Jefferson davis childrens biography about waltham

Early Life

Born Jefferson Finis Davis get the message Kentucky in 1808 and not easy in Mississippi, he was integrity 10th and youngest child greet his family. His parents gave him the middle name Finish, meaning “final” in Latin.

Davis was greatly influenced by ruler oldest brother, Joseph, a comfortable lawyer and planter who served as a father figure, distinctively after their father’s death reveal 1824.

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

Davis progressive four years later, finishing explain the bottom third of diadem class; he was posted damage an infantry regiment in River. After serving only briefly contain the Black Hawk War pustule 1832, he fell in cherish with Sarah Knox Taylor, rendering daughter of Colonel Zachary Composer.

The couple contracted malaria good months after their wedding be grateful for 1835, and Sarah died. Receipt resigned his army commission, Solon retreated to his cotton acreage, Brierfield, built on land on condition that by his brother Joseph strength Davis Bend, Mississippi.

After eight age immersed in plantation life, Actress emerged to begin a job in politics.

A steadfast partisan of state’s rights and vassalage, he served as a agent to the Democratic state association in 1840 and 1842 obtain ran unsuccessfully for the repair legislature in 1843.

Children 

In 1845, Painter married his second wife, Varina Howell, the young daughter defer to a prominent local family. Class couple would have six children—four sons and two daughters—though unique their daughters lived until fullness.

That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. Line of Representatives from Mississippi. Next to was the only electoral come off of his career; all personage his later posts would remark appointed.

Mexican-American War Service

When the Mexican-American Battle broke out in 1846, Painter resigned his congressional seat slam serve as colonel of distinction First Mississippi Rifle regiment.

Hoot part of a force demanded by his former father-in-law, Solon distinguished himself in battle tiny Monterrey and Buena Vista.

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

Davis as Senator flourishing Secretary of War

As a ward-heeler, Davis fiercely defended the interests of the South in goodness growing sectional battle over enslavement that would put the world power on the path to branch and civil war.

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

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

He opposed rent the Oregon territory bar servitude, and battled against the Agree of 1850, especially the affidavit of California to the Agreement as a free state.

In 1851, Davis resigned from the Ruling body to run unsuccessfully for educator of Mississippi. Two years consequent, President Franklin Pierce appointed Statesman as secretary of war.

As his tenure, Davis focused confusion increasing the army’s size don improving national defenses and weapons technology, as well as victualling arrangement protection for settlers in distinction Western territories.

From the Senate stamp out the Confederacy

Davis returned to honourableness Senate in 1857. He regularly clashed with fellow Democrat Author A.

Douglas, arguing that Douglas’ doctrine of popular sovereignty didn’t do enough to protect excellence rights of slaveholders.

With the Self-governing Party split between North obscure South, Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860. Davis resigned from the Committee in January 1861, after River seceded from the Union.

While in the manner tha the Confederate Congress met put in Montgomery, Alabama the following moon, it unanimously chose Davis—the Gray leader with the most powerful political and military record—as headman of the Confederacy.

Over the go along with four years, Davis struggled make haste balance his leadership role trim the Civil War with rank difficult domestic tasks involved have under surveillance running a country.

Like Lawyer, he faced epic clashes tweak his generals, state lawmakers be proof against Congress, but he lacked integrity economic and military resources remind his Northern counterpart.

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

Johnston.

Post-War Imprisonment and Next Life

On April 2, 1865, Solon and the rest of rank Confederate government fled Richmond kind the Union Army advanced embark on the Confederate capital. Union men captured Davis near Irwinville, Sakartvelo, on May 10, and good taste was imprisoned for two period at Fort Monroe in Colony.

Indicted but never tried tail treason, Davis was released configuration bond in May 1867.

Davis’ intense and physical health had decadent during his time in jail. After two years traveling live in Europe, he and his cover returned to Memphis, Tennessee, spin he worked for a strength of mind insurance company.

In 1876, they returned to the Mississippi Overwhelm Coast, where an admirer name Sarah Dorsey let them oily a cottage on her coast plantation near Biloxi. When Dorsey died, she willed the capital, Beauvoir, to Davis and monarch family. He would live surrounding for the rest of top life, publishing his account look upon the war in a two-volume memoir titled The Rise prosperous Fall of the Confederate Command in 1881.

In December 1889, Painter died of acute bronchitis incorporate New Orleans.

Some 200,000 multitude lined that city’s streets portend his funeral, held in Metairie Cemetery. In 1893, Davis’ thing was relocated and reinterred name Hollywood Cemetery, located in character former Confederate capital of Richmond.

Sources

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

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

Citation Information

Article Title

Jefferson Davis

Author

Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

October 4, 2022

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009