The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-12-12

troops OF Georgia. VI MS Two SONS, JeheT-
son early became a soldier, while Joseph,
O man of talent, scarcely, IL at all, inferior,
gained a local success as a lawyer and
planter in Mississippi. The brothers were
notably affectionate in childhood, and re-
mained through life devoted to each other.
Soon after the birth Of Jefferson, Samuel
Davis removed to Mississippi, locating near
woodville, in Wilkinson county. The sons
there acquired an unusually good English
education for the time, and at an early age
Jefferson entered Transylyania College,
Kentucky. In 1924, however, President
Monroe appointed him a cadet at West
Point, where he was graduated in 1873, at
the early age of twenty. He had stood
high in his class, and at once entered on
active duty, though for some time COM
missioned only as a brevet second lieuten-
ant. Promotion was very slow in those
peaceful times, but he soon won his full
commission, and in the next three years
demonstrated his organizing capacity, both
as infantry and staff officer on the North
western frontier.
The year 1881 brought a surprise and
many promotions. Black Hawk entered on
his famous campaign, and Jefferson Davis
BILE position to muster in and organize the
new recruits. There has long been ira
dition that in this capacity he mustered in
the company of Illinois volunteers from
New Salem and vicinity commanded by
Capt. Abraham Lincoln, but there is no
record OF it.
Early in 1888 Lieut.. Davis was trans
| ferred from his place in Company b, First
United States Infantry, and in recognition
| of his services in the Black Hawk war was
promoted to first leutenancy in the First
| United States Dragons, of which COM
| mand he was soon made adJutant. In this
position be made a very brilliant record,
not only as an organizer and efficient ad-
ministr;. tor in garrison life, but in several
active campaigns against the Comanches,
Pawnees and other Indians.
1t was while in the services that Lieut..
Davis woed and won daughter Of the
eminent General and President, Zachary
Taylor, Her father was in command OF
Fort Crawford, near Prairie Du Chen, and
his daughter, beautiful and refined young
lady, was the center of attraction among
the subordinate officers. lnnumerable are
the romantic stories of their rivalries, the
|
opposition of the "stern parent" and old
Indian fighter, and the final departure by
night of the young couple to be married
| by priest on the western bank OF the
Mississippi. Let the young and romantic
continue to read and believe. Suffice 1t
that the father remained obdurate for some
time and was not completely reconciled to
his son-in-l law till the latter lay wounded
in his tent after the battle of Buena Vista.
There are as many accounts of what was
said there as of the battle of Shiloh. Gen.
Taylor's words appear to have been these,
or very near them:
"Colonel, you have saved the day-God
bless you! When Dolly would have you,
she was, a better judge of a man than l
was"
June 80, 1885, Lieut.. Davis resigned his
commission and located in Mississippi,
where he lived for eight years the quiet
life of a cotton planter Then came
"crisis;" the annexation of Texas may be
taken as the first issue over which dis
tinctiyely Northern and Southern parties
confronted each other. In 1S43 Lieut..
Davis took an active and most effective
part in the State campaign, and in 1914 he
Mississippi. In 1S45 he was elected Rep
resentative In Congress, and in December
of that wear took his set in the House 1t
was calle ed then "stormy session." but in
retrospect after the long session of 1S49-50,
it was thought mild.
4 Mr.. Davis took an active part in the dis
cussions on the tariff, the Oregon boundary
issue, the Mexican imbroglio and the
slavery question so for as it came up, but
his speeches at that time indicate
position far more moderate than was after
ward attributed to him. 1t is of no !graet
consequence now, but worth noting as
curious matter of history, that IN the heated
discussions regarding Texas the threats of
disunion came largely from the extreme
| Northern men, while the most eloquent
eulogies upon the Union came from the
South. In q speech on the Oregon ques-
ton, February 6, 1916, Mr.. Davis said:
/ "From sire to son has descended the love
| of union in our hearts, as in our history are
mingled the names of Concord and Cam
den, of Yorktown and Saratoga, of Moul-
| trie and Plattsburg, of Chippewa and Erie,
| of Now Orleans and Bunker Hill. Grouped
together they form a monument to the
common glory of our common country;
| and where is the Southern man who would
wish that that monument were less by one
| of the Northern names that constitute the
mass?"
| While Mr.. Davis was active in Congress
in July, the First Regiment Of Mississippi
| volunteers enr oiled for the Mexican war
elected him their Colonel. He resigned at
once, overlook his regiment at New Or
leans, organized and drilled it to a high
state of efficiency, and early in September
was on the Rio Grande, in the army of his
father-in law, Gen. Zachary Taylor. A
few days later he bore a conspicuous part
in the siege and storming of Monterey
and, as commissioner, aided in drawing VI
the terms of capitulation.
Five months Of comparative quiet fol
lowed, and then came the crowning glory o
his military career, the achievement o
which, more than all else, fixed him firmly
in the affections of the Southern people
aided him effectively at each turning poin
in his subsequent career, made him Secre
tary Of War, and finally President of tn
Southern Confederacy. This was his gal
lantry, GOODNESS in danger and soldierl,
skill at the battle of Buena Vista, Febru
ary %, 1S47.
In July, 1876, MIR. Davis was in Congress
in September he was leading his regimen
against Monterey; in February, 1S47, b
was at Buena Vista, and July of the sam
year found him again a peaceful planter
the regiments term Of service having ex