WARTIME LETTER OF

1LT. OVERTON F. DAVENPORT

CO. K, 10TH TEXAS INFANTRY

TO HIS BROTHER, PVT. JOHN A. DAVENPORT OF HIS COMMAND

contributed by:

Pvt. Davenport's Great-Grandson,
JOE R. DAVENPORT
San Antonio, Texas

In Camp near Dalton, Ga.
December 9, 1863

 

My Dear Brother

      A few days since I recd a letter from you stating that you was in Atlanta [Ed: Pvt. John A. Davenport, brother of Overton, had been admitted with "Typhoid Fever" to the Floyd House/Ocmulgee Hospital at Macon, Georgia, on November 28, 1863, then sent to Campbell County, Georgia, for 30 days sick furlough] & on the same day I recd a letter from Tom dated the next day stating that you had been sent off he knew not where but on the 5 inst. I recd a Telegram from (Brother Dr.) Tom from Macon stating that you was there and doing well & that he would carry you home & that is the last I have heard from you so I have concluded to drop you a few lines to let you know how we are getting along you can hardly imagine the uneasiness I felt on your account when I saw {unintelligible} & he could not tell me what had become of you I could imagine fifty things that might have happened to you & I never had any idea what had become of you until I saw George Denmark [Ed: 5Sgt. George W. Denmark, formerly of Co. K, 10th Texas Infantry, had been detailed as one of the elite divisional sharpshooters by Gen. Patrick Cleburne on June 18, 1864] and he told me that you came over to Chickamauga Station then I was satisfied you had gone down the R Road

 

      We had a pretty rough time for several days after you left & quite a warm time on the 25     Our Regt. suffered nearly as bad as at Chickamauga the right especially     The left suffered but little until the Final charge when we went at least 200 yards farther than the right & the Yankees became so frightened that they did but little damage I do not recollect the names of the killed and wounded (1st Sgt.) Frank Porter of Co. H was killed & (4th) Sergeant (George) Johnson of the same Co & (Ben) Basel was wounded slightly in the leg & I have heard nothing from him since he left [Ed: Pvt. Benjamin Bassel of Co. H, 10th Texas Infantry, as Overton, was a fellow native of Campbell County, Georgia; he was sent on a 30 day leave to his home place to recuperate from his leg wound]     We had quite a time     The battle lasted all day     We fought Shermans Corps part of the same Army that we fought at the Post (Arkansas, first fight, most captured, prison Camp Chase, Ohio or Douglas)     We left the battlefield at 9 Oclock at night & brought up the rear & at Ringold we had another close fight of about 5 hours     We are now in front [Ed: Two days after the route of Missionary Ridge, Cleburne's Division halted the Federal advance at Ringgold Georgia, then entrenched as the Confederate defense at Tunnel Hill, Georgia] & have been building breastworks for 2 days & I suppose they aim to fight here and keep us in front when we.stop and rear when we retreat     Old Gen. Cleborne says we shall be well fed     We have had sweet Potatoes issued to us 3 times since we reached this place     I notice that the papers give all the credit of the fight on Missionary Ridge on the right to the 2nd Tenn & 5th Arkansas     I like to see honor given to whom honor is due but our Brigade done the fighting that day on the right the others might have done equally as well if they had been there but they were held in reserve & I never saw them on the field & if they are to receive the honor, I would like for them to share the danger     Gen Smith was severely wounded in both legs & will hardly able to take to the field this winter [Ed: Brig. Gen. James A. Smith, Commander of Smith's Brigade, the command of the 10th Texas Infantry]     Col. Grandbury is in command of the Brigade [Ed: after the wounding Brig. Gen. Smith and Col. Roger Q. Mills, the command of the brigade devolved to Col. Hiram Granbury of the 7th Texas Infantry], he says it will devolve on him to make out an official report of the Brigade & that Mills Regt [Ed: 6th 10th & 15th Texas Consolidated Regiment] done the fighting & shall have the credit for it     Major Saunders lost his right arm & so did Capt Blackburn     it is reported that the Yankees are moving in considerable force in the direction of Rome     Whether that is true or not I cannot tell if true I think we will fall back still farther     The news from Gen Longstreet is very contradictory but I fear he will not be able to accomplish the object for which he went to East Tenn unless heavily reinforced     Our men are in good spirits     Henry Campbell & Thos Bryant who started to Texas have returned satisfied to stay     Fannin & Chambers started back a day before the others & are supposed to be captured by the Yankees     Gen Bragg has left us as you have seen & hope we may get one that will be more successful but I have every confidence in him as a Military commander     I recd a letter a few days since from I D Robinson dated about the last of August he says that they had made the heaviest crops in Texas that had been made in our section since he has lived there & they have plenty of everything to eat     He had not bought the Wills land for me but he thought he would succeed in getting it at $3 per acre     The Confederate money he says is almost worthless there     Osgood Shook has gone to the Frontier     I learn that Capt Nutt & Lt Smith have recd orders to cross the Miss. River & leave their men here     Smith started this morning but Nutt says he will not leave his men & Gen Cleborne says he will assist him to get his men off     This leaves the Company Generally well     No one goes to the Dr now     Howard is still complaining & always will be I suppose as long as he is in the service [Ed: Pvt. Harvey Howard of Co. K, 10th Texas Infantry, had been admitted sick to a hospital in Atlanta in August 1863]     I have had a pretty severe cold but am improving     The weather is & has been very cold & unpleasant & I would like to come down to Campbell [Ed: Campbell County, Georgia, Overton's birth home and of his father] & spend the Christmas if such a thing is possible but that is out of the Question as the Capt is gone and now John I want you to stay until you get well & you had better try the Brandy and polk root & when you come back I want you to buy & bring me a frying pan & axe for we have almost nothing to cook in & and have one axe in the Company & I have tried everywhere to buy one & have failed

