President Jefferson Davis

The year of our Lord, 2008 AD marks the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Jefferson Davis. He was born on 3 June, 1808 in Fairview, Kentucky in Christian County (the location later became part of Todd County). His father, Samuel was from Georgia and had served in the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, in the siege of Savannah, Georgia. While still a young child, the family moved to Wilkinson County Mississippi. After growing up there and finishing the County Academy, he attended Transylvania College in Kentucky. During his senior year, he transferred to West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1928.

After resigning from the army in 1835 after serving in campaigns of the Black Hawk War against Indians in the Northwest frontier, he married the daughter of Zachary Taylor and settled in Mississippi to become a cotton farmer. This chapter of his live was filled with the tragic death of his wife soon afterwards. This led to him living a life of seclusion until 1843.

He then entered politics, serving in the House of Representatives in December, 1845. Along with entering politics, he married the lovely Varina Howell. Soon after being seated in Congress, the Mexican War erupted, and he resigned from office to lead a regiment of volunteers. From his experience in Washington, he insisted that his men be equipped with the latest technolgy. When he was in office, this consisted of the rifle, rather than the old flintlocks. Rifles had special spirals cut into the barrels. Since he was from the State of Mississippi, this led to the name "Mississippi Rifle" being associated with the rifles they used.

He led his regiment in several battles of the war, including the battle of Monterrey and Buena Vista. At that time, commanders were expected to lead their men, rather than just command them to do things. His courage earned him a reputation amoung the soldiers involved.

His performance was noted back at home in Mississippi, where he was appointed Senator from Mississippi. His performance as Senator led to his advancing to the office of Secretary of War during the Franklin Pierce administration. While in that role, he was responsible for many improvements to the United States military forces. He always focused on seeing to it that the soldiers had the best technology available. He later married again. One of his projects was the importation of camels to help with transportation across the desert regions of the southwest.

He later returned to serving as in the role of Senator. While serving as Senator the states began their dis-union. After the initial attempts at peaceful resolution failed, many of the Southern States approved secession, and the Congressional representatives and Senators were recalled. On their being recalled, the legislative branch of government ceased to exist in terms of the Constitution, since there were no longer enough member to convene a quorum.

Jefferson Davis left Washington City and retired to his home. Messengers soon brought word that he had been appointed commander-in-chief of Mississippi’s military forces. As he was preparing to fulfill that role, another messenger arrived notifying him of his appointment as Provisional President of the Confederate States of America. “There were no ‘sections’ and no ‘party’ distinctions. All aspirations, ambitions and interests had been merged in a great desire for Confederate independence”. He was soon sworn into office in Montgomery, Alabama on the steps of the statehouse located there.

On his inauguration, he proclaimed to the world, that the Confederacy ‘only wanted peace and ‘free commerce’ with all the world.’ The threat of free commerce and lack of tariff collection fueled the remaining States to launch attacks against the new nation. The world quickly took notice. William Gladstone of England commented, “There is no doubt that Jefferson Davis and the other leaders of the South have made an army. They are making, it appears, a navy. And they have made, what is more important than either; they have made a nation”.

He led the nation of the Confederate States of America during it’s invasion and occupation. It was a conconsiderable feat to organize a nation in such a short period of time complete with postal service, congress, courts, and exchange of foreign ambasadors. Although some of the Mexican States in northern Mexico offered to join the Confederate States of America, he declined their membership, since his focus was on the independence of the Southern States and not empire building. During his time in office, he made proclamations of Thanksgiving and days of prayer for his nation. He attended worship services and conducted himself in a respectable manner, unlike Lincoln who often ridiculed Christians and told baudy jokes during his administration.

In the waning days of the war, he was captured and held prisoner. His home in Mississippi was ransacked, and his adopted black child was forcibly removed from the family. The removal was an emotional affair filled with crying and screaming by all the children. Although the child was removed, he was never returned. The Davis administration was the first American chief executive to have an integrated household, it was also the first to have children forcibly removed by government officials.

He was forced to endure harsh treatment while imprisoned. The guards were ordered not to speak to him. They were ordered to march back and forth 24 hours a day beside his cot so as to always disrupt his rest. He was placed in solitary confinement with heavy leg irons, and the only personal item he was allowed was a Bible. He was not allowed privacy, even when going to the restroom. A lamp was ordered to be burned 24 hours a day in his cell. No communication was allowed between the prisoner and the outside world.

Despite his harsh treatment, he was later released. He was never brought to trial for accusations of treason. The prominent jurist of the time, Francis Lieber reviewed the case the United States had against Davis and remarked, “Davis will not be found guilty and we shall stand there completely beaten”. A grand jury was assembled to initiate his trial. This was the first mixed jury of blacks and whites in American history.The jury was never brought into service.

As Davis awaited trial, his wife, Varina labored for his release. She met with the Pope, who brought international attention to President Davis’s plight. As public support for Davis increased, including Cornelius Vanderbilt offering to make bail, he was eventually released from imprisonment.

After the war, he lived at Beaviour, in Biloxi Mississippi where he wrote his memoirs. The home was always open to veterans who had served in the Confederacy. He was offered the presidency of the new university of Texas A & M, which he declined.