Davidson, Washington F., 1825-1859

Washington F. Davidson, a native of Petersburg, Va., passed midshipman on Feb. 20, 1840. In the summer of 1840, he served onboard the U.S. receiving ship Delaware, and on October 30, 1840 reported for duty onboard the sloop-of- war Dale, a 566-ton sailing sloop-of-war was launched and commissioned in 1839. In 1840, the Dale was assigned to the Pacific Squadron and in November sailed off to the coast of Brazil with a mission to protect American commercial and whaling ships. Davidson was one of the first graduates of the Naval Academy. He died on Dec. 24, 1859, at the age 34.