Stone to coöperate with Col

position, with such paltry means of communication as the three flat boats at Harrison's Island, need no military criticism or judgments to insure its condemnation. It was a blunder for which the public demanded an account. Why, it was asked, were not means of communication provided, if the movement was à necessary one, and why was it not adequately supported by the large force below, on the Virginia side? ImmeImmediately on the meeting of Congress a resolution was passed by the House of Representatives, "That the Secretary of War be requested, if not incompatible with the public interest, to report to this House whether any, and if any, what measures have been taken to ascertain who is responsible for the disastrous movement of our troops at Ball's Bluff?" To this an answer was received on the 16th of December, communicating a letter from Adjutant-General Thomas, "that the General-in-Chief of the Army is of opinion an inquiry on the subject of the resolution, would, at this time, be injurious to the public service." A dis-onel Baker by a flanking movement. cussion was held in the House of Representatives on the subject of this resolution on the 6th of January, 1862, when an animated speech was delivered by Mr. Roscoe Conkling, a representative from New York, in which he vividly presented the circumstances attending the battle field at Ball's Bluff. "The chief mourners for that battle," said he, "those who suffered most severely in it—are the States of New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. To those States it was the battle of Cannæ, for the very pride and flower of their young men were among its victims. No wonder that the army and the country burn with indignation at

'The deep damnation of their taking off.'

No wonder that twenty millions of people and their presses are yet discussing whether the battle was fought on orders issued by General Stone, or on forged orders, or on no orders at all." These

The course of Colonel Baker was defended on the ground that he had every reason to trust to reinforcements being sent, in the confidence that forty thousand effective men, in the divisions of McCall, Smith and Stone, were within twelve miles of him; being ignorant that the commands of the two former had actually been withdrawn; while he was exonerated from the charge of rashness by his prudent dispositions in the field, and the necessity he was under, as a man of courage and gallantry, of proceeding to the relief of the small body of troops which had preceded him, and which were beset by the enemy when he crossed. 'Why," asked the Senator, fortified by the evidence taken before the War Committee, of which he was a member, "was this little band permitted to be destroyed by a force little more than double its numbers in the presence of forty thousand splendid troops? Why were Mc

between Edwards' Ferry and Ball's Bluff, which would have utterly destroyed any force he could have sent to Baker's relief, and that Baker knew it. But Stone was not sustained by a single witness ; on the contrary, all swear that there were not, to their knowledge, and that they did not believe there were any; and a civilian living on the spot, and in the habit of passing over the ground frequently, swears there were none; and again, Stone, when questioned as to the erection of forts under his range of guns,

Call and Smith ordered back at the very moment when Baker was ordered to cross? If we wanted Leesburg, McCall could have taken it without the loss of a man, as his movement in mass had already caused its evacuation, and the enemy did not return in force until after McCall had retreated. If we did not wish to capture Leesburg, why did we come at all? Of what use is a slight demonstration' even, without results? These are questions which the people will ask, and no man can satisfactorily answer. Why were not reinforcements upon his second examination, swears sent from Edwards' Ferry to Colonel Baker? The distance was only three and a half miles. We had fifteen hundred men across at two o'clock on Monday, and the universal concurrent testitimony of officers and men is, that a reinforcement of even one thousand mensome say five hundred, and one gallant captain swears that with one hundred men he could have struck them upon the flank, and changed the result of the day. Why were not reinforcements sent? Stone swears that there were batteries

positively that there is not a gun now between Edwards' Ferry and Ball's Bluff, and never has been. Why, then, were not reinforcements sent from Edwards' Ferry? Let the men who executed and planned this horrible slaughter answer to God and an outraged country."

Such was the criticism freely expended upon this unhappy movement to Ball's Bluff. Like many other acts of the war, it awaits the judgment of a fuller investigation, on ampler testimony, than has yet been made public.

CHAPTER XLII.

THE RETIREMENT OF GENERAL SCOTT, NOVEMBER 1, 1861.

THE exhausting labors of the summer of 1861, with the numerous anxieties attending upon the public service, had their effect upon the constitution of the veteran General Scott, who up to this time had borne at Washington, in his capacity of Lieutenant-General, the burden of responsibility in the direction and superintendence of the national forces. As the war increased in magnitude, it was evident that this vast and engrossing work must be transferred to other hands. Rumors, accordingly, of the approaching retirement of General Scott from his high rank and duties at the

capitol, began to be spread abroad in the autumn. Indeed, provision for such an incident had been made in the extra session of Congress, in a section of the Act for the organization of the military establishment, which secured to the brevet Lieutenant-General, in case of his retirement, his full current pay and subsistence, or allowances. On the 1st of November the expected event took place. A special meeting was held on the morning of that day by the Cabinet at Washington, when the following letter by General Scott was presented: "Headquarters of the Army, Washington, October 31,

RETIREMENT OF GENERAL SCOTT.

will improve your health, and continue your life long after the people of the country shall have been restored to their former happiness and prosperity."

