George Davis (politician)

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For the U.S. Representative from Illinois, see George R. Davis. For other people with this name, see George Davis.
George Davis
George Davis (politician)

In office
January 2, 1864 – April 24, 1865
Preceded by Thomas H. Watts
Succeeded by Office abolished

Born March 1, 1820(1820-03-01)
Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Died February 23, 1896 (aged 75)
U.S.
Political party Democratic
Profession Politician, Lawyer

George Davis (March 1, 1820February 23, 1896) was a Confederate States of America political figure and the last Confederate Attorney General, serving from 1864 to 1865.

Born near Wilmington, North Carolina, Davis attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was valedictorian of the class of 1838. He subsequently studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1840. In 1848 he became general counsel of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad. He held this position the rest of his life.

Davis was a delegate from North Carolina to the unsuccessful Washington Peace Conference of February 4 to February 27, 1861. After succession, he was a delegate to the Provisional Confederate Congress in 1861-1862, and was then elected to the Senate, where he served from 1862 to 1864. In December 1863, President Jefferson Davis appointed him attorney general. He served in this position from January 2, 1864 until April 24, 1865, in the last days of the Confederacy.

After the war, he was captured by U.S. forces at Key West, Florida on October 18, 1865, and was imprisoned at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, N.Y. He spent several months at Fort Hamilton before being pardoned in 1866. He then returned to law practice in Wilmington.

In World War II the United States liberty ship SS George Davis was named in his honor. A statue of Davis also stands in Wilmington, North Carolina.

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Preceded by
(none)
Representative to the Provisional Confederate Congress from North Carolina
1861
Succeeded by
(none)
Preceded by
(none)
Confederate States Senator from North Carolina
February 18, 1862January 1, 1864
Succeeded by
Edwin G. Reade
Preceded by
Thomas H. Watts
Confederate States Attorney General
January 2, 1864April 24, 1865
Succeeded by
(none)
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