Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893

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Edward Davis Townsend (August 22, 1817 – May 10, 1893) was Adjutant General of the United States Army from 1869 to 1880.

The son of David S. & Eliza (Gerry) Townsend and grandson of Vice President Elbridge Gerry, Townsend was educated at Boston's Latin School before graduating from the United States Military Academy in 1837. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Second U. S. Artillery and served as that regiment's adjutant and participating in the Second Seminole War and the relocation of the Cherokee Nation. In 1846 he was transferred to the Adjutant General's Corps and assigned to duty in Washington, D.C. He served on the Pacific coast from 1851 to 1856, after which he returned to Washington for the remainder of his career. In February 1869 he was promoted to brigadier general and became adjutant general. Townsend retired in 1880. He died in Washington in 1893 after an accidental shock from a cable car and is buried at Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Dix, Dorothea Lynde, 1802-1887. Papers, 1798-1893 (bulk 1827-1887) Houghton Library
referencedIn Philip Case Lockwood memorial collection of Civil War portraits and autographs, 1862-ca. 1886. Houghton Library
referencedIn Palfrey family papers, 1713-1915 Houghton Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Papers. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
referencedIn United States. Army. Programme of the order of exercies at the re-raising of the United States flag on Fort Sumter; 1865 Apr. 14, Charleston, S.C. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn Henry Jackson Hunt Papers, 1841-1978, (bulk 1862-1889) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Fry, James B. (James Barnet), 1827-1894. Correspondence with Henry Charles Lea, 1864-1871. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872. Certificates: Washington, D.C., 1864-1865. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866. Winfield Scott letters and pass, 1838-1861. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
referencedIn McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885. Letter : Headquarters, Division of the Potomac, to E[dward] D. Townsend, Washington, D.C., 1861 Aug. 8. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter signed : Washington, to Thomas H. Talbot, Asst. Attorney-General, 1870 Jul. 15. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Shafter, William Rufus, 1835-1906. William Rufus Shafter papers, 1862-1945 (inclusive), 1862-1904 (bulk). [microform]. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Walker, Mary Edwards, 1832-1919. Mary Edwards Walker Papers, 1799-1919 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885. Papers, 1843-1969 (bulk 1843-1908) Library of Congress
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Telegram signed : [Washington, D. C.], addressed to General Meade, 1863 Sept. 12. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Edward D. Townsend letter, 1865 May 30. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893,. Lincoln memorial album / comp. by General E.D. Townsend, who had charge of the funeral from Washington to Springfield. Chicago History Museum
referencedIn United States War Department correspondence and records regarding Indian affairs and activities with Indian nations, 1798-1874. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn John A. Dix Collection, 1831-1879 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
creatorOf Jones, Louis D. Papers of Louis D. Jones and related families, 1830-1946. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Wicker, Henry C. (Henry Clarkson), 1839-fl. 1904. Letter, May 2, 1865. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Smith, William Farrar, 1824-1903. Letter signed for him by James J. Brady : New York, to Joseph Holt, 1865 Aug. 4. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Description of ceremonies at Fort Sumter, 1865 May 28. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn George Brinton McClellan Papers, 1783-1898, (bulk 1850-1885) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Benham, Henry Washington, 1813-1884. Report of his second campaign, 1861-1862. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Patterson, Robert, d. 1881. Letterbook, 1861. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Ripley, James W. (James Wolfe), 1794-1870. Letter : Washington, D.C., to Edward Davis Townsend, n.p., 1861 June 8. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn General Frederick Steele Papers, 1845-1965 (inclusive), 1862-1868 (bulk) Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Davis, Jefferson Columbus, 1828-1879. Jefferson Columbus Davis papers, 1867-1878. Newberry Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter : Washington, D.C, to Colonel S. W. Crawford, Washington, D.C., 1872 Jan. 25. Texas Christian University
referencedIn Bounty Land Application File of Captain and Assistant Adjutant General Edward D. Townsend, U.S. Army (50-160-9799) National Archives at Washington, D.C
creatorOf United States. General Land Office. Abandoned Military Reservation File for Molate Island, Calif., 1858-1917. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Papers, 1863-1867. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter : Washington, D.C., to Colonel S.W. Crawford, Washington, D.C., 1872 Jan. 25. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Bell, John T. (John Thomas), b. 1842. John T. Bell papers, 1864-1918. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. United States Colored Troops Circulars, 1864. Clarke Historical Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. E.D. Townsend letter, 1884.
