Dear Ms. Lunelle,
The children that I call “my babies” have asked of me a task that I so vehemently tried to stay away from during Black History Month - "Commodore Matthew Fontaine Maury”.
“Mr. HK, can you explain to us who he was?”
I would tell my babies that it was Black History Month and that I should be speaking about the Black Confederate soldier. However, since they had chosen a man whose parallel to greatness was synonymous to that of the Honorable General Robert E. Lee, I was sure that none would take offense. And because of the illegal, unholy, destruction and carnage heaped at the great Americans who served under Lee and Davis, has gone so far unnoticed and survived….with the exception of his fine sculpture on Monument Avenue in Richmond, and Elizabeth Warren’s Naming Commission’s renaming of Maury Hall at Annapolis.
Elizabeth Warren, and not to forget Nikki Haley, rightfully two of the most disliked women by the Southern people, now parade themselves at Universities and public outings bragging about the carnage they have carried out against the South and some of the greatest men and arguably women this land of America has ever seen. However, after the constant prodding from my babies, I was compelled to speak a little about Commodore Maury.
Matthew Fontaine Maury is considered one of the greatest Naval Officers, if not the greatest Naval Officer, and one who served in both the Federal and Confederate Navy.
From 1825 through 1834 Maury served on U.S. Navy ships. After becoming injured aboard a ship, he was relegated to shore duty, where he started what would become the US Naval Observatory and used science to observe and plot the “tracks in the sea”. Nicknamed “pathfinder of the sea”, his scientific charts forever changed naval navigation and saved countless lost lives from the perils of the open sea. Maury's work was so favorably received by the highest naval authorities in Great Britain that it became an official navigation book for the British Navy and its merchant fleets.
The King of Prussia in 1855 struck a Medal of Honor for Maury as a reward for distinguished contribution to science. A testimonial stated that his immense labors on currents and soundings and the direction at different seasons and latitudes have exercised the most beneficial influence on the commerce of nations...and augmenting the security of navigation in all seas.
Also in 1855, the Republic of Bremen struck a gold Medal of Maury with this inscription: “To the Promoter of Science; to the Guide of Navigators, Lieutenant M.F. Maury is honored by the Senate of the Republic of Bremen. Your name, which has so long been an ornament of the U.S Navy, is and will ever be gratefully remembered in Bremen.“
In 1856 the King of Denmark conferred on Maury the Cross of a Knight of the Dannebrog as a testament to his important and comprehensive research with reference to the physical geography of the Sea and its winds and currents.
In 1860 the Emperor of France, Napoleon III, conferred on Maury a Commander of the Legion of Honor with a great Gold Medal "as a Mark of esteem for the eminent services rendered to Navigation".
Gold Medals were also struck by the Governments of Austria, Holland, Norway, Sweden and Sardinia in honor of Maury for his scientific work rendered to commerce and Navigation through his Wind and Current Charts.
More than 20 Scientific Societies around the world presented testimonials of recognition and honor to Maury. The Czar of Russia made Maury a Knight in the Order of St. Ann, the King of Portugal conferred upon him in the Order of Tower and Sword, the King of Belgium made him a Knight in the Order of St. Leopold, the Emperor of Mexico, Ferdinand Maximilian forwarded to Maury the Decoration of Our Lady of Guadeloupe.
No American citizen has been more widely honored throughout Europe and other parts of the world than Maury for his scientific achievements.
Pope Pius IX, in 1861, presented Maury with a complete set of all Medals that had been struck during his pontificate in appreciation of Maury's services in the field of Science.
The Pope also admired Maury's service to the Confederate States of America as the Southern people, and Maury, a Virginian, fought for freedom and independence. In the same manner, the Pope had corresponded with President Davis during the War and identified himself spiritually with Davis by sending to him his signed personal photograph with the words of Jesus Christ from the Gospel of St. Matthew (11:28) "Come with me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you".
When asked by many people including the Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells why he joined the Confederate States of America? Maury replied, our glorious Union is gone. The State through which and for which I confessed allegiance to the Federal government has no longer any part of it. Neither have I. I desire to go with my own people and with them to share the fortunes of our State together.
To the Governor of New Jersey through whom I hope to convene a Peace Congress to negotiate a settlement between the States Maury wrote: Mr. Lincoln may literally speak his polyglot through tongues of fire...but no military man can permit himself to accept service with a mental reservation...If we have a war between the States, every man who continues in Uncle Sam's Service is in good faith bound to fight his own (people) if his own be on the other side. The line of duty is clear to me - each one to follow his own State.
Maury, like President Davis and General Robert E. Lee, hoped the Union of States would be preserved. But they knew it could not be held together when Lincoln began the destruction of the United States Constitution in preparing to make war against the Southern States.
If Elizabeth Warren and her so-called “Naming Commission” had an ounce of
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