ALFRED DAVIDSON -- 22nd INFANTRYUSED TWO NAMES - A 19-year-old who gave his name as Alfred Davidson,born in Essex, NY, the son of William Davidson, enlisted in the 22ndInfantry in May 1861, and was mustered in as a private on June 6th. The 22nd Infantry, known as the 2nd Northern NY Regiment, was madeup of 10 companies from northeast New York. They were a 2-year regiment,and mustered into service at Camp Rathbone, near Troy, on June 6, 1861.They left Albany by train for Washington on June 28th and first campedon Meridian Hill until July 24th. They then moved to Arlington Heights,where it was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. Winter quarters were spent at Upton\'s Hill until March 10, 1862, whenthe regiment joined in the movement to Centerville, but returned toUpton\'s Hill immediately afterward, and then went to Falmouth in April.In June, the regiment became a part of the 1st Brigade, 1stDivision, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia, and in September 1862, the samebrigade and division, was made part of the 1st Corps, Army of thePotomac. This brigade was known as the Iron Brigade before the IronBrigade of the West was formed. At Manassas, the regiment had 180 killed, wounded or missing. The firstweek of September was spent in camp at Upton\'s Hill before they went toSouth Mountain, where it was heavily engaged, then over the mountain toAntietam, where they had 30 more casualties. About the middle ofNovember, they arrived at Falmouth and participated in the Battle ofFredericksburg on December 11th to 15th, where they were stationedon the extreme left of the army -- sustaining 4 injuries and 2 who wentmissing or were captured. \Just before the Battle Fredericksburg, on December 2nd, Alfred wasdischarged from the 22nd, so he could join the regular Army, or so hesaid.Later, on January 30, 1865, Alfred was recruited by George Clendon tojoin the 26th or 1st Frontier Cavalry. He enlisted under his realname of Alfred Derby, to serve on the northern border and mustered outon July 6, 1865.On his Retirement Index Card, using the name Derby and showing his aliasof Davidson, he says he was also in the Navy. In later life, Alfred moved to Plattsburgh then, when he became ill, hewas admitted to the New York State Soldiers' and Sailors' Home and wasburied in the Bath National Cemetery after he died on March 4, 1911.
