Daniel Showalter was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania and came to California in 1852, settling in Coulterville.
[1] 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.
This party was caught at Minter Ranch on November 29, 1861, by a 1st California Cavalry Regiment patrol under Second Lt. C. R. Wellman from Camp Wright, in the mountains southwest of the Warner's Ranch, in the San Jose Valley of eastern San Diego County.
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.
George Henry Giddings came up with his battalion, rallied the disorderly unit and stabilized the defense some miles east of Palmito Hill.