de the soil of Virginia, and I led them." Mr. Wade here
interrupted, and said, "I was no so unjust as not to mention that
circumstance to the committee." General Stone resumed, "I could
have surrendered Washington. And now I will swear that this
government has not a more faithful soldier, of poor capacity it
may be, but not a more faithful soldier from the day I was called
into service to this minute."

GENERAL CHARLES P. STONE ARRESTED.

Subsequent developments proved that three days before this second
examination General McClellan had in his possession an order from
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, directing him "to relieve
General Stone from his command of a division in the Army of the
Potomac, and that he be placed in arrest and kept in close custody
until further orders." It is evident therefore that so far as the
War Department was involved, the case had been prejudged, or judged
at least without giving the accused man an opportunity to be heard
in his own defense. It is difficult to understand why his testimony
did not have the effect to recall or suspend the order of arrest,
but despite the candor and evident honesty of his explanations,
the blow fell upon him. Early on Saturday the eighth day of February
General McClellan directed the provost marshal of the district,
General Andrew Porter, "to arrest Brigadier-General Charles P.
Stone at once, and to send him under close custody by first train
to Fort Lafayette, where he will be placed in charge of the commanding
officer, and have no communication with any one from the time of
his arrest." Brigadier-General Sykes, commanding the City Guard,
executed the order, taking General Stone from his bed at midnight
in the hotel where he was stopping, and making him a close prisoner.
Shortly after daylight the following morning General Stone addressed
a note to General Seth Williams, Adjutant-General on the staff of
General McClellan, informing him of his arrest, and adding,
"Conscious of having been at all times a faithful soldier of the
United States, I must respectfully request that I may be furnished
at an early a moment as practicable with a copy of whatever charges
may have been preferred against me, with the opportunity of promptly
meeting them."

To this respectful communication no answer was made, and General
Stone was hurried off to Fort Lafayette, under strict guard, with
an order from General McClellan for