The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-10
A NATIONAL LOSS.
The Demise of Ex-Governor Edmund j.
Davis Regretted by Even Those
Who Opposed Him.
His Romantic Career----His Approach to
the Vice-Presidency and a
Cabinet Position.

live when the now barren lands OF Texas snail
he tceming with industries, when the State shall
hold rank with the wealthest and most enter
prsing of her sisters when the men who reviled
and prosecuted him shall have passed into
oblivion. He is gone, and the hirelings whose
whips of Islander urged him on to eminence
have nothing but fulsome flattery for the man
they once subjected to grossest injustice. How
strange it is that Death should bar the way to
maligners, that when the souls stern jaier,
hard Mortality, has made his claim a just recog
milton is given to services before unapprc-
cated But it was ever thus. The evil of a
man passes away with himself the good sur
wives forever.
The body of Governor Davis was buried i'm
the State cemetery at the Texas Capital yester-
day afternoon. During the fore part of the
day it reposed in state in the House of Repre-
sentativcs, where it was viewed byihundrcds of
grieving people. The funeral services were
held in the House and We're conducted by Rev.
II. B. Lee of the Episcopal church. Last even
ing in various parts of the State assemblages
adopted resolutions of respect to- Governor
Davis memory.
Numerous biographical sketches of Cover
nor Davis have been published lately, but all
are more or less inaccurate. He was born in
Florida i'm 1927 or 1873. While Il youth he ac-
rest Oh the Iulfllly I'D
There he became IL clerk in the pOSt0liicc and,
in spare moments, studied law. He sIIbse-
quently went to the Rio Grande and, in 1850
settled in lredo, where he served as an officer
of United States customs.
Mr.. Davis soon acquired good practice and
was elected District Attorney, then District
Judge. Some of the older members of the San
Antonio bar f:lvOrably remember him when he
exchanged districts with Hon. r. }. Dcviue.
When the war cloud first appeared Judge
Davis took his position with the Union leaders.
When the secession convention was called he
became II candidate for seat in it and was de-
feated by Colonel Phil. Luckett. lie proposed,
il elected, to 20 to the convention and do like
rhrOckmortOn and Others-OppOse sCceSsson.
alAt the beginning OF the war Judge Davis
left his home, Corpus Christi, where he ami
family resided, having Il few years before mar
ried Miss Britton, the accomplished daughter
of Colonel Forbes BrittOn, an eX-urmy Off
Ger and distinguished member of the Texas
Senate. lie went to Mexico. Then he went to
Washington city, and i'll the fall of 1867 was
authorized to raise a regiment OF cavalry from
among the Texas refugees who had crossed in
To Mexico and were ready to fight Tor the
Union.
Colonel Davis soon completed his regiment.
He was u rigid dlsciplinarian and his men had
confidence i'll him us an officer.
Mrs. Davis and her two little boys soon
Joined the Colonel in exile. While at the mouth
of the Rio Graude, i'll Mexico, with several
Union officers from Texas, Colonel Davis and
party were attacked, and himself and Captain
Montgomery were captured by party OF Con-
| =
brought to the Texas side, was hanged. The
Mexican authorities at MatamOras at once
notified the COnfederateS that Colonel Davis
must be returned to Mexico. As MatamOras
was the port through which the Confederate
army west of the Mississippi was supplied with
munitions of war the request was complied
with. The higher officials at Brownsville
denied any fore knowledge of the intended
violation OF Mexican neutrality, and said ire
spOnsiDle parties had acted without orders.
While yet II Colonel Davis became Chief of
(f,.ty lrNi tn.4A NJ al inv
ton he gave satisfaction To hiSSuperiOr officers
lie and portion of his regiment came up To
the bar at Galveston u day after the capture
OF tine Harriet Lane and defeat of Commodore
Renshaw and came near being captured. Hav-
ing aboard Il pilot To enter the harbOr, some of
the Texans recognized him as Confederate,
and the transport took the pilot TO New
Orleans instead of the pilot taking the trans
port TO Nlagruder. Some of the soldiers said
Hang the pilot; he is Il spy sent to decOy and
capture u.s." And some commenced fixing II
rope; but Colonel Davis ordered them to cease,
and turned TO the pilot, saying, you are safe /;
when you capture us you treat us like dogs
when we capture you we treat you like men"
This remark was intended to apply to the treat
ment of his own regiment.
He accompanied the Franklin expedition to
Sabine Pass, where DOwlmg's artillery com
pany drove back an army corps. Colonel
Davis urged General Franklin to permit him to
land his own regiment and try to take the fort
General Franklin could not be convinced that
the COnfederates did not have a heavy force
and refused the permission. Davis was the first
to land when Banks appeared at the mouth of
the Rio Grande, and was in command of the
cavalry cheering the occupation of Brownsville
by the Federal army.
After Banks was defeated on Red river Col
Onel Davis was ordered to join him, ami at
once assumed the command of the cavalry.
At Yellow bayou A. j. Smiths corps and
Davis cavalry defeated General John A.
Wharton, and checked the pursuit of Banks
army.
Davis was promoted to Brigadier General,
and served in the Army of the Gulfiuntil the
surrender He was sent in 1865 to Galveston to
make provision for the surrender of the Con-
federate army in Texas. He marched into
Texas from beaumont to San Antonio, where
his command was disbandcd. He was a cool
man III battle; no one ever saw him the least
excited at such times. While the restless
Texans did not like his discipline in camp, in
battle they did bless their commander for
making them soldiers and not militia.
After peace General Davis resumed the prac-
tice OF his profession at Corpus Christi. In 1866
he wtiS elected IL member of the Constitutional
convention. He at once took his stand with
those who supported Congress against President
Johnson. During the same year he was de-
feated for a seat in the State Senate. When
General Griffin rcOrganiZed the State Govern
ment of Texas under the reconstruction act he
rendered General Davis the Office of Chief
Justice, which was declined. In 1858 General
Davis was elected To another constitutional
convention, and upon is assembling, was
elected President ana sent To Washington as
| one OF tine members delegated to place the con
stitutiOn before President Grant, In 1870 he
became Governor OF Texas and served nearly
-four years. In 1877 the Texas convention in
structcd for L. j. DAVIS as Vice President and
did so again in 1850. At Chicago, whIlou strong
following was giving him a hearty support, he
lusisiej, Tor the sake OF harmony, upon his