Cherokee Davis Guards: Company B, Alabama 55th Infantry Regiment

The Alabama 55th Infantry Regiment was organized in Port Hudson, Louisiana in February of 1863.  It was comprised of Snodgrass's 16th and Norwood's 6th Infantry Battalions.  Initially it was made up of 900 men, mostly seasoned veterans from Calhoun, Cherokee, Jackson, Madison and Marshall Counties.  The 55th was assigned to General Abraham Buford's 2nd Brigade, General William Wing Loring's Division.  They saw action at the Battles of Vicksburg, Champion's Hill, Jackson, Atlanta, Peachtree Creek, and finally Bentonville.  Company B would be referred to as the "Cherokee Davis Guards".





Brigadier General Abraham Buford



Col. John Snodgrass







The Daniel brothers are all my 2nd cousins 5x removed.  Two additional brothers would also serve in the C.S.A Army.  They are, Sergeant Leonard Addison Daniel, Company D, Alabama 4th Infantry and Private Thomas Young Daniel, Company E, Arkansas 34th Infantry.  All 6 of the Daniel brothers survived the conflict. 



Grave of Sergeant Leonard Addison Daniel



Grave of Private Thomas Young Daniel

David Chisolm Daniel was born in Burke County, NC on February 16, 1834.  He was the 7th child born to Major Chisolm Daniel (War of 1812) and Rosanna McEntire.  He originally enlisted around the age of 27 as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company A, 10th Alabama Infantry.  On May 8, 1862 he was promoted to Captain of Company B, 10th Alabama Infantry. 




Register showing David's promotion to Captain


He was wounded twice in battle.  First at the Battle of Resaca, Georgia on May 15, 1864, then again on July 20, 1864 at the Battle of Peachtree Creek during the Atlanta Campaign.  He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Consolidated 27th Alabama Infantry Regiment on April 9, 1865.  He would enjoy this promotion for less than one full month.   On May 1, 1865, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel surrendered to Union Officials in Greensboro, North Carolina.  He lived an additional 24 years after the war.  David Chisolm Daniel died on September 3, 1889.   He is buried in the Neal Hill Cemetery in Cherokee County, Alabama.



Grave of David Chisolm Daniel

John McEntire Daniel was born in Burke County, NC on January 23, 1832.   He was the 6th child born to Major Chisolm Daniel and Rosanna McEntire.  He enlisted as a Private in Company B, Alabama 55th Infantry on November 2, 1861 in Nashville, TN.   He was 29 years old.  He was promoted to 3rd Lieutenant on February 24, 1862 and then to 2nd Lieutenant on an unspecified date.



On April 6, 1862, he was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh.  He was sent home on April 10th to recover from his wounds.  2nd Lieutenant Daniel was later transferred to the 42nd Alabama Infantry Regiment for the remainder of the war.  

John McEntire Daniel lived an additional 50 years after the Civil War.   He died on November 7, 1915.  He is buried in the Daniel Family Cemetery in Cherokee County, Alabama. 

Grave of Lieutenant John McEntire Daniel

James Hemphill Daniel was born in Burke County, NC on August 23, 1829.  He was the 5th child born to Major Chisolm Daniel and Rosanna McEntire.  He enlisted as a Private in Company B, Alabama 55th Infantry on September 25, 1861  in Cedar Bluff, AL.  He was 32 years old.  During a skirmish in Nashville, TN on December 16, 1864, he was captured by Union forces. 

After his capture, he was sent to Camp Douglas, Illinois where he remained for the duration of the war.

He was discharged in accordance with General Order No. 109 on June 6, 1865.

James Hemphill Daniel lived an additional 40 years after the Civil War.  He died on June 2, 1905.  He is buried in the Daniel Family Cemetery in Cherokee County, Alabama.

Grave of Private James Hemphill Daniel

William Graves Daniel was born in Cherokee County, AL on February 26, 1847.  He was the 10th and final child born to Major Chisolm Daniel and Rosanna McEntire.  He enlisted as a Private in Company B, Alabama 55th Infantry in the fall of 1863 in Cornith, MS.  He was only 16 years old at the time of his enlistment.  He served in the 55th for the duration of the war.  

William is found on a 1907 census of former Confederate soldiers living in Alabama.  



William lived an additional 54 years after the Civil War.  He died on Christmas Day in the year 1919.  He is buried in the Daniel Family Cemetery in Cherokee County, Alabama.

Grave of William Daniel

Since my relation to all the Daniel brothers is the same, I'll only provide one relationship chart.

My relation to David Chisolm Daniel:

David Chisolm Daniel (1834 - 1889)

is your 2nd cousin 5x removed

Maj. Chisolm Daniel (1790 - 1865)

Father of David Chisolm

Leonard Daniel (1770 - 1852)

Father of Maj. Chisolm

Josiah Daniel (1744 - 1811)

Father of Leonard

William Ford Daniel (1774 - 1848)

Son of Josiah

L. Chesley Daniel (1806 - 1882)

Son of William Ford

William Henry "Buck" Daniel (1827 - 1896)

Son of L. Chesley

Phebe Lucy Daniel (1862 - 1946)

Daughter of William Henry "Buck"

Valeria Lee Moss (1890 - 1968)

Daughter of Phebe Lucy

Phebe Teresa Wheeler Lewis (1918 - 1977)

Daughter of Valeria Lee

Joyce Elaine Lewis (1948 - )

Daughter of Phebe Teresa

Chip Stokes

You are the son of Joyce