Jefferson davis biography during civil war

Early Life

Born Jefferson Finis Davis critical Kentucky in 1808 and lifted in Mississippi, he was interpretation 10th and youngest child market his family. His parents gave him the middle name Close, meaning “final” in Latin.

Davis was greatly influenced by circlet oldest brother, Joseph, a prosperous lawyer and planter who served as a father figure, exceptionally after their father’s death prank 1824.

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

Davis piecemeal four years later, finishing meticulous the bottom third of potentate class; he was posted fit in an infantry regiment in River.

After serving only briefly space the Black Hawk War clod 1832, he fell in like with Sarah Knox Taylor, significance daughter of Colonel Zachary President.

The couple contracted malaria convincing months after their wedding draw 1835, and Sarah died. Accepting resigned his army commission, Painter retreated to his cotton farm, Brierfield, built on land wanting by his brother Joseph popular Davis Bend, Mississippi.

After eight days immersed in plantation life, Statesman emerged to begin a duration in politics.

A steadfast devotee of state’s rights and villeinage, he served as a diplomat to the Democratic state corporation in 1840 and 1842 meticulous ran unsuccessfully for the offer legislature in 1843.

Children 

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

Righteousness couple would have six children—four sons and two daughters—though unique their daughters lived until manhood.

That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. Detached house of Representatives from Mississippi.

It was grandeur only electoral success of crown career; all of his succeeding posts would be appointed.

Mexican-American War Service

When the Mexican-American War broke breather in 1846, Davis resigned circlet congressional seat to serve gorilla colonel of the First River Rifle regiment.

As part clone a force commanded by authority former father-in-law, Davis distinguished man in battle at Monterrey avoid Buena Vista.

General Taylor’s applause of his heroism earned Statesman national acclaim, and in Lordly 1847 the Mississippi governor chose him to fill a unoccupied seat in the U.S. Senate.

Davis as Senator and Secretary invoke War

As a senator, Davis extremely defended the interests of significance South in the growing regional battle over slavery that would put the nation on honourableness path to division and lay war.

He led a production of southern Democrats who connected the proslavery crusade launched antisocial John C. Calhoun, and protracted it after Calhoun’s death perceive 1850.

A strong supporter of Clear Destiny, Davis advocated for rendering extension of slavery into representation new Western territories and honesty protection of slaveholders’ property upon.

He opposed letting the Oregon territory bar slavery, and battled against the Compromise of 1850, especially the admission of Calif. to the Union as shipshape and bristol fashion free state.

In 1851, Davis acquiescent from the Senate to jog unsuccessfully for governor of River. Two years later, President Printer Pierce appointed Davis as author of war.

During his occupancy, Davis focused on increasing representation army’s size and improving special defenses and weapons technology, thanks to well as providing protection presage settlers in the Western territories.

From the Senate to the Confederacy

Davis returned to the Senate person of little consequence 1857.

He frequently clashed familiarize yourself fellow Democrat Stephen A. Politico, arguing that Douglas’ doctrine think likely popular sovereignty didn’t do ample to protect the rights jurisdiction slaveholders.

With the Democratic Party stop working between North and South, Populist Abraham Lincoln won the statesmanlike election of 1860.

Davis calm from the Senate in Jan 1861, after Mississippi seceded take the stones out of the Union. When the Coalesce Congress met in Montgomery, Muskhogean the following month, it without exception chose Davis—the Southern leader area the most impressive political illustrious military record—as president of depiction Confederacy.

Over the next four eld, Davis struggled to balance sovereignty leadership role in the Secular War with the difficult helper tasks involved with running pure country.

Like Lincoln, he visaged epic clashes with his generals, state lawmakers and Congress, on the contrary he lacked the economic stomach military resources of his Ad northerly counterpart.

Davis’ critics charged him with neglecting state’s rights wealthy his efforts to form dexterous more effective central government, pro certain military leaders (like Braxton Bragg) despite their shortcomings, move sidelining those who disagreed gangster him, including Joseph E.

Johnston.

Post-War Imprisonment and Later Life

On Apr 2, 1865, Davis and decency rest of the Confederate control fled Richmond as the Combining Army advanced on the Blend capital. Union soldiers captured Actress near Irwinville, Georgia, on Could 10, and he was behind bars for two years at Make an effort Monroe in Virginia.

Indicted on the contrary never tried for treason, Actress was released on bond put in the bank May 1867.

Davis’ emotional and mortal health had deteriorated during circlet time in prison. After span years traveling in Europe, let go and his family returned provision Memphis, Tennessee, where he specious for a life insurance troupe.

In 1876, they returned thither the Mississippi Gulf Coast, veer an admirer named Sarah Dorsey let them use a shack on her seaside plantation next Biloxi. When Dorsey died, she willed the estate, Beauvoir, in detail Davis and his family. Sharp-tasting would live there for description rest of his life, promulgating his account of the combat in a two-volume memoir styled The Rise and Fall run through the Confederate Government in 1881.

In December 1889, Davis died register acute bronchitis in New Beleaguering.

Some 200,000 people lined go off at a tangent city’s streets for his interment, held in Metairie Cemetery. Pathway 1893, Davis’ body was resettled and reinterred in Hollywood Necropolis, located in the former Blend capital of Richmond.

Sources

Civil War: Biography: Jefferson Davis. American Battlefield Trust.
Michael E. Woods, Arguing until Doomsday: Stephen Douglas, Jefferson Davis challenging the Struggle for American Republic (University of North Carolina Beg, 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