Netterville Routledge Davies was Irish born; from Kentstown, Galway, Ireland, was said to have been a Master Sergeant in company G of the US 5th Cavalry and to have received at least two distinguished conduct medals. One, on the field at Vicksburg, on June 28th 1862 as a Corporal, and another for distinguished conduct on the field at Antietam, on July 8th 1862, while a Sergeant Major.  They are bronze medals with blue ribbons and said to be little smaller than an Australian twenty-cent piece. According to papers held by a family member, from which the information was passed on to me, she states that “Netterfield enlisted on February  8th 1862, re-enlisted on February 8th 1896 (sic; date is definitely incorrect), then re-enlisted again on February 8th 1866. He was discharged by a Captain William Bennin.... (unable to read) of Company G, US 5th. Cavalry.   His discharge paper was made out in the name of Nettervillle R. Davies, 2nd M. Sargant of Co G, US 5th Cavalry. Listed battles he participated in included Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Port Royal, Shenandoah, Martinsburg, Manassas, The Wilderness, the Heldon Rail Road, Vicksburg and Antietam for which he was decorated and others”.

There is a problem here though. There was apparently no action at Vicksburg, MS on June 28th, 1862 nor was there any action at Antietam on July 8th, 1862.  The Vicksburg action occurred from May 22, 1863 to July 4, 1863 and the Battle of Antietam, MD was fought on September 17, 1862. In addition, The 5th US Army Cavalry was in the Army of Potomac.  The battles listed would conform to the AOP action with the exception of Vicksburg, but there was no “Heldon Railroad”; rather there was a Weldon Railroad (sic). The Heitman’s Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army 1789-1903 was also checked and there is no listing for any Captain William Bennin; so this too poses a question. There is, however, a Captain Bennett. Stating all that, the two “Good Conduct” medals issued to Netterville Davies is inscribed on the back for “service on the field” at Vicksburg and Antietam on the dates he specified; so there must have been action there on those dates.

After the war Netterville migrated to Perth, Western Australia where his family built the Great Western Hotel and his grave is preserved today in the old East Perth cemetery.

John Joseph, his brother who was also been Irish born; from Kentstown, Galway, Ireland, is said to have served as a Civil Engineer during the war and served with the Confederate States of America; possibly deserting near the end of the war, but this is unconfirmed. The legend is that John did so by jumping aboard a train load of what he thought that night, was firewood; but it turned out that he was hiding among, not logs, but a load of stiff dead bodies.  John also returned to Perth, where he was responsible for a number of notable engineering projects.  He called his house "Richmond", possibly as a result of his service to the South.

Neither of the brothers supposedly knew they were on opposite sides at the time of the war; with it all becoming clear only after they both returned home.  It did not seem to split the family, however, as they continued with cordial relations after arriving in Australia. They were both from a wealthy family at the time and had no need to become involved in the conflict; leaving everyone to wonder why they did become involved.  After the war’s end they both returned to the England and then migrated, at separate times, to Queensland and then on to Western Australia. 

Netterville Routledge Davies died in Perth, Western Australia on March 1, 1893 at 52 years of age and was buried in East Perth Cemetery in the Roman Catholic section, Grave ID: 215, Grave No.: 176 by his wife; who also died on August 30, 1896, at 37 years of age, and was buried beside him.

Dick Dobbins

Dictionary of Western Australians, UWA Press, 1986

Garry & Gail Davies, descendants

History of the 5th US Cavalry

Jenny Marshall, Royal Western Australian Historical Society Inc

Lisa Sturis, Heritage Officer