believing as he did, that his duty was to his State, he hesitated not a moment to espouse her cause.[1]
On the 15th of April, 1861, Mr. Lincoln issued a proclamation calling on Virginia to furnish 75,000 troops to subjugate South Carolina, and force her back into the Union. Virginia's immediate response was an ordinance of secession, and a call upon her sons in the Federal Service to rally to her support. Maury responded to this call on the 20th, and resigned his commission in the United States Navy and went to Richmond, where he was immediately appointed one of a Council of three, the other two being Judge Allen, Chief Justice of the State, and General F. S. Smith, (of the Virginia Military Institute), to advise with the Governor, Letcher, as to the best and quickest way of arming and protecting the State.
When he resigned and came to Richmond, nothing had been offered him by the Confederacy, and both the President and Ms Secretary of the Navy were unfriendly to him. He was opposed to the war, a peace-loving man, a student, and a philosopher; but when Virginia called, he turned his back upon his congenial scientific labours, upon all the plans that he had organized for the good of mankind, and upon his splendid discoveries and achievements, born of his genius, developed by his original mind, children of his own creation—all were sacrificed to the inexorable law of duty.
Who but one who sympathised with him, and worked with him, can tell the throes of his mighty heart at this, his greatest, noblest act of self-sacrifice!
"It is related of Socrates, that when his last hour had come, and one of his young disciples brought him the cup of hemlock, the young man covered his face with his mantle, weeping as he presented it, and, falling on his knees, he buried his face on the couch where his dear master sat
- ↑ For Maury's views on this subject, expressed in his own words, see Appendix, "Vindication of the South and of Virginia."
