Jefferson C. Davis: Difference between revisions
Undid revision 1013019480 by 2600:6C5C:6B00:1C07:9989:AC4:2552:FBD2 (talk) |
Rescuing 11 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5 |
||
(42 intermediate revisions by 31 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|American general}} |
|||
{{For|the president of the Confederate States of America|Jefferson Davis}} |
{{For|the president of the Confederate States of America|Jefferson Davis}} |
||
{{Use American English|date=October 2022}} |
|||
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} |
|||
{{Infobox officeholder |
{{Infobox officeholder |
||
|name = Jefferson Columbus Davis |
| name = Jefferson Columbus Davis |
||
|image = Jefferson C. Davis.jpg |
| image = Jefferson C. Davis.jpg |
||
|order = 1st |
| order = 1st |
||
|office = Commander of the Department of Alaska |
| office = Commander of the Department of Alaska |
||
|president = [[Andrew Johnson]]<br> |
| president = [[Andrew Johnson]]<br> |
||
[[Ulysses S. Grant]] |
[[Ulysses S. Grant]] |
||
|term_start = October 18, 1867 |
| term_start = October 18, 1867 |
||
|term_end = August 31, 1870 |
| term_end = August 31, 1870 |
||
|predecessor = ''Position established'' |
| predecessor = ''Position established'' |
||
|successor = [[George K. Brady]] |
| successor = [[George K. Brady]] |
||
|birth_name = Jefferson Columbus Davis |
| birth_name = Jefferson Columbus Davis |
||
|birth_date = {{birth date|1828|3|2}} |
| birth_date = {{birth date|1828|3|2}} |
||
|birth_place = [[Clark County, Indiana]], U.S. |
| birth_place = [[Clark County, Indiana]], U.S. |
||
|death_date = {{death date and age|1879|11|30|1828|3|2}} |
| death_date = {{death date and age|1879|11|30|1828|3|2}} |
||
|death_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], U.S. |
| death_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], U.S. |
||
|party = |
| party = |
||
|nickname = "JCD" |
| nickname = "JCD" |
||
|allegiance = {{flag|United States}} |
| allegiance = {{flag|United States|1877}} |
||
|branch = {{flag|United States Army}}<br> |
| branch = {{flag|United States Army}}<br> |
||
[[Union Army]] |
[[Union Army]] |
||
|serviceyears = 1846–1879 |
| serviceyears = 1846–1879 |
||
|rank = [[File:Union Army |
| rank = [[File:Union Army brigadier general rank insignia.svg|35px]] [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]]<br />[[File:Union Army major general rank insignia.svg|35px]] [[Brevet (military)|Brevet]] [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] |
||
|commands = [[XIV Corps (Union Army)|XIV Corps]] <br />[[Department of Alaska]]<br />[[Department of the Columbia]] |
| commands = [[22nd Indiana Infantry Regiment|22nd Indiana Infantry]]<br/>[[XIV Corps (Union Army)|XIV Corps]] <br />[[Department of Alaska]]<br />[[Department of the Columbia]] |
||
|battles = [[Mexican–American War]] |
| battles = {{Tree list}} |
||
* [[Mexican–American War]] |
|||
* [[Battle of Buena Vista]] |
** [[Battle of Buena Vista]] |
||
[[American Civil War]] |
* [[American Civil War]] |
||
* [[Battle of Fort Sumter|Fort Sumter]] |
** [[Battle of Fort Sumter|Fort Sumter]] |
||
* [[Battle of Pea Ridge|Pea Ridge]] |
** [[Battle of Pea Ridge|Pea Ridge]] |
||
* [[Siege of Corinth|Corinth]] |
** [[Siege of Corinth|Corinth]] |
||
* [[Battle of Stones River|Stones River]] |
** [[Battle of Stones River|Stones River]] |
||
* [[Battle of Chickamauga|Chickamauga]] |
** [[Battle of Chickamauga|Chickamauga]] |
||
* [[Atlanta Campaign]] |
** [[Atlanta Campaign]] |
||
* [[Sherman's March to the Sea|March to the Sea]] |
** [[Sherman's March to the Sea|March to the Sea]] |
||
* [[Carolinas Campaign]] |
** [[Carolinas Campaign]] |
||
* [[Battle of Bentonville|Bentonville]] |
*** [[Battle of Bentonville|Bentonville]] |
||
[[American Indian Wars]] |
* [[American Indian Wars]] |
||
* [[Modoc War]] |
** [[Modoc War]] |
||
{{Tree list/end}} |
|||
|education = |
|||
| |
| education = |
||
| mawards = |
|||
}} |
}} |
||
'''Jefferson Columbus Davis''' (March 2, 1828 – November 30, 1879) was a regular officer of the [[United States Army]] during the [[American Civil War]], known for the similarity of his name to that of [[President of the Confederate States of America|Confederate President]] [[Jefferson Davis]] and for his killing of a superior officer in 1862. |
'''Jefferson Columbus Davis''' (March 2, 1828 – November 30, 1879) was a regular officer of the [[United States Army]] during the [[American Civil War]], known for the similarity of his name to that of [[President of the Confederate States of America|Confederate President]] [[Jefferson Davis]] and for his killing of a superior officer in 1862. |
||
Davis's distinguished service in [[Mexican–American War|Mexico]] earned him high prestige at the outbreak of the Civil War, when he led Union troops through Southern Missouri to [[Battle of Pea Ridge|Pea Ridge]], Arkansas, being promoted to Brigadier General after that significant victory. Following the [[Siege of Corinth]], he was granted home leave on account of exhaustion, but returned to duty on hearing of Union defeats in Kentucky, where he reported to General [[William "Bull" Nelson]] at Louisville in September 1862. Nelson was dissatisfied with his performance, and insulted him in front of witnesses. A few days later, Davis demanded a public apology, but instead the two officers argued noisily and physically, concluding in Davis mortally wounding Nelson with a pistol. |
Davis's distinguished service in [[Mexican–American War|Mexico]] earned him high prestige at the outbreak of the Civil War, when he led Union troops through Southern Missouri to [[Battle of Pea Ridge|Pea Ridge]], Arkansas, being promoted to Brigadier General after that significant victory. Following the [[Siege of Corinth]], he was granted home leave on account of exhaustion, but returned to duty on hearing of Union defeats in Kentucky, where he reported to General [[William "Bull" Nelson]] at Louisville in September 1862. Nelson was dissatisfied with his performance, and insulted him in front of witnesses. A few days later, Davis demanded a public apology, but instead the two officers argued noisily and physically, concluding in Davis mortally wounding Nelson with a pistol.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Sones |first=Bruce V. |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War general |date=2000 |degree=Master of Military Art and Science |publisher=US Army Command and General Staff College |url=https://worldcat.org/title/465213073 |place=Fort Leavenworth, KS |format=PDF |oclc=465213073 |pages=53–57 |access-date=October 10, 2023 |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704121851/https://search.worldcat.org/title/465213073 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VtFeAQAACAAJ |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |date=2000 |publisher=Defense Technical Information Center |language=en |access-date=May 1, 2023 |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929033159/https://books.google.com/books?id=VtFeAQAACAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Page needed|date=July 2023}} |
||
Davis avoided conviction due to the shortage of experienced commanders in the Union Army, but the incident hampered his chances for promotion. He served as a corps commander under [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] during his [[Sherman's March to the Sea|March to the Sea]] in 1864. After the war, Davis was the first commander of the Department of Alaska from 1867 to 1870, and assumed field command during the [[Modoc War]] of 1872–1873. |
Davis avoided conviction due to the shortage of experienced commanders in the Union Army, but the incident hampered his chances for promotion. He served as a corps commander under [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] during his [[Sherman's March to the Sea|March to the Sea]] in 1864.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Sones |first=Bruce V. |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War general |date=2000 |degree=Master of Military Art and Science |publisher=US Army Command and General Staff College |url=https://worldcat.org/title/465213073 |place=Fort Leavenworth, KS |format=PDF |oclc=465213073 |page=139 |access-date=October 10, 2023 |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704121851/https://search.worldcat.org/title/465213073 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jr |first1=Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J8Y0domDe4IC&q=jefferson+columbus+davis |title=Jefferson Davis in Blue: The Life of Sherman's Relentless Warrior |last2=Whitney |first2=Gordon D. |date=2006-03-21 |publisher=LSU Press |isbn=978-0-8071-3160-2 |language=en |access-date=July 10, 2023 |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704121841/https://books.google.com/books?id=J8Y0domDe4IC&q=jefferson+columbus+davis#v=snippet&q=jefferson%20columbus%20davis&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Page needed|date=July 2023}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sones |first=Major Bruce V. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ghVwCwAAQBAJ&q=jefferson+columbus+davis |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |date=2014-08-15 |publisher=Pickle Partners Publishing |isbn=978-1-78289-629-6 |language=en |access-date=July 10, 2023 |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929033159/https://books.google.com/books?id=ghVwCwAAQBAJ&q=jefferson%20columbus%20davis |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Page needed|date=July 2023}} After the war, Davis was the first commander of the Department of Alaska from 1867 to 1870, and assumed field command during the [[Modoc War]] of 1872–1873. |
