Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-08-12
SECOND CAPTURE
OF DEVEREUX.
Incident in the Life OF Well Known
Government Official. ExcIama.
fIOn by Him That Will Live For.
eyer-''lf You Hang Lee, You
will Do for the GalIOWs What the
Jews Did for the Cross
(From the Augusta Herald.J


MAJOR John ii. Devereux, inspector
oil United States buildings, headquarters
at Charleston, S. c., left for home yes
terday. He has been here several days.
as 1. ID. Murphy puts it. starting the
new custodian off right"
Major Devereux' experience-one of
MS experiences-during the War Be
tween the States is a most interesting
unwrltten chapter. and an exclamation
uttered by him, at the time. will live in
the minds and hearts of all who have
heard of it, or who will hear of il.
He was a prisoner of war at Fortress
Monroe. Lying in his easement one dav
he was accosted pleasantly by Colonel
r. w. Pelton, u. S. A. Major Deyereux.
then young man, was well Informed
ana, then as now. he was an interesting
eonversationalist. Colonel PeIton be-
came very fond of the Rebel prisoner
and found him quite often for chats.
On one of his visits to Major Dew
ereux's casement-the prisoner was
then captain in the Confederate service
Colonel Pelton greeted him with:
Well l have news for you today. 4"
What is it, sir?"
General Lee has been captured.
There was no more loyal Confederate
than young Devereux. He was of the
kind of Confederates who. in their love
for Lee. believed him invincible. The
news that had been given the Charles
tonian staggered him. Confused and
heart-broken, he seated himself on his
cot. The colonel was touched and did
not disturb the eyoung man in his grief.
Finally young Devereux broke the dis
tressing silence. asking:
"And what do you think they will do
with General Lee, Colonel?"
"Do with himp' he cried in replv
do with him! What else can thew do
with traitor? Why. they will hang
him-they will hang him like the traitor
that he isl
Young Devereux heard the pronounc-
ment with horror and surprise. He re-
mained quiet for moment. Arising to
his feet, he walked over to where the
Federal officer sat, and uttering what
his heart and his soul prompted, he de-
clared, IN cool, measured. calculating
words:
Hang Lee? Hang him, and they
will do for the gallows what the Jews
did for the cross -sanctify iti"
The eloquent exclamation riveted the
attention of the Federal officer. 1t
seemed to penetrate him. He QUIETLY
arose and withdrew, leaving Deyereux
alone in his sorrow and Indignation.
A long time afterward-w when bostili-
ties had ceased-and they were debating
whether they would try jefferson Davis
for treason. there was raised i'm Massa-
chusetts the voice of Federal soldier
against the proposition.
This officer was Colonel Pelton. He
told his audiences this story of the Con-
federate prisoner-what Devereux had
cried out to him in the easement of
Fortress Monroe.
What that rebel prisoner so eIoduent-
ly said because of his affection and devo-
tion OF Robert +. Lee, is true of Jeffer-
son Davis" cried the orator. .If we
try jeff Davis we make a MARTYR of
him; if we hang him, we will do for the
gallows what the Jews did for the cross. "
Ten years after the war Major Dew
ereux went to Boston, registering at
leading hotel there. Returning from
business trip into the city, he was
told, when he asked for his room kew
that some one had been there, had paid
his bill. had taken away his baggage
and had stationed a carriage at the door.
in which Major Devereux was to drive
to given residence number. Not un-
derstanding, the CharlestOnian took the
carriage ride. At. the handsome resi-
dence to which he was driven he was
met by light-hearted children. who
called him by name. and gave him iov-
fui welcome. Within he saw q hand