CSS Drewry was a wooden gunboat with foredeck protected by an iron V-shaped shield. Classed as a tender, she was attached to Flag Officer French Forrest's squadron in the James River sometime in 1863 with Master L. Parrish, CSN, in command.

In addition to transporting troops and other routine service, she took part in several engagements along the river prior to January 24, 1865, when, in Trent's Reach, she was destroyed by two shots from a 100-pounder rifle in a battery of the 1st Connecticut Artillery. The second hit exploded her magazine as she assisted CSS Richmond to get afloat; all but two of her crew had reached safety before the explosion.