||
==Early life== |
==Early life== |
||
[[File:Memphis IN Jeff Davis Marker.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Marker denoting Davis' birth near [[Memphis, Indiana]]]] |
[[File:Memphis IN Jeff Davis Marker.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Marker denoting Davis' birth near [[Memphis, Indiana]]]] |
||
Davis was born in [[Clark County, Indiana]], near present-day [[Memphis, Indiana|Memphis]], [[Indiana]].<ref>Jefferson Columbus Davis Collection, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library [http://www.in.gov/library/finding-aid/4593.htm]</ref> He was born to William Davis |
Jefferson C. Davis was born in [[Clark County, Indiana]], near present-day [[Memphis, Indiana|Memphis]], [[Indiana]].<ref>Jefferson Columbus Davis Collection, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library [http://www.in.gov/library/finding-aid/4593.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918123716/https://www.in.gov/library/finding-aid/4593.htm|date=September 18, 2018}}</ref> He was born to William Davis Jr. (1800–1879) and Mary Drummond-Davis (1801–1881), the oldest of their eight children. His father was a farmer. His parents came from [[Kentucky]], and like many at the time including [[Abraham Lincoln|President Abraham Lincoln's]] family, moved to [[Indiana]].<ref name="sones 1">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=1}}</ref> |
||
==Early military career== |
==Early military career== |
||
Line 56: | Line 61: | ||
==Civil War== |
==Civil War== |
||
When the war began in April 1861, Davis was an officer in the garrison at [[Fort Sumter]] when it was [[Battle of Fort Sumter|bombarded by Confederate forces]]. The following month he was promoted to [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]] and given the task of raising a regiment in Indiana. Additionally, he was given responsibility over the commissary and supply. He requested assignment as a regimental commander, growing bored with his garrison duties. After the death of Brigadier General [[Nathaniel Lyon]] and the loss at [[Battle of Wilson's Creek|Wilson's Creek]],{{efn|Battle of Wilson's Creek is now preserved within [[Wilson's Creek National Battlefield]], protected by the National Park Service. The park is located near [[Republic, Missouri]].}} his request was gratefully accepted. His experience as a regular in the federal army made him a rare commodity, and he was given command of the [[22nd Indiana Infantry Regiment |
When the war began in April 1861, Davis was an officer in the garrison at [[Fort Sumter]] when it was [[Battle of Fort Sumter|bombarded by Confederate forces]]. The following month he was promoted to [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]] and given the task of raising a regiment in Indiana. Additionally, he was given responsibility over the commissary and supply. He requested assignment as a regimental commander, growing bored with his garrison duties. After the death of Brigadier General [[Nathaniel Lyon]] and the loss at [[Battle of Wilson's Creek|Wilson's Creek]],{{efn|Battle of Wilson's Creek is now preserved within [[Wilson's Creek National Battlefield]], protected by the National Park Service. The park is located near [[Republic, Missouri]].}} his request was gratefully accepted. His experience as a regular in the federal army made him a rare commodity, and he was given command of the [[22nd Indiana Infantry Regiment]], receiving a promotion to [[colonel (United States)|colonel]]. |
||
===Missouri=== |
===Missouri=== |
||
By the end of August, Davis received orders to succeed Brigadier General [[Ulysses S. Grant]] as commander of forces in northwestern Missouri. His headquarters were in [[Jefferson City, Missouri]], with approximately 16,000 Confederate troops nearby. General Fremont had great concerns that the Confederate troops, commanded by Generals |
By the end of August, Davis received orders to succeed Brigadier General [[Ulysses S. Grant]] as commander of forces in northwestern Missouri. His headquarters were in [[Jefferson City, Missouri]], with approximately 16,000 Confederate troops nearby. General Fremont had great concerns that the Confederate troops, commanded by Generals McCulloch and Sterling Price, would set their eyes on St. Louis as a potential target. Davis's command grew quickly, starting at 12,000 at the beginning of September and expanding to 18,000 to 20,000 by the end of the month. Initially, Davis spent time building fortifications to fend off possible attack on the capital city. Once his defensive plan had been completed, he planned an offensive campaign, but materiel was refused to Davis. That may have contributed to losing the [[First Battle of Lexington|Battle of Lexington]].<ref name="sones 31-32">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=31–32}}</ref>{{efn|* [[Battle of Lexington State Historic Site]] preserves the battlefield at [[Lexington, Missouri]]. The area is administered and protected by the Division of State Parks of the [[Missouri Department of Natural Resources]]. * Another point of interest in the area is a cannon ball that hit and remains in a column of the [[Lafayette County Courthouse (Missouri)|Lafayette County Court House]].}} |
||
In December 1861, he took command of the 3rd Division, [[Army of the Southwest]]. He pursued Confederate troops through southern Missouri, as they retreated toward and into Arkansas. In March 1862, his division attacked the Confederates at the [[Battle of Pea Ridge]].{{efn|The Battle of Pea Ridge is preserved today as [[Pea Ridge National Military Park]], protected by the National Park Service. The park is located in northwestern Arkansas near [[Garfield, Arkansas]].}} Davis's distinguished service at Pea Ridge was rewarded in May 1862 |
In December 1861, he took command of the 3rd Division, [[Army of the Southwest]]. He pursued Confederate troops through southern Missouri, as they retreated toward and into Arkansas. In March 1862, his division attacked the Confederates at the [[Battle of Pea Ridge]].{{efn|The Battle of Pea Ridge is preserved today as [[Pea Ridge National Military Park]], protected by the National Park Service. The park is located in northwestern Arkansas near [[Garfield, Arkansas]].}} Davis's distinguished service at Pea Ridge was rewarded in May 1862 when he received a field promotion commensurate with his division command.<ref name="NPS-Davis">{{cite web |url=https://www.nps.gov/peri/learn/historyculture/colonel-davis.htm |title=Colonel Davis - Pea Ridge National Military Park |publisher=National Park Service |date=May 28, 2014 |access-date=July 18, 2023 |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704121841/https://www.nps.gov/peri/learn/historyculture/colonel-davis.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> He was made [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] with the rank backdated to December 18, 1861.<ref name="eicher 202" /> |
||
At the [[Siege of Corinth]], he commanded the 4th Division, [[Army of the Mississippi]].{{efn|[[Shiloh National Military Park]] preserves the Corinth battlefield. The area is administered and protected by the National Park Service. The park is located in northern Mississippi, in [[Corinth, Mississippi|Corinth]].}} |
At the [[Siege of Corinth]], he commanded the 4th Division, [[Army of the Mississippi]].{{efn|[[Shiloh National Military Park]] preserves the Corinth battlefield. The area is administered and protected by the National Park Service. The park is located in northern Mississippi, in [[Corinth, Mississippi|Corinth]].}} |
||
===Leave authorized=== |
===Leave authorized=== |
||
