Jefferson C. Davis

     Enlisting in the "Clarke Guards", Davis found himself part of the 2nd Indiana. After making the long trip from Indiana, the regiment joined Taylor's small army facing Santa Anna at Agua Nueva in northern Mexico. Intercepting a message from Winfield Scott to Taylor, Santa Anna learned of the weakness of Taylor's forces. He therefore advanced north against Taylor who withdrew to a position at Buena Vista.

     On February 23, 1847, Santa Anna launched his main attack, sending 14,000 men against the 5,000 American troops under Taylor. The Mexican thrust against the center was shattered, but the attack against the left was pushed forward bravely. At this crisis, an officer of the 2nd Indiana, Davis' regiment, for some unknown reason, ordered his men to retreat. A stampeded ensued, in which the Arkansas and Kentucky mounted regiments joined. Fortunately, Taylor then arrived from Saltillo with his dragoons and Mississippi Rifles, commanded by Jefferson F. Davis. Repulsed again, Santa Anna committed his reserve only to have it checked by Bragg's "touch of grape." Thus, as the 2nd Indiana cowered in the houses of Buena Vista, the last battle in northern Mexico was won. One wonders if the private from Indiana met the Colonel from Mississippi at this time.

     Obviously one of the 2nd Indiana failed to join the stampede, for Jefferson Columbus Davis was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Regiment of Regular Artillery for gallant conduct. Receiving this commission near the close of the war, Davis was sent to Cincinnati for recruiting service. At the war's end he joined his new regiment at Baltimore. Others in this regiment at that time were Magruder, Jackson, Hill, Winder, French, Schofield, Anderson and Doubleday.

     From Baltimore he was ordered to Washington, where he mingled in Washington society. Here he learned, we presume the social graces, was well as the military duties which he studied during the day.

     1851 found Davis back on the Rio Grande enforcing the neutrality laws necessitated by several filibustering expeditions. In 1852 upon the resignation of Jackson, Davis was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and sent to the west coast of Florida where he led several small expeditions against the Seminoles. In 1853 he again went east, spending the next four years at Fortress Monroe and Fort McHenry in various artillery schools and commands.

     The Indian River on Florida's east coast was his post in 1857. The winter and spring were occupied with Seminole expeditions. During this period he transversed the entire state, from the Everglades to the Georgia boundary. In May 1858, the Indians were at last subdued and moved to the west; Davis and his command were ordered to Charleston harbor, where in August 1858, he was placed in command of Fort Sumter with the first garrison that occupied it.

      Davis remained nearly three years at Charleston engaged in garrison duties and artillery study. In December 1860, South Carolina seceded and the Federal garrison at Fort Moultrie retired to Fort Sumter, Davis among the last to leave Moultrie after spiking the guns and chopping down the flag pole.

      For four and one-half months of the weary siege, Davis under the command of Anderson, worked to strengthen the uncompleted fortress as the Confederates encircled them with batteries. On the morning of April 12, as Officer of the Day, he was on the ramparts relieving the sentry, when at four o'clock the first gun of the Civil War was fired. Rising from Fort Johnson, a shell exploded forty feet above his head. Not until daylight did the Federal forces reply - then only fitfully as the garrison of sixty-eight men could work the guns. For thirty-four hours the bombardment continued, Davis commanding a battery counter-firing at the famous floating battery, tho to little effect. At last, honor served, but no one killed, the garrison surrendered and embarked upon a steamer for New York.

      At New York, Davis received notification of his promotion to a captaincy and orders detailing him as mustering officer for the State of Indiana, with headquarters at Indianapolis. He remained in Indianapolis several months recruiting volunteers and engaging in quartermaster and commissary duties. Regular army officers were scarce, however, and Davis was soon commissioned Colonel of the 22nd Indiana. Ordered to Missouri, Davis reported to General Fremont at St. Louis. Here he was sent to relieve an up-and-comer named Grant of the command of all forces between the Osage and the Missouri Rivers. This territory constituted a district, with headquarters at Jefferson City. He at once began to fortify the town, so strengthening Jefferson City that the Confederates by-passed it to attack the Federal forces at Lexington. The relieving force sent by Davis came too late to raise the siege and over 3,000 Union troops were captured. Repairing the railroad, Davis pushed his forces to Georgetown as Price fell back from Lexington to Springfield. During this period Davis' troops were actively engaged scouring the country, many small skirmishes and a few severe ones occurring.

