Jefferson Columbus Davis

Jefferson Columbus Davis was born March 2, 1828, in Clark County, Indiana. He entered Clark County Seminary in 1841 and was still a student when the Mexican War began. At the age of eighteen, he became the first enrolled member of a volunteer company forming under West Pointer T.W. Gibson. Davis served under General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War and participated in the battle of Buena Vista. On June 17, 1848, for gallant conduct in that battle, he was appointed Second Lieutenant in the 1st Regiment United States Regular Artillery. On February 29, 1852, he was promoted to first lieutenant. During the summer of that same year, he contracted yellow fever and nearly died. In August 1858, he was placed in command of Fort Sumter and served as its first commander. Davis was relieving sentinels when the bombardment of Fort Sumter began and was the only Indianian in the garrison. On May 14, 1861, he was promoted to captain and headquartered in Indianapolis. In August, Governor Oliver P. Morton appointed him colonel of the 22nd Indiana. He was well liked by his men in spite of his name, which he shared with the Confederate president. He was appointed brigadier general of the 22nd in December 1861. He commanded a division at Elkhorn (Pea Ridge) and Corinth in March 1862. In August, he became ill and temporarily left his command taking a twenty-day leave of absence. On September 29, 1862, in the lobby of the Galt House in Louisville, Davis shot and killed Major General William Nelson (a former commanding officer) in retaliation for a personal insult. He was arrested and confined for twenty days, but was released and returned to duty without any further legal action being taken against him. Davis saw further action as division commander at Stone River, (Murfreesboro), at Chickamauga, in Sherman’s Atlanta campaign, as commander of the XIV Corps in the “March to the Sea” and in the Carolina campaign. Following the battle of Stone River, Davis was recommended for major general, but did not receive a promotion. He was appointed a major general by brevet August 8, 1864. Following the Civil War, Davis became colonel of the 23rd Infantry and served in Alaska. He led troops against the Modoc Indians in retaliation of the murder of General Edward Richard Sprigg Canby. Jefferson Columbus Davis died on November 30, 1879, in Chicago. He was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.

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