In the late summer of 1862, Davis became ill, probably caused by exhaustion. He wrote to his commander, General Rosecrans, requesting a few weeks' leave. Davis stated, "After twenty-one months of arduous service.... I find myself compelled by physical weakness and exhaustion to ask... for a few weeks' respite from duty...."<ref name="sones 45">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=45}}</ref> On August 12, 1862, the Army of Mississippi issued General Rosecrans' response in Special Order No. 208, authorizing General Davis 20 days of convalescence.<ref name="so 208">{{cite web |url=http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/cwmf/id/2184 |title=Special order no. 208, Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel [R].G. Kennett, headquarters, army of the Mississippi |publisher=Indiana Historical Society |date=August 12, 1862 |access-date=June 12, 2014 |author=Kennett, R.G., Lieutenant Colonel, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Army of the Mississippi |format=PDF and JPG |location=Indianapolis |id=M0080_Box1_Folder4_1862-08-12_001}}</ref> Davis headed for home in Indiana to rest and recuperate. |
In the late summer of 1862, Davis became ill, probably caused by exhaustion. He wrote to his commander, General Rosecrans, requesting a few weeks' leave. Davis stated, "After twenty-one months of arduous service.... I find myself compelled by physical weakness and exhaustion to ask... for a few weeks' respite from duty...."<ref name="sones 45">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=45}}</ref> On August 12, 1862, the Army of Mississippi issued General Rosecrans' response in Special Order No. 208, authorizing General Davis 20 days of convalescence.<ref name="so 208">{{cite web |url=http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/cwmf/id/2184 |title=Special order no. 208, Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel [R].G. Kennett, headquarters, army of the Mississippi |publisher=Indiana Historical Society |date=August 12, 1862 |access-date=June 12, 2014 |author=Kennett, R.G., Lieutenant Colonel, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Army of the Mississippi |format=PDF and JPG |location=Indianapolis |id=M0080_Box1_Folder4_1862-08-12_001 |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704121851/https://images.indianahistory.org/digital/collection/cwmf/id/2184 |url-status=live }}</ref> Davis headed for home in Indiana to rest and recuperate. |
||
While Davis was on leave, the state of affairs in Kentucky became quite precarious. The [[Army of the Ohio]], commanded by Brigadier General [[Don Carlos Buell]], was taking aim on [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]. Three hundred miles of railway lines lay between Louisville and Chattanooga, and Confederate forces were making constant work tearing up the tracks. The railroads provided the needed supplies to Union troops on the move and so Buell was forced to split his forces and to send General [[William "Bull" Nelson]] back north to Kentucky to take charge of the area. When Nelson arrived in Louisville, he found Major General [[Horatio G. Wright]] had been sent by the President to take control, putting Buell second in command.<ref name="fry 3">{{cite book |title=Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War |publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons |author=Fry, James B., General |year=1885 |location=New York |page=3|hdl = 2027/yale.39002064227953}}</ref> |
While Davis was on leave, the state of affairs in Kentucky became quite precarious. The [[Army of the Ohio]], commanded by Brigadier General [[Don Carlos Buell]], was taking aim on [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]. Three hundred miles of railway lines lay between Louisville and Chattanooga, and Confederate forces were making constant work tearing up the tracks. The railroads provided the needed supplies to Union troops on the move and so Buell was forced to split his forces and to send General [[William "Bull" Nelson]] back north to Kentucky to take charge of the area. When Nelson arrived in Louisville, he found Major General [[Horatio G. Wright]] had been sent by the President to take control, putting Buell second in command.<ref name="fry 3">{{cite book |title=Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War |publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons |author=Fry, James B., General |year=1885 |location=New York |page=3|hdl = 2027/yale.39002064227953}}</ref> |
||
In late August, two Confederate armies, under the command of Major General [[Edmund Kirby Smith]] and General [[Braxton Bragg]], moved into Kentucky and Tennessee on the offensive to drive Union forces from Kentucky. Smith's Army of East Tennessee had approximately 19,000 men and Bragg's Army of Tennessee had approximately 35,000. On August 23, 1862, Confederate cavalry met and defeated Union troops at the [[Battle of Big Hill]]. That was only a prelude to the bigger battle ahead; on August 29, 1862, portions of Smith's army met an equal portion of Nelson's force that numbered between 6,000 and 7,000.<ref name="battleofrichmond">{{cite web |url=http://www.battleofrichmond.org/#/about/4567618014 |title=About the Battle of Richmond |publisher=The Battle of Richmond Association |date=2012 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> The two-day [[Battle of Richmond]], ending on August 30, was an overwhelming Confederate victory in all aspects: Union casualties numbered over 5,000, compared to the 750 Confederate casualties, and considerable ground was lost, including Richmond; Lexington; and the state capital, Frankfort.<ref name="cworg-richmond">{{cite web |url=http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/richmond.html |title=The Battle of Richmond |publisher=The Civil War Trust |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> Further loss at the battle occurred with the capture of Brigadier General [[Mahlon D. Manson]] and the wounding of General Nelson, injured in the neck, who was forced to retreat back to Louisville to prepare for the presumed assault.<ref name="sones 51">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=51}}</ref> The Confederates were now in a position to aim northward to take the fight to the enemy. |
In late August, two Confederate armies, under the command of Major General [[Edmund Kirby Smith]] and General [[Braxton Bragg]], moved into Kentucky and Tennessee on the offensive to drive Union forces from Kentucky. Smith's Army of East Tennessee had approximately 19,000 men and Bragg's Army of Tennessee had approximately 35,000. On August 23, 1862, Confederate cavalry met and defeated Union troops at the [[Battle of Big Hill]]. That was only a prelude to the bigger battle ahead; on August 29, 1862, portions of Smith's army met an equal portion of Nelson's force that numbered between 6,000 and 7,000.<ref name="battleofrichmond">{{cite web |url=http://www.battleofrichmond.org/#/about/4567618014 |title=About the Battle of Richmond |publisher=The Battle of Richmond Association |date=2012 |access-date=June 12, 2014 |archive-date=June 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625231642/http://www.battleofrichmond.org/#/about/4567618014 |url-status=live }}</ref> The two-day [[Battle of Richmond]], ending on August 30, was an overwhelming Confederate victory in all aspects: Union casualties numbered over 5,000, compared to the 750 Confederate casualties, and considerable ground was lost, including Richmond; Lexington; and the state capital, Frankfort.<ref name="cworg-richmond">{{cite web |url=http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/richmond.html |title=The Battle of Richmond |publisher=The Civil War Trust |access-date=June 12, 2014 |archive-date=June 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628023903/http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/richmond.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Further loss at the battle occurred with the capture of Brigadier General [[Mahlon D. Manson]] and the wounding of General Nelson, injured in the neck, who was forced to retreat back to Louisville to prepare for the presumed assault.<ref name="sones 51">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=51}}</ref> The Confederates were now in a position to aim northward to take the fight to the enemy. |
||
===Louisville=== |
===Louisville=== |
||
Line 79: | Line 84: | ||
====Dismissal from Louisville==== |
====Dismissal from Louisville==== |
||
[[File:Jefferson C. Davis by Brady (cropped).jpg|thumb|right]] |
[[File:Jefferson C. Davis by Brady (cropped).jpg|thumb|right]] |
||
In September 22, two days after Davis received his initial orders from Nelson, he was summoned to the [[Galt House]], where Nelson had made his headquarters. Nelson inquired on how the recruitment was going and how many men had been mustered. Davis replied that he did not know. As Nelson asked his questions and received only short answers that Davis was unaware of any specifics, Nelson became enraged and expelled Davis from Louisville. General [[James Barnet Fry]], described as a close friend of Davis, was present and later of the events surrounding the death of Nelson.<ref name="sones 54">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=53–54}}</ref> Fry states: |
In September 22, two days after Davis received his initial orders from Nelson, he was summoned to the [[Galt House]], where Nelson had made his headquarters. Nelson inquired on how the recruitment was going and how many men had been mustered. Davis replied that he did not know. As Nelson asked his questions and received only short answers that Davis was unaware of any specifics, Nelson became enraged and expelled Davis from Louisville. General [[James Barnet Fry]], described as a close friend of Davis, was present and later wrote of the events surrounding the death of Nelson.<ref name="sones 54">{{cite book |title=Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General |author=Sones, Bruce V., Major |year=2000 |location=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |pages=53–54}}</ref> Fry states: |
||
<blockquote>Davis arose and remarked, in a cool, deliberate manner: "General Nelson, I am a regular soldier, and I demand the treatment due to me as a general officer." Davis then stepped across to the door of the Medical Director's room, both doors being open... and said: "Dr Irwin, I wish you to be a witness to this conversation." At the same time Nelson said: "Yes, doctor, I want you to remember this." Davis then said to Nelson: "I demand from you the courtesy due to my rank." Nelson replied: "I will treat you as you deserve. You have disappointed me; you have been unfaithful to the trust which I reposed in you, and I shall relieve you at once. You are relieved from duty here and you will proceed to Cincinnati and report to General Wright." Davis said: "You have no authority to order me." Nelson turned toward the Adjutant-General and said: "Captain, if General Davis does not leave the city by nine o'clock tonight, give instructions to the Provost-Marshal to see that he shall be put across the Ohio River."<ref name="fry 4-5">{{cite book |title=Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War |publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons |author=Fry, James B., General |year=1885 |location=New York |pages=4–5|hdl = 2027/yale.39002064227953}}</ref> </blockquote> |
<blockquote>Davis arose and remarked, in a cool, deliberate manner: "General Nelson, I am a regular soldier, and I demand the treatment due to me as a general officer." Davis then stepped across to the door of the Medical Director's room, both doors being open... and said: "Dr Irwin, I wish you to be a witness to this conversation." At the same time Nelson said: "Yes, doctor, I want you to remember this." Davis then said to Nelson: "I demand from you the courtesy due to my rank." Nelson replied: "I will treat you as you deserve. You have disappointed me; you have been unfaithful to the trust which I reposed in you, and I shall relieve you at once. You are relieved from duty here and you will proceed to Cincinnati and report to General Wright." Davis said: "You have no authority to order me." Nelson turned toward the Adjutant-General and said: "Captain, if General Davis does not leave the city by nine o'clock tonight, give instructions to the Provost-Marshal to see that he shall be put across the Ohio River."<ref name="fry 4-5">{{cite book |title=Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War |publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons |author=Fry, James B., General |year=1885 |location=New York |pages=4–5|hdl = 2027/yale.39002064227953}}</ref> </blockquote> |
||
Line 89: | Line 94: | ||
====Killing of Nelson==== |
====Killing of Nelson==== |
||
[[File:BullNelsonShooting.jpg|thumb| Fanciful depiction of General Nelson being shot by fellow [[Union Army|Union]] General |
[[File:BullNelsonShooting.jpg|thumb| Fanciful depiction of General Nelson being shot by fellow [[Union Army|Union]] General Jefferson C. Davis at the [[Galt House]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], on September 29, 1862]] |
||
A short time later, General Nelson entered the hotel and went to the front desk. Davis approached Nelson, asking for an apology for the offense that Nelson had previously made. Nelson dismissed Davis and said, "Go away you damned puppy, I don't want anything to do with you!" Davis took in his hand a registration card and, while he confronted Nelson, took his anger out on the card, first by gripping it and then by wadding it up into a small ball, which he took and flipped into Nelson's face. Nelson stepped forward and slapped Davis with the back of his hand in the face.{{efn|Some accounts say that Nelson slapped Davis twice with the back of his hand.}} Nelson then looked at the governor and asked, "Did you come here, sir, to see me insulted?"{{efn|Some accounts say "Did you come here to insult me, too?"}} Morton said, "No sir." Then, Nelson turned and left for his room. |
A short time later, General Nelson entered the hotel and went to the front desk. Davis approached Nelson, asking for an apology for the offense that Nelson had previously made. Nelson dismissed Davis and said, "Go away you damned puppy, I don't want anything to do with you!" Davis took in his hand a registration card and, while he confronted Nelson, took his anger out on the card, first by gripping it and then by wadding it up into a small ball, which he took and flipped into Nelson's face. Nelson stepped forward and slapped Davis with the back of his hand in the face.{{efn|Some accounts say that Nelson slapped Davis twice with the back of his hand.}} Nelson then looked at the governor and asked, "Did you come here, sir, to see me insulted?"{{efn|Some accounts say "Did you come here to insult me, too?"}} Morton said, "No sir." Then, Nelson turned and left for his room. |
||
Line 96: | Line 101: | ||
====Arrest and release==== |
====Arrest and release==== |
||
Davis did not leave the vicinity of Nelson. He did not run or evade capture. He was simply taken into military custody by Fry and confined to an upper room in the Galt House. Davis attested to Fry what had happened. Fry wrote that while Davis was improperly treated for a man of his rank, |
Davis did not leave the vicinity of Nelson. He did not run or evade capture. He was simply taken into military custody by Fry and confined to an upper room in the Galt House. Davis attested to Fry what had happened. Fry wrote that while Davis was improperly treated for a man of his rank, he never pursued any legal recourse, which there was available to him. Fry attested that Davis was quite forthcoming and even included the fact that it was he who flipped a paper-wad in the face of Nelson. Davis wanted to confront Nelson publicly and wanted Nelson's disrespect to be witnessed. What Davis had not accounted for was Nelson's physical assault. Everything then spiraled out of control.<ref name="fry 6-7">{{cite book |title=Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War |publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons |author=Fry, James B., General |year=1885 |location=New York |page=7|hdl = 2027/yale.39002064227953}}</ref> |
||
Many in close confidence with Nelson wanted to see quick justice with regards to Davis. There were a few, including General [[William Terrill]], who wanted to see Davis hanged on the spot. Buell weighed in by saying that Davis' conduct was inexcusable. Fry stated that Buell regarded the actions as "a gross violation of military discipline." Buell went on to telegraph General [[Henry Halleck]], General in Chief of all Armies: |
Many in close confidence with Nelson wanted to see quick justice with regards to Davis. There were a few, including General [[William Terrill]], who wanted to see Davis hanged on the spot. Buell weighed in by saying that Davis' conduct was inexcusable. Fry stated that Buell regarded the actions as "a gross violation of military discipline." Buell went on to telegraph General [[Henry Halleck]], General in Chief of all Armies: |
||
{{ |
{{blockquote|General H.W. Halleck: |
||
Brigadier-General Davis is under arrest at Louisville for the killing of General Nelson. His trial by a court-martial or military commission should take place immediately, but I can't spare officers from the army now in motion to compose a court. It can perhaps better be done from Washington.... |