John Pope

      This respite was however to be very short, for on December 15, 1861, Davis, in command of a brigade under General Pope, started on the Blackwater expedition. Attempting to intervene between Price's army on the Osage and supplies coming towards him from the Missouri, the Federal forces advanced rapidly. Several small skirmishes were fought before Davis' brigade encountered a large force of Confederates on the Blackwater. Forcing the bride, Davis' cavalry managed to encircle the enemy as the infantry advanced. Finding themselves cut-off, the Confederates surrendered, Davis' brigade capturing about one thousand men with much equipment and material.

      The prisoners and arms were taken to St. Louis in charge of Colonel Davis, arriving there the day before Christmas. Obtaining 48 hours leave, he made a quick trip to Indianapolis where he married Miss Maretta Athon. Returning to Missouri with his bride, he rejoined his command at Otterville. Here he was ordered to join General Curtis' column moving from Rolla toward Springfield.

      Traveling lightly, in bad weather over muddy roads, Davis' column found the overland march a desperate undertaking. Memories of Washington the Delaware were, perhaps, invoked, as the troops crossed the swollen Osage on rafts in the midst of a heavy snow storm.

Samuel Curtis

      In early March, Price was reinforced by McCulloch and Van Dorn, who assumed command. Advancing, the Confederates engaged the Union forces at pea Ridge.

      In that three-day battle Davis' division fought, on March 7, the Battle of Leetown. His division, numbering about 3,000 was opposed to McCulloch's command. Attacking the Confederates, his troops defeated them, killing McCulloch. That night Davis took a position to the left of Osterhaus at Elkhorn Tavern. During the fierce battle the next day, Davis, leading this division, stormed and carried the heights of Elkhorn, capturing five cannon and helping to decide the battle as the Confederates left the field, retreating southward.

      After the battle of Pea Ridge,Curtis followed the Confederates southward, Davis with his command was, however, detached and ordered to join Halleck's forces on the ponderous advance upon Corinth, Mississippi, which followed the Battle of Shiloh. Averaging 24 miles a day through rough and sparsely-settled country, he embarked his troops on river steamers reaching Pittsburg Landing near Shiloh on the 24th of May. During this march, Davis received his commission as Brigadier-General, dating from the day of the Blackwater fight.

Ben McCulloch

      In August, Bragg advanced into Kentucky striking toward Louisville. Davis' division, attached to Buell's army, had arrived at Louisville and he again assumed its command. The Louisville defense was being directed by General William "Bull" Nelson. Nelson was an immensely tall, strong man who had been a naval lieutenant. Sent by Lincoln at the start of the war to organize Kentucky, he had done a splendid job in recruiting; perhaps doing more than anyone in keeping Kentucky in the Union.

      Now striving to organize the citizens of Louisville, trying to prepare for Bragg's attack, his notorious temper was short. Finding fault with Davis' troops he swore at the smaller man viciously. Davis brooded over the insult for several days, when with Governor Morton of Indiana accompanying him, he accosted Nelson at the Galt Hotel.

      As a contemporary article reported the scene:

General Davis: "Sir, you seemed to take advantage of your authority the other day."

General Nelson (sneeringly and placing his hand to his ear): "Speak louder, I don't hear you very well."

Davis (in a louder tone): "You seemed to take advantage of your authority the other day."

Nelson (indignantly): "I don't know that I did, Sir."

Davis: "You threatened to arrest and send me out of the State under a provost guard."

Nelson: "Go away, you damned puppy, I don't want to have anything to do with you."

Davis had picked up a card from the counter and crumpled it into a small wad. At these words, he snapped it into General Nelson's face.

Nelson (striking Davis with the back of his hand twice in the face): "There, damn you, take that."

Davis (retreating): "This is not the      last of it; you will hear from me again."

Nelson then turned to Governor Moron, and said: "By God, did you come here also to insult me?"

