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.

Military Monday~Capt. B. Thomas Davis

Benjamin Thomas Davis was born about 1828 to William Davis and his wife Julia Thurman Davis.¹ Sometime just prior to the 1850 Census Benjamin Thomas married Mary Jane Knight, daughter of Richard Knight.

They are listed as a married couple in both the 1850² and 1860 census.³   When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Benjamin Thomas at the age of 33, formed his own Company to support the Southern Cause. It was known as  - Capt. B. T Davis Company SC Volunteers and as Company “E”, 21st. SC Volunteers. The Company was formed on November 12, 1861.⁴ 



The 21st SCV were involved in the folding battles during the war.⁵

BATTLES
Charleston Harbor (7 APR 1863)
Charleston Harbor (AUG - SEP 1863)
Port Walthall Junction (6 MAY 1864)
Swift Creek (9 MAY 1864)
Drewry's Bluff (12 MAY 1864)
Drewry's Bluff (16 MAY 1864)
Cold Harbor VA (1 - 3 JUN 1864)
Petersburg Siege VA (JUN 1864 - APR 1865)
Weldon Railroad (21 AUG 1864)
2nd Fort Harrison VA (30 SEP 1864)
2nd Fort Fisher (13 - 15 JAN 1865)
Carolinas Campaign SC (FEB - APR 1865)
Bentonville NC (19 - 21 MAR 1865)

On the 28 May 1864, Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis was Killed in Action (KIA) at Bermuda Hundred, Virginia. ⁶

His brother, Capt. Alfred W. Davis assumed Command of the Regiment upon the death of his brother. Alfred had just recently been promoted from 1st Lieutenant.

Benjamin’s death left a young “Widow” back home in Chesterfield, South Carolina. The couple had no children in the short time span that they were married.

The “widow” Mary Jane received her husband’s possession on 22 November 1864. ⁷



I wrote about Mary Jane Knight Davis here:

http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2013/06/mystery-mondaymary-jane-knight-davis.html

What happen to her after the death of her husband is unknown. No record of her has been found after the document shown above dated 22 November 1864.

If you have information about Mary Jane Knight Davis after 22 Nov. 1864 please leave a message on this blog or send me an e-mail.


Benjamin Thomas Davis is my first cousin 4 times removed.






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[1] Capt. Davis, age 33 when company formed in November 1861; http://www.fold3.com/image/20/85282972/
[2] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 178A, Line 6, Dwelling 1218, Family 1218, Household of Benjamin F. DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 March 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[3] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 139A, Line 2, Dwelling 636, Family 635, Household of B. T. DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 March 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653-1217.
[4] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 15 May 2012), entry for B. Thomas Davis, Capt.; Co. "E'. 21st SCV; Confederate.
[5] John V. Rigdon, Historical Sketch & Roster: The SC 21st Infantry Regiment (Cartersville, GA 30120: Eastern Digital Resources, 1997), page 78.
[6] 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.
[7] http://www.fold3.com/image/20/85283004/