Brigadier-General Davis is under arrest at Louisville for the killing of General Nelson. His trial by a court-martial or military commission should take place immediately, but I can't spare officers from the army now in motion to compose a court. It can perhaps better be done from Washington.... |
||
Line 118: | Line 123: | ||
===Western Campaign=== |
===Western Campaign=== |
||
[[File:William Tecumseh Sherman and staff - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|left|Gen. Davis |
[[File:William Tecumseh Sherman and staff - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|left|Gen. Davis, second from right, with hand in coat, standing behind General [[William T. Sherman]] (seated at center), with other members of Sherman's staff]] |
||
Davis was a capable commander, but because of the murder of Nelson, he never received a full promotion higher than brigadier general of volunteers. He, however, received a brevet promotion to [[major general (United States)|major general]] of volunteers on August 8, 1864 for his service at the [[Battle of Kennesaw Mountain]], and he was appointed commanding officer of the [[XIV Corps (Union Army)|XIV Corps]] during the [[Atlanta Campaign]], which he retained until the end of the war.<ref name="eicher 202">{{cite book |title=Civil War High Commands |publisher=Stanford University Press |author=Eicher, John H., and [[David J. Eicher]] |year=2001 |location=Stanford, California |pages=202 |isbn=0-8047-3641-3}}</ref> He received a brevet promotion to brigadier general in the [[Regular Army (United States)|regular army]] on March 20, 1865. |
Davis was a capable commander, but because of the murder of Nelson, he never received a full promotion higher than brigadier general of volunteers. He, however, received a [[Brevet (military)|brevet promotion]] to [[major general (United States)|major general]] of volunteers on August 8, 1864, for his service at the [[Battle of Kennesaw Mountain]], and he was appointed commanding officer of the [[XIV Corps (Union Army)|XIV Corps]] during the [[Atlanta Campaign]], which he retained until the end of the war.<ref name="eicher 202">{{cite book |title=Civil War High Commands |publisher=Stanford University Press |author=Eicher, John H., and [[David J. Eicher]] |year=2001 |location=Stanford, California |pages=202 |isbn=0-8047-3641-3}}</ref> He received a brevet promotion to brigadier general in the [[Regular Army (United States)|regular army]] on March 20, 1865. |
||
During [[Sherman's March to the Sea]], Davis's actions during the [[Ebenezer Creek]] passing and ruthlessness toward former slaves have caused his legacy to be clouded in continued controversy. As Sherman's army proceeded toward [[Savannah, Georgia]], on December 9, 1864, Davis ordered a pontoon bridge removed before the African-American refugees, who were following his corps, could cross the creek. Several hundred were captured by the Confederate cavalry or drowned in the creek while they attempted to escape.<ref name="hughes 307-317">{{cite book |title=Jefferson Davis in Blue: The Life of Sherman's Relentless Warrior |publisher=Louisiana State University Press |author1=Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs |
During [[Sherman's March to the Sea]], Davis's actions during the [[Ebenezer Creek]] passing and ruthlessness toward former slaves have caused his legacy to be clouded in continued controversy. As Sherman's army proceeded toward [[Savannah, Georgia]], on December 9, 1864, Davis ordered a pontoon bridge removed before the African-American refugees, who were following his corps, could cross the creek. Several hundred were captured by the Confederate cavalry or drowned in the creek while they attempted to escape.<ref name="hughes 307-317">{{cite book |title=Jefferson Davis in Blue: The Life of Sherman's Relentless Warrior |publisher=Louisiana State University Press |author1=Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs Jr. |author2=Gordon D. Whitney |year=2002 |location=Baton Rouge |pages=307–317 |isbn=0-8071-2777-9}}</ref> |
||
==Postbellum career== |
==Postbellum career== |
||
===Department of Alaska=== |
===Department of Alaska=== |
||
After the Civil War, Davis continued service with the army, becoming colonel of the [[23rd Infantry Regiment (United States)|23rd Infantry Regiment]] in July 1866. |
After the Civil War, Davis continued service with the army, becoming colonel of the [[23rd Infantry Regiment (United States)|23rd Infantry Regiment]] in July 1866. In his capacity as commander of the newly created [[Military District of Alaska]]<ref name="Army1962"/>{{rp|3}} he was present at [[Alaska Purchase#Transfer ceremony|the transfer of Alaska]] from Russia to the United States on October 18, 1867;<ref name="Army1962">{{cite book |title=Building Alaska with the U.S. Army, 1867–1962 (Pamphlet #355-5) |publisher=United States Army, Alaskan Command |year=1962 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=01HmKpG0na8C&pg=PA3 |pages=3–14 |access-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240704121844/https://books.google.com/books?id=01HmKpG0na8C&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|6}} and he was the first commander of the [[Department of Alaska]]<ref name="Army1962"/>{{rp|10}} from March 18, 1868, to June 1, 1870. |
||
===Modoc War=== |
===Modoc War=== |
||
Davis gained fame when he assumed command of the US forces in California and Oregon during the [[Modoc War]] of 1872–1873, after General [[Edward Canby]] and Reverend Eleazer Thomas had been assassinated during peace talks. Davis's presence in the field restored the soldiers' confidence after their recent setbacks against the Modoc.<ref name="reminiscence">{{cite web |url=http://www.books-about-california.com/Pages/Reminiscences_of_a_Pioneer/Reminiscences_Chapter_13.html |title=Reminiscences of a Pioneer |date=1912 |access-date=June 10, 2014 |author=Thompson, William, Colonel}}</ref> Davis's campaign resulted in the [[Battle of Dry Lake]] (May 10, 1873) and the eventual surrender of notable leaders, such as [[Hooker Jim]] and [[Kintpuash|Captain Jack]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} |
Davis gained fame when he assumed command of the US forces in California and Oregon during the [[Modoc War]] of 1872–1873, after General [[Edward Canby]] and Reverend Eleazer Thomas had been assassinated during peace talks. Davis's presence in the field restored the soldiers' confidence after their recent setbacks against the Modoc.<ref name="reminiscence">{{cite web |url=http://www.books-about-california.com/Pages/Reminiscences_of_a_Pioneer/Reminiscences_Chapter_13.html |title=Reminiscences of a Pioneer |date=1912 |access-date=June 10, 2014 |author=Thompson, William, Colonel |archive-date=December 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201164201/http://www.books-about-california.com/Pages/Reminiscences_of_a_Pioneer/Reminiscences_Chapter_13.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Davis's campaign resulted in the [[Battle of Dry Lake]] (May 10, 1873) and the eventual surrender of notable leaders, such as [[Hooker Jim]] and [[Kintpuash|Captain Jack]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} |
||
===1877 general strike=== |
===1877 general strike=== |
||
During the [[1877 St. Louis general strike]], Davis arrived in St. Louis, commanding 300 men and two Gatling guns, |
During the [[1877 St. Louis general strike]], Davis arrived in St. Louis, commanding 300 men and two Gatling guns, but refused on urging to quell strikers or run the trains. He stated that doing so would be beyond his orders to protect government and public property.<ref name="1877 170">{{cite book |title=The Great Labor Uprising of 1877 |url=https://archive.org/details/greatlaboruprisi0000fone |url-access=registration |publisher=Pathfinder |author=Foner, Philip S. |year=1977 |location=New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/greatlaboruprisi0000fone/page/170 170] |isbn=978-0873488280}}</ref> |
||
===Death=== |
===Death=== |
||
Davis died in [[Chicago, Illinois]], on November 30, 1879. He is buried in [[Crown Hill Cemetery]], [[Indianapolis, Indiana]].<ref name="Crown Hill">{{cite web |url=https://www.crownhill.org/cemetery/notable-persons.html |title=Prominent People Buried in Crown Hill |publisher=Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery |access-date=June 10, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522014409/http://www.crownhill.org/cemetery/notable-persons.html |archive-date=May 22, 2014}}</ref> |
