The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-09-07

"Thet man commanded a regiment
in battle when he was q boy, second
lieutenant"
who Is he?"
Let me tell you something about
him.
His name Is John Davidson. The
last week In June, 1861, a company
made up almost wholly of farmer boys
from Crawford County, Wisconsin,
marched into Camp Randall, Madison,
and became Company G of the Sixth.
q regiment which for four years played
a more or less prominent part in the old
war Of the sixties. Among the young
farmer boys of Company c was rosy
checked, patriotic, energetic John Da-
wilson. He developed into a superb
soldier, who did well every duty as
signed to him and seemed always to
be watching for other service to per-
form.
There never was anything about
him indicating a desire to win glory
for himself. His aim seemed to be al
ways to serve, to the very best of his
ability, the country he loved.
He missed no battles In which his
regiment participated, and his regi-
ment participated in all the great bat
ties Of the Army Of the Potomac.
In one Of the great battles John Da-
wilson wss hero, but a notably mod
est one
Every soldier who participated in
the series of battles on the Weldon
railroad, near the Yellow House, to the
left Of Petersburg, in August, 1864,
will remember the sharp, hard work
that was necessary to prevent General
Malone and his veteran virginians
from destroying the Fifth Corps.
Those fights were models in their
way. The two forces smashed up
against each other, struck right and
left and fought with savagery seldom
noted. The position taken was a very
important one to the Federals. and its
loss was serious one to the Confeder-
ates. Mahones division charged Cut
ler's division three times in one day.
and was repulsed with great loss each
time.
After the first charge was made Ser
geant John Davidson-he had been Civ
en- another stripe-requested the privi-
lege of taking a bunch Of muskets
gathered from the field the day before
with a view to loading them and
placing them on the breastworks in
readiness for the next charge. 1t was
a novel idea, and permission was
granted. Davidson hurriedly collected
a force Of ten men and instructed them
as to the manner of discharging the ex-
ira guns he had placed on the breast
works, when Mahole's men came at
them again. There were nearly 100
Of these extra guns. Sergeant David
son and his ten men discharged their
own pieces and then rapidly went
along the line and discharged the ex-
ira hundred. This was repeated at
the third charge and with wonderful
eject.
There was no call for Sergeant Da-
wilson to introduce and carry out that
plan, but 1T was his way. Probably he
did not engage in battle when he did
not do more than he was expected to
do. He was one of the men who ought
to have been commissioned officer
two years before he was made one.
Not long after thatday's three fierce
charges with frightful slaughter 1
found myself newly made adjutant
Of the regiment. l knew the impor-
lance of securing a competent man for
sergeant major, and thought that nv
rosy-cheeked boy of Camp Randall,
now one Of the best soldiers in the
army, would fill the bill. Much to my
surprise and disappointment. when 1
offered the appointment to Sergt. Da-
wilson, he said he guessed he would
stay with the company. He had been
with it about three and q half years.
and he did not like to leave the boys.
The next day I preached the subject
again, and the next. He finally con-
cluded that he would try 1t for a
month, and II I could promise to re-
lieve him In case he did not like the
,york.
About two months after his appoint
ment the colonel gave me data for q
letter to be written to the Governor.
asking for several commissions. Some
of them were for lieutenants to be pro-
NOTED to captains, and some for SER
geants to be promoted to lieutenants.
After writing the letter I handed it to
the sergeant major to be copied. When
he reached the recommendation of
Sergt. Maj. John Davidson, for second
lieutenant of Company d, he stopped
writing and said, "Adjutant, this is not
right; there are several men in Com
pany G who ought to be made lieuten-
ants before am" / said, Sergeant.
l obeyed the coloners directions In
preparing this letter, and l guess you
will have to obey mine in copying it."
But the remark was just like brave
John Davidson. He was willing. al
ways, to stand aside while others were
given promotions.
When our colonel took command of
the brigade went with him as his
adjutant general, and the regiment had
to select another adjutant- Davidson
was assigned to that duty. At the bat
tie Of Gravely Run, the 31st of March,
1865, Lieut. Col. Tom Kerr, command
ing the regiment, was badly wounded,
"a t,,c< nc Adi< novsdcox. x-o~ -: