Daniel Showalter (1830–1866), was a

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

miner, state legislator, duelist, secessionist, and

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...

military officer in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

Early life

Daniel Showalter was born in

Greene County, Pennsylvania Greene County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 35,954. Its county seat is Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, Waynes ...

and came to California in 1852, settling in Coulterville.

Career

Showalter became a miner in Horseshoe Bend, Mariposa County. He ran for and won a seat in the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Califor ...

6th District in 1857–1858 and 1861–1862. In 1861, he voted against a state resolution for California to stay in the Union (which passed the assembly). During the vote, Charles W. Piercy prevented him from saying why he was opposed to it. The two men argued and Piercy challenged him to a duel. Despite dueling being officially illegal in California at the time, it proceeded nonetheless on Saturday afternoon, May 25, 1861, near the residence of Charles S. Fairfax, three miles west of San Rafael in

Marin County Marin County ( ) is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is ac ...

. The weapons chosen were rifles, to be fired at a distance of forty yards. The first fire was ineffective and Showalter demanded another. On the second fire, Showalter shot Piercy in the mouth and killed him. This was the last of the duels between political figures in California. Now a fugitive as a result of the duel, Showalter made his way south to

Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 2023. Its population is greater than that of 40 individua ...

, joining with friends and fellow secessionist sympathizers who wanted to go east to join the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

. This party was caught at Minter Ranch on November 29, 1861, by a

1st California Cavalry Regiment The 1st Regiment California Cavalry was a cavalry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. First formed as a battalion, the unit later expanded to regimental size. History The regiment was first formed as the 1st Battalion, 1st ...

patrol under Second Lt. C. R. Wellman from

Camp Wright Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station is a stage station in the western foothills of the Laguna Mountains, in northern San Diego County, California. It is located on California State Route 79, State Route 79, northwest of Warner Springs, Californ ...

, in the mountains southwest of the

Warner's Ranch Warner's Ranch, near Warner Springs, California, was notable as a way station for large numbers of emigrants on the Southern Emigrant Trail from 1849 to 1861, as it was a stop on both the Gila River Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail stagec ...

, in the San Jose Valley of eastern

San Diego County San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of California, north to its border with Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634; it is the second-most populous ...

. On December 10, fearing a large rescue party was coming from El Monte, the commander of Camp Wright sent them under guard to

Fort Yuma Fort Yuma was a fort in California located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was established in 1848. It served as a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861. The fort was retired from ...

. Eventually they were released after swearing allegiance to the Union. Showalter then went on to Texas where he was made lieutenant colonel of the

4th Arizona Cavalry Regiment Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

. In March 1864, Lt. Col. Daniel Showalter joined the force under

John Salmon Ford John Salmon Ford (May 26, 1815 – November 3, 1897), also known as "Rip" Ford, was an American military officer and politician. He served as a member of the Republic of Texas Congress and the Texas Senate. He was also the mayor of Brownsville a ...

and led his regiment in fighting around

Brownsville, Texas Brownsville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border, border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas ...

, to drive the Union troops out of South Texas. After the Union troops evacuated, Showalter occupied Brownsville, June 30. When his commander, Colonel Ford, fell ill, Showalter was found drunk and unable to command the army. On May 12, 1865, General Day attacked Showalter at Palmito Hill, Showalter was drunk again and unable to command his unit and the enemy artillery caused the 4th Arizona to panic without leadership.

George Henry Giddings George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Giorg ...

came up with his battalion, rallied the disorderly unit and stabilized the defense some miles east of Palmito Hill. Showalter was immediately relieved of his command of the 4th Arizona and it was given to Major F. E. Kavanaugh. After the war he went to Mexico in August 1865, and managed a hotel in

Mazatlán Mazatlán () is a city in the Mexican list of states of Mexico, state of Sinaloa. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding , known as the Mazatlán Municipality. It is located on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast across from th ...

Death

Showalter died of lockjaw, a result of a bar fight in 1866 in Mazatlán, Mexico.Mariposa County History and Genealogy Research site: Mariposa Free Press and Mariposa Gazette Vitals 1863 - 1923; March 10, 1866, Mariposa Free Press, DEATH OF COL. SHOWALTER.
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Showalter, Daniel 1830 births 1866 deaths Members of the California State Assembly Confederate States Army officers People of California in the American Civil War Deaths from tetanus Politicians from Greene County, Pennsylvania People from Mariposa County, California American expatriates in Mexico Military personnel from Pennsylvania 19th-century members of the California State Legislature