Jefferson C. Davis, died November 30, 1879

After the Civil War, Davis continued service with the Army.  He was the first commander of the Department of Alaska, from March 18, 1868, to June 1, 1870. During this time, he ordered Russian residents of Sitka, Alaska to leave their homes, as he maintained that they were needed for Americans.

He gained fame when he assumed field command of the U.S. forces during the Modoc War.

During the 1877 railroad general strike, Davis arrived in St. Louis commanding 300 men and two Gatling guns to crush the strike. 

 In 1878, Davis embarked with his wife  on a quasi-official tour of Mexico City.

Davis died at the Palmer House, Chicago, Illinois on November 30, 1879, after being confined to his bed for five days with pneumonia. He was 51 years old.  He had recently attended the reunion of the Army of the Cumberland, in Washington, and took a severe cold at the unveiling of the Thomas monument. 

He was buried in Illinois, but later his relatives had his body disinterred and reburied at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis under an impressive limestone obelisk, draped and wreathed, bearing the sentiment, “His memory is embalmed with the history of his country."