July 17, 2026
Introduction: Melissa Davenport Berry continues her Davenport family history, focusing on her Civil War veteran ancestor Edward Davenport. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
Today I continue my “Tracing My Davenport Family Line” series, focusing on my great-great-grandfather Edward Little Davenport (1838-1884) and his service during the American Civil War.
GenealogyBank’s archives proved to be a valuable tool in my search.
Edward, son of Anthony Davenport Jr. and Sarah Jackson (Little) Davenport, married Sophronia Angelina Cross (1837-1916), daughter of Capt. John Dudley Cross, Esq., and Lydia Caldwell (Lord) Cross. Edward and Sophronia had six children, including my great-grandmother Melissa Cross (Davenport) Phelps.
Edward learned the printers’ trade. In his early twenties he was foreman in the composing room at the Daily Evening Union, published by the founder of the Newburyport Herald. He worked diligently at his craft, and in 1859 he went to Philadelphia to work at a local newspaper in the editing department.
The Civil War broke out, and he enlisted in the Union Zouaves for three months. He was at the capture of Harpers Ferry, where he was discharged. He later enlisted in the 23rd Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, was appointed first sergeant of his company, and was sent to North Carolina.
This newsclip entitled “A Massachusetts Volunteer in Pennsylvania,” was published in the Newburyport Morning Herald.
This article reports:
A Massachusetts Volunteer in Pennsylvania. Mr. Anthony Davenport has shown us a letter from his son, E. L. Davenport, who served his time in the Herald office, announcing the fact that he had enlisted and was to start immediately for the seat of war. He writes – “I have enrolled myself. I should not have volunteered, but I feel that duty calls, and if I can be of any service to my country, I am willing to be, even at the sacrifice of my life… Trusting in God, who rules the universe, and praying for his guidance, I shall go forth to the call of duty, perhaps never to return. If I fall, I shall die in my country’s defence; and if I am spared, may I still adhere to her and live for her.”
Mr. Davenport who thus acts, is a great-grandson of a captain in the French and Indian War and of a member of the Continental Congress. [Also check out: The Davenport Letters.] He is intelligent and brave – of temperate habits and Christian life. He will do himself honor anywhere.
When Union forces captured New Bern, North Carolina, on 14 March 1862, E. L. Davenport and fellow soldiers took over the local newspaper, the Newbern Progress, aka the Yankee Printer. The city remained under continuous Union occupation for the rest of the Civil War.
The newspaper back in Newburyport published the skinny hot off the press.
This article reports:
The “Newbern Progress,” the seizure of which by our soldiers has been announced, comes to us now published by “E. L. Davenport & Co.,” much improved in body and spirit. The company are E. L. Davenport, sergeant in Co. I, 23d Regiment, from this city, and George Mills Joy, who is the chief editor, a corporal of the same company, from Cambridge. It is to appear thrice a week till they can get a supply of better paper for a daily issue. The former proprietor has joined the army.
We are glad to see the enterprise of our young soldiers in taking up this business, which we have no doubt will prove profitable to them. All the printers in this office are also from the 23d Regiment. We see no deaths or marriages in the “Progress,” from which we judge that our soldiers are in good health, and they have not yet had time and leisure to make acquaintances that may become partners for life. Among the items of news that may be interesting in this region is the following:
“Capt. John Hobbs, of Co. I, 23d Mass. Reg., began to stir himself quite lively last Saturday morning. By the time reveille was beaten, he had seized 500 barrels rosin, 100 barrels spirits turpentine, and 75 bales cotton. This was a valuable seizure of articles in much demand and now commanding very high prices. He is to be commended for his prompt action.”
Here is a photo of John Hobbs (1843-1925), son of Jonathan Hobbs and Olive (Curtis) Hobbs. In the attack on New Bern on 16 March 1863, a failed Confederate attempt to retake the city, Captain Hobbs suffered an injury and returned home in August.
The staff of the Newbern Progress used this experience running the paper as a springboard for their later careers.
Benjamin F. Arrington went on to publish the Beverly Citizen and The Municipal History of Essex County; George Mills Joy remained in newspaper publishing and renamed the paper the North Carolina Times; John Gray became chairman of the History Commission and served on the board of W. Ware & Publishers Co. in Boston, Massachusetts; John D. Parsons returned to printing in Newburyport, became one of the city’s oldest printers, and was appointed City Messenger in 1868 – his diaries and journals later became valuable resources for historians; and William E. Murdock, owner of Sampson & Murdock, founded the Boston Printers Association.
E. L. Davenport later published his recollections in the Ipswich Chronicle:
Friday did it! We have taken New Bern. The enemy undertook to burn the town but were unsuccessful.
We come before the people of North Carolina an earnest advocate of that glorious Union which her patriotic ancestry so nobly aided to cement and establish. The Progress has been heretofore one of the most virulent and bitter opposers to the Government in the South, and its former proprietor, not satiated with treason already committed, has filled his cup of bitterness by openly taking up arms against the Union which so long fostered and nourished him.
To be continued…
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Note on the header image: Davenport-Greeley House, 78 State Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts. Credit: Tate and Foss.
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