An American Conspiracy: Charles Pomeroy Stone

Brigadier General Charles P. Stone and his daughter Hettie

       I have had numerous discussions with acquaintances of mine who believe the U.S. government is perfect and sinless. Several conspiracy theories we discuss are always claimed by them to not be true because it would make the central government appear less than honest. One conspiracy that they can't debunk is not a theory, but a known fact. 

       Charles Pomeroy Stone was born in Massachusetts in 1824. One would come to believe that Stone would be an abolitionist being from the state known to be the hotbed of abolitionism, but that wasn't true. Stone was in fact a soldier first. This country was founded on the principle that professional soldiers shouldn't be tied to a certain party, but loyal to the commander in chief and the constitution. That would best describe Charles Stone. He graduated high in the West Point Class of 1845 and served with distinction in the Mexican War. 

       When the secession crisis began, Stone was in Washington, and Lieutenant General Winfield Scott chose Stone to organize the defenses of Washington and hold the capital until reinforcements could arrive. Stone was commissioned colonel and called "the first man mustered into service for the defense of the capital..." He was also in charge of security during Lincoln's inauguration. During the Battle of Manassas, Stone would serve in Patterson's command in the Shenandoah Valley. When George McClellan became commander of the Army of the Potomac, he quickly selected Charles Stone as one of his subordinates. Stone was promoted to brigadier general and sent to guard the upper crossings of the Potomac River. Charles Stone now commanded a division. 

       Per McClellan's orders, Stone had his men returning runaway slaves to their rightful owners. The reason for this is twofold. First, Lincoln wanted the border states (of which Maryland happened to be) to remain in the Union, therefore, he wanted to keep them happy. Secondly, a Federal law called the Fugitive Slave Act was still in effect. (Remember what I stated earlier about soldiers upholding the law?)

       A Massachusetts soldier in Stone's command wrote a letter to abolitionist governor John Andrews of his despicable job as a soldier was chasing down runaway slaves. Andrews became upset and wrote Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner (the same Sumner who'd almost been beat to death by Preston Brooks of South Carolina). Sumner made some very insulting remarks about Stone. Stone complained that governors have no right interfering with army operations and he wrote Sumner a very insulting letter saying it was difficult enough facing an enemy in his front while being attacked by a coward in his rear. Thus, the Radical Republicans were just itching for an excuse to get Charles Stone. 

       The beginning of Charles Stone's downfall happened on October 17, 1861 when he received a report that the Confederates were evacuating the Virginia shore near Leesburg, Virginia. McClellan saw this as a chance to relieve some pressure upon him for an advance and decided to act. He sent McCall's Pennsylvania Reserves to cross about halfway between Washington and Leesburg and advance on Dranesville, Virginia. Stone was then ordered to demonstrate on his front near Leesburg at a place called Ball's Bluff. To make a long story short, on October 20, McClellan called off the operation, notified McCall to fall back, but didn't mention any of this to Stone. Stone began to ferry men across the river into Virginia. He still believed McCall was advancing on Dranesville to his left. 

George McClellan and Edward Baker

       At that point, Stone still on the Maryland side of the river, had Edward Baker (one of his subordinates) commanding the field atop Ball's Bluff. Colonel Edward Baker was a senator from Oregon and close friend of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had actually named one of his son's after Baker. Although Baker had seen service during the Mexican War, he made serious mistakes at Ball's Bluff. Stone told Baker if the position was found untenable, he was to fall back to the Maryland shore. He ignored the directive and immediately crossed his entire command to the Virginia shore. Most professional soldiers stated that no military man would have chosen to fight on Ball's Bluff with his back to a river a hundred feet below a bluff with a single cow path leading to the water below. Baker chose to do so. 

       Confederate Brigadier General Nathan G. Evans continued to encircle and apply pressure to the Federal line until it broke. The result was a disaster. There weren't enough boats to ferry all the troops back across. The men tumbled down the bluff as best they could, many jumped into the river and drowned. The entire operation was a disaster costing the Federal army about 1,000 casualties, the Confederates losing about 155 men. The man who was truly at fault was Edward Baker, but to make matters worse, he lay dead on the field with a bullet in the chest and another in the head. Lincoln was so distraught that tears coursed down his cheeks on receiving the news and he stumbled as he stepped into the street. 

