Dabney H. Maury

Dabney H. Maury
Maj. Gen. Dabney H. Maury
Born	(1822-05-21)May 21, 1822 Fredericksburg, Virginia
Died	January 11, 1900(1900-01-11) (aged 77) Peoria, Illinois
Allegiance	United States Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army  Confederate States Army
Years of service	1846–1861 (USA) 1861–1865 (CSA)
Rank	First Lieutenant (USA) Major General (CSA)
Unit	3rd U.S. Cavalry
Battles/wars	Indian Wars Mexican-American War American Civil War

Dabney Herndon Maury (May 21, 1822 – January 11, 1900) was an officer in the United States Army, instructor at West Point, author of military training books, and a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Maury was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. His descent is from the old Virginia families of Brooke and Minor, and the Huguenot emigrees, the Fontaines and Maurys. Dabney was the son of Naval Lieutenant John Minor Maury, who died of yellow fever in the West Indies when Dabney was two years old. He was brought up by his uncle, Matthew Fontaine Maury, studied law in Fredericksburg and graduated from the University of Virginia in the class of 1841. He finished his studies at the United States Military Academy in 1846 and was brevetted as a second lieutenant in the Regiment of Mounted Rifles.

Maury served in the Mexican-American War at the Battle of Cerro Gordo, and suffered a painful wound that almost resulted in the amputation of his arm. He was soon sent home to recuperate and was brevetted to First Lieutenant for bravery. His gallantry in this event prompted the citizens of Fredericksburg and the Legislature of Virginia to honor him with a special presentation sword. After further convalescence in White Sulphur Springs, he was reassigned to West Point as an instructor, serving in that capacity from 1847 until 1852. He then returned to active field duty with the Mounted Rifles, serving in the Oregon Territory, then on the Texas frontier. He returned East and commanded the Cavalry School at the Carlisle Barracks in 1858. He authored a book, Tactics for Mounted Rifles, which became the standard textbook. He also wrote Recollections of a Virginian in the Indian, Mexican, and the Civil Wars.