Captain Drayton died
last night. The nation is not aware of the loss it has sustained. There will be
difficulty in finding an equally good man for his position. Truthful,
intelligent, discriminating, with no partialities or prejudices that were
allowed to interfere with his duties, he was invaluable.
I recall more
distinctly our last interview and conversation on the Wednesday before he died.
He took great interest in the Naval Academy. Thought Porter well adapted for
the place at this time when rigor and renovation were wanted. Blake he
considered no disciplinarian, too much of a courtier, not severely and sternly
truthful. I remarked to him that I had at one time thought of Foote as a proper
successor to Blake, but it was before he was made an Admiral. He said that
Foote had some excellent qualities but was not, perhaps, full up to the position.
Knowing that Raymond Rodgers and Drayton had been pets of Du Pont, I thought it
a good time to ascertain how far he had permitted himself to be mixed up with
the Du Pont clique. Drayton said promptly and at once that Rodgers was not
adapted to the post, that it would have been unfortunate to have given it to
him. I told him I had become aware of that, though at one time partial to him
for the position, chiefly on the recommendation of Du Pont, strongly favored
and indorsed by Fox; but when I came personally to know more of Rodgers, and
see how he chose to identify himself without reason with Du Pont's controversy
– become a partisan – and to quarrel with the Department for no cause, [I saw]
that it would not do to appoint him. In all this canvassing of characters there
was coincidence of views between us, even when I had previously supposed there
was a difference. It was no conforming of his opinions to mine, for Drayton was
truthful; though modest, he was independent and frank.
I authorized Admiral
Porter to take charge of the funeral ceremonies, as we heard nothing from his
relatives and friends. Telegrams were again sent to Alexander Hamilton, Jr.,
also to relatives at Hyde Park, informing of Drayton's decease.
I called to see the
President, but his family had just arrived from Tennessee, and, he not being
well, I deferred my business, which was, among other things, to deliver a
letter sent to me by Mrs. James K. Polk.
SOURCE: Gideon
Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and
Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 353-4
