1862—The Spy of Vicksburg

The remarkable true story of Edward Kretchmer, a young Union soldier who served in General Grant’s Army in 1862.

The Union Army under the leadership of General Ulysses S. Grant was having difficulty obtaining information about what was going on inside Vicksburg. The word went out from the general’s command that someone was needed to get inside the city of Vicksburg and gather intelligence about the strength and weaknesses of the enemy. In short, a spy was needed, and it was well-known that spies who were caught were summarily executed.

A native of Long Island, New York, Al received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University, a master’s degree in applied mathematics from Adelphi University, and a Doctor of Law degree from Fordham University. He established his own law firm, Collard and Roe PC, advising a vast array of clients from individuals to large corporations in the areas of patent, copyright, and trademark prosecution and litigation. Over the course of 40 years, he filed more than 6,000 patents and 4,000 trademarks for his clients, and merged 10 other firms into his practice.
Now retired from the firm where two of his children work as attorneys, Al enjoys spending summers with his wife at the tip of Long Island, where their three children and nine grandchildren often visit, and wintering in North Palm Beach County in Southern Florida.