Class of 1845

John Wynn Davidson: Born Aug. 18, 1824,​b Portland, ME.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1841, to July 1, 1845, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 1st Dragoons, July 1, 1845.

Served: on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1845‑46, — and Ft. Crawford, Wis., 1846; in the War with Mexico, 1846‑48, with the

(Second Lieut., 1st Dragoons, Apr. 21, 1846)

"Army of the West," being engaged in the Combat of San Pasqual, Cal., Dec. 6, 1846,​c — Passage of the San Gabriel River, Jan. 8, 1847, — and Skirmish on the Plains of Mesa, Jan. 9, 1847; on frontier duty at Los Angeles, Cal., 1848‑49, — Sonoma, Cal., 1849‑50, — and Scouting, 1850,

(First Lieut., 1st Dragoons, Jan. 8, 1848)

being engaged in the Action at Clear Lake, May 15, 1850, on Russian River, Cal., 1850, and on Sacramento River, Cal., 1850; on Recruiting service, 1850; as Quartermaster, 1st Dragoons, Dec. 1, 1850, to Jan. 4, 1851, and Adjutant, Jan. 4 to Sep. 30, 1851; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1851; and on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1851, — Ft. Snelling, Min., 1851‑53, — Cantonment Burgwin, N. M., 1853‑54, — Scouting, 1854, being in command against Jicarilla Apache Indians, in the Action of Cieneguilla, N. M., Mar. 30, 1854, where he was wounded, — Cantonment Burgwin, N. M., 1854, — Scouting, 1854, being engaged in the Skirmish of Fisher's Peak, N. M., June 5, 1854, — Rayado, N. M., 1854, — Santa Fé, N. M., 1854, — Ft. Thorn, N. M.,  p231 1854, — Ft. Fillmore, N. M., 1855, — Ft. Stanton, N. M., 1855, — Ft. Fillmore, N. M., 1855‑56, — Ft. Stanton, N. M., 1856, — in command of

(Captain, 1st Dragoons, Jan. 20, 1855)

Expedition to open route from Ft. Stanton, N. M., to Pecos River, Tex., 1856, — Ft. Buchanan, N. M., 1857, — Scouting, 1857‑58, — March to Ft. Tejon, Cal., 1858‑59, — in command of Expedition to explore Owen Lake and River, 1859, — Ft. Tejon, Cal., 1859, 1859‑60, — conducting Recruits to California, 1860‑61, — and Ft. Tejon, Cal., 1861.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., Jan., 1861, to Feb., 1862; in the Virginia

(Major, 2d Cavalry, Nov. 14, 1861)

(Brig.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, Feb. 3, 1862)

Peninsular Campaign (Army of the Potomac), Mar. to July, 1862, being engaged in the Action of Lee's Mills, Apr. 5, 1862, — Action of Mechanicsville, May 24, 1862, — Battle of Gaines's Mill, June 27, 1862,

(Bvt. Lieut.‑Col., June 27, 1862,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Gaines's Mill, Va.)

— Action of Golding's Farm, June 28, 1862, — Battle of Savage Station,

(Bvt. Colonel, June 28, 1862,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Golding's Farm, Va.)

June 29, 1862, — and Battle of Glendale, June 30, 1862; in command of St. Louis District of Missouri, Aug. 6 to Nov. 13, 1862, — of the Army of Southeast Missouri, destined to move against Little Rock, Nov. 13, 1862, to Feb. 23, 1863, — of the St. Louis District of Missouri, Feb. 23 to June 6, 1863, — and directing the movements of the troops of the District at Pilot Knob, Fredericktown, and Cape Girardeau, and pursuit of the enemy during Marmaduke's raid into Missouri, Apr., 1863; in movement upon Little Rock, Ark., in command of Cavalry Division, June 6 to Sep. 10, 1863, being engaged in the Action of Brownsville, Ark. (in command), Aug. 25, 1863, — Assault and Capture of Bayou Metre, Ark. (in command), Aug. 27, 1863, — Action of Ashley's Mills, Ark. (in command), Aug. 29, 1863, — and Action of Little Rock, Ark. Sep. 10, 1863; in charge of the West Division Cavalry Bureau, Mar. 11 to June, 1864; as Chief of Cavalry, Military Division of West Mississippi, June 26, 1864, being in command of Cavalry Expedition from Baton Rouge to Pascagoula, Nov. 24, 1864; in command of 2d

(Bvt. Brig.‑General, U. S. Army, Mar. 13, 1865,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Capture of Little Rock, Ark.)

(Bvt. Maj.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, Mar. 13, 1865,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services during the Rebellion)

(Bvt. Maj.‑General, U. S. Army, Mar. 13, 1865,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services in the Field during the Rebellion)

Cavalry, Mar. 6 to June 1, 1866, at Ft. Riley, Kan.; on tour of inspection

(Mustered out of Volunteer Service, Jan. 15, 1866)

in the Department of Missouri, June 1 to Sep. 2, 1866; and in command of 2d Cavalry, Sep. 2 to Nov. 1, 1866, at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Lieut.‑Colonel, 10th Cavalry, Dec. 1, 1866.

Served: as Acting Inspector-General of the Department of the Missouri, Nov. 1, 1866, to Dec. 28, 1867; as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at the State Agricultural College of Kansas, Jan., 1868, to Jan. 1, 1871; in command of Camp Supply, I. T., Feb. 5, 1871, to Feb. 10, 1873, — of regiment and Ft. Gibson, I. T., Feb. 19 to Apr. 21, 1873, — of Ft. Sill, I. T., May 4, 1873, to Mar. 27, 1875, — of Expedition in the field, Sep. 10 to Oct. 19, 1874, — and of Ft. Griffin, Tex., Apr. 7 to  p232 Aug. 5, 1875; on leave of absence, Aug. 5, 1875, to Dec. 6, 1876; in command of Ft. Richardson, Tex., Dec. 20, 1876, to Jan. 19, 1878, — of the District of Upper Brazos, May 12, 1877, to Jan. 19, 1878, — of Ft. Sill, I. T., Jan. 27, 1878, to Feb. 27, 1879, — and Ft. Elliott, Tex.,

(Colonel, 2d Cavalry, Mar. 20, 1879)

to June 26, 1879; before Court Martial and on Court Martial duty to Dec. 3, 1879; in command of regiment, District of the Yellowstone, and post of Ft. Custer, Mon., to May 21, 1881; and sick and on leave, to June 26, 1881.

Died, June 26, 1881, at St. Paul, Min.: Aged 58.

Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.