Governor Morton: "No, Sir, but I was requested to be present and listen to the conversation between you and General Davis."

General Nelson (violently to the by-standers): "Did you hear that damned rascal insult me?" and walked into the ladies parlor.

Shortly Davis returned with a pistol he had borrowed and, meeting Nelson, fired at his chest. Nelson was able to walk up the stair before he collapsed. Taken to a room, murmuring, ""I have been basely murdered," in an hour Nelson was dead.

      Placed under arrest, Davis was sent to Cincinnati. Within a month two of Nelson's friends were killed at Perryville and Buell was relieved. With no one pressing charges, Davis was released, rejoining his troops early in 1862 [1863].

      Four years later Davis himself wrote the following account:

General Wright assigned me to duty with Major General Nelson commanding the troops for the defense of Louisville. On the arrival of my division with Buell's army, I assumed command of it, but a few days after, a personal difficulty with General Nelson caused my arrest and again General Mitchel assumed command. On being released from arrest General Wright assigned me --" and that was that!

      Davis took command of his division again near Nashville, in time for Rosecrans' southward advance on December 26, 1862. Bragg, the confederate commander, converged his forces on Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Here Bragg proposed to stand and fight.

      Bragg took up a defensive position astride the West Fork of Stones River, planning to attack the right wing of the Federal forces. As Rosecrans also planned to envelope his opponent's right flank, victory would probably go to the commander who struck first and hardest.

      At dawn December 31, 1862, the Confederates attacked, driving in the extreme right of the Federal position and advancing until they came to Davis' troops. Here they were stopped for three hours. At last the right flank completely gone, Davis had to withdraw, gaining sufficient time for Rosecrans to mount his attack as he tried to regain control of the action.

      By late afternoon the Union troops had been forced back against the river, Davis still the right flank, though now to the north rater than the west. That night retreat was discussed, but the decision was to stay and fight.

      New Years Day, 1863 was relatively quiet as both sides jockeyed for position, Rosecrans sending troops, including Davis, to the east side of the river forming the left. The morning of January 2 found Davis again in front of battle as Bragg sent four brigades against the Union left to force them back across the river. Massed artillery, followed by an infantry charge, drove them back and the night of the 3rd the Confederates retreated.

      Mentioned in dispatches, Davis' efforts brought Rosecrans' recommendation that he should be made a Major-General.

      For the next six months the opposing armies skirmished and raided as the Vicksburg campaign flamed to the west. At last on June 26, 1863, after much prodding from Washington, Rosecrans moved south, Davis part of McCook's XX corps in the center. Flanking Bragg, Rosecrans forced him south, Bragg retreating to Chattanooga on July 4.

      Not until September 4 did the bulk of the Union forces cross the Tennessee River south of Chattanooga, McCook, with Davis, the right wing once again. Strung for 40 miles south of Chattanooga along Chickamauga Creek, the Federal forces were attacked in detail, ineffectively, during the next three days. At last Rosecrans, realizing his precarious position, began to concentrate his forces.

      Early on September 18, Longstreet's men began to arrive from Virginia, reinforcing Bragg, and on the 19th the Confederates attacked. The battle raged along the whole line, Davis and Sheridan occupying the far right. At about 11:00 a.m., Union troops under Wood pulled out of line and Longstreet's heavy columns broke through, striking Davis and Sheridan on the flank, forcing them from the field. Rosecrans, carried along in the hurried retreat, apparently was convinced the battle was lost.

      [Ed - the above is somewhat misleading. The Battle of Chickamauga was a two-day fight, which began on September 19, 1863. Longstreet's attack and breakthrough occurred the next day, September 20.]

      Thus Thomas was left along on the field to become forever famous as the "Rock of Chickamauga." That night he withdrew, aided by Davis and Sheridan who had returned to the battlefield. September 21 found the Union forces besieged in Chattanooga.

      Rainy weather and the long haul over poor roads soon took a heavy toll of Union animals and wagons. By October 27, when a short supply line was finally opened, the troops had been reduced to "four cakes of hard bread and a quarter-pound of port" for a three-day ration.

