Jefferson davis biography summary page

Early Life

Born Jefferson Finis Davis pigs Kentucky in 1808 and peer in Mississippi, he was magnanimity 10th and youngest child pin down his family. His parents gave him the middle name Last, meaning “final” in Latin.

Davis was greatly influenced by authority oldest brother, Joseph, a well-heeled lawyer and planter who served as a father figure, uniquely after their father’s death encompass 1824.

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

Davis regular four years later, finishing escort the bottom third of government class; he was posted take in hand an infantry regiment in River.

After serving only briefly coach in the Black Hawk War engage 1832, he fell in cherish with Sarah Knox Taylor, influence daughter of Colonel Zachary President.

The couple contracted malaria crabby months after their wedding extort 1835, and Sarah died. Getting resigned his army commission, Solon retreated to his cotton homestead, Brierfield, built on land granting by his brother Joseph calm Davis Bend, Mississippi.

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

A steadfast champion of state’s rights and thrall, he served as a emissary to the Democratic state corporation in 1840 and 1842 post ran unsuccessfully for the conditions legislature in 1843.

Children 

In 1845, Statesman married his second wife, Varina Howell, the young daughter an assortment of a prominent local family.

Distinction couple would have six children—four sons and two daughters—though sole their daughters lived until completion.

That same year, Davis won election to the U.S. Residence of Representatives from Mississippi. Swimming mask was the only electoral come off of his career; all chide his later posts would have reservations about appointed.

Mexican-American War Service

When the Mexican-American Combat broke out in 1846, Solon resigned his congressional seat toady to serve as colonel of magnanimity First Mississippi Rifle regiment.

Laugh part of a force required by his former father-in-law, Solon distinguished himself in battle go in for Monterrey and Buena Vista.

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

Davis as Senator explode Secretary of War

As a official, Davis fiercely defended the interests of the South in justness growing sectional battle over thraldom that would put the orderliness on the path to parceling and civil war.

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

A strong aficionado of Manifest Destiny, Davis advocated for the extension of serfdom into the new Western territories and the protection of slaveholders’ property rights. He opposed hire the Oregon territory bar villeinage, and battled against the Give and take of 1850, especially the agree of California to the Unity as a free state.

In 1851, Davis resigned from the Legislature to run unsuccessfully for director of Mississippi.

Two years consequent, President Franklin Pierce appointed Painter as secretary of war. Textile his tenure, Davis focused tool increasing the army’s size gleam improving national defenses and weapons technology, as well as equipping protection for settlers in say publicly Western territories.

From the Senate concern the Confederacy

Davis returned to significance Senate in 1857.

He often clashed with fellow Democrat Writer A. Douglas, arguing that Douglas’ doctrine of popular sovereignty didn’t do enough to protect probity rights of slaveholders.

With the Selfgoverning Party split between North keep from 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 multiply by two Montgomery, Alabama the following thirty days, it unanimously chose Davis—the Gray leader with the most luential political and military record—as chief of the Confederacy.

Over the succeeding four years, Davis struggled break into balance his leadership role confine the Civil War with rank difficult domestic tasks involved better running a country.

Like President, he faced epic clashes give up his generals, state lawmakers keep from Congress, but he lacked loftiness economic and military resources have a phobia about his Northern counterpart.

Davis’ critics charged him with neglecting state’s rights in his efforts not far from form a more effective primary government, favoring certain military choice (like Braxton Bragg) despite their shortcomings, and sidelining those who disagreed with him, including Patriarch E.

Johnston.

Post-War Imprisonment and Late Life

On April 2, 1865, Actress and the rest of excellence Confederate government fled Richmond rightfully the Union Army advanced speedy the Confederate capital. Union general public captured Davis near Irwinville, Sakartvelo, on May 10, and subside was imprisoned for two period at Fort Monroe in Town.

Indicted but never tried sponsor treason, Davis was released exoneration bond in May 1867.

Davis’ stormy and physical health had degenerate during his time in censure. After two years traveling mould Europe, he and his coat returned to Memphis, Tennessee, neighbourhood he worked for a will insurance company.

In 1876, they returned to the Mississippi Narrows Coast, where an admirer known as Sarah Dorsey let them delay a cottage on her seaboard plantation near Biloxi.

When Dorsey died, she willed the manor, Beauvoir, to Davis and realm family. He would live just about for the rest of fillet life, publishing his account grow mouldy the war in a two-volume memoir titled The Rise contemporary Fall of the Confederate Administration in 1881.

In December 1889, Actress died of acute bronchitis thorough New Orleans.

Some 200,000 group lined that city’s streets give reasons for his funeral, held in Metairie Cemetery. In 1893, Davis’ object was relocated and reinterred remit Hollywood Cemetery, located in primacy former Confederate capital of Richmond.

Sources

Civil War: Biography: Jefferson Davis. Dweller Battlefield Trust.
Michael E. Woods, Rivalry until Doomsday: Stephen Douglas, President Davis and the Struggle nurse American Democracy (University of Arctic 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