[305] 1st; on the Spokane plains, September 5th, and on Spokane river, September 8, 1858. He was quartermaster of First dragoons from December 5, 1858, to May 13, 1861. Being on leave of absence when the Confederate war began, he resigned his commission as captain in the United States army and entered the service of the Confederate States, actuated by a sense of duty to his native State, whose command he felt bound to obey. Reporting to the Richmond government, he was assigned in 1862 to the command of the post at Staunton, Va., with the rank of colonel. In August, 1863, he was commissioned brigadier-general, and early in 1864 he was at Rome, Ga., in command of a cavalry brigade belonging to Wheeler's corps. On the 17th of May, as the enemy was approaching Rome, Ector's brigade of French's division, supported by the cavalry of Ross, Morgan and Davidson, had quite a spirited affair, in which Davidson attacked the enemy on the right, driving in their skirmishers. General Davidson did not long remain in Georgia, but was sent back to Virginia and assigned to the command of a brigade of cavalry attached to the division of General Lomax, operating in the valley under General Early. This brigade consisted of the First Maryland and the Nineteenth, Twentieth, Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Virginia battalions of cavalry. After the war, General Davidson moved to the city of New Orleans, of which he was deputy sheriff, 1866 and 1867. From 1878 to 1886 he was inspector of United States public works at San Pedro, Cal. In 1887 he was appointed deputy secretary of state of California.
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[305] 1st; on the Spokane plains, September 5th, and on Spokane river, September 8, 1858. He was quartermaster of First dragoons from December 5, 1858, to May 13, 1861. Being on leave of absence when the Confederate war began, he resigned his commission as captain in the United States army and entered the service of the Confederate States, actuated by a sense of duty to his native State, whose command he felt bound to obey. Reporting to the Richmond government, he was assigned in 1862 to the command of the post at Staunton, Va., with the rank of colonel. In August, 1863, he was commissioned brigadier-general, and early in 1864 he was at Rome, Ga., in command of a cavalry brigade belonging to Wheeler's corps. On the 17th of May, as the enemy was approaching Rome, Ector's brigade of French's division, supported by the cavalry of Ross, Morgan and Davidson, had quite a spirited affair, in which Davidson attacked the enemy on the right, driving in their skirmishers. General Davidson did not long remain in Georgia, but was sent back to Virginia and assigned to the command of a brigade of cavalry attached to the division of General Lomax, operating in the valley under General Early. This brigade consisted of the First Maryland and the Nineteenth, Twentieth, Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Virginia battalions of cavalry. After the war, General Davidson moved to the city of New Orleans, of which he was deputy sheriff, 1866 and 1867. From 1878 to 1886 he was inspector of United States public works at San Pedro, Cal. In 1887 he was appointed deputy secretary of state of California.
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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