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Emigrants arrival

Belgians in America

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C.W. Soldiers

Belgian Civil War soldiers in Oregon

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Biography :

John Davis, was a former infantryman of the US Army before the Civil War who was discharged of duty on surgeon certificate for disability at Fort Dalles, Oregon, on March 29, 1858.

He surely remained in the area as he enlisted on June 30, 1864, at Fort Dalles, in the Olney’s company of Oregon Cavalry   a special detachment of about 40 men formed on July 1864 for a scouting expedition, to patrol and protect settlers along the Columbia River gorge. Six month later, that Unit was disbanded but because they were under the federal chain of command and replaced regular U.S. Army which had been sent East to fight, men who served in Olney’s cavalry are recognized as Civil War veterans. John Davis was mustered out with the others on October 31, 1864.

The First Oregon Infantry was organized at large from November 1864  to January  1865. On December 19, 1864, the regiment was ordered to Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. The unit served throughout the District of Oregon protecting forts in Washington and Idaho Territories from Indian attack.  John Davis enlisted for one year on January 7, 1865,  still in The Dalles. His examining papers states he was born Ghent, Flanders, Belgium, had small pox when a child ans suffered of scarlet fever. The inspection surgeon wrote that « this man is short sighted but not to such an extent as to unfit him for the duties he will have to perform.  

He was mustered in Co. G on February 1865 as Co. clerk, at fort Walla Walla and transfered to Co. D on daily duty acting Sergeant Major. In July he was transferred at Fort Vancouver, clerk at Department HQ. Discharged on January 7, 1866, term of service, he was mustered out at Fort Dallas on April 14, 1866.

He filed an application on November 15, 1890, stating only his enlistment in the 1st Oregon Infantry. A mention of the 9th US Infantry is stripped on the same card, his enlistments in the Federal Army being before and after the Civil War, I suppose . Contrary as I wrote, his death occured on March 15, 1904 and he is buried in the Soldiers Home National Cemetery, site 7156, with the mention « John Davis Pvt K 9 US Inf. ».

Sources :
Southern Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Hampton, Virginia