       What does any of this have to do with a conspiracy? This episode gave Governor Andrews and Charles Sumner the ammunition they needed to take Charles Stone out of the army. McClellan immediately sent Stone orders not to reveal any orders that he'd been issued during the investigation. The Committee on the Conduct of the War was formed and the Radical Republicans set out to get their man. A fellow member of the Senate had been killed in battle and someone had to pay the price. The Committee wanted McClellan, but settled on Stone to send McClellan a message. 

       Witnesses were brought in to testify against Stone, some of which weren't even at Ball's Bluff. One witness testified that Stone had been swapping secret papers with the Confederates (he had actually been swapping mail going to and from Federal prisoners captured at the battle which was perfectly legal). He was charged with treason, they cared not that he had saved Washington at the beginning of the war and protected Lincoln during his inauguration. They were out for blood. 

       Stone was imprisoned for six months on nothing more than hearsay. McClellan must be given some blame in the affair. He found nothing wrong with Stone's action at Ball's Bluff, but he refused to stand up for him and allow the nation to see how he had been partly responsible for the disaster. Many of the military men criticized Charles Sumner over the "trumped up charges." They referred to the investigation and sentence as ridiculous. General Winfield Scott became so upset at the charges that he stated, "Why, if he is a traitor, I am a traitor, and we are all traitors!"

Edward D. Baker: One blast upon your bugle horn

Edward Dickinson Baker

       Edward Baker was born in London, England in 1811. His parents were both Quakers and his father was a school teacher. The family immigrated to the United States when Edward was about five years old. His father opened a school in Philadelphia. Eventually, the family would migrate to Illinois. By 1831, Baker had become a lawyer. 

       Baker would see action in the Black Hawk War in 1832. He would be elected to the Illinois House of Representatives and eventually the Illinois State Congress. During his time in Illinois, he would become close friends with Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln named one of his sons Edward Baker Lincoln after his friend, although the boy would die before the age of four. 

       He would leave politics briefly to fight in the Mexican War where he saw action on several battlefields serving as a colonel. In 1851, Baker would move to California where he continued with his law practice. He was famous for his elaborate speaking skill and flourish for the dramatic. In 1860 he would move again, this time to the state of Oregon where he would be elected to the United States Senate. 

       When the Civil War began, Baker began to raise a regiment to represent the state of California. Most of the regiment was recruited from Philadelphia however. Lincoln offered Baker a commission as a general, but Baker refused to accept the assignment from his longtime friend. There was a law in place that meant Baker would have to resign from the Senate if he became a general. Baker loved to stand before the Senate making speeches in favor of the war adorned in his uniform. 

Colonel and Senator Baker

       He soon was placed in command of an infantry brigade guarding a crossing of the Potomac River. His superior General Charles Stone ordered him to cross the river and push the Confederate's located on the high ground back. Baker was forced to ferry his men across the river in boats. Once across, he would be forced to fight on a bluff with his back to a river. 

     As he reached the top of the steep winding path, he greeted a fellow officer with the comment. "One blast upon your bugle horn is worth a thousand men."

       Men were falling all around him, but Baker refused to lie down. He even remarked to one soldier, "When you become a United States Senator, you'll not lie down either." 

       Baker continued to pace back in forth in front of his men. Suddenly, a group of Confederate soldiers charged from the trees. A large red-haired boy aimed a revolver at Baker and fired five or six shots. Abraham Lincoln's friend was killed instantly. The Confederate soldiers ran forward and attempted to take Baker's sword. They were all shot down, including the red-haired boy who had killed their leader. His body was then taken down the bluff and carried by boat across the river. 

Death of Edward Baker

       The battle soon turned into a disaster as the Confederates pushed the Federal troops down the bluff and to the edge of the water. There weren't enough boats to ferry the men back and soon the Federal infantry panicked. Many were pushed into the water and the Confederates began to pour fire off the bluff into the mob. It was like shooting fish in a barrel as the saying goes. (More on this in another blog.)

       

Spot at Ball's Bluff where Baker was killed

       Abraham Lincoln cried upon hearing of the death of his dear friend. His wife, however caused quite a scandal when she attended the funeral wearing a dress with flowers instead of the traditional black mourning dress. She asked, "Do the women of Washington expect me to adorn myself in mourning for ever soldier killed in this war?"

Grave of Edward Baker

       Edward Baker's body was carried to San Francisco and buried in the National Cemetery there. He was fifty years old. He believed himself to be a great commander, but his friends believed his talents lay in public speaking and politics.