The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-11-02
DEATH OF CAPTAIN
JOHN h. DAVIS
A MAN WITT A BRILLIANT
ARMY RECORD.
He had Served his Country ON the
The Tented Field-Entered the Army
as u Private and Came out u Brevet-
AajOr-Came to Montana in 1866.

i OclOck p. m. tuesday, Oct. 18th.
after intense suffering and a prolonged
illness of nearly four weeks. During
this painful period he was faithfully
attended by a devoted wife and other
members of the family, ably assisted
by a regular committee of Virginia
City Lodge No. 7, /. O. o. F., of which
the captain was a member.
The last obsequies were duly observ-
ed Wednesday afternoon, in which the
Church, Lodge and Grand Army of the
Republic participated. The remains
were placed in state in the Odd Fellows
Hall and on the casket many beautiful
floral tributes were displayed. After
music by the choir, Rev. Mountjoy
read the 23rd psalm, selected especially
by Capt. Davis on the sick bed some
two weeks since, at which time he
seemed to have a ~premonition of a
rapidly approaching end of his earthly
career. The minister spoke at length
in an address regarding the virtues of
deceased as a Christian and citizen,
and %recOunted instances illustrative of
the many acts of kindness and gener-
osity toward his fellow man. Then
followed the earnes and impressive
work of the Odd Fellows craft, during
all of which fourteen veterans with G.
A. r. badges occupied a post of honor
in seats especially assigned to them.
The funeral cortege (which Was a
long al imposing one to the cemetery
was preceded by fife and muftled drums,
leading a firing squad, under command
of Capt. Reif, from Company D., N. G..
NJ, and the G. A. r., members under
command of their Officer of the Day,
James How: then followed officers and
members of the Lodge in regular Or
der, the hearse, pail bearers, mourners,
carriages, etc. Upon entering the GEM
etery the dirge a changed to the
plaintive air of Down on the Suanee
River" IN compliance with a wish the
cises of last Memorial Day. At the
grave VIM. Morris, Noble GRAND, gath
cred the members of the craft about
it, concluding their part of the cere-
monies. The soldiers then surrounding
the grave, c%urtailing the post services
to the address of Commander II. l..
Childs and Acting Post Chaplain J. f.
Galloway, and the floral Offering of the
officer of the day. The last sad rites
were concluded. as a tribute to the
memory of adead soldier, by three vol
leys of musketry and the long roll call
by Company d boys.
Captain John H. Davis was Il native
of Kentucky. born near Sterling. Au-
gust %, 1929. At % years of age he
emigrated to Illinois, where he work.
ed improving a tract of land neal Tay-
lOrville until the spring of 1858, at
which time he crossed the plains with
amule team to Colorado. The captain
successfully engaged in mining until
the spring of 1861, when he returned on
a visit to his old Kentucky home. At
this time the whole country was in the
first excitment of civil war.
AS A UNION VOLUNTEER.
Upon returning to Illinois Davis pa
triotism asserted itself, when he i'm
mediately enlisted as a private in
Company >. 9Th Illinois Infantry
t'Dick Oglesby's resiment''ll April,
1861. This was in the first three
months call. and after that term had
expired he again enlisted in Company
Is, 4lst Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in
which service he vas elected first lieu
tenant. At the capture Of Fort Donel-
son he had command of the company,
and was wounded in the shoulder by a
minnie ball at the battle of Shiloh. At
the battle of V%icksburg he was wounded
in the thigh by a she'll, the effects of
which he neve recovered from a slight
lameness. Lieut.. Davis was promoted
to the captaincy for gallant service at
Vicksburg. He was at the capture of
Atlanta and was in command of a piOn-
eer corps that went in advance of Sher-
mans forces in the memorable march
TO the e In the grand review at
Washington Captain Davis and his
men were assigned to lead the line in
order next to generals.
In brief this patriotic veteran of
many hard fought battles was with
o.. Prices c.eaD 1aliag pewles