 

      Give my love to all my kin & to Bro Lapo & all my friends let me hear from you often tell all to write & direct to Dalton

 

As ever your affectionate Brother
O. F. Davenport O. F. Davenport

 

[Overton Daveport's Great Grandson, Joe Davenport of San Antonio, Texas]



 

 

Battle Report of the 10th Texas Infantry at Tunnel Hill


Battle Report of the 10th Texas Infantry at Ringgold


 

Notes

Capt. Overton F. Davenport - Age 41 upon enlistment as Pvt. to Co. H, 10th Texas Infantry, at Houston, Harris County, Texas, on October 18, 1861, by 1Lt. Jesse Sparks He was a native of Campbell County, Georgia, a successful farmer and family man from Station Creek, Coryell County. He was detached on Recruiting Service on February 22, 1862, promoted to 2Jr. Lt. (3Lt.) and transferred to Co. K, 10th Texas Infantry, on March 29, 1862.

 

3Lt. Davenport was captured with the Command at Arkansas Post, Arkansas, on January 11, 1863, arriving at Camp Chase Prison, Columbus, Ohio, on January 30th. He was paroled from prison for exchange on April 10, 1863; arriving at Ft. Delaware on April 12th. He was exchanged at City Point, Virginia, on April 29th. According to his exchange certificate, Lt. Davenport stood 6'1" tall with blue eyes, brown hair, and a fair complexion.

 

Overton Davenport was assigned with his Command to the Army of Tennessee, where he assumed was promoted to 1Lt. on May 23, 1863, and placed in Command of the Company. As Captain of Co. K, Davenport was wounded twice at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, on November 30, 1863, but returned to his Command several days later; his jaw was shattered by a minie ball at the battle of Nashville, on December 15, 1864. His son, William G. Davenport, 6th Texas Cavalry, collected he and Pvt. John A. Davenport, Co. K, 10th Texas Infantry, wounded in a Franklin hospital, and retreated with the army. William loaded his father Overton on a westbound train at Tuscumbia, Alabama, on December 23, 1864. Capt. Davenport was admitted to the hospital at Okolona, Mississippi, on January 10, 1865, and later captured there then sent to Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, Ohio, where Overton was paroled on May 12, 1865, by order of General W. T. Sherman. He was the brother of Pvt. John A. Davenport, who was under his Command.

 

The following entry was written by Davenport Descendant, Doris A. Thompson, for the 1985 book, Coryell County Families; 1854-1985:

 

"'Tell Ma to save me some apples for I have a fine specimen of gold for her. Now I must close as the time has come to go to work.' This ended the last letter of Overton Davenport written to his father, William, in Georgia. Overton was in California mining gold, the date was Oct. 5, 1851. The letters written over a period of 18 months describe his adventures traveling to California, working and living in the west during the Gold Rush.

