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Jeff Davis County, Texas
Washington Seawell
SEAWELL, Washington, soldier, born in Virginia in 1802; died in San Francisco, California, 9 January, 1888. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1825, assigned to the 7th infantry, and from 1832 till 1834 was disbursing agent of Indian affairs, from which post he was transferred to that of adjutant-general and aide-de-camp on General Matthew Arbuckle's staff. He was promoted captain in July, 1836, saw service against hostile Indians and in the war with Mexico, and was promoted major of the 2d infantry, 3 March, 1847. He became lieutenant-colonel of the 8th infantry, 23 February, 1852, colonel of the 6th infantry, 17 October, 1860, and was retired from active service, 20 February, 1862, in consequence of disability resulting from exposure while in the line of duty. He was chief mustering and disbursing officer of the state of Kentucky from March, 1862, till September, 1863, and of the Department of the Pacific from October, 1863, till January, 1864, and was appointed commissary of musters and superintendent of recruiting service of the Department of the Pacific in 1863. He was acting assistant provost-marshal at San Francisco from November, 1865, till June, 1866, and was brevetted brigadier-general, United States army, 13 March, 1865, for long and faithful services. General Seawell was with the 2d infantry at Monterey, California, in 1849, and was consequently one of the California pioneers. At the time of his death he was next to the eldest general on the retired list. He had lived on the Pacific coast since 1864, and owned one of the largest ranches in California, in Sonoma county.
A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, the man who built Fort Davis was a veteran of 33 years in 1854. Except for distingusihed services in the war with the Seminole Indians of Florida, his career was unspectacular. He had been lieutenant colonel of the 8th Infantry since 1852, and he retired in 1852 as colonel of the 6th Infantry. In 1865 the Government recognized his "long and faithful service" with a brevet of brigadier general. He died in 1888.
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