New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-07
JEFFERSON DAVIS DEAD.
A SKETCH OF HIS EvENTFUL CAREER

norfion of Christian County. Ky, Whio' az -, .
came Todd County. His father was -'. W. 40 =,
nanter who had served In the Rev olu'ion''' w.. 60,
ELL :, Tho haunted force Of Georgia. Ai,cr ""'
v,r tho cldcr Davis removed TO keniuch9' WHIT "
resided until few years after inc p'run W
Jefferson when he took his family 70 'nc ..,,s
NJ Woodvile wilkinson County, IN 'ic "',' r,,,,
~ Mississippi. After having eh'osou -. aon,
academic education at home, Jefferson p"',e ~,
at an cartier age than IS usual 10 rum 10, 800,
i,r In Kentucky, where he renamed uu''i io-i'
~ ,ot vear President Monroe appointed MIN as
cado. At the West Point Military Acahe"s' - W."
d,stinputsbed in the corIs,' says icnom ior
hts manly hearing his highton ana loi's
His figure was very soderke ana ra'TF roUu,'' ms
step splngy, resembling "'e
. brave on the war-path.'
A. Davis was graduated at West Point In juno,
,eoa and was at assigned 10 the lst IhiahtiS'
cer,ina on the same day july u ms COMMISSIONS as
h,o,e. second lieutenant and second Heu'ehdhi WIN
h,e reciment he served on the N0ithwesNrn HOnuer
,nI, rart IN the Black Hawk war in 1881 '32 During
A., contlvItv of Black Hawk that Indian cheftan Is
a 40 have conceived a strong attachment for Lieu
-, Dayis whose gallantry and bearing pleased
him on March 4, 1888. young Davis was transferred
IN the LIST Dragons, new regiment Win te iahh Oh
first lieutenant, and was at the same time maze al
iu,ant of the regiment. During the two years follow
inc no had considerable service in the various cxpe
ditlons against the Pawnec, Comsnchee and other In
dans.
On June 80, 1885, Lieutenant Davis abruptly re-
signed his commission in the army. soon after no
eloped with sally Knox Taylor. the daughter of
Zachary Taylor then colonel OF the lso infantry.
After his marriage. which said to have been his chief
reason Tor giving up the profession Of arms for which
he had always strong attachment Mr. Davis devoted
himself 10 the cultivation of cotton on his plantation
in Warren County, near vcLsburg, and TO n wide range
Of reading.
HIS ENTRY INTO POLITICS.
Mr.. Davis led life of retirement ana study uhlh
1s43 when he began to take an active part IN inc
exciting Gubematoral canvass in his state His
political career dates from the session OF inc Deiho
cratic State Convention held at Jackson IN the summer
Of 1873 lie was DELEGATE to the convention and
in the course OF It's deliberations he delivered his nrst
public speech. So rapid was his progress as popular
sneaker that I'm 1914 he given place upon thc
Polk and Dallas electoral ticket In the canvass OF
that year he added TO his reputation ana won inc
confidence Of the Mississippi people FROM that timc
until his death Mr.. Davis was Democrat IN polucs
and an extreme and ardent disciple OF that doctrine
~ statcs' Rights which brought the War OF the
n,u,o rron the country lie committed himself
70 t,e states Rights creed in his first public speech
and ever aferward he made It the basis OF his political
foitb and the guide of his public conduct
=, ,ho camnaIcn of 1914 Mr. Davis bore a leading
mart in Mississippi in support OF POLK ana Dallas anu
Toxas annexation and in 1s45 no was rewarded Tor
National House of Representatives. Among the other
Mississippi members Of Congress at that time was
Iacob THOMPSON whose afterward. as Secretary
80 the Intorior under Buchanan and as an agent in
Canada N the Confederate Government, made his name
Infamous Mr. Davis took his seat In Congress lDe-
cember g. 1870 at time whom tarir questions inc
Oregon excitement and tho Texas question "erc Gu
gazing attention. lie took part in the deoates upon
those topics and eleven Aays after taxing MS seat
having tho coming Mexican war III hiihu' hc ln'o
drced a resolution looking to the converting OF some
- tho fot into ,chools for military instruction Of
,on. furnished bv the States. on February o. 1916
in sneccb on tho Oregon question, he spoke OF the
-. 10, NJ union I'm our hearts," and, speaking OF the
a.tles of the Revolution, he said "Ihey 10TH Hoi'u
mert TO the common glory of our common country
DISTINGUISHING HIMSELF IN THE WAR WITH
MEXICO.
