Edward D. Townsend
Edward D. Townsend | |
|---|---|
Townsend, 1865–80 | |
| Born | August 22, 1817 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 1893 (aged 75) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Place of burial | Rock Creek Cemetery Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1837–1880 |
| Rank | Brigadier General Brevet Major General |
| Commands | Adjutant General of the U.S. Army |
| Conflicts | Second Seminole War American Civil War American Indian Wars |
| Relations | Elbridge Gerry (grandfather) |
Edward Davis Townsend (August 22, 1817 – May 10, 1893) was an American military officer who was Adjutant General of the United States Army from 1869 to 1880. In 1861, then-Lieutenant Colonel Townsend was the first to propose the idea for the Medal of Honor.