The committee's questions accused him of improper and frequent communications with the Confederates, of not re-enforcing Baker, of using his men to protect slaveholder property in Maryland, and of returning runaway slaves to their owners—despite the last two of these following Maryland as well as Federal law. Another problem for Stone defending himself was an order from McClellan forbidding him to give testimony "regarding his [McClellan's] plans, his orders for the movement of troops, or his orders concerning the position of troops." This made it impossible for Stone to explain his movements to the committee, but kept McClellan out of the investigation as well. Under a cloud for suspected disloyalty and treason, Stone was arrested just after midnight on February 8, 1862, on orders of Maj. Gen. McClellan, who was acting under orders from Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, dated January 28. Awaiting Stone near his home in Washington were 18 soldiers led by Brig. Gen. George Sykes. When Stone approached, Sykes stated "I have now the most disagreeable duty to perform that I ever had—it is to arrest you." When Stone angrily asked why, Sykes said "I don't know. It's by order of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, general-in-chief of the army... I may as well tell you that you are to be sent to Fort Lafayette." This shocked Stone, who stated "That's where they send secessionists! I have been as true a soldier to the Government as any in service." Under guard, Stone was ordered to be sent to the military prison at Fort Lafayette by train. When he reached the rail depot at Philadelphia, confusion as to payment for his ticket caused Stone to buy his own ticket. Upon reaching the facility he was put immediately into solitary confinement, but he managed to hire an attorney and waited for official charges to be filed. According to the Articles of War this had to be done within eight days of an arrest, but was never done in Stone's case. He sent several inquiries to McClellan, to the army's adjutant general's office, and to Stanton himself, who stated " ...the charges were being reviewed prior to being publicized...", but received no satisfactory explanation. Contrary to U.S. Army regulations as well, no charges were ever filed against Stone nor did he stand trial. While he was in solitary confinement at Fort Lafayette, he could not exercise, and consequently Stone's