Netterville R. Davies.

by Terry Foenander.

It would seem incredible that someone who aspires to be something he is not, would not follow his own tenets, as shown in an article titled “Responsibilities of a Researcher” and fail completely to do a single shred of research on persons who are indicated to have served in the Civil War, and who are buried in Australia and New Zealand, but such was the case when so called researcher, James Mason Gray, of the American Civil War Round Table of Queensland, attempted to locate data on Netterville R. Davies, who was stated to have served in company G of the 5^th United States Cavalry.

Mr. Gray is known to have placed at least two queries on Netterville Rutledge Davies (middle name also shown as Routledge), one on an Internet Message Board at the County Galway Surname List page, and the other in the “Can You Help?” column of the West Australian newspaper of Monday, April 25, 2005.   In these queries Gray makes queries about both Netterville Davies and his brother, John Joseph Davies, both of whom are indicated to have served in the Civil War, and then goes on to state his grandiose plans to form an “Australian division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.”   Gray fails to indicate that he never researches his subjects thoroughly, to prove any Civil War service, before going ahead to order Veterans Administration gravestones for their graves, or making plans to form these groups that he wants to lead.   And it has been proven, time and time again, that Gray is a complete failure in any research work, as almost every single time that he indicates a person who has previously been assumed to be a Civil War veteran, was researched and found to be lacking in such proof, by other researchers, who are more competent to do such work, and have taken the trouble to locate all supporting documentation that is needed for such proof.

One of the queries sent in by Gray, this one to the County Galway Message Board.

It seems that obtaining such documentary evidence is not part of Mr. Gray’s “responsibilities as a researcher,” as he either avoids paying out any small sum for copies of documentation, or relies on what others pass on to him, which is often proven incorrect or just plain assumed data.   Yet all genuine researchers know full well that obtaining copies of documentation, showing proof of service, or other important data, is the ultimate requirement in any research work.

The statements of the Civil War service of Netterville R. Davies, and his brother, John Joseph, were researched more than two decades prior to Mr. Gray attempting to delve into the very same service of these brothers.   Several other researchers had already found that the service records provided by a descendant of the Davies brothers, as well as photos of medals supposedly awarded to Netterville, were not consistent with all the facts and other records of the war.   These original researchers, the late Roy Parker, as well as Mr. Len Traynor, and Mr. Barry Crompton, were as thorough in their research as researchers could ever be, and found that there was some skullduggery involved in the supposed service of Netterville and John.

The two medals awarded to Netterville, as well as his discharge paper from the 5^th United States Cavalry contained too many errors and inconsistencies to indicate that they were nothing more than fakes.   Yet it seems rather amazing that a wannabe “researcher” such as James Mason Gray could not see these errors and inconsistencies.

One of the medals supposedly awarded to Netterville R. Davies, this one being for his service at the battle of Antietam. The date error should have been enough to raise suspicions about its authenticity. The late Mr. Roy Parker was keen eyed enough to notice this inconsistency, early in his research.

The first medal shows the inscription “Presented to Corporal N.R. Davies for Distinguished Conduct on the Field of Vicksburg, June 28, 1862” and the second medal contains the inscription “Presented to Sergt. Major N. R. Davies for Distinguished Conduct on the Field of Antietum, July 8, 1862.”   Even before looking at the discharge paper of Netterville R. Davies, it is fairly obvious that there are a number of important errors on the medal inscriptions to indicate that they are nothing more than fakes.   Even a plain novice on Civil War studies would be able to spot immediately that the campaign of Vicksburg did not commence until after the date shown on the first medal.   The battle of Antietam (as the battle is correctly spelt) itself was not fought until mid September, 1862.   With the data shown on the discharge paper itself there are quite a number of additional errors, which should have raised suspicions immediately with Mr. Gray.   But, unlike the late Roy Parker, Mr. Gray is nothing more than someone who aspires to rise above the muck which he himself creates for himself, time and time again, by not bothering to indulge in investigative research.

Roy Parker’s original research, back in 1984, had already shown that it was impossible for Netterville to have been at Vicksburg, as company G of the 5^th United States Cavalry was never in that campaign.

Roy had also sent a copy of the discharge form for Netterville to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., for verification, and a reply was sent back which indicated, beyond doubt, that it was a completely suspect document.   The Archives letter states clearly, and to the point: “It appears that the discharge paper in your custody could be a forgery.”

The letter from the National Archives, in Washington, D.C., dated in 1984, in answer to Roy Parker's query about the Netterville R. Davies medals, as well as the discharge paper.

Roy’s final notations on the Netterville R. Davies service during the Civil War included the following written inscriptions which leave no doubt about what was known of this service:

“Company G, 5^th Cavalry at Antietam but not Vicksburg.”

“Discharge suspect (opinion of National Archives).”

“Officers’ names on discharge and other document unable to verify at Archives.”

“Such papers and medals were available to anyone for a price.”

“Grandson Ed Williams, nice guy so haven’t informed him that his Granpa may be a fraud.”

James Mason Gray may try to reach those dizzy heights, but it is fairly obvious that he will never attain the high standards required to be anything even remotely close to being referred to as a researcher.   His constant foolishness in obtaining grave markers for graves of persons who were never even in the Civil War, as well as his constant assumptions have proven beyond a doubt that he is absolutely worthless in any sort of research work.   He is only known for his expertise in plagiarizing the work of others, and using information gathered by other researchers.

Every researcher of the Civil War, even the novices are fully aware that many persons, post war, tried to claim service in the war, even though they did not serve. Some claimed service to try and obtain the pensions, and others for the glory it involved. It is a well known fact that many tried to claim that they had been on the battlefield of Gettysburg, but were not there at all. This author has researched, in the past, several such fake claims of service, even one of a person, buried in Toowoomba, Queensland, who claimed service with General Custer during the Indian wars. Even in recent times there are many who like to claim service in the Second World War, and even James Mason Gray has tried to claim that he was a veteran of the Second World War, despite the fact that he was only born in 1939. He made these claims to the administrators of the "Simply Australia" web site, and contact with these adminstrators will confirm that they still have the message sent to them by Gray, claiming such service. It is fairly obvious that claims to have served in military service will continue to be made by bogus veterans until eternity. Yet Mr. Gray had the nerve to question the honorable service of an Australian soldier who served honorably for 25 years, and received three medals for his service. The last of these medals was awarded only in 2006, some four years after this true soldier's honorable discharge from the service. If Mr. Gray would take the trouble to concentrate on genuine research, and not make false claims and assumptions, as well as twist the facts completely, perhaps we would finally have some genuine research out of this charlatan. But that is almost certainly an impossibility, and it will never happen during his lifetime.

Some additional evidence has now come to light to indicate that Netterville R. Davies obviously did not serve in the U.S. military. He had written several letters to the West Australian newspapers, late in life, and, in at least one of these, he states several things about well known military facts, which he seems unaware are incorrect. For instance, he states that General Benjamin Butler had been arrested, and taken under custody to Washington, and then tried by court martial and cashiered from the American Army. This is, of course, far from correct. Additionally, the editor of the newspaper, in response to this letter of Davies' also corrects him on a couple of other statements. So it is fairly obvious that Davies did not know a thing or two about much of the military history of the Civil War.

Page Created August, 2008.