Asamennser Of Congress, Mr.. Davis DID all ne could
n nromote tho war policy of the Government, anu "
the midst of these abors he received with dehght to
announcement Of his selection as colonei OF INC
Regiment of Mississippi Rihemen lie rs'sn'' "'
seat in the House In June. 1916 joined MS resuie"'
At New.Oreans and led it to reinforce Genera laSoI
o tho Rio Grande His service extended from june
%, 1sdG IN Julv IL ls47. At Monterey 'sep'ehoer
81 1sA6l he charged on Fort Teneria without pay
onets and CALAMITY won a desperate ana harl I9us''
echt ON the following day Davis occupied Ri Diaoio'
and on the 23d he exposed to sharp hIo lIoin
a balfmoon redoubt about $50 yards away win
his regiment and some Tennesseeans ne uoVo 'ho
enemy out and followed them, under heavy fire. 10
.,,l,in \ souare of the Grand Plaza OF the city
colonel Davis at once became Of the idols OF inc
arnv and took prominent place among the heroes
of tho war -.
Al Rucna Vista when the battle was setting against
the Americans Colonel Davis resolved to attack I'M
mediately in front With his regiment ana Eahuiul
ncod len X.
firing as he went forward. His brave fellows feil
fa nder the storm of shot, but their rapid ana fatal
volcvs carried dlsmay and death into the enemys
ranks Ieapng into intervening ravine the MIssiS-
spulans drove the Mcxicans from their cOmmahuls
position. Davis next fell upon party OF caVaE!
and compelled it to fly. Immediately are i
brigade Of lancers thousand strong approached al
| gallon in beautiful array and with sounding bugle'
and auteIing pennOns II was an appalling specti-
cls but not an American hinched. Impressed with
! Tho extraordinary f1nness of the Americans, when
they expected panic and flight, the lancerS checked
/ THAR speed Colonel Davis had thrown his men In
/ the form of e-enerng angle (aier"an known
as the V movement, both tanks resting on ravines'
The lancers coming down on the Intervening ridge.
The enemy was thus exposed to a convcrgng fire, and
,ho ,,op,ent they came within riHe-ranee each man
- Dovls's command singled out his object and the
whole head OF the advancing column fell Under
this deadly fire the enemy recoled and rtcatcd
paralyzcd and dlsmaye1. In no previous campaign In
4 history had Davlss celebrated movement been
oaopted though there was Slightly analogous case
=, waterloo shortly after this brilliant piece OF work
Davis was ordered attack large force OF Mexcans
concentrated on the right for final onslaught His
men had been in action all day, wero exhausted by
thirst and fatigue. reduced in numbers and suffering
! from wounds, but they went forward at double-quch
brol,, the enemy's right line and decided the battle
( Early IN this last engagement DAVIS was severely
/ tho heel I'm
! mill the action was over. Colonel Davis and his
ynen ,vero COMMUNICATED for conspicuous cOOness anu
n yiantry i'm General Taylor's dispatch OF March o.
| 1S11' HIS regiment was ordered home ON the OK.
niraton of lis term of enlistment. in July 1s47. and
( r,1n in Nev-Oreaas Colonel Davis Wa, appointed
by President Polk u brgadlei general The commits
| sion however. was decllnel, on inc ground that a