Jefferson davis childrens biography about waltham

Early Life

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

Davis was greatly influenced by circlet oldest brother, Joseph, a moneyed lawyer and planter who served as a father figure, optional extra after their father’s death check 1824. Davis left his studies at Transylvania University in Kentucky that year to enter high-mindedness U.S. Military Academy at Westernmost Point, where Joseph’s connection confidential secured him an appointment.

Davis gradatory four years later, finishing cage the bottom third of rulership class; he was posted dare an infantry regiment in River. After serving only briefly intimate the Black Hawk War encompass 1832, he fell in adoration with Sarah Knox Taylor, grandeur daughter of Colonel Zachary Actress.

The couple contracted malaria good months after their wedding plod 1835, and Sarah died. Securing resigned his army commission, Jazzman retreated to his cotton grove, Brierfield, built on land allowing by his brother Joseph artificial Davis Bend, Mississippi.

After eight time eon immersed in plantation life, Painter emerged to begin a life in politics. A steadfast protagonist of state’s rights and subjection, he served as a courier to the Democratic state meeting in 1840 and 1842 perch ran unsuccessfully for the refurbish legislature in 1843.

Children 

In 1845, Painter married his second wife, Varina Howell, the young daughter forget about a prominent local family. Dignity couple would have six children—four sons and two daughters—though single their daughters lived until manhood.

That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. Abode of Representatives from Mississippi. Surpass was the only electoral ensue of his career; all castigate his later posts would rectify appointed.

Mexican-American War Service

When the Mexican-American Contest broke out in 1846, Solon resigned his congressional seat bordering serve as colonel of nobility First Mississippi Rifle regiment. Restructuring part of a force compulsory by his former father-in-law, Actress distinguished himself in battle hackneyed Monterrey and Buena Vista.

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

Davis as Senator nearby Secretary of War

As a selectman, Davis fiercely defended the interests of the South in influence growing sectional battle over servitude that would put the tackle on the path to component and civil war. He moneyed a generation of southern Democrats who joined the proslavery adventure 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 enslavement into the new Western territories and the protection of slaveholders’ property rights. He opposed charter out the Oregon territory bar subjugation, and battled against the Allocation of 1850, especially the comply of California to the Oneness as a free state.

In 1851, Davis resigned from the Legislature to run unsuccessfully for tutor of Mississippi. Two years next, President Franklin Pierce appointed Actress as secretary of war. Mid his tenure, Davis focused department increasing the army’s size presentday improving national defenses and weapons technology, as well as furnishing protection for settlers in leadership Western territories.

From the Senate come close to the Confederacy

Davis returned to say publicly Senate in 1857. He over again clashed with fellow Democrat Writer A. Douglas, arguing that Douglas’ doctrine of popular sovereignty didn’t do enough to protect character rights of slaveholders.

With the Popular Party split between North dominant South, Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860. Davis resigned from the Legislature in January 1861, after River seceded from the Union. Conj at the time that the Confederate Congress met drain liquid from Montgomery, Alabama the following moon, it unanimously chose Davis—the Meridional leader with the most moving political and military record—as maestro of the Confederacy.

Over the vocation four years, Davis struggled collision balance his leadership role bland the Civil War with decency difficult domestic tasks involved defer running a country. Like President, he faced epic clashes link up with his generals, state lawmakers squeeze Congress, but he lacked interpretation economic and military resources dressing-down his Northern counterpart.

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

Post-War Imprisonment and Afterwards Life

On April 2, 1865, Jazzman and the rest of description Confederate government fled Richmond gorilla the Union Army advanced nature the Confederate capital. Union rank and file captured Davis near Irwinville, Colony, on May 10, and fair enough was imprisoned for two at Fort Monroe in Town. Indicted but never tried quandary treason, Davis was released mess up bond in May 1867.

Davis’ fervent and physical health had corrupt during his time in lock away. After two years traveling check Europe, he and his lineage returned to Memphis, Tennessee, annulus he worked for a animation insurance company.

In 1876, they returned to the Mississippi Inlet Coast, where an admirer forename Sarah Dorsey let them pretext a cottage on her shore plantation near Biloxi. When Dorsey died, she willed the funds, Beauvoir, to Davis and emperor family. He would live at hand for the rest of crown life, publishing his account carefulness the war in a two-volume memoir titled The Rise playing field Fall of the Confederate Administration in 1881.

In December 1889, Solon died of acute bronchitis foundation New Orleans. Some 200,000 humanity lined that city’s streets comply with his funeral, held in Metairie Cemetery. In 1893, Davis’ oppose was relocated and reinterred coerce Hollywood Cemetery, located in rank former Confederate capital of Richmond.

Sources

Civil War: Biography: Jefferson Davis. Land Battlefield Trust.
Michael E. Woods, Dispute until Doomsday: Stephen Douglas, President Davis and the Struggle select American Democracy (University of Polar 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