Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1881 — Major Drewry’s Pardon. New York Times. [ARTICLE]

Major Drewry’s Pardon. New York Times.

This story is often told, in and about Richmond, of an interview, said to have occurred just after Lee’s surrender, between Secretary Stanton and Major Drewry, commander of Dre wry’s bluff at ,the time of the-at-tack upon it by the union fleet in May, 1862. The major, who had been a dry goods merchant in Richmond before the war. aud who is a commonsense man of the world, knowing that all further resistance was vain, went at once to Washington to see the secretary of war. Very doubtful whether Stanton, always stern and usually overbeariug, . would see him if he knew his name aud mission, he went Into the secretary’s private office unannounced. In his presence, the ex-rebel, without any preamble, said: “Mr. Secretary, I am Major A. H. Drevry, of Richmond. I have fought against the federals as well as I could for four years. But now the war is over, and I want to go to work again. I have hundreds of acres of wbeqt land on the James, they have been sadly neglected all this time, and

they need my immediate attention. We ’ve beon whipped, and I’ve got sense enough to know it. Now that peace has come, I want my pardon.” ‘‘On what grounds?” inquired Stanton, severely. “First, on the grounds of having had lighting enough; secondly, because I nave helpea to Improve your navy by showing you how poor wooden ships are in action. After I had driven oft the Galena, Aroostook and the other veasela, you began to build iron boats, and made your navy what it ought to have been at the start. You owe me a pardon for the valuable information I furnished to your cause.” Stanton relaxed as the major went on, and Anally, pleased with his candor and ooldnees, invited him to call the next day at a certain hour. Drewry was prompt. The two had a long talk, the Secretary gaining much heeded information about the south, its conditions and p-ospects, and handed the Virginian his pardon. The mgjor kept hip word.. He went to work immediately, an’d has continued to work ever since without troubling himsel about politics or political theories.