Jonathan R. Davis

Jonathan R. Davis
Born	August 5, 1816 Monticello, South Carolina
Died	Unknown; not before 1887 San Joaquin County, California
Occupation	Prospector

Jonathan R. Davis was an honorary captain of the Palmetto Regiment of Volunteers of South Carolina in the Mexican–American War and a gold rush prospector. On December 19, 1854, he single-handedly killed eleven armed outlaws at Rocky Canyon near Sacramento, California using two Colt revolvers and a Bowie knife. This episode became one of the deadliest small arms engagements in American history involving one man against multiple foes. Michael Trcic depicted the event in the sculpture "One Man With Courage is a Majority". He was educated at South Carolina College, where he was a member of the Euphradian Society.

The unit, the Palmetto Regiment of Volunteers, was accepted into federal service in December 1846 and disbanded at the close of the war in June and July 1848. Davis is listed as a second lieutenant in Mexican War Veterans: A Complete Roster of the Regular and Volunteer Troops ... By William Hugh Robarts (1887) who notes that he was wounded in the Battle of Churubusco. He was not alone in being wounded since five of his brother officers died and another eight were wounded in leading the regiment that day. Among those who fell were Col. Pierce M. Butler (killed), Lt. Col. James P. Dickenson (mortally wounded), Adjutant 2nd Lt. James Cantey (severely wounded), Capt. Keith S. Moffat (wounded), Capt. William D. Desaussure (twice wounded), 1st Lt. James R. Clark (mortally wounded), 1st Lt. Kennedy G. Billings (severely wounded), 2nd Lt. Joseph Abney (severely wounded), 2nd Lt. David Adams (killed), 2nd Lt. Wilson R. Williams (killed), 2nd Lt. Sebastian Sumter (wounded), 2nd Lt. James W. Stein (wounded, and subsequently mortally wounded on 13 Sept. at Mexico City's Belén Gate gate and died 10 Oct.), and 2nd Lt. George W. Curtis (wounded).

On December 19, 1854, while trekking on a miner's trail along the North Fork of the American River, Dr. Bolivar Sparks, James McDonald, and Captain Jonathan Davis were bushwhacked by an international band of bandits. The bandits, a Frenchman, two Americans, two Britons, four Mexicans, and four Australians, had robbed and killed four American miners on the previous day and six Chinese miners on the day before that. Several of the bandits were members of the Sydney Ducks gang. McDonald was killed instantly and Dr. Sparks was fatally wounded; however, Captain Davis, an Army veteran, pulled out both of his pistols and killed seven of the bandits in short order. Out of bullets, Captain Davis, an expert fencer, pulled out his Bowie knife and killed four more of his attackers. The surviving bandits fled for their lives. The shootout was witnessed by a group of miners, who buried the bodies of the dead.

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