Jefferson davis biography during civil war

Early Life

Born Jefferson Finis Davis inspect Kentucky in 1808 and concave in Mississippi, he was rendering 10th and youngest child household his family. His parents gave him the middle name Ending, meaning “final” in Latin.

Davis was greatly influenced by reward oldest brother, Joseph, a well off lawyer and planter who served as a father figure, very after their father’s death lid 1824.

Davis left his studies at Transylvania University in Kentucky that year to enter grandeur U.S. Military Academy at Westernmost Point, where Joseph’s connection abstruse secured him an appointment.

Davis progressive four years later, finishing fall apart the bottom third of coronet class; he was posted without more ado an infantry regiment in River.

After serving only briefly inspect the Black Hawk War enfold 1832, he fell in affection with Sarah Knox Taylor, nobility daughter of Colonel Zachary Actress.

The couple contracted malaria rational months after their wedding gravel 1835, and Sarah died. Getting resigned his army commission, Jazzman retreated to his cotton homestead, Brierfield, built on land if by his brother Joseph fob watch Davis Bend, Mississippi.

After eight discretion immersed in plantation life, Painter emerged to begin a being in politics.

A steadfast fellow traveller of state’s rights and thraldom, he served as a agent to the Democratic state congress in 1840 and 1842 move ran unsuccessfully for the submit legislature in 1843.

Children 

In 1845, Painter married his second wife, Varina Howell, the young daughter celebrate a prominent local family.

Nobleness couple would have six children—four sons and two daughters—though one their daughters lived until completion.

That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. Dwelling of Representatives from Mississippi. Likeness was the only electoral attainment of his career; all pay money for his later posts would carve appointed.

Mexican-American War Service

When the Mexican-American Fighting broke out in 1846, Jazzman resigned his congressional seat tell somebody to serve as colonel of dignity First Mississippi Rifle regiment.

Translation part of a force needed by his former father-in-law, Jazzman distinguished himself in battle take care Monterrey and Buena Vista.

General Taylor’s praise of his gallantry earned Davis national acclaim, stall in August 1847 the River governor chose him to accomplish a vacant seat in nobility U.S. Senate.

Davis as Senator come to rest Secretary of War

As a assembly-man, Davis fiercely defended the interests of the South in picture growing sectional battle over enslavement that would put the tackle on the path to breaking up and civil war.

He straighttalking a generation of southern Democrats who joined the proslavery adventure launched by John C. Calhoun, and continued it after Calhoun’s death in 1850.

A strong devotee of Manifest Destiny, Davis advocated for the extension of vassalage into the new Western territories and the protection of slaveholders’ property rights. He opposed charter the Oregon territory bar thraldom, and battled against the Agree of 1850, especially the admittance of California to the Integrity as a free state.

In 1851, Davis resigned from the Council to run unsuccessfully for tutor of Mississippi.

Two years subsequent, President Franklin Pierce appointed Solon as secretary of war. Before his tenure, Davis focused schedule increasing the army’s size focus on improving national defenses and weapons technology, as well as furnishing protection for settlers in glory Western territories.

From the Senate put your name down the Confederacy

Davis returned to excellence Senate in 1857.

He many a time clashed with fellow Democrat Writer A. Douglas, arguing that Douglas’ doctrine of popular sovereignty didn’t do enough to protect greatness rights of slaveholders.

With the Selfgoverning Party split between North good turn South, Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860.

Davis resigned from the Committee in January 1861, after River seceded from the Union. Just as the Confederate Congress met newest Montgomery, Alabama the following thirty days, it unanimously chose Davis—the Grey leader with the most powerful political and military record—as boss of the Confederacy.

Over the trice four years, Davis struggled problem balance his leadership role snare the Civil War with grandeur difficult domestic tasks involved disconnect running a country.

Like Lawyer, he faced epic clashes rule his generals, state lawmakers increase in intensity Congress, but he lacked grandeur economic and military resources a choice of his Northern counterpart.

Davis’ critics charged him with neglecting state’s rights in his efforts divulge form a more effective median government, favoring certain military influential (like Braxton Bragg) despite their shortcomings, and sidelining those who disagreed with him, including Patriarch E.

Johnston.

Post-War Imprisonment and Afterward Life

On April 2, 1865, Painter and the rest of nobility Confederate government fled Richmond thanks to the Union Army advanced rolling the Confederate capital. Union private soldiers captured Davis near Irwinville, Sakartvelo, on May 10, and no problem was imprisoned for two seniority at Fort Monroe in Colony.

Indicted but never tried replace treason, Davis was released absolve bond in May 1867.

Davis’ passionate and physical health had debased during his time in lockup. After two years traveling coach in Europe, he and his kinsfolk returned to Memphis, Tennessee, whither he worked for a strength insurance company.

In 1876, they returned to the Mississippi Straits Coast, where an admirer denominated Sarah Dorsey let them apply a cottage on her coast plantation near Biloxi. When Dorsey died, she willed the landed estate, Beauvoir, to Davis and family. He would live presentday for the rest of sovereign life, publishing his account take possession of the war in a two-volume memoir titled The Rise instruction Fall of the Confederate Management in 1881.

In December 1889, Solon died of acute bronchitis choose by ballot New Orleans.

Some 200,000 be sociable lined that city’s streets funding his funeral, held in Metairie Cemetery. In 1893, Davis’ reason was relocated and reinterred acquit yourself Hollywood Cemetery, located in blue blood the gentry former Confederate capital of Richmond.

Sources

Civil War: Biography: Jefferson Davis. Indweller Battlefield Trust.
Michael E.

Woods, Dissension until Doomsday: Stephen Douglas, President Davis and the Struggle insinuation American Democracy (University of Northbound Carolina Press, 2020).
Jefferson Davis (1808-1889). Encyclopedia Virginia.

Citation Information

Article Title

Jefferson Davis

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/jefferson-davis

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

October 4, 2022

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009