Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-12-17
By M,CLANAHAN~ & DILL. s.
pREsFDRRT .YEFRERsON DAVIS.

Z EdtAbRrg he0iClc, September, 1907.
The father Of Jefferson Davis first President
! Of the Confederate States, served in the ranks
of the revolutionary army of the State of Geer-
3,eia. and at the termination of the American
I war, toek up bis abode near Hopkiusville, Ken
lucky where his sen Jefferson was born on the
Sd Of June, 1908 The family sson after re-
moved to the banks Of the Mississippi, in the
then Territory Of that name. jefferson appears
| to have been educated ct home until he attained
the age of fifteen, when he was admitted to
! Trsnsylvsnia University at Lexington, Ken
tueky, the most considerable institution Of the
kind west of the Allegheny mountains. At this
seat Of learning, however, be was not destined
70 remain very long; for at the termination Of
his lEst year, he received the unexpected but
welcome intelligence that he had been appointed
q cadet in the United States military academy,
and in July, 1924 he found himself studying
: the rudiTnents of his profession at West POiRt
/ In ali practical and military pursuits he was
looked upon as a ruling spirit by bis classmates
and appears to have graduated about the mid
/ die Of his class in 1873, when he was brevetted
1 second Eeuteuaut in the regular army In this
! grade be served as an infantry and staff officer
upon the northern frontier until 1888. About
I that time the government was engaged in putting
an end TO what was called the Black Hawk
war After the termination Of the Black Hawk
war Lieutenant Davis wes transferred to the
western frontier, where he Joined the first expe-
difion that was undertaken against the Canaan
] chees and Pawnees, Indian tribes, Of which
| Mr.. Curtin gives Rn interesting account, and
whe were then occupying the territory near the
I Red river tributary of the great Mississippi.
In this expedition these tribes were attacked
/ and reduced to obedience to the United States.
! During the campaign Lieutenant Davis was
constantly exposed to fstguing and hsrrassiRg
duties; nor was be free from domestic affiietiOn.
/ In the year 1885 be married daughter of GeB.
! Taylor lals President of ths United States but
shortly after their marriage Mr.. Davis had ths
misfortune to lose his wife. At this time peace
reigned over this whole continent, snd seeing il
the tranquil condition Of the country no prospect
of active service or distinction, be preferred re
signing his commission to remaining IN mac
tivity in the array. Accordingly, in the begia-
ming of the year 1886, be returned to the home
Of his boyhOOd on the Mississippi, and employed
himself in the cultivation of his estate, which
Joined that Of his elder and only brother, Joseph
q gentleman of refined tastes and cultivated
mind, and one of the many instances 10 be met
with in America, Of persons Of considerable at
tainments who prefer the shade of domestic life
to the stormy caresr of politics.
In the well-stoeked libTar- Of his brother,
Jefferson Davis had the means of gratifying bis
natural love Of literature, and Of acquiring a
knowledge of political science, which enabled
him Rfterward to take q leading place among
the distinguished statesmen Of the Union. In his
elder brother be possessed powerful and vslua
bic adviser, whose calm judgment, historical
knowledge, and close observation of facts, Of
ten induced politicians to seek his opinion upon
questions OF importance. Thus the eT-ieuten-
ant was educated for civil life, under the auspices
Of brother about twenty years his senior, TO
whom he looked up with almost filiAl regard
II alto bn in
having married Miss Howell, of New Orleans,
whe continues to share the snxieties Of him
upon whom the hopes Of the Southern COnfede-
racy are chiefly fixed. We cannot be surprised
that for years after his FIRST term Of military ser
vice, he preferred the quiet and domestic hap
piness Of his plantation to mixing in public
affairs
But in 1874 he was induced to stand as one
of the two DsmCc attic candidates for the cleo
torship in the Stale of Mississippi previous to
the presidential election, in which Mr.. Clay was
the representative Of the Wing, and Mr.. Polk
of the Democratic party. Mr.. Davis made q
most successful debut as public speaker during
the first days of the contest, and in traveTsjng
the State, delivered a number Of addresses, and
met among his opponents some Of the most eI-
perienceC politicians IN the State. Before the
election terminated, he succeeded in winning
for himself high reputation as a debater and
The high opinion that his fellow-citizans had
then formed Of him, induced them to insist upon
his representing their district in Congress; and
in the beginning Of the session of 1S45 he en-
tered that body, not wholly unknown TO fame
ike most Of It's new members, but bearing &
character Of which great expectations had al
ready been formed He did not take part in
debate for some months, attentively applying
himself to acquiring a knowledge of the forms
of the assembly, and practical acquaintance
with those topics which were likely to engage
the attention Of the nation. At last, when he
took the floor" It is stated that eI-PreSident
John Quincy Adams, memoer opposed 10
him in politics, crossed the chamber and took
seat near him until the speech was concluded,
when kr. Adams returned and remarked to his
friends around him, " Mr.. Davis is q rsmsrks-
bic man, very remarkable man, gentlemen
he will make his mark, mind me-
| In May, 1876, the United States declared war
against Mexico, and the citisen-soldisTs of the
lst regiment Of Mississippi volunteers, which
had been raised to reinforce Gen. Taylor. unsni-
meusly chose Mr.. Davis as their colonel Al
! though this distinction was unsolicited by him.
and was conferred upon him vixen he was
/ thousand miles away from the regiment. he
promptly cOnformed to the desire of his military
admirers, and, resigning bis seat in Congress-,
/ Joined ais comrades, then at New Orleans on
! their way 10 the seat of war, The army was
! Termed into two main diYisions-one immedi-
stely under Gen. Taylor, which operated along
/ the Texas frontier; and the other in the SOUTH
under Gen. Scott which finally took possession
Of the capital. Col Davis was ordered to On
/ the northern division, and had not long been
there before, at the battle Of Monterey, on the
! 10Th Of September 1876, he completely justified
the choice his regiment had made in eleetng
| him.
The battle Of Buena Vista was fought on the
22d and 23d of February, 1747, and was claimed
by both sides as victory. The Osstinscy of
the combstsRts is beyond doubt the Mexicans
losing nearly 1000 men, and boasting, at the
same time, that the trophies Of war were theirs
Col Davis was thus mentioned ia the com
mander-in- chiefs dispatch: The Mississippi
RiAeme1, under Col. Davis we're highly con
spicuous for their gsllantTy and stesdneSs, and
sustained throughout the engagement the repu-
tslion of veteran troops. Brought into action
against an enormously superior force they
maintained themselves for long time unssp-
! ported, and with heavy less, and held an i'm
/ portant post in the field until reinforced Col.
Davis, although severely wounded, remained ia
/ the saddle until the close Of the action. His
distinguished GOODNESS and gallantry at the head
OF his regiment on this day entitle him to the
| particular notice Of the government"
The President Immediately conferred upon
him the rank of brigadier-genersl-sn honor
which was declined on the ground that the Pres
4 ident had not the power of giving rank to Off
GERS Of the State troops. In the autumn of this
year, when the war was brought to a conclusion,
/ he marched the remnant of his gallant repi.
ment, then greatly reduced in numbers, back
again to Mississippi, amidst the ovatons of those
/ who crowded to the route to welcome the men
/ and applaud the commander
Mr. Davis again sought the retirement of his
plantation, with the view Of recruiting his con-
stitution, and Of recovering from the effects of
| the severe wounds which he had received at
Buena Vista. A few months subsequently the