Davis died in [[Chicago, Illinois]], on November 30, 1879. He is buried in [[Crown Hill Cemetery]], [[Indianapolis, Indiana]].<ref name="Crown Hill">{{cite web |url=https://www.crownhill.org/cemetery/notable-persons.html |title=Prominent People Buried in Crown Hill |publisher=Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery |access-date=June 10, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522014409/http://www.crownhill.org/cemetery/notable-persons.html |archive-date=May 22, 2014}}</ref> |
||
== In fiction == |
|||
Jefferson C. Davis is a character in the historical novel ''Forty-Ninth'' by Boris Pronsky and Craig Britton.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Boris|first=Pronsky|title=Forty-Ninth|isbn=9798201386238|pages=28–38, 49–52}}</ref> |
|||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
Line 158: | Line 166: | ||
* [http://mms.newberry.org/xml/xml_files/Davis.xml Jefferson Columbus Davis Papers] at [[the Newberry Library]] |
* [http://mms.newberry.org/xml/xml_files/Davis.xml Jefferson Columbus Davis Papers] at [[the Newberry Library]] |
||
* {{Cite Appletons'|wstitle=Davis, Jefferson C.|year=1900 |short=x |notaref=x}} |
* {{Cite Appletons'|wstitle=Davis, Jefferson C.|year=1900 |short=x |notaref=x}} |
||
* {{ |
* {{find a Grave|8605}} |
||
* [https://archives.isl.lib.in.us/repositories/2/resources/140 Jefferson C. Davis Collection], Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library |
* [https://archives.isl.lib.in.us/repositories/2/resources/140 Jefferson C. Davis Collection], Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library |
||
Line 179: | Line 187: | ||
[[Category:1828 births]] |
[[Category:1828 births]] |
||
[[Category:1879 deaths]] |
[[Category:1879 deaths]] |
||
[[Category:American murderers]] |
|||
[[Category:American military personnel of the Mexican–American War]] |
[[Category:American military personnel of the Mexican–American War]] |
||
[[Category:American people of the Indian Wars]] |
[[Category:American people of the Indian Wars]] |
||
Line 189: | Line 198: | ||
[[Category:Union Army generals]] |
[[Category:Union Army generals]] |
||
[[Category:Commanders of the Department of Alaska]] |
[[Category:Commanders of the Department of Alaska]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:American people of the Mexican–American War]] |
||
[[Category:19th-century American politicians]] |
[[Category:19th-century American politicians]] |
Latest revision as of 12:19, 4 July 2024
Jefferson Columbus Davis | |
---|---|
![]() | |
1st Commander of the Department of Alaska | |
In office October 18, 1867 – August 31, 1870 | |
President | Andrew Johnson Ulysses S. Grant |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | George K. Brady |
Personal details | |
Born | Jefferson Columbus Davis March 2, 1828 Clark County, Indiana, U.S. |
Died | November 30, 1879 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | (aged 51)
Nickname | "JCD" |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() Union Army |
Years of service | 1846–1879 |
Rank | ![]() ![]() |
Commands | 22nd Indiana Infantry XIV Corps Department of Alaska Department of the Columbia |
Battles/wars | |
Jefferson Columbus Davis (March 2, 1828 – November 30, 1879) was a regular officer of the United States Army during the American Civil War, known for the similarity of his name to that of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and for his killing of a superior officer in 1862.
Davis's distinguished service in Mexico earned him high prestige at the outbreak of the Civil War, when he led Union troops through Southern Missouri to Pea Ridge, Arkansas, being promoted to Brigadier General after that significant victory. Following the Siege of Corinth, he was granted home leave on account of exhaustion, but returned to duty on hearing of Union defeats in Kentucky, where he reported to General William "Bull" Nelson at Louisville in September 1862. Nelson was dissatisfied with his performance, and insulted him in front of witnesses. A few days later, Davis demanded a public apology, but instead the two officers argued noisily and physically, concluding in Davis mortally wounding Nelson with a pistol.[1][2][page needed]
Davis avoided conviction due to the shortage of experienced commanders in the Union Army, but the incident hampered his chances for promotion. He served as a corps commander under William Tecumseh Sherman during his March to the Sea in 1864.[3][4][page needed][5][page needed] After the war, Davis was the first commander of the Department of Alaska from 1867 to 1870, and assumed field command during the Modoc War of 1872–1873.
Early life
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Memphis_IN_Jeff_Davis_Marker.jpg/150px-Memphis_IN_Jeff_Davis_Marker.jpg)
Jefferson C. Davis was born in Clark County, Indiana, near present-day Memphis, Indiana.[6] He was born to William Davis Jr. (1800–1879) and Mary Drummond-Davis (1801–1881), the oldest of their eight children. His father was a farmer. His parents came from Kentucky, and like many at the time including President Abraham Lincoln's family, moved to Indiana.[7]
Early military career
[edit]When Davis was 19 years old, in June 1847, he joined the 3rd Indiana Volunteers. He enlisted as a soldier during the Mexican–American War. Through the war, he received promotions through the rank of sergeant. He received a commission as a second lieutenant, in the First U.S. Artillery, in June 1848. He received the promotion for bravery at Buena Vista. He joined the 1st Artillery in October 1848 at Fort McHenry, outside of Baltimore, Maryland. He later moved south to Fort Washington, Maryland, just outside Washington DC, and again to the coast of Mississippi. He was promoted again to first lieutenant in February 1852 and was transferred to Florida in 1853 and on to Fortress Monroe in Virginia. In 1857, he was stationed again in Fort McHenry moving to Florida in 1858. In the summer of 1858, he received a transfer to Fort Moultrie, South Carolina. Fort Moultrie was located near Fort Sumter and Charleston, South Carolina. He remained in South Carolina until Fort Sumter was evacuated at the beginning of the Civil War, in 1861.[8]
Civil War
[edit]When the war began in April 1861, Davis was an officer in the garrison at Fort Sumter when it was bombarded by Confederate forces. The following month he was promoted to captain and given the task of raising a regiment in Indiana. Additionally, he was given responsibility over the commissary and supply. He requested assignment as a regimental commander, growing bored with his garrison duties. After the death of Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon and the loss at Wilson's Creek,[a] his request was gratefully accepted. His experience as a regular in the federal army made him a rare commodity, and he was given command of the 22nd Indiana Infantry Regiment, receiving a promotion to colonel.
Missouri
[edit]By the end of August, Davis received orders to succeed Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant as commander of forces in northwestern Missouri. His headquarters were in Jefferson City, Missouri, with approximately 16,000 Confederate troops nearby. General Fremont had great concerns that the Confederate troops, commanded by Generals McCulloch and Sterling Price, would set their eyes on St. Louis as a potential target. Davis's command grew quickly, starting at 12,000 at the beginning of September and expanding to 18,000 to 20,000 by the end of the month. Initially, Davis spent time building fortifications to fend off possible attack on the capital city. Once his defensive plan had been completed, he planned an offensive campaign, but materiel was refused to Davis. That may have contributed to losing the Battle of Lexington.[9][b]
In December 1861, he took command of the 3rd Division, Army of the Southwest. He pursued Confederate troops through southern Missouri, as they retreated toward and into Arkansas. In March 1862, his division attacked the Confederates at the Battle of Pea Ridge.[c] Davis's distinguished service at Pea Ridge was rewarded in May 1862 when he received a field promotion commensurate with his division command.[10] He was made Brigadier General with the rank backdated to December 18, 1861.[11]
At the Siege of Corinth, he commanded the 4th Division, Army of the Mississippi.[d]
Leave authorized
[edit]In the late summer of 1862, Davis became ill, probably caused by exhaustion. He wrote to his commander, General Rosecrans, requesting a few weeks' leave. Davis stated, "After twenty-one months of arduous service.... I find myself compelled by physical weakness and exhaustion to ask... for a few weeks' respite from duty...."[12] On August 12, 1862, the Army of Mississippi issued General Rosecrans' response in Special Order No. 208, authorizing General Davis 20 days of convalescence.[13] Davis headed for home in Indiana to rest and recuperate.
