The Jennings daily record., 1902-05-21
he Days o'6I
osac,usetts Veteran Gives
utl1ernP Prison Pom.
Especial Lottery

WAS just a soldiers story.
II IN, but It came to me- with
strong rejecting fevce, when
the. thought dashed across
the mental retina how little
~ we know or think or care
of the past of a mans his
tory - meeting him every day.
modest, quiet gentleman is Major
Charles G. Davis, Sergeant-at-arms at
the Massachusetts, state house. How
little you would suppose that this
modest. unassuming gentleman was
the gallant little cavalryman who faced
Mumford's riders in the trap at Aldie,
With his horse dead beneath him pin
fOning him down. yet half standing
over him, revolver in hand Captured
there, he served fifteen months in rebel
prison at Libby. afterward at Macon.
and was under fire as a hostage at
Charleston Jail, where, with Billy"
.Maguinnis, he and his comrades sang
1.-The Star Spangled Banner to the
music of Gilmore's shells bursting
above them.
A picturesque figure Is the Major uu-
der the tall hat and the imposing
'cockade, wearing the familiar heavy
moustache of the cavalryman, q trihe
-grayer now than when he came back
from campaigning with the old First
Massachusetts cavalry-first of all the
mounted troops to leave the state in
the early fall of 81.
1t was not until the second call by
President Lincoln made after it was
ascertained that the great Rebellion
was not to be put down in a breath,
and the battle of Bull Run had been
fought to very unsatisfactory con-
'clusion to the North, that the Boston
National Lancers had their chance.
Major Davis volunteered with the frst
troop that was offered. He went out
as first sergeant OF Troop c OF the
First Cavelry. of which Gen. Robert
Williams of the United States army
was the first colonel. chosen by Gov.
John A. Andrew. and Gen. Horace
Btnney Sargent of Andrews own staff
was lieutenant colonel.
The Major was then only boy OF
21-just reached manhood's estate. Six
months after he entered the service
he was a second lieutenant of Troop II.
He was in Pleasonton'S Brigade at
South Mountain, where the First sup
ported a battery. They were on the
left of Antietam Creek in the battle.
where they waited restlessly for three
hours for the charge that they hoped
for. They were in line of battle at the
first battle OF Fredericksburg near
Burnside's headquarters. but not act
lively engaged. Winter quarters were
established at Potomac Creek, where
promotion came again to the Major
and he was made a first lieutenant.
Then he saw staff duty with Gen.
Duffie and Gen. Fitzpatrick the dashing
cavalry leader next to Custer of the
Civil War.
Kelly's Ford showed the cavalryman
of the Union army that he was fitted
for something besides guarding trains.
The major was at Brandy Station. in
the fight where a charge was made
by the cavalry through the rebel line
from the rear. and a large number of
Johnnies were gobbled.
But it was at Aldie Court House that
he bade good-by to the Army of the
Potomac until we'll nigh the close OF
the war. He was made a captain, to
date from February. "a. and his ma
tor's commission was issued while he
was prisoner of war. Sept. 80. ga.
1t was at o'clock in the AFTERNOON
of the 18th of June, 63. when the
First Massachusetts,. leading kilpat-
ricks mounted column. was ordered
forward to take the heights at Aldie.
The regiment went in under com
mand of Colonel Greeley S. Curtis of
Bostop-its first squadron was led by
Captain Lucius Manlius Sargent: sec
.ond squadron by Captain Tewksbury;