      By early October Grant was selected as over-all commander in the west. On October 19, Thomas took over command of the troops in Chattanooga and Grant himself arrived on October 23, other troops under Hooker and Sherman soon arriving. Davis' division was assigned to Sherman's command as, crossing the river north of Chattanooga, they formed the left flank of the Union front. Thomas in the center and Hooker on the right completed the Union line facing the Confederates entrenched on Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and Tunnel Hill, high above them. Early on November 24, the Union forces attacked, Hooker seizing Lookout Mountain as the center advanced overrunning Orchard Knob. Sherman's troops on the left, however, were unable to advance.

      Grant's plan for the 25th of November was a double envelopment by Sherman and Hooker; Thomas was to advance when Hooker reached Missionary Ridge. Sherman, attacking up the wooded slopes of Tunnel Hill, could not break Cleburne's line. Hooker's march was delayed by destroyed bridges over Chattanooga Creek. By 3:30 p.m., Grant, puzzled by the failure of the flanking attacks, ordered Thomas to seize the Confederate rifle pits at the base of Missionary Ridge. This was soon done, but the troops, exposed to fire from the mountain slopes, continued upward and, to the surprise of the Union Generals, carried the crest of the ridge. Bragg's troops broke and fled in panic.

      At once Sherman's troops, Davis' command among them, were sent to relieve Burnside who was besieged in Knoxville by Longstreet. Hungry, cold and dirty, Sherman's men arrived in Knoxville to find the battle won and Burnside much better off than they were. This ended the winder's campaign as Davis went into winter quarters.

      In March, 1864, Grant went east and Sherman assumed command in the west. Under him were three armies: the Army of the Tennessee commanded by McPherson, the Army of the Cumberland commanded by Thomas, and the Army of the Ohio commanded by Schofield. Davis remained in command of the 2nd Division, SIV corps, Army of the Cumberland.

      Sherman, happy to meet Davis again, seemed particularly drawn to him. Shaggy bearded, small, sallow, Davis had now fought in all the battles of the Cumberlanders. A believer in slavery, reputedly the most talented swearer in the whole Federal force, Davis was yet half admired, half feared as the killer of "Bull" Nelson.

      A story is told of Sherman and Davis together with Howard furing the Knoxville campaign. Howard had entered a house where Sherman, Davis and some others were warming themselves.

      "Damned cold this morning," said Sherman.

      "Yes, General," answered Howard primly, "it is quite cold this morning."

      At this reproof, Sherman winked at Davis who began a story with no purpose except to display his amazing store of profanity.

      Howard made feeble attempts to change the conversation, but Davis, encouraged repeatedly by Sherman grew worse. Finally Howard, distressed beyond bearing, left as Sherman and Davis made the house ring with laughter. Such was now the man who was to follow Sherman to Atlanta, the sea, and through the Carolinas.

      No major activity took place until May; by then Johnston had taken over Bragg's command. May 7, 1864, Sherman began his advance against his prime objective -- Johnston's army. With Thomas holding the center applying pressure at Buzzard's Roost and the flooded valley thru which the railroad ran, McPherson swung around the Confederate left, outflanking their position.

      Johnston withdrew to Resaca, taking up a horse-shoe shaped position along a ridge. Here, once again, Thomas' army attacked, Davis' division plunging into the thicket and working their way steadily into the angle on Hardee's front. At the time McPherson again was flanking the position and again Johnston withdrew.

      As the main armies followed Johnston a cavalry force and Davis with his division were sent wide to the west to attack Rome, an important supply center and ironworks site. Meanwhile, Johnston was forced back from positions at Cassville, Allatoona Pass to New Hope Church.

      For two weeks in June the Union forces applied constant pressure and Johnston gradually contracted his line dropping back to a line based on Kennesaw Mountain. Here, on June 27, Sherman made his first direct assault on Johnston - sending his troops directly against the Confederate fortifications. Preceded by a heavy cannonade the troops sprang forward - two divisions struggling up the wooded slopes - one division, as had become usual where fighting was to be done, led by Davis. Not stopping until they reached the edge of the felled trees before the parapet. Here most stopped and intrenched, close to the enemy works.

