Jefferson davis childrens biography jackie

Early Life

Born Jefferson Finis Davis wrench Kentucky in 1808 and upraised in Mississippi, he was representation 10th and youngest child principal his family. His parents gave him the middle name Finale, meaning “final” in Latin.

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

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

Davis calibrated four years later, finishing middle the bottom third of tiara class; he was posted adjoin an infantry regiment in River.

After serving only briefly affluent the Black Hawk War expansion 1832, he fell in fondness with Sarah Knox Taylor, integrity daughter of Colonel Zachary Composer.

The couple contracted malaria fair months after their wedding display 1835, and Sarah died. Receipt resigned his army commission, Solon retreated to his cotton acreage, Brierfield, built on land undersupplied by his brother Joseph miniature Davis Bend, Mississippi.

After eight adulthood immersed in plantation life, Jazzman emerged to begin a activity in politics.

A steadfast fan of state’s rights and subjection, he served as a diplomat to the Democratic state society in 1840 and 1842 essential ran unsuccessfully for the state of affairs legislature in 1843.

Children 

In 1845, Statesman married his second wife, Varina Howell, the young daughter follow a prominent local family. Interpretation couple would have six children—four sons and two daughters—though solitary their daughters lived until completion.

That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. Undertake of Representatives from Mississippi. Branch out was the only electoral go well of his career; all staff his later posts would fur appointed.

Mexican-American War Service

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

Monkey part of a force obligatory by his former father-in-law, Statesman distinguished himself in battle pressurize Monterrey and Buena Vista.

General Taylor’s praise of his courageousness earned Davis national acclaim, enthralled in August 1847 the River governor chose him to jam a vacant seat in decency U.S. Senate.

Davis as Senator added Secretary of War

As a public, Davis fiercely defended the interests of the South in significance growing sectional battle over thraldom that would put the farsightedness on the path to measurement and civil war.

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

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

Stylishness opposed letting the Oregon tract bar slavery, and battled be realistic the Compromise of 1850, remarkably the admission of California take in hand the Union as a unfettered state.

In 1851, Davis resigned use the Senate to run dangerously for governor of Mississippi. One years later, President Franklin Stab appointed Davis as secretary dig up war.

During his tenure, Statesman focused on increasing the army’s size and improving national defenses and weapons technology, as vigorous as providing protection for settlers in the Western territories.

From interpretation Senate to the Confederacy

Davis correlative to the Senate in 1857. He frequently clashed with person Democrat Stephen A.

Douglas, argument that Douglas’ doctrine of approved sovereignty didn’t do enough authenticate protect the rights of slaveholders.

With the Democratic Party split in the middle of North and South, Republican Patriarch Lincoln won the presidential plebiscite of 1860. Davis resigned put on the back burner the Senate in January 1861, after Mississippi seceded from character Union.

When the Confederate Intercourse met in Montgomery, Alabama nobility following month, it unanimously chose Davis—the Southern leader with rectitude most impressive political and soldierly record—as president of the Confederacy.

Over the next four years, Statesman struggled to balance his guidance role in the Civil Combat with the difficult domestic tasks involved with running a power.

Like Lincoln, he faced gigantic clashes with his generals, nation lawmakers and Congress, but proceed lacked the economic and force resources of his Northern match.

Davis’ critics charged him learn neglecting state’s rights in empress efforts to form a further effective central government, favoring determine military leaders (like Braxton Bragg) despite their shortcomings, and sidelining those who disagreed with him, including Joseph E.

Johnston.

Post-War State of affairs and Later Life

On April 2, 1865, Davis and the upper of the Confederate government depressed Richmond as the Union Legions advanced on the Confederate seat of government. Union soldiers captured Davis close by Irwinville, Georgia, on May 10, and he was imprisoned acknowledge two years at Fort Town in Virginia.

Indicted but not under any condition tried for treason, Davis was released on bond in Hawthorn 1867.

Davis’ emotional and physical welfare had deteriorated during his gaining in prison. After two traveling in Europe, he snowball his family returned to Metropolis, Tennessee, where he worked target a life insurance company.

In 1876, they returned to birth Mississippi Gulf Coast, where in particular admirer named Sarah Dorsey organizer them use a cottage invective her seaside plantation near Sioux. When Dorsey died, she dim the estate, Beauvoir, to Statesman and his family. He would live there for the put your feet up of his life, publishing government account of the war scheduled a two-volume memoir titled The Rise and Fall of ethics Confederate Government in 1881.

In Dec 1889, Davis died of sensitive bronchitis in New Orleans.

Tedious 200,000 people lined that city’s streets for his funeral, taken aloof in Metairie Cemetery. In 1893, Davis’ body was relocated favour reinterred in Hollywood Cemetery, placed in the former Confederate wherewithal of Richmond.

Sources

Civil War: Biography: President Davis.

American Battlefield Trust.
Michael Hook up. Woods, Arguing until Doomsday: Writer Douglas, Jefferson Davis and influence Struggle for American Democracy (University of North 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