The best concise book we have on the subject mcpherson is our most distinguished scholar of the civil war era. Jefferson davis book facts study guide by caspcoop includes 10 questions covering vocabulary, terms and more. Lovers and sycophants of the great empire on the potomac must be feeling uneasy that at least some americans are again questioning the efficacy of a. This book presents the president of the confederacy from a southern. This is a commemoration of the 200th anniversary of davis birth. The rise and fall of the confederate government wikipedia. A decade after his release from federal prison, the 67yearold jefferson davis expresident 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. Advocating for a states rights democracy while disagreeing with the idea or need for secession in the same speech, jefferson davis sat down. Jefferson davis as commander in chief penguin, 320 pp. Jefferson davis 18081889 was a mexican war hero, u. Leading the southern united states during the civil war. The confederacys first, worst and only president the jefferson davis statue in new orleans, days before it was taken down and hauled away.
Jefferson davis graduated from west point, served with honor in the mexicanamerican war, was elected to the house and senate, and was franklin pierces secretary of state. Book printed material jefferson davis and the southern people were not traitors, nor rebels. Jefferson davis was a civil war confederate leader from west point to the southern secession. This is made obvious in jefferson daviss generals, a collection of essays from eight renowned civil war historians that illustrates, primarily, how war affects personal relationships in the military sphere and how these relationships might have affected the outcome of the war. Davis blamed the enemy for whatever of bloodshed, of devastation, or shock to republican government has resulted from the war. The restoration of davis citizenship soon followed. He was not only the first and last president of the illfated confederate states of america but, as well detailed in the book, he was the souths leading defender in congress in the mid1800s of statesrights and the rightfulness of slavery he was a major slave owner himself. The rise and fall of the confederate government, volume i. Early life daviss parents moved to mississippi when he was a boy. Among historians jefferson davis has an image problem.
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. Davis was allowed no visitors, and no books except the bible. Civil liberties, property rights, and property confiscation in the. Jefferson davishis rise and fall is a civil war biography today apparently so obscure that amazon merits it only the scantiest listing without even a cover image. Lincoln searched for the right general, then let him fight the war. List of books and articles about jefferson davis online. Unconquerable heart, published by the university of missouri press. Davis and his cabinet fled to danville, virginia, and with robert e. Grant captured jefferson davis and imprisoned him for treason a year later.
His accomplishments were manifold, but he was as great in his christian faith as in anything else. Dec 11, 2011 jefferson davis was a statesman and president of the confederate states of america during the civil war davis was born in fairview, kentucky on june 3, 1808 to revolutionary war veteran samuel davis and jane cook but was raised on his older brothers cotton plantations in mississippi and louisiana. Jefferson davis was a statesman and president of the confederate states of america during the civil war davis was born in fairview, kentucky on june 3, 1808 to revolutionary war veteran samuel davis and jane cook but was raised on his older brothers cotton plantations in. Books by jefferson davis author of the rise and fall of the. It is a typically southern capitol, rather small and dingy but with an. Jefferson davis 18081889 was born in kentucky, and is best known for serving as the president of the confederate states of america between 1862 and 1865.
Was jefferson davis loathed by the confederacy he led. Nov 16, 2006 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Jefferson davis, one of americas greatest statesmen, said that a question settled by violence would inevitably arise again, though at a different time and in a different form. Who is jefferson davis, the confederate leader whose statue. Jefferson davis, napoleonic france, and the nature of confederate ideology, 1815. During the civil war that followed, not a day would pass when confederate military. Jefferson grew up in mississippi where his father owned a small farm. Jefferson davis was a civil war confederate leader from west point to the. Colonel seabrooks book, the quotable jefferson davis.
Davis many deficiencies had in fact been apparent long before his political rise, william davis writes in his book, jefferson davis. Jefferson davis s most popular book is the rise and fall of the confederate government. He was never tried for treason, but was released on bond in may 1867. Jefferson davis was born in a log cabin on june 3, 1808 in kentucky. He was given a classical education at transylvania univ. Davis was an extraordinary man who was united states secretary of war under president franklin pierce. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. Born in what is now todd county, kentucky and only about 100 miles from the birthplace of his famous contemporary, abraham lincoln, jefferson davis moved to mississipi around 1810. This fabulous book by jefferson davis deserves a place in anyones library. 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. This is a biography of jefferson finis davis, the first and only president of the. In august 1835, jefferson and sarah traveled south to his sister annas home in west. Jefferson davis his rise and fall is a civil war biography today apparently so obscure that amazon merits it only the scantiest listing without even a cover image. Felicity allen talked about her biography, jefferson davis.
Jun 28, 2019 jefferson davis was a civil war confederate leader from west point to the southern secession. He was president of the confederate states of america for its entire history, from 1861 to 1865. He made a series of big errors by appointing his friends to high positions and using flawed military strategy, and being too controlling. They are the authors of pelicans bestselling books the south was right. Neelys latest book, these neoconfederates may want to stick withyankee historians for their history. Yet he was what no southern soldier in the war between the states could, with truth, be calleda rebeland, without much extravagance in the figure, was said to have fought the battles of the revolution with a halter round his neck. Jefferson davis fled richmond with multiple wagons filled with gold and silver. Jefferson davis and the southern people were not traitors. Wlliam davis has written a well researched and skillful biography of a major player in american history. In 1857, davis returned to the senate as a vocal proponent of states rights. Study 14 terms civil war usatestprep flashcards quizlet. Prior to the secession of the south, he held positions as a us representative and senator and as the 23rd us secretary of war. They were patriots, who loved the constitution and obeyed the laws made for the protection of all american citizens.
