Jefferson C. Davis

Infobox Military Person
name= Jefferson Columbus Davis
born= birth date|1828|3|2
died= death date and age|1879|11|30|1828|3|2
placeofbirth= Clark County, Indiana
placeofdeath= Chicago, Illinois
placeofburial=Crown Hill Cemetery


caption= Major General Jefferson C. Davis
nickname= "Jef"
allegiance= flagicon|United States United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears= 1848-1879
rank= Brevet Major General
commands=XIV Corps Department of Alaska Department of the Columbia 23rd U.S. Infantry
battles= Mexican-American War American Civil War
*Fort Sumter
*Wilson's Creek
*Pea Ridge
*Stones River
*Chickamauga
*Atlanta Campaign
*March to the Sea
*Bentonville
Modoc War

Jefferson Columbus Davis (March 2, 1828 – November 30, 1879) was an officer in the United States Army who served in the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and the Modoc War. He was the first commander of the Department of Alaska, from 1868 to 1870. Although successful in a number of Civil War battles, he is best remembered for two attributes: the similarity of his name to that of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his murder of a superior officer during an argument in the Civil War.

Early commands

Born near present-day Memphis, Indiana, Davis served as an enlisted volunteer during the Mexican-American War. Upon completion of his volunteer service, he was accepted for an Army commission and served in the 1st U.S. Artillery. At the start of the American Civil War, Davis had attained the rank of first lieutenant and was serving in the Fort Sumter garrison when it was bombarded by Confederate forces in 1861. In August, Davis became Colonel of the 22nd Indiana Infantry, which he led in the Battle of Wilson's Creek. In December 1861, he became brigadier general of volunteers, commanding the 3rd Division, Army of the Southwest, at the Battle of Pea Ridge. He commanded the 4th Division, Army of the Mississippi, at Corinth. He went on sick leave, but left his hospital bed to serve in the defenses of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Murder of General Nelson

During this time of convalescence, on September 29, 1862, Davis got into an argument with his superior officer, Maj. Gen. William "Bull" Nelson, in the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. Davis had been offended by insults on prior occasions and when his face was slapped by Nelson, Davis shot and killed him. [Levstik, p. 572.] He was arrested and imprisoned, but Maj. Gen. Horatio G. Wright came to his aid and was able to get him released from prison. He avoided conviction for the murder because there was a need for experienced field commanders in the Union Army. He commanded the 1st Division, Right Wing, of the Army of the Cumberland at Stones River, where his troops collapsed and retreated after receiving a massive surprise Confederate flanking attack. His division was redesignated the 1st Division, XX Corps, at the Battle of Chickamauga. He commanded the 2nd Division, XIV Corps at Chattanooga and during the Atlanta Campaign. He took command of the XIV Corps and led it during the March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign.

Promotions and post war

Davis was a capable commander, but due to the murder of General Nelson, he never received a full promotion higher than brigadier general of volunteers. He did however receive a brevet promotion to major general of volunteers on August 8, 1864 (for his service at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain), and a brevet promotion to brigadier general in the regular army on March 13, 1865.

After the Civil War, Davis continued service with the Army. He gained fame once again when he assumed field command of the U.S. forces during the Modoc War. He was the first commander of the Department of Alaska, from March 18, 1868, to June 1, 1870, during which he commanded the Russian population of Sitka, Alaska to abandon their homes as he maintained that they were needed for Americans. He died in Chicago, Illinois, and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.

ee also

*Louisville in the American Civil War
*"Sherman's March" (2007, documentary)
*John A. Wharton — CS General also murdered by a fellow officer

References

* Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., "Civil War High Commands", Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
* Levstik, Frank R., "Jefferson Columbus Davis", "Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History", Heidler, David S., and Heidler, Jeanne T., eds., W. W. Norton & Company, 2000, ISBN 0-393-04758-X.

Notes

Persondata
NAME = Davis, Jefferson Columbus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Union general in the American Civil War
DATE OF BIRTH = March 2, 1828
PLACE OF BIRTH = Clark County, Indiana
DATE OF DEATH = November 30, 1879
PLACE OF DEATH = Chicago, Illinois