While Davis was on leave, the state of affairs in Kentucky became quite precarious. The Army of the Ohio, commanded by Brigadier General Don Carlos Buell, was taking aim on Chattanooga, Tennessee. Three hundred miles of railway lines lay between Louisville and Chattanooga, and Confederate forces were making constant work tearing up the tracks. The railroads provided the needed supplies to Union troops on the move and so Buell was forced to split his forces and to send General William "Bull" Nelson back north to Kentucky to take charge of the area. When Nelson arrived in Louisville, he found Major General Horatio G. Wright had been sent by the President to take control, putting Buell second in command.[14]
In late August, two Confederate armies, under the command of Major General Edmund Kirby Smith and General Braxton Bragg, moved into Kentucky and Tennessee on the offensive to drive Union forces from Kentucky. Smith's Army of East Tennessee had approximately 19,000 men and Bragg's Army of Tennessee had approximately 35,000. On August 23, 1862, Confederate cavalry met and defeated Union troops at the Battle of Big Hill. That was only a prelude to the bigger battle ahead; on August 29, 1862, portions of Smith's army met an equal portion of Nelson's force that numbered between 6,000 and 7,000.[15] The two-day Battle of Richmond, ending on August 30, was an overwhelming Confederate victory in all aspects: Union casualties numbered over 5,000, compared to the 750 Confederate casualties, and considerable ground was lost, including Richmond; Lexington; and the state capital, Frankfort.[16] Further loss at the battle occurred with the capture of Brigadier General Mahlon D. Manson and the wounding of General Nelson, injured in the neck, who was forced to retreat back to Louisville to prepare for the presumed assault.[17] The Confederates were now in a position to aim northward to take the fight to the enemy.
Louisville
[edit]Davis was quite aware of the circumstances in the neighboring state to the south; Smith was able to strike at Cincinnati, Ohio, Bragg and/or Smith at Louisville. Davis, still on convalescence, reported to General Wright, whose headquarters were in Cincinnati to offer his services. Wright ordered Davis to report to Nelson. In Louisville, Davis was put in charge of organizing and arming its citizens, preparing for its defense.[18]
Nelson was quite an imposing figure over Davis. William Nelson got his nickname, "Bull," in no small part to his stature. Nelson was 300 pounds and six feet two inches and was described as being "in the prime of life, in perfect health." Davis was quite small in comparison, measuring five feet nine inches and reportedly only 125 pounds.[19]
Dismissal from Louisville
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Jefferson_C._Davis_by_Brady_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Jefferson_C._Davis_by_Brady_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In September 22, two days after Davis received his initial orders from Nelson, he was summoned to the Galt House, where Nelson had made his headquarters. Nelson inquired on how the recruitment was going and how many men had been mustered. Davis replied that he did not know. As Nelson asked his questions and received only short answers that Davis was unaware of any specifics, Nelson became enraged and expelled Davis from Louisville. General James Barnet Fry, described as a close friend of Davis, was present and later wrote of the events surrounding the death of Nelson.[20] Fry states:
Davis arose and remarked, in a cool, deliberate manner: "General Nelson, I am a regular soldier, and I demand the treatment due to me as a general officer." Davis then stepped across to the door of the Medical Director's room, both doors being open... and said: "Dr Irwin, I wish you to be a witness to this conversation." At the same time Nelson said: "Yes, doctor, I want you to remember this." Davis then said to Nelson: "I demand from you the courtesy due to my rank." Nelson replied: "I will treat you as you deserve. You have disappointed me; you have been unfaithful to the trust which I reposed in you, and I shall relieve you at once. You are relieved from duty here and you will proceed to Cincinnati and report to General Wright." Davis said: "You have no authority to order me." Nelson turned toward the Adjutant-General and said: "Captain, if General Davis does not leave the city by nine o'clock tonight, give instructions to the Provost-Marshal to see that he shall be put across the Ohio River."[21]
Reassigned to Louisville
[edit]Davis made his way to Cincinnati and reported to General Wright within a few days. Within the same week, Buell returned to Louisville and took command from Nelson. Wright then felt that with Buell in command at Louisville, there was no need to keep Davis from Louisville, where his leadership was desperately needed and so sent Davis back to there.[22]
Davis arrived in Louisville in the afternoon on Sunday, September 28, and reported to the Galt House early the next morning, at breakfast time. The Galt House continued to serve as the command's headquarters for both Buell and Nelson. That, like on most other mornings, was the meeting place for many of the most prominent military and civil leaders. When Davis arrived and looked around the room, he saw many familiar faces and joined Oliver P. Morton, Indiana's governor.
Killing of Nelson
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/BullNelsonShooting.jpg/220px-BullNelsonShooting.jpg)
A short time later, General Nelson entered the hotel and went to the front desk. Davis approached Nelson, asking for an apology for the offense that Nelson had previously made. Nelson dismissed Davis and said, "Go away you damned puppy, I don't want anything to do with you!" Davis took in his hand a registration card and, while he confronted Nelson, took his anger out on the card, first by gripping it and then by wadding it up into a small ball, which he took and flipped into Nelson's face. Nelson stepped forward and slapped Davis with the back of his hand in the face.[e] Nelson then looked at the governor and asked, "Did you come here, sir, to see me insulted?"[f] Morton said, "No sir." Then, Nelson turned and left for his room.
That set the events in motion. Davis asked a friend from the Mexican–American War if he had a pistol, which he did not. He then asked another friend, Thomas W. Gibson, from whom he got a pistol. Immediately, Davis went down the corridor towards Nelson's office, where he was now standing. He aimed the pistol at Nelson and fired. The bullet hit Nelson in the chest and tore a small hole in the heart, mortally wounding the large man. Nelson still had the strength to make his way to the hotel stairs and to climb a floor before he collapsed. By then, a crowd started to gather around him and carried Nelson to a nearby room, laying him on the floor. The hotel proprietor, Silas F. Miller, came rushing into the room to find Nelson lying on the floor. Nelson asked of Miller, "Send for a clergyman; I wish to be baptized. I have been basely murdered." Reverend J. Talbot was called, who responded, as well as a doctor. Several people came to see Nelson, including Reverend Talbot, Surgeon Murry, General Crittenden and General Fry. The shooting had occurred at 8:00 am, and by 8:30, Nelson was dead.[23][g]
Arrest and release
[edit]Davis did not leave the vicinity of Nelson. He did not run or evade capture. He was simply taken into military custody by Fry and confined to an upper room in the Galt House. Davis attested to Fry what had happened. Fry wrote that while Davis was improperly treated for a man of his rank, he never pursued any legal recourse, which there was available to him. Fry attested that Davis was quite forthcoming and even included the fact that it was he who flipped a paper-wad in the face of Nelson. Davis wanted to confront Nelson publicly and wanted Nelson's disrespect to be witnessed. What Davis had not accounted for was Nelson's physical assault. Everything then spiraled out of control.[24]
Many in close confidence with Nelson wanted to see quick justice with regards to Davis. There were a few, including General William Terrill, who wanted to see Davis hanged on the spot. Buell weighed in by saying that Davis' conduct was inexcusable. Fry stated that Buell regarded the actions as "a gross violation of military discipline." Buell went on to telegraph General Henry Halleck, General in Chief of all Armies:
General H.W. Halleck:
Brigadier-General Davis is under arrest at Louisville for the killing of General Nelson. His trial by a court-martial or military commission should take place immediately, but I can't spare officers from the army now in motion to compose a court. It can perhaps better be done from Washington....
D.C. Buell,
Major-General.[25]
It was Major General Horatio G. Wright who came to Davis's aid by securing his release and returning him to duty. Davis avoided conviction for the murder because there was a need for experienced field commanders in the Union Army. Fry stated in his journal of Wright's comments,
Davis appealed to me, and I notified him that he should no longer consider himself in arrest.... I was satisfied that Davis acted purely on the defensive in the unfortunate affair, and I presumed that Buell held very similar views, as he took no action in the matter after placing him in arrest.[26]
Davis was released from custody on October 13, 1862. Military regulations required charges to be formally made against the accused within 45 days of the arrest.[27] The charges never came possibly because larger events, such as the launching of Buell's campaign in Kentucky five days later, overshadowed the Davis-Nelson affair.
Aftermath
[edit]There was no trial or any significant confinement since it appears that Davis was staying at the Galt House without guard, as based partly on Wright's statement. Davis simply walked away and returned to duty as if nothing had ever happened.[26]
Western Campaign
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/William_Tecumseh_Sherman_and_staff_-_Brady-Handy.jpg/220px-William_Tecumseh_Sherman_and_staff_-_Brady-Handy.jpg)
Davis was a capable commander, but because of the murder of Nelson, he never received a full promotion higher than brigadier general of volunteers. He, however, received a brevet promotion to major general of volunteers on August 8, 1864, for his service at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and he was appointed commanding officer of the XIV Corps during the Atlanta Campaign, which he retained until the end of the war.[11] He received a brevet promotion to brigadier general in the regular army on March 20, 1865.
