George Whitefield Davis
| George Whitefield Davis | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 4th Military Governor of Puerto Rico | |
|
In office May 9, 1899 – May 1, 1900 |
|
| Preceded by | Guy Vernor Henry |
| Succeeded by | Charles Herbert Allen |
| 1st Military Governor of Panama Canal Zone | |
|
In office 1904–1905 |
|
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Charles Edward Magoon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 26, 1839 Thompson, Connecticut, USA |
| Died | July 12, 1918 (aged 78) Washington, D.C., USA |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1866, 1867–1903 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | 2nd Division, Second Corps |
| Battles/wars |
American Civil War Spanish–American War |
George Whitefield Davis (July 26, 1839 – July 12, 1918) was an engineer and Major General in the United States Army. He also served as a military Governor of Puerto Rico and as the first military Governor of the Panama Canal Zone.
Davis was born in the rural town of Thompson, Connecticut. He first entered the Army during the American Civil War, joining the 11th Connecticut Infantry Regiment in November 1861 as a Company Quartermaster Sergeant (the same position that his grandfather served in during the American Revolution). During the course of the war, he fought in several major battles, including Antietam, and worked his way up in rank in the volunteer force to the rank of Major. He was mustered out in April 1866.
In January 1867, Davis joined the 14th Infantry Regiment. As a captain, Davis was an assistant engineer on the construction project to build the Washington Monument, and was among the featured guests at the dedication ceremony in 1885.
Afterwards, Davis became vice-president of the construction company that was to build the Nicaragua Canal and chairman of the international board of consulting engineers on the Panama Canal. In 1895, he filled on opening on the Antietam Battlefield Board that helped oversee the preservation and monumentation of that historic place, culminating in the establishment of the Antietam National Battlefield.
...
Wikipedia