Col. Benjamin ‘Grimes’ Davis at Barbee’s Cross Roads

Col. Benjamin Franklin ‘Grimes’ Davis, 8th New York Cavalry, remains an intriguing figure, largely because he is so elusive.  A Regular Army officer, Davis’s rigid adherence to strict discipline put him at odds with the volunteers who served under him.  One perpetually disgruntled surgeon termed him “a proud tyrannical devil.”  Upon learning that Davis had…