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Emigrants arrival

Belgians in America

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C.W. Soldiers

Belgian REGULARS in the U.S. ARMY

§   As far as I know, there are two John Davis  from Belgium involved in the Civil War. The first John Davis, from Ghent and born about 1830, emigrated in 1853 (from his 1900 Census data) and enlisted in Baltimore on May 5, 1855, age 24, a sailor by trade, in the 9^th Infantry Co. A & K. He was discharged for disability at Fort Dalles, Oregon territory, a Private. 

He enlisted on January 7, 1864 in the first Infantry, Oregon volunteers and was discharged July 7, 1865. 

He enlisted anew in the Regular Army on November 22, 1870 at Whipple, Arizona, a soldier in the Signal Service and was discharged June 4, 1874, at Washington DC, still a Private. 

He never married and, when arriving in the National home for disabled soldiers on November 17, 1874 for weak insight, he named, as his nearest relative a friend : D. H. Smith and address : care Genl W. Meyer, V.f.W. Washington D.C. Discharged from the National home in June 1, 1875 for “disability removed” he was almost at the same time dishonorably removed for bringing in whiskey. In the 1880 census of Washington D.C., 49 years old, his occupation is “watchman” with father born Holland and mother born Belgium. 

He was anew admitted in March 6, 1891, in the National home for disabled soldiers, still there in 1900 but with father and mother born Belgium. There is a John Davis buried in the soldier’s home cemetery (St. E. Washington D.C.) with the mention “Branch Navy, rank Landsman” death on January 28, 1914, but I have been unable to check that data and don’t know if he is the same John Davis I speak above.

 Note: There is another John Davis, with very similar references, in the U.S. Army: see the 4^th Artillery.