Military Tuesday~Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis

Benjamin Thomas Davis was born in 1828, a son of William Davis and Julia Thurman. He was the sixth of ten children born to William and Julia. He had six brothers of which one died young,

Benjamin Thomas Davis married Mary Jane Knight, daughter of Moses Knight and Temperance Eddins. No known children were born to this union.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, William and Julie had five surviving sons of eligible age to serve their Country. Four of the five brothers did serve during the Civil War.

Benjamin Thomas Davis enlisted on 20 December 1861 and served Captain of Co. E, 21st. SC Inf. C.S.A. As Commanding Officer of Co. E, 21st. SC Inf. Capt. Davis became the Commanding Officer of three of his 4 surviving brothers.

Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis was killed in the battle at Bermuda Hundred/Ft. Stevens on 28 May 1864.

After the death of  Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis, his brother, Maj. Alfred W. Davis was promoted to command Company “E”, 21st Infantry.

It is not known what happens to the Widow, Mary Jane Knight, of Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis after the War.

Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis was buried on the battlefield but a cenotaph in his honor/memory can be found in The Chesterfield Cemetery, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39176085/benjamin-thomas-davis 

Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis is my 1st Cousin 4 times removed.

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[1] Johnson Hagood, Memoirs of the War of Succession (Camden, SC 29020: Jim Fox Books, 1997 (Reprint)), page 402.

[2] Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: Univ of South Carolina, 1997), page 87.

[3] John V. Rigdon, Historical Sketch & Roster: The SC 21st Infantry Regiment (Cartersville, GA 30120: Eastern Digital Resources, 1997), page 78.