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[347]

The funeral.


Beautiful services held in Richmond.

All that is mortal of General Dabney H. Maury was laid to rest Saturday in Fredericksburg, beside the graves of his mother and wife, and in the city where he was born and much of his earlier life was spent. The funeral services were held here.

The remains of the distinguished Virginian and Confederate soldier reached this city Saturday morning at 8:20 o'clock. Mr. Dabney H. Maury, Jr., of Peoria, Ill., the only son of General Maury, and with whom he made his home and at whose residence he died, accompanied the remains to Richmond. His daughter, Mrs. James M. Halsey, of Philadelphia, was also here, but Mrs. Pollard, his other daughter, who resides in Texas, was unable to be present.

When the train of the Chesapeake & Ohio road pulled into Richmond, quite a large number of people were gathered at the station to receive the body of the dead chieftain. Among those who waited on the platform were delegations from Lee and Pickett camps. They formed an escort to the body as it was taken slowly through the streets of Richmond, where he had so often visited, to St. James Protestant Episcopal church. From this time until the funeral service began, at 10: 30 o'clock, the body lay in state, and was viewed by quite a large number of people. The following gentlemen acted as guard of honor: Comrades T. B. Ellett and A. O. James, of Lee Camp, and Comrade Alexander Jennings, of Pickett Camp.

Just as the services were beginning, a detachment of the Richmond Howitzers, Lieutenant Minson in command, appeared on the Capitol Square and fired a salute of thirteen guns. The detail was composed as follows: Lieutenant F. W. Minson, Sergeant C. L. Epps, Corporals E. W. Bosher, G. F. Delarue, H. P. Poindexter, Privates O. E. Leath, C. C. Gebhardt, and W. W. Poindexter.


Beautiful services held.

The church was filled with the friends, comrades and relatives of the departed, and the delegation appointed to do this last honor to the memory of one who was so well known and beloved throughout the South. The casket rested in front of the church, and was covered with the flag for which he had fought and with the floral tributes of loving friends. Among the floral offerings was one from the General D. H. Maury Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. One tribute was sent without the name of the sender being given. [348]

The services at the church, which were very simple, but beautiful, began promptly at 10:30 o'clock. The pall bearers and delegations from Lee and Pickett camps entered by the middle aisle and occupied the seats reserved for them. They were followed by the relatives of General Maury.

Rev. William Meade Clarke was the officiating minister. He read the service prepared for such occasions. During the reading of the service, ‘Thy Will Be Done’ was sung by the choir, and ‘My Faith Looks Up to Thee’ as the procession filed out.

The remains were carried to the Union depot and left for Fredericksburg over the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac railroad on the noon train. The details from the two veteran camps here accompanied the remains to Fredericksburg.


Remains in Fredericksburg.

The remains of General Maury arrived at Fredericksburg Saturday afternoon, February 13th, on the 1:37 train from Richmond. They were accompanied by Messrs. D. C. Richardson, George L. Christian, Captain John Cussons, W. P. Smith, Captain C. C. Scott, Rev. James P. Smith, F. B. Elliott, A. O. Jones, Thomas P. Pollard, W. U. Bass, T. R. Gates, A. Jennings, R. N. Northen, Charles T. Loehr, D. H. Maury, Jr., Mr.Halsey and Mrs. Halsey, Colonel R. L. Maury, M. F. Maury, and Miss Anna Werth. At the depot they were met by Maury Camp, Confederate Veterans; R. S. Chew Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the Daughters of the Confederacy. As soon as the train left, the funeral cortege, with the following pall bearers, proceeded to the cemetery, where the remains were interred, Rev. W. D. Smith, of the Episcopal church, conducting the services:

Active—W. H. Hurkamp, W. H. Merchant, W. E. Bradley, A. P. Rowe, Jr., W. C. Warren, and M. S. Chancellor.

Honorary—James A. Turner, J. B. Colbert, J. G. King, E. C. Bell, C. E. Layton, S. E. Foster, St. George R. Fitzhugh, Robert T. Knox, M. G. Willis, S. J. Quinn, E. D. Cole, C. W. Eddington, P. V. D. Conway, A. B. Botts, A. W. Wallace, John L. Marye and S. W. Carmichael.

Maury Camp, with Captain D. M. Lee in command, acted as escort.

Among the floral tributes were one from Lee Camp, Pickett-Buchanan Camp, and Maury Camp. As the grave was being filled, taps were sounded, and all present stood with uncovered head. [349]

At a meeting of Maury Camp Saturday, a touching resolution was passed out of respect for General Maury's memory. This tribute is paid:

General Maury was a loyal citizen of this republic, a true son of our Southland, and Virginia never had borne on her bosom a more chivalrous, courtly gentleman. While this city, which was his birthplace and his home in the earliest years of his life, will ever do reverence to his memory, and this camp will always cherish the fact that General Maury, who was one of its honorary members, and who expressed himself pleased and proud that we bore his name, died as he lived, a fearless and stainless Confederate soldier.’

The tribute will go upon the records of the camp.

Numerous other glowing tributes which were published, have been paid to the honored memory of General Maury.

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Southern Historical Society, held January 17, 1900, the following action was taken:


Dabney Herndon Maury—hero and scholar.

Died at the home of his son in Peoria, Illinois, January 11, 1900, Dabney Herndon Maury, the eldest surviving Major-General of the Confederate States Army, and who was born at Fredericksburg, Virginia, May 21, 1822.

Drawing his life-springs from lines which have shed lustre on the annals of his native State, and of our common country, he nobly exemplified in his ‘happy’ and protracted life the worth of his descent. The lessons presented by his dutiful career, and as limned in his delightful ‘Recollections,’ can but be potent in inspiring posterity.

Resolved, 1st. That the death of General Dabney H. Maury is an impressive loss to Virginia, to our country, and to this Society, of which he was one of the earliest and most zealous promoters, and whose interests and objects have been constantly since, first in his affections — as evinced so signally in results as Chairman of its Executive Committee.

Resolved, 2d. This Society would express its profound sympathy with the family of General Maury in the poignant loss they have sustained.

Robert Stiles, Secretary. Chairman, pro tern. R. A. Brock,

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