 

Overton Fletcher Davenport was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia Feb. 10, 1820. He married Margaret Susan Roberts Dec. 29, 1842 and had two sons, William Grant and Harbert. Both Margaret and Harbert died before 1851. After the California trip, he settled down to farming in Georgia and married Eliza Agnes Pennington August 5, 1852. Two sons were born in Georgia - Thomas Henry 1853 and Ephraim Pennington 1854. In 1855 the family emigrated to Coryell County, settling at Station Creek near Eagle Springs. The following children were born in Coryell County: Caroline Agnes (1856/1956), John Jewett (1857), Parks Edward (1859), Lucy Elizabeth (1862), Sarah Maria (1864) [Ed: "Betty," conceived in April 1863, while Overton was on leave from Camp Chase Prison, after his capture at Arkansas Post], Albert Sidney (1867), James Samuel (1869), Baldwin Piercelee (1871), George Lovick (1873).

 

In 1892 the Davenports, Harrisons and other related families moved to Eastland. Overton lived in Eastland only a short time, then moved to Ranger where he lived until his death, June 22, 1909. Eliza died in San Antonio Dec. 20, 1924. Both are buried in the Pioneer Cemetery, Ranger, Texas.

 

Ephriam Pennington Davenport and brother Thomas H. married Laura Virginia Roberts, his half-brother, William Grant married Mary J. Shook, his uncle John A. and John's son Overton Vol married Sarah Ellen Backstock moved to Pearl in 1875. E. P. my grandfather, married Inez Estelle Whitney Nov. 6, 1861 in Stephenville and lived in Pearl. The two children born at this time were not born in Pearl. A daughter, Winnie (1882) was born in Stephenville and Overton Royal (1886) was born at Eagle Springs. Ephriam and his cousin, Overton Vol, were operating a store in Pearl when it was called Wayback. He became postmaster March 28, 1890 and was instrumental in changing the town's name to Pearl. Vol's son, William Pearl, eight years old had been bitten by a rattlesnake, survived the bite and lived until Dec. 27, 1951.

 

In 1892 the cousins sold the store and move to Eastland. The two sons born in Eastland were Ernest Vernon (1892) and Travis Ephraim (1894). E. P. was a merchant and banker during this time. The family moved to San Antonio about 1915 where E. P. continued in banking. E.P. died July 25, 1935 and Inez died Oct. 4, 1950. Both are buried at Mission Burial Park, San Antonio.

 

Travis E. served in the A. E. F. in France during W.W.I and worked in San Antonio after for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He married Eleanor Anne Lucas Sept. 5, 1925. In 1931, Travis, Eleanor and children Travis Jr. (8/24/26) and Doris Anne (8/1/28) moved to Houston where they reside presently.

 

I know of no Davenport living in Coryell County except me, Doris Anne Davenport Thompson. I transferred here in 1981 from Huntsville, where I work for the Department of Corrections. My husband, Robert Bruce Thompson, Jr., died May 21, 1979. Our sons, Robert BruceThompson III, (11/24/60) and Travis William Thompson (11/26/62) presently live in San Antonio and Denton, respectively.

 

The family possesses a collection of letters written by Overton to his family in Georgia. The letters reflect a man of deep religious, moral and patriotic beliefs. This first Davenport of Coryell County set a noble example for all of us who follow - Doris A. Thompson"

 

The next entry is by Joe Davenport, the contributor of this page's letter:

 

"Overton Davenport after the war. O.F. served for a time as Station Creek postmaster before being elected to a full term as Coryell County, commissioner. (Four commissioners and county judges make up commissioner courts in Texas.) He was then elected to represent Coryell County in the 13th Texas Legislature (1873) which repealed most of the carpet bag laws imposed upon the residents.

 

He continued farming and he and wife Eliza Agnes Pennington continued having children. Overton and first wife had one surviving child: William Gran. Overton and Eliza had 11 surviving children, including one named Albert Sydney, who became a district Judge in Eastland County. Overton accompanied by his family as well as those of brothers John Andrew and Jouett Harbert (a major in Co. D, 30th Texas Cavalry during the war) moved to Eastland County. For a brief period Overton engaged in a mercantile business and aided brother Jouett in starting the county's first newspaper while beginning, again, a farming operation. He engaged in some land speculation in the town of Eastland and later in Ranger. Overton died June 22, 1909 at age 89. He and wife are buried in Pioneer Cemetery three blocks from downtown Ranger, Texas.

 

John Andrew [Ed: Pvt. John A. Davenport, Co. K, 10th Texas Infantry], born December 20, 1830, farmed in Coryell County and served a term as Station Creek postmaster. He also farmed in Eastland County near Ranger. He died October 18, 1916, and is buried in Pioneer Cemetery in Ranger under a tombstone that has his name spelled, improperly, as DEAVENPORT.

 

Overton had 6 brothers. All entered CSA service. Three were killed or died, the other four were wounded."

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