referencedIn Hardie, James Allen, 1823-1876. James Allen Hardie papers, 1844-1886 (bulk 1847-1876). Library of Congress
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Report signed : [Washington], 1870 Oct. 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878. Note : [Washington, D.C.?], to Henry Wager Halleck, n.p., [1861-1865?]. Texas Christian University
referencedIn United States War Department correspondence and records regarding Indian affairs and activities with Indian nations, 1798-1874. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
creatorOf United States. Adjutant-General's Office. General orders no. 25, 1870 February 26. University of Southern Mississippi, Regional Campus, Joseph Anderson Cook Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. War Department special orders, 1866 Sept. 29. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Approved Pension File for Ann O. Townsend, Widow of Brigadier General Edward D. Townsend, U.S. Army; 2nd U.S. Artillery Regiment (WC-817619) National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Anderson, Robert, 1805-1871. Robert Anderson : miscellaneous papers, 1836-1864 (bulk 1860-1864). The Filson Historical Society
referencedIn Ulysses S. Grant Papers, 1819-1969, (bulk 1843-1885) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Fisk, James Liberty, 1835-1902. James Liberty Fisk and family papers, 1856-1968. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885. Letter : Washington, D.C., to E[dward] D. Townsend, Washington, D.C., 1861 Aug. 7. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter, 1837 December 21, Fort New Smyrna, Florida, to his mother, Eliza Gerry Townsend, Boston, Massachusetts [manuscript]. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Edward Davis Townsend Collection, ca. 1864-1878. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
referencedIn McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885. Letter : Headquarters, Division of the Potomac, to E[dward] D. Townsend, Washington, D.C., 1861 Aug. 8. Texas Christian University
referencedIn Ripley, James W. (James Wolfe), 1794-1870. Letter : Washington, D.C., to Edward Davis Townsend, n.p., 1861 June 8. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Longstreet, James, 1821-1904. Letter, 1857 Sept. 20, Fort Bliss, Tex., to Col. Samuel Cooper. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn C. B. Comstock Papers, 1847-1908, (bulk 1862-1890) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter signed : "Adjutant General's Office," Washington, D.C., to Thomas A. Harris, at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, 1865 Jul. 18. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter : n.p., to an unknown general, n.p., [186-] Jan. 23. Texas Christian University
referencedIn Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872. Certificates: Washington, D.C., 1864-1865. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn United States. Office of the Provost Marshal General (Virginia : 4th District). Documents, 1865 April. University of Southern Mississippi, Regional Campus, Joseph Anderson Cook Library
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Benham, Henry W. Henry W. Benham papers, 1863-1876. U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center
referencedIn McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885. Letter : Washington, D.C., to E[dward] D. Townsend, Washington, D.C., 1861 Aug. 7. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Edward Davis Townsend letter : San Francisco, to his mother : ALS, 1853 Dec. 13 and 15. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885. Letter : Hoboken, N.J., to Sweeny Stute, [Lehighton], Pa., 1870 June 16. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter signed : "Adjutant General's Office," Washington, D.C., to the Commanding General, Department of Dakota, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, 1876 Feb. 18. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865. Printed document (engrossed) signed and filled out in another hand : Washington, D.C., 1864 May 10. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. General orders no. 113, 1864 Mar. 19. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Letter signed : Washington, D.C., to an unidentified recipient, 1871 Jan. 11. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Gear, Ezekiel G. (Ezekiel Gilbert), 1793-1873. Ezekiel G. Gear and family papers, 1833-1926. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Smith, Andrew Jackson, 1815-1897. Andrew Jackson Smith letter to E.D. Townsend [manuscript], 1855 July 17. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
referencedIn Steele, Frederick, 1819-1868. General Frederick Steele papers, 1845-1965 (inclusive), 1862-1868 (bulk). Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Letters from various correspondents, 1861-1872. Houghton Library
referencedIn Matthew Paul Deady Papers, 1850-1923 Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Steptoe, Edward Jenner, 1816-1865. To Edward D. Townsend, Assistant Adjutant General report of march to California and related papers, 1854-1855 : Benicia, Calif., 1855 Aug. 1. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Shafter, William Rufus, 1835-1906. William Rufus Shafter papers, 1862-1945, (bulk 1862-1904). Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Autograph letter signed : "Adjutant General's Office" Washington, D.C., to Commodore A.A. Harwood, 1863 Sept. 12. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893. Papers of Edward Davis Townsend, 1761-1928 (bulk 1837-1879). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
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