      Still McPherson slipped around the Confederate left and yet again Johnston dropped back, now to a position on the east bank of the Chattahootchie River. On July 17 Johnston was replaced by Hood. This was a mandate for a Confederate offensive and on July 20 they attacked Sherman's army, overextended after crossing the Chattahootchie. Attacking the Union right, Hood struck in oblique order. Hardee's troops beat against the rock of Thomas, until Hood, worried by the ubiquitous McPherson flanking again, withdrew into the defenses of Atlanta. Two days later Hood struck again and again was finally repulsed, tho in the battle McPherson was killed.

      On July 27, Howard, now commanding the Army of the Tennessee, circled around the city to the north. Hood, learning of his movement and fearing for the railroads to the south, sent S.D. Lee to attack Howard. During the Battle of Ezra Church, Davis again was in the forefront of battle. Beaten back again, Hood withdrew into Atlanta as Sherman besieged the city.

      For a month the siege continued. Finally on August 26, Sherman set all his forces in motion, Davis now in command of the XIV corps. Swinging to south of Atlanta, he drove towards the railroad at Jonesboro. Hood believed at first that Sherman was withdrawing and arranged a victory ball in Atlanta; but, by the 28th, he learned the true situation and hastened Hardee south.

      Hardee tried to block the advance to no avail. By now the profane Davis had turned the SIV corps into a most aggressive unit. They assailed Hardee so fiercely that Sherman cried, "They're rolling them up like a sheet of paper." Davis' men almost destroyed a much smaller organization known as Govan's Arkansass, and, Grnabury's Texans. Next day the surviving Arkansans, a small handful, sent a bandaged delegation to ask if the Texans had "lost confidence" in them. Granbury's remnants said, "No."

      Slipping thru Sherman's net, Hood evacuated Atlanta and joined Hardee to the south. From Atlanta, Sherman wired Lincoln: "Atlanta is ours and fairly won." Sherman had accomplished the second part of his mission, but not the first - to destroy the Confederate army.

      For over two months stayed in Atlanta. During this period, Sherman, concerned for the safety of his rear, dispatched reinforcements to key points. The Union commander had no intention, however, to displace his entire army to the rear. He urged Grant to consider his plan to strike out for Savannah.

      On November 12, 1864, the Union forces left Atlanta. Burning all public buildings and manufacturing plants, he set off into Georgia with two armies. The Army of the Tennessee, commanded by Howard, consisted of the XV and XVII Corps and Slocum's Army of Georgia consisted of the XIV and the XX Corps.

      The XIV Corps, commanded by Davis, with the XX forming the left wing, as the armies headed toward Macon. At first the march was relatively orderly with the corps commanders attempting to enforce discipline. Gradually the foraging upon which the army depended for supplies, became unruly. In an episode Davis, catching two soldiers in a cottage door with women's dresses in their hands, made the men wear the gowns and march before the paraded troops with "Stolen" placarded on their backs. No action, however strict, seemed to control the troops if indeed the desire to control them existed.

      Almost unopposed, except for small cavalry forces under Wheeler, the Federal troops occupied the capitol at Milledgeville. Marching only ten miles a day so that the railroads could be thoroughly destroyed, they mow set out for Savannah and the sea. December 10, they arrived before the fortifications Hardee had built around the city. December 13, Fort McAllister fell and the March to the Sea was completed. As Sherman was about to assault the city, on December 21, Hardee withdrew and Sherman presented Savannah to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift.

      Now as Sherman remained in Savannah waiting the arrival of supplies to begin a march north, politics intruded. Aboliti9onists had been highly excited at newspaper accounts of an "outrage" during the seaward march. Davis, it was charged, had taken up a pontoon bridge before a host of Negro refugees could cross, and had abandoned them to the vengeance of Wheeler's cavalry. Sherman wrote Halleck:

Of course that cock-and-bull story -- is humbug. I turned nobody back. Jeff C. Davis -- took up his pontoon bridge, not because he wanted to leave them, but because he wanted his bridge. He and Slocum tell me that they don't believe wheeler killed one of them.

      This story, as well as Davis' known opinion against complete abolition, came to haunt his later career.