During Sherman's March to the Sea, Davis's actions during the Ebenezer Creek passing and ruthlessness toward former slaves have caused his legacy to be clouded in continued controversy. As Sherman's army proceeded toward Savannah, Georgia, on December 9, 1864, Davis ordered a pontoon bridge removed before the African-American refugees, who were following his corps, could cross the creek. Several hundred were captured by the Confederate cavalry or drowned in the creek while they attempted to escape.[28]
Postbellum career
[edit]Department of Alaska
[edit]After the Civil War, Davis continued service with the army, becoming colonel of the 23rd Infantry Regiment in July 1866. In his capacity as commander of the newly created Military District of Alaska[29]: 3 he was present at the transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States on October 18, 1867;[29]: 6 and he was the first commander of the Department of Alaska[29]: 10 from March 18, 1868, to June 1, 1870.
Modoc War
[edit]Davis gained fame when he assumed command of the US forces in California and Oregon during the Modoc War of 1872–1873, after General Edward Canby and Reverend Eleazer Thomas had been assassinated during peace talks. Davis's presence in the field restored the soldiers' confidence after their recent setbacks against the Modoc.[30] Davis's campaign resulted in the Battle of Dry Lake (May 10, 1873) and the eventual surrender of notable leaders, such as Hooker Jim and Captain Jack.[citation needed]
1877 general strike
[edit]During the 1877 St. Louis general strike, Davis arrived in St. Louis, commanding 300 men and two Gatling guns, but refused on urging to quell strikers or run the trains. He stated that doing so would be beyond his orders to protect government and public property.[31]
Death
[edit]Davis died in Chicago, Illinois, on November 30, 1879. He is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.[32]
In fiction
[edit]Jefferson C. Davis is a character in the historical novel Forty-Ninth by Boris Pronsky and Craig Britton.[33]
See also
[edit]- List of American Civil War generals (Union)
- Louisville in the American Civil War
- Sherman's March
- Sherman's March to the Sea
Notes
[edit]- ^ Battle of Wilson's Creek is now preserved within Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, protected by the National Park Service. The park is located near Republic, Missouri.
- ^ * Battle of Lexington State Historic Site preserves the battlefield at Lexington, Missouri. The area is administered and protected by the Division of State Parks of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. * Another point of interest in the area is a cannon ball that hit and remains in a column of the Lafayette County Court House.
- ^ The Battle of Pea Ridge is preserved today as Pea Ridge National Military Park, protected by the National Park Service. The park is located in northwestern Arkansas near Garfield, Arkansas.
- ^ Shiloh National Military Park preserves the Corinth battlefield. The area is administered and protected by the National Park Service. The park is located in northern Mississippi, in Corinth.
- ^ Some accounts say that Nelson slapped Davis twice with the back of his hand.
- ^ Some accounts say "Did you come here to insult me, too?"
- ^ The events of late September 1862 had as many accounts of the events as there were witnesses to them.
References
[edit]- ^ Sones, Bruce V. (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War general (PDF) (Master of Military Art and Science thesis). Fort Leavenworth, KS: US Army Command and General Staff College. pp. 53–57. OCLC 465213073. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Defense Technical Information Center. 2000. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Sones, Bruce V. (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War general (PDF) (Master of Military Art and Science thesis). Fort Leavenworth, KS: US Army Command and General Staff College. p. 139. OCLC 465213073. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ Jr, Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes; Whitney, Gordon D. (March 21, 2006). Jefferson Davis in Blue: The Life of Sherman's Relentless Warrior. LSU Press. ISBN 978-0-8071-3160-2. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ Sones, Major Bruce V. (August 15, 2014). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Pickle Partners Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78289-629-6. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ Jefferson Columbus Davis Collection, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library [1] Archived September 18, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sones, Bruce V., Major (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. p. 1.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Powell, William H., Major, and Edward Shippen (1892). Officers of the Army and Navy (Regular): Who Served in the Civil War. Philadelphia: L. R. Hamersly & Co. pp. 119.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Sones, Bruce V., Major (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. pp. 31–32.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Colonel Davis - Pea Ridge National Military Park". National Park Service. May 28, 2014. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher (2001). Civil War High Commands. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Sones, Bruce V., Major (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. p. 45.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Kennett, R.G., Lieutenant Colonel, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Army of the Mississippi (August 12, 1862). "Special order no. 208, Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel [R].G. Kennett, headquarters, army of the Mississippi" (PDF and JPG). Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society. M0080_Box1_Folder4_1862-08-12_001. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fry, James B., General (1885). Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. p. 3. hdl:2027/yale.39002064227953.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "About the Battle of Richmond". The Battle of Richmond Association. 2012. Archived from the original on June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ^ "The Battle of Richmond". The Civil War Trust. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ^ Sones, Bruce V., Major (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. p. 51.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fry, James B., General (1885). Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. p. 4. hdl:2027/yale.39002064227953.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fry, James B., General (1885). Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. p. 5. hdl:2027/yale.39002064227953.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Sones, Bruce V., Major (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. pp. 53–54.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fry, James B., General (1885). Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 4–5. hdl:2027/yale.39002064227953.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Sones, Bruce V., Major (2000). Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis: Civil War General. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. p. 55.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fry, James B., General (1885). Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 5–6. hdl:2027/yale.39002064227953.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fry, James B., General (1885). Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. p. 7. hdl:2027/yale.39002064227953.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Scott, Robert N., Lieutenant Colonel, Third U.S. Army (1886). The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies: Series I, Volume XVI, Part II. Washington: Government Printing Office. pp. 566–567.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Fry, James B., General (1885). Killed by a Brother Soldier: A Chapter in the History of the War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 8–9. hdl:2027/yale.39002064227953.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Prokopowicz, Gerald (2001). All for the Regiment: The Army of the Ohio, 1861-1862. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. p. 234. ISBN 0-8078-2626-X.
- ^ Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs Jr.; Gordon D. Whitney (2002). Jefferson Davis in Blue: The Life of Sherman's Relentless Warrior. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. pp. 307–317. ISBN 0-8071-2777-9.
- ^ a b c Building Alaska with the U.S. Army, 1867–1962 (Pamphlet #355-5). United States Army, Alaskan Command. 1962. pp. 3–14. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ Thompson, William, Colonel (1912). "Reminiscences of a Pioneer". Archived from the original on December 1, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Foner, Philip S. (1977). The Great Labor Uprising of 1877. New York: Pathfinder. pp. 170. ISBN 978-0873488280.
- ^ "Prominent People Buried in Crown Hill". Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
- ^ Boris, Pronsky. Forty-Ninth. pp. 28–38, 49–52. ISBN 9798201386238.
Further reading
[edit]- Levstik, Frank R. "Jefferson Columbus Davis." In Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History, edited by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. ISBN 0-393-04758-X.
- Hughes, Nathaniel C.; Whitney, Gordon D. (2002). Jefferson Davis in Blue: The Life of Sherman's Relentless Warrior. Louisiana State University Press. ISBN 978-0807127773.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Jefferson Columbus Davis Papers at the Newberry Library
- Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1900. .
- Jefferson C. Davis at Find a Grave
- Jefferson C. Davis Collection, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library
National Park Service
[edit]- 1828 births
- 1879 deaths
- American murderers
- American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
- American people of the Indian Wars
- Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery
- People from Clark County, Indiana
- Louisville, Kentucky, in the American Civil War
- People of the Modoc War
- People of Indiana in the American Civil War
- People of Kentucky in the American Civil War
- Union Army generals
- Commanders of the Department of Alaska
- American people of the Mexican–American War
- 19th-century American politicians