Jefferson Davis was born in June of 1808, in what is now known as Todd County in Kentucky. His immediate family was of militaristic background. He was the son of Samuel Emory Davis, who had served in the Revolution against the British alongside his brothers.(Man 25) Samuel Davis was regarded as, “A young officer of gentle and engaging address, as well as remarkable daring in battle.”(Chadwick 143) Samuel Davis also had four sons, of which Jefferson was the youngest. Each of Jefferson’s three brothers served as soldiers in the War of 1812. Two of them gained special mention from General Andrew Jackson

The same year that he was married he was also elected as a democrat to Congress. He cut his term in office short in order to lead a Mississippi regiment in the Mexican War. He fought in such battles as Monterrey and Buena Vista and found himself a decorated war veteran when it was all over. The gallantry exhibited in his leadership also won him the respect of the entire army. At Buena Vista, however, he was wounded but refused to leave the battlefield until the front had been won. President Polk attempted to promote Colonel Davis to the rank of brigadier-general for his service in 1847, but Davis declined the appointment saying it would be unconstitutional for him to accept.(Stephenson 84)

Vandiver, Frank. Jefferson Davis--Leader Without Legend. The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 43, No. 1. (Feb., 1977), pp. 3-18.

The office of governor of Mississippi became open and his party encouraged him to run in the place of the current governor. This required his resignation from his senatorial position. He lost the election by a small number of votes. After this loss he decided to take time off from his political career. His retirement from politics was short-lived. In 1852 he took a position in the cabinet of President Pierce as his Secretary of War. After the President’s term was up in 1857, the two confided in each other of their mutual concerns of secession in the South. He returned to the Senate as an advocate in the defense of slavery as well as encouraging the reinstatement of the slave trade. With this standing among the counselors of the government, Senator Davis endeavored in the beginning of 1860 to lay the foundation for a policy which would prevent sectional agitation and unite inseparably all the States in friendly union.(Look 58) At this time he was considered in Congress as a possible presidential candidate. He declined this nomination, not believing he was the best man for the job. It was 1860 and the thought of sectionalism was rampant in the states. Henry Clay said this about Davis’s thoughts of the imminent secession which was starting to occur.

Some topics in this essay:
Pacific Ocean, Blackhawk Indian, Clay Davis’s, United Senate, Lee Johnston, Bull Run, Davis Congress, Senator Davis, Zachary Taylor, Jefferson Davis, jefferson davis, davis william, samuel davis, confederate america, governor mississippi, abraham lincoln, buena vista,