HIS PART IN THE CIVIL WAR 147 



her one child from Washington, and Mrs. Corbin with 

 her two children from her country place which was so 

 near the Potomac that it soon fell into the hands of the 

 Federals. His sons-in-law and his two eldest sons had 

 early entered the Confederate army. His mind was 

 greatly disturbed also because of his financial invest- 

 ments in the North, which had been made through his 

 cousin Rutson Maury of New York and his friend Has- 

 brouck of Newburgh, New York. The latter remained 

 a true friend in spite of the war, and at Maury's request 

 was able to save a small part of his investments. Their 

 relation, as effected by the war, is an example of the 

 many that existed of like nature, and its peculiar poig- 

 nancy is indicated in this letter: ''The nefarious Civil 

 War that rages has not and I trust never may cool our 

 hearts towards you and your dear family. My son 

 Henry is an officer in the army of the North, he could not 

 with honor decline to serve in it. Your son Richard is 

 an officer in the army of the South, as you informed me 

 in one of your letters, and could not probably with 

 honor decline to serve in it. I sincerely hope that 

 Henry and Richard may never meet in any battle during 

 this unhappy war, and by duty and honor be obliged to 

 shed each other's blood". 



Maury, however, did not allow separation from his 

 family and depression of spirts to interfere with the per- 

 formance of what he considered his duty, but made an 

 enthusiastic endeavor to make the most possible out of 

 conditions as he found them. He first assisted in forti- 

 fying Jamestown Island in the James River and Glouces- 

 ter Point on the York River, early in May, 1861, for the 

 defense of Richmond. Besides he sat almost daily with 

 the Governor's Executive Council to consider the many 



