The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-06-28
JEFFERSON DAVIS :
A Few Interesting, Unpublished Facts,
Exemplifying His COWardice and Trea.

There are some important facts in the his
tory of this very conspicuous and very des
picable person which have not vet been made
known TO the American public at large, and
which seem, to me, to be worth communica
ting to the world through the newspaper
press. They are interesting and instructive
especially at the present time, as illustrating
and demonstrating his character, and conse
quently, to some extent, the characters oI
those who, we'll knowing him, selected hin
as the Nena Sahib of the Southern Sepo,
mutiny.
| do not think it worth while to 90 into
the details of his threatened duel with Col
William II. Bissell, of Illinois, (since deceased
in the Governorship of that State), though q
general reference to it is proper to show The
undisputed fact that-having appeared in
public to provoke and seek a mortal combat
in private correspondence he was avaIlini
himself Of every paltry quibble to evade the
impending consequences of his rash repetition
of the very stale trick of Southerner bully
ing Northerner in Congress. on the pre-
sumption that the man of the North will no,
fight duel, knowing that dueiist is more
infamous here than coward is in the South
/ have never been able to suppress my
contempt in reading a correspondence ten
ding, or relative to, proposed or supposed
possible duel. The case is Invariably SO De.
logged with technica,ities, and pettifogget
with rascalities, which would make an attor-
ney in the Marine Court of the Toombs blush
on suggesting, that no honest man OF average
courage can feel particle of respect for either
party-principal or seconds-after the peru
sal. have been friendly and intimate with
many men who have done these silly things
but have never been able to esteem or honor
one of them after such performance.
l only refer to Davis affair with Bissell to
remind the public that he backed down "
and backed out OF might which ne himself
first proposed; and that he requested Colo
mel bisseii TO allow him to 90 so' on preteSt
suggested and lIrnlshed ny himself.
1t has been repeatedly announced that
Jefferson DAVIS Will command the Southern
Sepo,, in person in the cannaipn now COM
menclng. hope he Will lead Their army on
their hrst battle fieId' Tor mean to be there
myself. but very much doubt whether MIR.
Da',s has the courage to expose himself to
the risAs-no' OF immediate death, hut OF
capture-"hich he "ou.0 !nelr l. that posi-
ton. Some o! our boys are " 'und to
" have his ca'case @''rt' II II cost a thousand
o! their !i'ts.
by the way II Jefferson laws should lead
the Secession arm! IN person'lt is TO be hoped
that his memory Tor courage) won I iali HIM.
as 1t did at the battle OF Buena Vista, when he
omitted to give the third and esseniia! COM
mand TO throw his regiment INTO SOLID square;
by the right and LETT OF flank battaillons
10 the coior-AAR'h. lhe consequence OF
this "idtus rdtde dcfehduS was, that his reSl-
ment were lett spread IN the form OF ', to
receive the charge OF 1000 Mexican cavalry
coming down upon them IN full career on the
slopes OF hunea VISTA lhe Survivors OF that
regiment kno" that nothing saved them from
annihiiatlon but their long practiced, deadly
craftsmanship with rifles.
Perhaps it is well for Jefferson Davis that
Zachary Taylor was his tather-in-law, though
unwilling ~ SO. 4 sterner and more Brutus-
like commander might have ordered a court
martial on the spot, that would have con-
demned him to be shot for cowardice, or
other moral incompetency.
In my opinion, Jefferson Davis should have
been court-martlaled for his disgraceful mis-
conduct in that battle as soon as it was decd-
ed. Perhaps he would have been, but for his
peculiar relations to Major-General Zachary
Taylor, whose daughter he had married by
stealth, in opposition to the expressed wishes
and positive commands of the father. Gen
(then CoD Taylor said to his daughter: "lf
you marry Lieutenant Davis, l will never see
your face again, dead or alive" The nfatu-
ated girl, nevertheless, ,eloped with Davis, who
bad taken advantage of the friendly patron-
400 Of h;s commanding of;cer and violated
tho Laws Of bosn;tal;ty bv secretly gaining
tho atF.c,;ors of his darobt.r In sncb ab.
borrence did Zachary Tavlor hold Davis that