Daniel Davis was a 21-year old resident of Orford, New Hampshire when he crossed into nearby Fairlee, Vermont with his brother Frank to enlist with Co. E 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters in November 1861. The Davis brothers were apparently “on their beer” quite often according to several accounts from within and without their own company. According to sharpshooter Wyman White of Co. F 2nd USSS, Daniel, nicknamed “Uncle Dud,” managed to get his hands on a copious amount of alcohol while in the field shortly before the battle of Kelly’s Ford in Nov. 1863. He and his brother Frank had to be chased down and restrained but Daniel began screaming so loud that he was quickly bucked, gagged, and placed under guard in front of Lt. Colonel Homer Stoughton’s tent. Just one week later Frank was sent away and transferred into the VRC, rejoining the company almost one year later. Daniel re-enlisted in December 1863, was promoted to corporal, and was later severely wounded in the shoulder at the battle of the Wilderness in May, 1864 before dying on June 23rd.
Daniel is seen here in a duplicate of an image from a partially complete Co. E 2nd USSS album. Interestingly, the backdrop appears in an early 1862 2nd USSS portrait likely taken in Washington but is crisp and clear. A second image of Sgt. Ariel Peabody, Co. H 2nd USSS also shows the same backdrop but it was badly faded and worn. Daniel’s portrait here was most probably taken around the same time as Sgt. Peabody’s, circa summer or fall 1862.
Brian White Collection
They Expect Wonders of Us 