January 9, 1862 (Wednesday): Congress Turns On Stone

General Charles P. Stone

                                                                                    WAR DEPARTMENT,

                                                                                              January 9, 1862.

Hon. GALUSHA A. GROW,

              Speaker House of Representatives:

   SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the resolution adopted by the House of Representatives on the 6^th instant, to the effect that the answer of this Department to the resolution adopted by the House on the second day of the session “is not responsive or satisfactory to the House, and that the Secretary be directed to return a further answer.”*  In reply, I have respectfully to state that “measures have been taken to ascertain who is responsible for the disastrous movement of our troops at Ball’s Bluff,” but that it is not deemed compatible with the public interest to make known these measures at the present time.

    Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

                                    SIMON CAMERON,

                                                            Secretary of War.

*See Vol. V, page 346.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 51, Part 1, Page 517.

Charles P. Stone, the overall Union commander at Ball’s Bluff was about to be pulled down into a political vortex which would lead to his arrest without charges in February.  Stone was a Democrat who, after the battle, had responded to criticism of his role had set forth (not inaccurately) the deficiencies of Senator Edwin Baker (Republican-Oregon) whose incautious move across the Potomac and poor battlefield management directly caused the disaster.  This lead to the earlier Congressional demands (noted here) for a placement of responsibility (other than with Baker).  Neither McClellan or the Administration directly defended Stone against false charges of conspiring with the enemy and he would ultimately be imprisoned for months without charges.  The Stone affair marked a turning point in the politicization of war, with Radical Republicans viewing military affairs through the lens of loyalty to the Government (more specifically, the party in power), rewarding friends and punishing enemies.