private letter expressive of his gratitude hope that a merciful Providence, that and affection. The President added: has protected you amid so many trials, "General: You will naturally feel solicitude about the gentlemen of your staff, who have rendered you and their country such faithful service. I have taken that subject into consideration. A general order from General McI understand that they go with you to Clellan completed the official bulletin of New York. I shall desire them, at their the day, occupied with this important earliest convenience, after their return, transaction. "Headquarters of the Army, to make their wishes known to me, I Washington, November 1, 1861. In acdesire you now, however, to be satisfied cordance with General Order, No. 94, that, except the unavoidable privation from the War Department, I hereby asof your counsel and society, which they sume command of the armies of the have so long enjoyed, the provision United States. In the midst of the which will be made for them will be such difficulties which encompass and divide as to render their situation hereafter as the nation, hesitation and self-distrust agreeable as it has been heretofore." may well accompany the assumption of Each member of the Administration then so vast a responsibility, but confiding as gave his hand to the veteran, and re- I do, in the loyalty, discipline, and courtired in profound silence. age of our troops, and believing as I do, that Providence will favor ours as the just cause, I cannot doubt that success will crown General: It will crown our efforts and sacrifices. The army will unite with me in the feeling of regret that the weight of many years, and the effect of increasing infirmities, contracted and intensified in his country's service, should just now remove from our head the great soldier of our nation, the hero, who in his youth raised high the reputation of his country in the fields of Canada, which he sanctified with his blood, who in more mature years proved to the world that American skill and valor could repeat, if not eclipse, the exploits of Cortez in the land of the Montezumas, whose whole life has been devoted to the service of his country, whose whole efforts had been directed to uphold our honor at the smallest sacrifice of life, a warrior who scorned the selfish glories of the battle-field, when his great qualities as a statesman could be employed more profitably for his country, a citizen who, in his declining years has given to the world the most shining instance of loyalty in disregarding all ties of birth, and clinging still to the cause of truth and honor. Such has been the

The following letter was also addressed, the same day, to General Scott by the Secretary of War: "General: It was my duty to lay before the President your letter of yesterday, asking to be relieved, under the recent act of Congress. In separating from you I cannot refrain from expressing my deep regret that your health, shattered by long service and repeated wounds received in your country's defense, should render it necessary for you to retire from your high position at this momentous period of our history. Although you are not to remain in active service, I yet hope that while I continue in charge of the Department, over which I now preside, I shall at times be permitted to avail myself of the benefits of your wise counsels and sage experience. It has been my good fortune to enjoy a personal acquaintance with you for over thirty years, and the pleasant relations of that long time have been greatly strengthened by your cordial and entire coöperation in all the great questions which have occupied the Department, and convulsed the country for the last six months. In parting from you, I can only express the

SPEECH OF GENERAL MCCLELLAN.

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warmest and deepest thanks to the honorable body you represent, for this entirely unmerited compliment. I could thank you better if I thought that I deserved it; but I do not feel that I do. Nothing that I have yet accomplished would warrant this high compliment. It is for the future to decide whether I shall realize the expectations and hopes that have been centred in me. I trust and feel that the day is not far distant when I shall return to the place dearest of all others to me, there to spend the balance of my days among the people from whom I have received this beautiful gift. The war cannot be long; it may be desper

career and character of Winfield Scott, whom it has long been the delight of the nation to honor, both as a man and as a soldier. While we regret his loss, there is one thing we cannot regret the bright example he has left for our emulation. Let us all hope and pray that his declining years may be passed in peace and happiness, and that they may be cheered by the success of the country and the cause he has fought for and loved so well. Beyond all that, let us do nothing that can cause him to blush for us; let no defeat of the army he has so long commanded, embitter his last years, but let our victories illuminate the close of a life so grand. -ate. I ask in the future forbearance, GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Major-General Commanding U. S. A."

patience and confidence. With these we can accomplish all, and while I know that in the great drama which may have our hearts blood, that Pennsylvania will not play the least, I trust that, on the other hand, she will play the highest and noblest part. I again thank you, and ask you to convey to the Council my most sincere thanks for the sword. Say to them that it will be my ambition to deserve it hereafter. I know I do not now."

The presentation of a sword to General McClellan, one of the first incidents of his new command, by a committee of the Common Council of Philadelphia, on the 3d of November, called from him a characteristic reply. "We honor you," said the chairman in his address," as a representative man, as representing loyal Pennsylvania, whose every family sends to this contest a father or a son, as opposed to a rebellion against her part and A day or two after the good opinion lot in the inheritance from our sires, and expressed of the young General by his in accordance with a sentiment unalter- brother Pennsylvanians was reiterated ably declared, that she will permit no by the Secretary of War Cameron on a armed dictation at home or abroad, which visit to New York, where he was called has for its object the diminution of a sin- upon to address a political gathering of gle bond of the Union or the least fibre the Union Club, from the portico of the of its strength. General, an active mind Astor House. After alluding to the deled you to leave during peace the art you votion of the North to the cause of the learned so thoroughly. War has restored war, he briefly noticed some of the ciryou to it with high responsibilities. You cumstances of the struggle. "We cerhave been favored largely with a success tainly," said he, "had some reverses in which has sealed the good opinion of the commencement, and there were some your earlier promise. From the peace-excuses to be made for them. The peoful arts has risen with you a mighty army, which, it is to be hoped, but not before a decisive blow has been struck, will soon retire again to the same peaceful pursuits." To this and other remarks of a like tenor, General McClellan responded. "I ask you, sir, to give my

ple of the North are a working people, engaged for the last fifty years in the peaceful pursuits of civil industry. For more than fifty years the South had been meditating this foul rebellion, and were preparing for war, while the North was consolidating peace and harmony.