Britton Davis
| Britton Davis | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Nantan Enchau “Stout Chief” or “Fat Boy” (by Apaches) |
| Born |
June 4, 1860 Brownsville, Texas |
| Died | January 23, 1930 (aged 69) San Diego, California |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1881–1886 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Unit | 3rd Cavalry |
| Battles/wars | |
First Lieutenant Britton Davis (June 4, 1860 – January 23, 1930) was an American soldier born in Brownsville, Texas. He served in the United States Army in the 3rd Cavalry after graduating from West Point in 1881. After serving at Fort D.A. Russell, Davis was transferred to the Southwest to serve at San Carlos in 1882 during the Apache Wars where he commanded two companies (B and E) of Apache Scouts alonside Captain Emmet Crawford. In 1886 he played a key role in ending the Geronimo Campaign.
Davis penned numerous journals about his service, the Apache language and toward the end of his life wrote a biography about Geronimo.
The son of Edmund J. Davis, former Governor of Texas, Davis graduated 44th in his class at the US Military Academy, West Point in June 1881, and was commissioned to serve at Fort D.A. Russell.
In the spring of 1882, Davis received orders to the Arizona Territory to take command of companies B and E of the Apache Scouts.
On May 15, 1885, a group of well-armed Chiricahuas including Nana and Geronimo, confronted Davis outside his tent and confessed to an all night tiswin drinking session and demanded to know what the army intended to do about it.
Knowing that the Apaches were goading him into confrontation, he telegraphed General George Crook. The telegram was received by Captain Francis C. Pierce, who took it to Al Sieber, Chief of Scouts. Sieber, hungover himself, dismissed it as a "tiswin drunk" and the message went no further.
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