Jefferson Davis

Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808 – December 6, 1889) was an American politician and military officer who served as the only president of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. He was born in Fairview, Kentucky, and was the youngest of ten children in his family. His father was Samuel Emory Davis, a veteran of the Continental Army, and his mother was Jane Davis. The Davis family moved to Louisiana and later to Mississippi during Davis's childhood.

Davis received his early education at various institutions, including Saint Thomas College in Kentucky, Jefferson College in Mississippi, and Transylvania University in Lexington. His father died in 1824, after which Davis was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point through his older brother, Joseph Emory Davis. He graduated from West Point in 1828, ranking 23rd in his class.

Following graduation, Davis served six years as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. His early military deployments included stations at Fort Crawford and Fort Winnebago, where he served under Colonel Zachary Taylor. During this period, Davis was promoted to first lieutenant and stationed at Fort Gibson in Arkansas Territory. He participated in the Black Hawk War in 1832, playing a role in escorting Black Hawk during his detention.

In 1835, Davis resigned from the U.S. Army. That same year, he married Sarah Knox Taylor, daughter of future U.S. President Zachary Taylor; Sarah died of malaria shortly after their marriage. After her death, Davis became a cotton planter, establishing Brierfield Plantation in Mississippi on land owned by his brother Joseph. Over time, Davis acquired significant land and owned up to 113 slaves.

Davis's political career began with involvement in the Democratic Party in Mississippi. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1845, serving for a one-year term. From 1846 to 1847, he fought as a colonel of a volunteer regiment during the Mexican–American War. In 1847, he was appointed to the U.S. Senate, though he resigned to campaign unsuccessfully for governor of Mississippi.

In 1853, President Franklin Pierce appointed Davis as the Secretary of War, a position he held until 1857. Afterward, he returned to the Senate but resigned in 1861 when Mississippi seceded from the Union. During the American Civil War, Davis was the political and military leader of the Confederacy, serving as its president and commander-in-chief.

Following the Confederacy's defeat in 1865, Davis was captured, imprisoned at Fort Monroe, and charged with treason. He was accused of involvement in Abraham Lincoln’s assassination but was released without trial after two years. In the years following his release, Davis's legacy was viewed differently over time. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he was regarded by some as a hero of the Confederacy, especially within the Lost Cause movement. In the 21st century, his leadership of the Confederacy has been characterized by many as constituting treason, and he has been widely criticized for supporting slavery and racism. Memorials dedicated to Davis have been removed or defaced during this period.

Jefferson Davis died on December 6, 1889, at the age of 81.