PVT Frederick Davidson was the third of 8 children born to James Dorman and Hannah McClannahan (Greenlee) Davidson. He was born 18 Mar 1836 in Lexington, Virginia, about 2 years after his parents first-born son had died in infancy. James Dorman Davidson was a lawyer who became a prominent member of his community, a Trustee of Washington (Washington and Lee) College and as a unionist would visit with President Lincoln to discuss Virginia's succession. He was also a slave holder with 10 slaves in 1860 including 3 young children and his estate was valued at $52,000 that year (about $1.9-million in today's money). We can't find a record of Frederick attending college like his brothers nor have we found evidence of his activity prior to the Civil War although he is presumably mentioned in his father's letters which have been archived.
Frederick enlisted on 18 Apr 1861, the day after the Virginia Succession Convention voted for succession. He mustered with B Company 5th Virginia Infantry on 18 May 1861. Although the unit marched to the lower end of the Shenandoah Valley it had only participated in the Battle of Falling Waters when it approached the railway junction at Manassas, Virginia on 19 Jul 1863. PVT Davidson was killed in action on 21 Jul 1863 in the First Battle of Manassas. His body was recovered and he was interred in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia.
CPT James "Greenlee" Davidson was killed in action 3 May 1863 at Chancellorsville, Virginia while serving with Letcher's Artillery. CPT Charles Andrew Davidson served in E Company 1st Virginia Infantry. Albert Greenlee Davidson served first as a SGT in Letcher's Artillery then 1SG and was then commissioned and promoted to 1LT, killed while arresting deserters in May 1865. 1LT William Weaver Davidson served in I Company 26th Battalion Virginia Infantry.
