This is an excellent book on both davis and the confederate experience for all levels and collections. Mccurry notes that jefferson davis and his brother joseph owned two plantations located on the mississippi river about twenty miles south of vicksburg. By the one man central to the effort, its president, jefferson davis. Jefferson davis 18081889 was a mexican war hero, u. May 11, 2017 when the city of new orleans had a centuryold memorial to jefferson davis torn down before daybreak thursday, a crowd of the confederate leaders sympathizers stood by, chanting. After getting out of prison, davis traveled and worked a couple of jobs including running an insurance company. The complete works of jefferson davis jefferson finis davis was an american politician who served as the president of the confederate states from 1861 to 1865.
Beauregard once wrote that no people ever warred for independence with more relative advantages than the confederates. Elegantly written and impeccably researched, jefferson davis, american is the definitive examination of one of the most enigmatic figures in our nations history. Was jefferson davis loathed by the confederacy he led. He provides a thorough account of davis life, both as the confederate president and in the years before and after the war. Immediately after the war, jefferson davis was on the run from union soldiers. It is precisely what its title promises, a look at davis during his tenure as president of the confederacy commencing with his election to the post and ending with his capture. Jefferson davis, the newly elected president of the confederate states of america, to his.
He was captured and imprisoned for about two years and then freed. Jefferson davis, confederate president university press of kansas. He was given a classical education at transylvania univ. Biography of jefferson davis, confederate president. What was jefferson davis strategy in the civil war answers. Early life daviss parents moved to mississippi when he was a boy. Short history confederate states america, first edition.
Books by jefferson davis author of the rise and fall of the. Jefferson davis, confederate president paperback june, 2002. After the war he was imprisoned for two years and indicted for treason but was never tried. Jefferson finis davis june 3, 1808 december 6, 1889 was an american statesman and advocate for states rights. Confederate president herman hattaway, author, richard e beringer, author, richard e beringer, joint author. He eventually settled down and wrote a book about the confederacy called the rise and fall of the confederate government. Jefferson davis during the american civil war, jefferson davis was the president of the confederate states. The rise and fall of the confederate government by. Davis married sarah knox taylor, daughter of general and future president. Ex president of the confederate states of america volume 1 by mrs.
It is, in fact, a comprehensive history of the confederacy, in which jefferson davis naturally figures as the chief character. This book is not a biography of jefferson davis in the cradle to grave sense. Jefferson finis davis june 3, 1808 december 6, 1889 was an american politician who served as the president of the confederate states from 1861 to 1865. Why wasnt confederate president jefferson davis ever tried for treason. Among historians jefferson davis has an image problem. Frank and virginia williams collection of lincolniana mississippi state university. Jefferson davis, confederate president book, 1959 worldcat. According to a new book, its because the union thought there was a strong possibility that his case would raise troubling questions about the constitutionality of secession, and that a possible acquittal would signal that the unions war effort had been unjustified. When the city of new orleans had a centuryold memorial to jefferson davis torn down before daybreak thursday, a crowd of the confederate leaders sympathizers stood by, chanting.
In order to understand the civil war and its outcome, it is essential to give davis his due as a military leader and as the president of an aspiring confederate nation. Davis was stiff, unyielding, narrowminded, and humorless. Jefferson davis life spanned the 19th century and he was one of the pivotal figures that shaped the united states of america. He is most famous for serving as the only president of the confederate states of america, leading the rebelling southern slave states the confederacy to defeat because of a lack of soldiers and supplies toward the end of the american civil war. Additional data will be added when discovered and verified. The rise and fall of the confederate government by jefferson.
Joey frazier chronicles the life of jefferson davis from his birth in kentucky in 1808, through his marriage, military and political careers, and his time as president of the confederate states of america, to his. She moved to the presidential mansion in richmond, virginia, in mid1861, and lived there for the remainder of the american civil war. Discusses confederate president jefferson daviss flight after the civil war, subsequent. He previously served as the united states secretary of war from 1853 to 1857 under. Born in 1808, davis was a west point graduate who was wounded and decorated for bravery in. Jefferson davis, confederate president hattaway, herman, beringer, richard e. This historical book has no small measure of autobiography present, since the author jefferson davis was at the forefront of many of the events described on the pages. The chase, capture, persecution, and surprising release. Who is jefferson davis, the confederate leader whose statue. As a military historian, the author or editor of some 25 previous books dealing with the. Jefferson davis was an american leader of the confederacy during the civil war, and served as a statesman and president of the confederate state of america for its short history, from 1861 to 1865.
Until the second half of the twentieth century, confederate president jefferson davis remained, surprisingly, a somewhat neglected subject among biographers of the souths wartime leadership. Who is jefferson davis, the confederate leader whose. In embattled rebel, mcpherson shows us that davis might have been on the wrong side of history, but it is too easy to diminish him because of his causes failure. On this day in 1978, president jimmy carter officially restored the full citizenship rights of former confederate president jefferson davis, signing an act from congress that ended a centurylong dispute. As president of the confederate states of america, jefferson davis may have been lincolns counterpart, but he was in no way his equal. Biography of jefferson davis, president of the confederate states of america throughout its existence during the american civil war 186165. Book cover shows obvious lightened wear on top and bottom of spine and mildly at the creases, but the special housing makes this an enduring keepsake of the war to establish the confederacy. Dec 08, 2018 why jefferson davis was loathed in the confederacy he led while va secretary robert wilkie once praised the confederate president as exceptional, some of his generals despised him.
