CHAPTER XVII.
Ball's Bluff Disaster .-- Mr.Conkling's Resolution of Inquiry .-- Unsatisfactory Reply of Secretary Cameron .-- Second Resolution .-- Second Reply .-- Incidental Debate on Slavery .-- Arrest of General Charles P.Stone .-- His History .-- His Response to Criticisms made upon him .-- Responsibility of Colonel Baker .-- General Stone before the Committee on the Conduct of the War .-- His Examination .-- Testimony of Officers .-- General Stone appears before the Committee a Second Time .-- His Arrest by Order of the War Department .-- No Cause assigned.
-- Imprisoned in Fort Lafayette .-- Solitary Confinement .-- Sees Nobody.
-- His Wife denied Access to him .-- Subject brought into Congress .-- A Search for the Responsibility of the Arrest .-- Groundless Assumption of Mr.Sumner's Connection with it .-- Mr.Lincoln's Message in Regard to the Case .-- General Stone's Final Release by an Act of Congress.
-- Imprisoned for One Hundred and Eighty-nine Days .-- Never told the Cause .-- Never allowed a Trial .-- Appears a Third Time before the Committee .-- The True Responsibility for the Arrest .-- His Restoration to Service .-- His Resignation .-- Joins the Khedive's Service.
On the day that Congress convened, (December 2, 1861,) Mr.Roscoe Conkling offered a resolution which was unanimously agreed to by the House, requesting "the Secretary of War, if not incompatible with the public service, to report to the 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." A few days later Mr.Chandler of Michigan offered a resolution in the Senate, directing an inquiry by a committee of three "into the disasters at Bull Run and Ball's Bluff." Mr.Grimes of Iowa offered a substitute which, after various modifications, directed the appointment of a "joint committee of three members of the Senate, and four members of the House of Representatives, to inquire into the conduct of the present war, with power to send for persons and papers, and with leave to sit during the sessions of either branch of Congress." The resolutions led to some debate.

Mr.Chandler maintained that "it is the duty of the Senate to ascertain who is responsible for sending eighteen hundred men across the Potomac, in two old scows, without any means of retreat." Mr.McDougall thought a discussion of the question at that time was impolitic.
Mr.Wilson of Massachusetts, chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, while admitting that many mistakes had been made, asserted the "the greatest error in the conduct of the war has been the series of irresponsible proclamations issued by generals on the field." The joint resolution was adopted by the Senate with only three dissenting votes (Messrs.

Latham, Carlile, and Rice) and by the House unanimously.

Mr.Wade of Ohio, Mr.Chandler of Michigan, and Mr.Andrew Johnson of Tennessee on the part of the Senate, with Mr.Gooch of Massachusetts, Mr.Covode of Pennsylvania, Mr.Julian of Indiana, and Mr.Odell of New York on the part of the House, constituted the committee.
THE DISASTER AT BALL'S BLUFF.
The Secretary of War, in answer to Mr.Conkling's resolution touching the disaster at Ball's Bluff, stated that Major-General McClellan, commanding the army, "is of opinion that an inquiry on the subject of the resolution would at this time be injurious to the public service." The answer did not satisfy Mr.Conkling.

He immediately moved another resolution declaring that the communication from the Secretary of War was "not responsive nor satisfactory to the House, and that the secretary be directed to return a further answer." A spirited debate followed, taking a somewhat extended range.