behind AotW

R. A. Dᴀᴠɪᴅɢᴇ.
—Hon. A. C. Niles received a letter from Judge Searls on Monday evening last, from which he has permitted us to make the following extract in relation to an old Nevadan:

“Robert A. Davidge, formerly of Nevada [City], was in Texas at the commencement of the war and enlisted in the [4th] Texas regiment, served a year or so in Virginia and deserted: was arrested by the rebels in Tennessee and got clear through the influence of influential friends. Was arrested by the Federal authorities near Nashville for alleged disloyalty — took the oath and enlisted in the Union army; served a few weeks, deserted and joined a band of guerrillas known as Ray’s band. Was finally captured and thrown into prison at Nashville, and while awaiting his trial for desertion and murder, finally died on the 27th of last February.”

“My informants were a physician from Hopkinsville, Ky., who knew him from boyhood, and a Capt. Moore, now in the Union prison at Donelson, who belonged to the same brigade.”

Davidge came to this city [Nevada City] in 1852 and was appointed Deputy Clerk of this county at that time by Theodore Miller. During the following year Miller returned to the Atlantic States and Dividge acted as County Clerk for the remainder of the term. Davidge was then appointed Postmaster of this city through the influence of old Gwin; and while acting in that capacity was selected as editor of a new paper started at that time called the Young America, to advocate the interests of the chivalry, which had control of all the offices in the county. Having become disgusted with everything and everybody, he left for his home in Kentucky in the year 1855, where he remained up to the time of the breaking out of this rebellion, editing a newspaper. Thus, one by one, the would-be chiefs of this county in early times have received the deserts they merited.

— Nevada Transcript.