Ellis Ancestor
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HENRY HARRISON GALLOWAY, ROBERT RODOLPHUS DAVENPORT

The above Confederate Veterans are the most honored ancestors of Dale T. Ellis, a member of Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 469 in Rome, GA. Corporal Henry Harrison Galloway is the great-grandfather of Mr. Ellis on his mother's side. Captain Robert Rodolphus Davenport is the great-great-grandfather of Mr. Ellis on his father's side.

    Corporal Henry Harrison Galloway was born October 7, 1839 in Marion Co, GA. He enlisted in the Confederate States of America Company H, 46th Regiment, Alabama Infantry in Brundidge, AL May 3, 1862.  The 46th Alabama was organized at Loachapoka, AL in the spring of 1862. Shortly after, it was sent to east Tennessee, and had several casualties in the fight at Tazewell. The regiment was in the weary march into Kentucky, in Stevensons's division, but did no fighting. When the army returned to Tennessee, the 46th was placed in a brigade with the 20th, 23rd, 30th and 31st Alabama, under General Tracy. In December, with all of Stevenson's division, the regiment was sent to Mississippi. In the battle of Port Gibson, where its brigadier fell, the regiment suffered severely. A few days later it was engaged at Baker's Creek, where its casualties were numerous, and where half the regiment was captured, including the field officers. The remainder were besieged in Vicksburg, suffering severely, and were captured with the fortress. It was here, as a non-commissioned officer, that Corporal Galloway was captured at Vicksburg, MS and later paroled. He then returned home, stayed 2 months, rejoined the Army, but was captured again, this time in Nashville, TN on Dec. 17, 1864. This time he was sent to Chicago and imprisoned in Camp Douglas, IL where he remained until the end of the war, being paroled June 18, 1865. Corporal Galloway stated that he existed on a one-half inch square of pork for breakfast, and a cup of stock it was cooked in for dinner. There was no supper.

    In 1886 Corporal Galloway's first wife died. His second wife, Elizabeth Ellen Tillman Galloway, was born on December 19, 1860. In 1916 Corporal Galloway stated that he and his second wife  had 5 children living:

    Corporal Henry Harrison Galloway passed away on February 14, 1932 and is buried in St. John's Cemetery in Tarentum, Alabama.

Henry Galloway with second wife Elizabeth

    Captain Robert Rodolphus Davenport was born in Jackson Co., Tenn. on August 8, 1823. Capt. Davenport was the son of Joseph Davenport, a veteran of The War of 1812 who was born in Virginia on June 2, 1789, and Mary Thomas Davenport. There were 7 children in this family, and in about 1839 all 7 brought their families as a group to Little Wills and Big Wills valleys (later known as Valley Head) where they settled on farms. Valley Head became an early trading center for the area. The first general store was operated by Robert Rodolphus Davenport. Robert R. Davenport married Margaret Annie Spring, who was born Dec. 21, 1826 in Pikeville, Tenn. She died Sept. 4, 1904. They had ten children. 

    Capt. Davenport raised his own company during the Civil War. Known as Davenport's Company in the Confederate Cavalry, drills and maneuvers were conducted in the field in back of the home, known as Oak Lawn. Throughout the war he was captain of this company which was attached to the 7th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Hagen's Brigade, Allen's Division, Army of Tennessee and Georgia, Confederate States of America. There is a tradition that the Confederate course of the Battle of Chickamauga was planned in the Davenport home.

    The following is a letter written by Capt. Davenport to his older brother, Mr. O.J. Davenport on Oct. 31, 1864. It is interesting to note that, although they were in the midst of an horrendous war, his thoughts, first and foremost, were of his family. All seemingly misspelled words were correct usage during the time.