      Early in February [1865] the armies started toward the north, driving thru the Carolinas, as they headed toward Grant and Lee. The XIV Corps was again on the extreme left as they cut a path of destruction thru South Carolina. Momentarily they were halted at the Saluda River, south of Columbia, by scattered opposition. That night the XIV Corps moved upriver to a crossing at Mt. Zion Church. Building a bridge during the night, they crossed the river the next day, followed by the XX Corps and Kilpatrick's cavalry. Columbia was taken - and burned.

      From Columbia the armies headed northeast toward Fayetteville, North Carolina, fighting, wading the swamps, corduroying roads. They averaged ten miles an day -- the same as on their march thru sunny Georgia.

      North of Columbia was the longest delay as the left wing was crossing the Catawba ricer. While the rear of the XX Corps was crossing a pontoon bridge, the bridge was swept away by debris leaving the XIV Corps stranded on the south side. Three days were lost as the stream was bridged. On March 16, Hardee tried to stop the Federal troops at Averysboro, but suffered defeat.

      March 19 saw the last major battle of Sherman's armies as Johnston, again in command, struck the left wing at Bentonville. Davis, with Sherman, was away from his corps as Slocum at last stopped the Confederate rush. Reinforcements at dawn allowed him to take the offensive which was, mistakenly, stopped by Sherman. Thus Sherman lost his last chance to clearly win a battle.

      Marching to Goldsboro, Sherman was joined by Schofield and, organizing his forces into three armies, set out to link with Grant. On April 13, Johnston sought an armistice; the next day he surrendered. The war was over for Davis as for millions of others.

      Leading his troops during the Grand Review at Washington ended Davis' Civil War experiences, but not his army career. For another fifteen years he served his country.

      His first assignment was as the Assistant Commissioner for Freedmen in Kentucky. This, perhaps, was due to his friendship with Howard who headed the Freedmen's Bureau. Tho his personal opinions may have been contrary, he discharged his duties as the laws directed, protecting the Negroes from lawlessness and helping to live tin their new freedom.

      In 1866, Davis' commission as a Brigadier General, U.S.V., Brevet Major General, expired and he was appointed a colonel in the Regular Army. Preparing a case for an appeal for higher rank, he presented recommendations from Rosecrans, Sherman and Grant to no avail. Were there memories of Nelson and a destroyed bridge?

      From 1867 till near the end of 1870 Davis served as commander of the Department of Alaska. Port Davis was named after him in 1900. From there he was sent to California where he was stationed for several years.

      Later in 1872, the Modoc Indians left their reservation in northeastern California. Unhappy with reservation life with the stronger Klamath tribe, they had drifted back to their old home. Troops came to bring them back and fighting began. The Modocs fled, leaving many dead and slaughtered settlers, to the lava beds nearby. Here in natural fortifications, well armed with repeating rifles, they held the army off. Howitzers did no good as the Indians repulsed the troops again and again. Reinforcements were rushed up and a battery of mortars, unused since the Civil War, was emplaced when Washington ordered a peace parley.

      The local commander, General Canby, felt negotiations to be a mistake, but he made a conscientious effort to carry them out. With five others, all unarmed, they met with the Indians on April 11, 1873. Refusing the Indians demand that the troops be withdrawn, they were treacherously shot and the Indians disappeared again into the lava beds.

      For a month the army tried to battle their way into the lava beds to no avail. At last Davis was sent north and took command. Pushing his columns deep into the terrible terrain, he harried the Modocs night and day. At last, on June 1, the last of the Modocs were rounded up.

      Davis contracted yellow jaundice in 1875 and never completely recovered. He continued in the army, however, finally being stationed in Fort Leavenworth in 1879. That fall he went to Washington to attend the reunion of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland. He caught a cold, but stopped off in Chicago, as he returned, to participate in a board of inquiry. There he developed pneumonia and, at the Palmer House on November 30, 1879, he died. Escorted to Indianapolis, the body was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, in Indianapolis.

      "He threw his whole soul into the contest," Sherman said, "and wherever fighting was hardest for four years, we find him at the front. To recount his deeds would require a volume." Many a volume has been written about the President of the Confederacy, but none about the "Other Jeff Davis."