J. W. Palmer to D. H. Maury, February 10, 1865
Richmond, Va., February 10, 1865.
General D. H. Maury, Mobile, Ala.:
Under the arrangement with General Grant, send out, through N. Harleston Brown, 1,500 bales cotton on notice of Federal authorities of readiness to receive. Allow no delay.
J. C. BRECKINRIDGE, Secretary of War.
RICHMOND, February 10, 1865. Hon. J. O. BRECKINRIDGE, Secretary of War:
SIR: Lieut. S. B. Davis, of Maryland, formerly in charge of our prisoners of war at Andersonville, Ga., who in the latter part of December was sent to Canada with important dispatches, and was arrested on his way back and tried as a spy, has, I understand, been condemned to be executed on the 17th instant. Of course our Government has promptly taken the steps necessary to avert the fate with which he is threatened by a stern assurance of retaliation, but it is the life of a gallant and devoted young officer that hangs on that one chance, and in the deeper rancor, the more desperate policy which it is to be expected will henceforth prompt every act of the enemy, that chance may fail. I believe it is in my power to procure his reprieve (for a time long enough to enable him to produce incontestable evidence that he was in no sense of the word a spy, but in good faith merely a Goverument messenger in transitu on allowable business) by simply writing two letters, on my individual responsibility, to two persons occupying confidential and influential positions at Washington, and having at all times the ear of the President of the United States, the letters, if approved by you, to be forwarded by flag of truce to-morrow. Believing this, it is plainly my duty, at whatever risk of appearing officious, to solicit a brief interview with you this morning for the purpose of laying the particulars of my proposition before you.
Hoping it may be your pleasure to receive me, I shall await your instructions at the oftice of the Second Auditor of the Treasury until 3 o’clock, and after that hour at the oftice of the Signal Corps, and
I
have the honor to remain, sir,
Most respectfully and faithfully, your obedient servant,
Mr, Davis is first lieutenant, Provisional Army, C. S., and is aidede-camp of General Trimble. He was captured in Ohio about three
weeks ago, and Northern papers stated at the time was to be tried as
a Spy.