Camp 7th Ala. Cavalry

near Gadsden, Ala

Oct. 31st, 1864

 

Mr. O.J. Davenport

Dear Brother,

    I embrace the present opportunity of dropping you a few lines. We are here but expect to start from here probably tomorrow morning and we do not know where we will go to - from present indications it is my opinion that our country will be entirely given up to the Federals for a time. How long I can not say but one thing is certain the country from here to Dalton is so devastated that it will be impossible for all the citizens to stay in it. I leave here with a very sad heart to see my country in such a distressed situation and not being able to provide any thing for my dear family. I ask of you my dear brother that you do go to my (unintelligible) occasionally and advise my wife and children how to manage in their destitute situation. You have no idea how much it would help them. They feel like they were left entirely without any friends in that country. I want now to provide some way for them to get their wheat sowed as soon as possible, for you know it is high time wheat was in the ground. Go over and see them and cheer them up. Tell my little boys how to do and what to do, and tell them to be honest and cheer them truthful. I want you not to let our school go down, for it is better for our children to be in school storing their minds with useful knowledge then to be laboring to make something to be taken away from them by brut force. It is the best thing you possibly can do for them. Those are little boys and girls there that are dear to you, and I think you have it in your power to confer a great favor and by keeping up a school which will be appreciated after we are dead, and you probably see that you can't do anything else for them now. Encourage the school and have it to go on all you can.

    I want you to assist Margaret to get her part of the rent corn that is at the white place. I have written to her to get John Walker to haul it. He can claim it. I wrote to her to go and see Mrs. Long. I wish you to go and have her attend to that thing as soon as possible or they will lose the rent. She can pay John in corn for to attend to it. I learn that all the corn on the Standifer place is destroyed and they will have to depend entirely on what they can save in that country for a support. I want you to see my wife as soon as it is possible to and advise her how and what to do. I have no idea that I will be at home any more this winter. I want you to write me by every chance, if Captain Witherspoon's Company stays in that country you can send the letters out by his courier direct to Capt. RR Davenport, 7th Regiment Ala Cavalry, Hagens Division, Army of Tennessee an Georgia.

    Tell my wife and children to wright to me as often as it is possible. Send word to G.W. Fenegan's wife by Nick that he is here all right. Do be shure to have all my people to sow all their stalk land in wheat. They can get a horse from Col. Winston a few days. Tell them to put the wheat in well and don't fail to have the school to go on. Pray for me and believe me I am as ever your brother till death.

                                                                                            R.R. Davenport

 

  Capt. Robert R. Davenport resigned on January 27, 1865, due to medical reasons, at Robertsville, SC.  After General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomatox, Captain Davenport was returning home and was severely injured by a fall from his horse from which he never fully recovered. Captain Robert Rodolphus Davenport died on September 18, 1870 and is buried in the family plot behind his house, Oak Lawn, in Valley Head, Alabama.

    While the above 2 gentlemen are the most well documented Confederate Veteran ancestors of Dale T. Ellis, they are by no means his only Confederate Veteran ancestors.

    Robert Rodolphus Davenport's father, Joseph Davenport, also known as Colonel Joe, and Mary Thomas Davenport had seven children:

    Montraville Davenport was a Major who headed his own Cavalry Brigade, fought under Gen. Nathan B. Forrest and was with the General when he surrendered at Selma, Alabama in 1865. He, in turn, had 2 sons who also fought in the Civil War:

Thaddeus Davenport

Glen Davenport

. Montraville died in Arkansas where he went to get away from the Southern Yankees.

    Orville Davenport married Mary Grant (a distant relative of President U.S. Grant, a fact no one in the family was proud of). Orville and Mary had 13 children, 4 of whom fought in the Civil War:

Joe Davenport fought in Virginia

Frank Davenport fought in Tennessee

Cicero Davenport, who fought in his Uncle Montraville's Cavalry Brigade

Taylor Davenport, who also fought in the same Montraville's Cavalry Brigade

After Mary's death, Orville then married a Miss Almon and they had 4 more children.

    Belcher Davenport fought in Capt. R.R. Davenport's Brigade and was killed in action.

    Adrian Davenport was born handicapped and did not serve.

    Adeline Davenport married David Springs, who was an officer in Capt. R.R. Davenport's Brigade under Gen. Nathan B. Forrest.

    Emeline Davenport married a Mr. Holliman. They sent 3 sons to war:

  Tom Davenport

  Bill Davenport

  Rozz Davenport.

    Eveline Davenport married a Mr. Clayton.

 

 

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