19/08/2026
“War-scarred veterans reunite”
Our relentless search to find out more about why John Davis formed the London Branch of American Civil War veterans continues.
team recently came across this really useful Press article from September 16th 1910. It adds more important information concerning John’s motivation to form the the organization based in Bermondsey, SE London.
Naturally as we raise awareness 💡not just monuments 🪦, we’ll be adding all this to the book(s) we’re currently writing.
“U.S. VETERANS IN LONDON.
Reunion of Uncle Sam's Old Warriors.
War-scarred veterans of fifty years ago memories will be interested in a reunion arranged to take place at the Bermondsey Ragged School Mission, in Gedling's st., Bermondsey, on Tuesday.
The reunion is to be that of old pensioners of the American Civil War resident in London.
Mr. John Davis, the Bermondsey representative of the London City Mission, is arranging the meeting with the assistance of American Civil War Consul, Bugler William Bell.
Mr. Davis, who had an adventurous career in America as an English recruit during the Civil War, and left with the rank of acting ensign, told a "Star" man to-day that the idea of the reunion had originated from recognition of the rapidly dwindling band of old veterans who every quarter attend the office of the American Consul to draw their pension.
"There are not more than a hundred of us left in London now," said Mr. Davis. "We never seem to meet each other even at the Consul's office; we have not met in company for more than half a day for many, many years, and the idea is to form as many as we can find into a little society to help one another during the few years remaining to us, and see each of us decently out when the Umpire calls it so."
In response to the 85 invitations sent out, Mr. Davis said he had received many replies from old veterans in all parts of London and the provinces, whose only means of livelihood is the pension from the U.S. Government.
"All who served 90 consecutive days in the war were entitled to a pension, and of those remaining in London those good old boys turned after the war—I have discovered several with limbs gone and very infirm."
A mournful note is supplied by the fact that amongst the replies received are many short messages saying, "Yours received, but I have to say that your old Civil War comrade died—."
Many of the old veterans could tell stirring stories of the fighting in the American Civil War.
Mr. Davis, aged 71, was one of the only three survivors of the gunboat Tulip, which blew up on the Potomac. Afterwards he tried gold mining in Australia, without any luck, and has been a missionary in Bermondsey for the last 33 years”.
John Davis was described as the prime mover behind founding the London Branch. This article illustrates it was very true observation.