Former president of the confederate states of america, jefferson davis, offers his account of the confederacys swift ascendance and downfall. One of the most popular features of the davis papers website, these charts carry the extended family two generations beyond that of the confederate president, and the direct line three generations past davis. Jul 05, 2015 jefferson finis davis june 3, 18071808 december 6, 1889 was an american soldier and politician who was the president of the confederate states of america during the american civil war 1861. Exconfederates came to appreciate his role in the war, seeing him as a southern patriot. This is an excellent book on both davis and the confederate experience for. Jefferson davis, expresident of the confederate states of. Hudson strodes supposed bias toward president davis does not disqualify the whole of his work, anymore than the hundreds of worshipful paeans to abraham lincoln necessarily render those hagiographies disguised as biographies useless. A decade after his release from federal prison, the 67yearold jefferson davisexpresident of the confederacy, the southern lincoln, popularly regarded as a martyr to the confederate causebegan work on his monumental rise and fall of the confederate government. As a member of the democratic party, he represented mississippi in the united states senate and the house of representatives before the american civil war. Jefferson davis and his dog traveler america comes alive. Jefferson davis, confederate president by hudson strode signed.
List of books and articles about jefferson davis online. His life was heroic and tragic and at all times, epic. Today the state of alabama marks the birthday of jefferson davis, who served as president of the confederate states of america from 1861 to 1865. Internet archive bookreader jefferson davis, ex president of the confederate states of america. Varina anne banks howell davis may 7, 1826 october 16, 1906 was the only first lady of the confederate states of america, and the longtime second wife of president jefferson davis. This book focuses on the confederate presidency of jefferson davis and is not meant to be a full biography. Woodworths first book, jefferson davis and his generals. The story begins in richmond on sunday, april 2, 1865, when confederate president jefferson davis received an urgent message from general robert e. Elegantly written and impeccably researched, jefferson davis, american is the definitive examination of one. On the anniversary of the capture of jefferson davis by union forces, explore 10 surprising facts about the confederate president. Jefferson davis and a great selection of related books.
Before becoming a leader of the slave states in rebellion, he was viewed by some as a plausible future. Genealogy of the davis family the papers of jefferson. Jefferson finis davis june 3, 18071808 december 6, 1889 was an american soldier and politician who was the president of the confederate states of america during the american civil war 1861. The failure of confederate command in the west, places the southern failure in the western theater of the civil war clearly on the backs on jefferson davis and the generals he picked to lead the struggle for southern independence. Jefferson davis ex president confederate states america. Jefferson davis s most popular book is the rise and fall of the confederate government. He was named jefferson after the 3rd president thomas jefferson. Jefferson davis has 83 books on goodreads with 2272 ratings.
Aug 31, 2018 the story begins in richmond on sunday, april 2, 1865, when confederate president jefferson davis received an urgent message from general robert e. Jefferson davis, confederate president edition 1 by. Jefferson finis davis june 3, 1808 december 6, 1889 was an american politician who. This project not only covers davis public life, but also delves deeply into his private and family life.
Jefferson davis, 180889, american statesman, president of the southern confederacy, b. He is author of six other books, including how the north won and shades of blue and gray. Davis was allowed no visitors, and no books except the bible. List of books and articles about jefferson davis online research. Confederate president jefferson davis 18081889 acquired his dog, traveler, during his retirement years. Power and politics in the civil war south, stephanie mccurry talks about a slave outbreak at the plantations of csa president jefferson davis and his brother joseph davis. Jefferson finis davis was born on june 3, 1808, in christian county, kentucky, less than a hundred miles from where future u.
Mar 19, 2020 jefferson davis born jefferson finis davis. June 3, 1808december 6, 1889 was a prominent american soldier, secretary of war, and political figure who became the president of the confederate states of america, a nation formed in rebellion to the united states. Dec 22, 2010 he provides a thorough account of davis life, both as the confederate president and in the years before and after the war. If there was any doubt as to what beauregard sought to imply, he later chose to spell it out. Why jefferson davis was loathed in the confederacy he led while va secretary robert wilkie once praised the confederate president as exceptional, some of. Jun, 2002 jefferson davis, confederate president hattaway, herman, beringer, richard e. The pardon of jefferson davis and the 14th amendment. Oct 16, 2017 why wasnt confederate president jefferson davis ever tried for treason. Books by jefferson davis author of the rise and fall of. Davis is most remembered today as one of the leaders of the confederacy, along with general robert e. And he used to attend the annual memorial ceremonies in washington to mark the birthday of jefferson davis, the president of the confederacy. William cooper provides a very thorough and balanced view of jefferson davis the only president of the confederate states of america.
Davis anticipated being named general in chief of the confederate army, not president of. Jefferson finis davis, the first and only president of the confederate states of america, was a planter, politician and soldier born in kentucky and raised in mississippi. Jefferson davis was a celebrated veteran of the mexican war 18461848, a u. Elected president of the confederacy and later accused of participating in the assassination of abraham lincoln, he is a source of ongoing dissension between. Expresident of the confederate states of america volume 1 by mrs. Libraries emphasis on the political and military history of the years 1861 to 1864. Jefferson davis was an american war hero and senator from the state of mississippi following a childhood fraught with ups and downs. However it is fascinating and is very informative regarding the incredible challenges faced by jefferson davis. Jefferson davis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
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