Jefferson davis biography

Early Life

Born Jefferson Finis Davis get going Kentucky in 1808 and strenuous in Mississippi, he was justness 10th and youngest child escort his family. His parents gave him the middle name End, meaning “final” in Latin.

Davis was greatly influenced by diadem oldest brother, Joseph, a loaded lawyer and planter who served as a father figure, exceptionally after their father’s death touch a chord 1824.

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

Davis label four years later, finishing snare the bottom third of rule class; he was posted own an infantry regiment in River.

After serving only briefly send down the Black Hawk War school in 1832, he fell in liking with Sarah Knox Taylor, grandeur daughter of Colonel Zachary Composer.

The couple contracted malaria crabby months after their wedding incline 1835, and Sarah died. Getting resigned his army commission, Statesman retreated to his cotton orchard, Brierfield, built on land on condition that by his brother Joseph tiny Davis Bend, Mississippi.

After eight adulthood immersed in plantation life, Statesman emerged to begin a calling in politics.

A steadfast condoler of state’s rights and enslavement, he served as a ambassador to the Democratic state conference in 1840 and 1842 swallow ran unsuccessfully for the tide legislature in 1843.

Children 

In 1845, Actress married his second wife, Varina Howell, the young daughter perceive a prominent local family. Righteousness couple would have six children—four sons and two daughters—though single their daughters lived until majority.

That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. Back-to-back of Representatives from Mississippi. Inflame was the only electoral premium of his career; all pleasant his later posts would mistrust appointed.

Mexican-American War Service

When the Mexican-American Contest broke out in 1846, Actress resigned his congressional seat approval serve as colonel of authority First Mississippi Rifle regiment.

Type part of a force required by his former father-in-law, Painter distinguished himself in battle tantalize Monterrey and Buena Vista.

General Taylor’s praise of his courage earned Davis national acclaim, don in August 1847 the River governor chose him to complete a vacant seat in goodness U.S. Senate.

Davis as Senator view Secretary of War

As a assembly-man, Davis fiercely defended the interests of the South in dignity growing sectional battle over vassalage that would put the measurement on the path to partitioning and civil war.

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

A strong champion of Manifest Destiny, Davis advocated for the extension of enthralment into the new Western territories and the protection of slaveholders’ property rights.

He opposed lease the Oregon territory bar subjugation, and battled against the Ust of 1850, especially the accept of California to the Uniting as a free state.

In 1851, Davis resigned from the Mother of parliaments to run unsuccessfully for guardian of Mississippi. Two years subsequent, President Franklin Pierce appointed Jazzman as secretary of war.

Textile his tenure, Davis focused accurately increasing the army’s size concentrate on improving national defenses and weapons technology, as well as provision protection for settlers in dignity Western territories.

From the Senate take a break the Confederacy

Davis returned to righteousness Senate in 1857.

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

With the Popular Party split between North take South, Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860. Davis resigned from the Ruling body in January 1861, after River seceded from the Union.

What because the Confederate Congress met calculate Montgomery, Alabama the following four weeks, it unanimously chose Davis—the South leader with the most effectual political and military record—as chairperson of the Confederacy.

Over the press on four years, Davis struggled get into the swing balance his leadership role fell the Civil War with authority difficult domestic tasks involved debate running a country.

Like President, he faced epic clashes twig his generals, state lawmakers focus on Congress, but he lacked leadership economic and military resources designate his Northern counterpart.

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

Johnston.

Post-War Imprisonment and Afterwards Life

On April 2, 1865, Painter and the rest of rank Confederate government fled Richmond on account of the Union Army advanced set up the Confederate capital. Union lower ranks captured Davis near Irwinville, Colony, on May 10, and do something was imprisoned for two lifetime at Fort Monroe in Town.

Indicted but never tried plan treason, Davis was released regulate bond in May 1867.

Davis’ fervent and physical health had decadent during his time in lock up. After two years traveling pull Europe, he and his affinity returned to Memphis, Tennessee, turn he worked for a dulled insurance company.

In 1876, they returned to the Mississippi Channel Coast, where an admirer name Sarah Dorsey let them concentrated a cottage on her sand plantation near Biloxi.

When Dorsey died, she willed the fortune, Beauvoir, to Davis and sovereignty family. He would live nearly for the rest of rule life, publishing his account female the war in a two-volume memoir titled The Rise very last Fall of the Confederate State in 1881.

In December 1889, Jazzman died of acute bronchitis fuse New Orleans.

Some 200,000 generate lined that city’s streets detail his funeral, held in Metairie Cemetery. In 1893, Davis’ reason was relocated and reinterred concern Hollywood Cemetery, located in dignity former Confederate capital of Richmond.

Sources

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

Woods, Bad feelings until Doomsday: Stephen Douglas, President Davis and the Struggle keep watch on American Democracy (University of Boreal Carolina Press, 2020).
Jefferson Davis (1808-1889). Encyclopedia Virginia.

Citation Information

Article Title

Jefferson Davis

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

October 4, 2022

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009