Jefferson davis was the 10th and last child of samuel emory davis, a georgiaborn planter of welsh ancestry who had fought in the american revolution. When he was two years old his family moved to mississippi. Jefferson davis was imprisoned at fort monroe, virginia for two years. So writes james mcpherson in the opening line of embattled rebel. The foreword is by percival beacroft, trustee of the jefferson davis papers since 1973, founder of the davis family association, and executive producer of the documentary film jefferson davis, an american president. The 1881 publication of the rise and fall of the confederate government by jefferson davis, a twovolume defense of the southern cause, provided another important text in the history of the lost cause. In southern rights, professor neely does away with much of the soft history that surrounds jefferson davis in his treatment of civil liberties. The rise and fall of the confederate government, volume 1 by jefferson davis free ebook project gutenberg. Why not freedom americas revolt against big governmentpicks up where their first book ends with further discussions on states rights and individual freedom.
I have never read a more succinct explanation on the u. Political prisoners and the myth of confederate constitutionalism mark e. States rights, they believed, should not preclude the national government. In this oneofakind civil war sesquicentennial edition, the quotable jefferson davis. Confederate president jefferson davis captured by union forces.
Colonel seabrooks book, the quotable jefferson davis, is available in paperback and hardcover. The antisecessionist jefferson davis boston national. Americas revolt against big government as well as nullifying. Speech of hon jefferson davis, of mississippi, on his resolutions relative to the rights of property in the territories, etc, delivered in the senate of the united states, may 7, 1860 by. On the day fort sumter surrendered to confederate authorities, general braxton bragg reacted to a newspaper report that might have revealed the position of gun emplacements by placing the correspondent. Many americans of his own time and in later generations considered him an incompetent leader, not to mention a traitor. List of books and articles about jefferson davis online research. Jefferson davis truly proves himself to be a preeminent scholar of our inspired constitution. Jefferson fine davis june 3, 1808 december 6, 1889 was an american statesman. Uncle toms cabin by harriett beecher stowe before the civil war began, which issue played the greatest role in increasing tension and conflict between northern and southern states. Early life davis s parents moved to mississippi when he was a boy. Following his speech, which was received with great reception by massachusetts democrats, davis returned to the united states senate where he contined to be a proponent of states rights.
Jefferson davis, 180889, american statesman, president of the southern. Jefferson davis, 180889, american statesman, president of the southern confederacy, b. 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. Was jefferson davis right walter kennedy, james kennedy. Which book is the best example of how growing sectional differences between the north and south were expressed in the literature of the antebellum period.
A short story of the confederate soldier, the ideal soldier of the world. Jefferson davis defends states rights as the constitutional position the bonds of community independence, the supremacy of law, and adherence to the constitution as it. Lsu press books jefferson davis and the civil war era. Jefferson davis defends states rights as the constitutional position the bonds of community independence, the supremacy of law, and adherence to the constitution as it was interpreted by those who made it. Following the election of abraham lincoln, many in the south had had enough. Jefferson davis was a renowned us senator who became the president of the confederate states of america during the civil war. Undistinguished as a west point student, as a us senator and as franklin pierces secretary of war, davis was mainly noted for military bravery in mexico and for his early espousal of southern. He started his military career after completing his graduation as a second lieutenant of the first infantry. The rise and fall of the confederate government, volume 1 by. Southern rights is one of the most original and important books on the. The kennedy brothers third book,was jefferson davis right.
If youre not as familiar with davis as you are with lincoln, its not surprising. Davis firmly believed in the importance of the institution of slavery for the south. 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. Jefferson davis 18081889 was a soldier, statesman, author, and president of the confederate states of america from 18611865. He previously served as the united states secretary of war from 1853 to 1857 under. He led the confederacy during the american civil war. This is a shame, because it is a eloquent, fascinating, and compact account of the fortunes and failures of both confederacys president and its military policy. Books by jefferson davis author of the rise and fall of. The rise and fall of the confederate government 1881 is a book written by jefferson davis. Aug 31, 2018 jefferson davis fled richmond with multiple wagons filled with gold and silver. Biography of jefferson davis, confederate president. Jefferson davis was a celebrated veteran of the mexican war 18461848, a u. He served for the next five years during which he actively contributed in the blackhawk war. Jefferson davis has 83 books on goodreads with 2260 ratings.
Oct 16, 2017 why wasnt confederate president jefferson davis ever tried for treason. When jefferson davis, who was named for thomas jefferson, was age three, his family settled on a plantation called rosemont in woodville, mississippi. Read the fulltext online edition of jefferson davis. The pardon of jefferson davis and the 14th amendment. Mar 19, 2020 jefferson davis born jefferson finis davis. Jefferson davis simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Based on the discovery of records of over four thousand of these prisoners, mark e. Confederacys and specifically jefferson daviss defense. Jun 02, 2000 afterreading southernbomhistorian mark e.