The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1889-12-07

No dark sibvl hailed them at their birth az
the coming opponents of an awful struggle
No prophet would have dared predict in the
days OF their prominence That the rugged
Lincoln was soon to fail while the defeated,
an invalid during IA third Of his life, would
survive bis great antagonist for quarter of
a century, OUTLYING all the actors Of his age
III the great struggle. YET such was to be tins
irony of fate History presents many para
doxes but none greater than this: that the
victor i puld tall in the very hour of victory
and the defeated live till almost every trace
of the conflict had vanished, to die of mere
old age
The ancestors of jefferson Davis were of
pure Eug lish stock but SO long resident in
America that the type had become thorough
ly southern American. On both sides They'll
served in the war for American ndepend-
ence, his father, Samuel Davis, winning
some distinction III the mounted troops Of
Georgia. Of his ts- S'r1s, IN IN ersoil q. ) ~
came IA soldier, while Joseph, a man of talent
scarcely, if at all inferior, gained local
success as lawyer and planter in Mississippi
The brothers We're notably affectionate ii
childhood, and remained through life devoted
to each other.
Soon after the birth of jefferson, Samuel
Woodville, in Wilkinson county The sons
there acquired an unusually good English
education for the time, and at aD early age
Jefferson entered Pennsylvania college, Ken
lucky. In 1924, however, President Monroe
appointed him CADET ri West Point, whence
he was gr' ,uatea in 138. at the early age Of
90 He hid stood high in his class, and at
once entered on active duty, though for some
time commits ioned only as a brevet second
lieutenant. Promotion was very slow i'll those
peaceful times, but he soon won his full COM
mission, and in the next three years demon-
strated his organizing capacity, both as in
fantry and staff officer on the north WESTERN
frontier
The year 1881 brought surprise and many
promotions Black Hawk entered on his ia Il
nous campaign, and Jefferson Davis was att
once given an active and responsible postion
to muster in and organize the new recruits
There has long been tradition that in this
capacity he mustered in the company Of Hill
nois volunteers from New Salem and vicinityI
commanded by Capt. Abraham Lincoln, but
there Is no record Of 1t
CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE INDIANS
Early in 1888 Lieut. Davis was transferred
from his place i'll Company B, First United
States infantry, and IN recognition Of his
StfN ices IN the Back HtWk war was promo
Ted to a first lieutenancy in the First United
States dragons, of which command he was
soon made adjutant. In this position heI
made very brilliant record. not only as an
organizer and efficient administrator in gar
rison life, but IN several active campaignsl
against the Comanches, Pawnees and otherl
Indians. And it is at this stage of his careerI
that active, one might say acrid, criticism
fret VIII Tafta
Those writer's who persist i'll attributing thel
downfall of the Southern Confederacy toE
President Davis allege that thus early he ex-
hbited the same faults and virtues which,
marked his administration in greater and
greater degree with each successive increased
Of rank and power. The greatest fault al
legged, perhaps is unreasonable attachment
to a few friends and corresponding prejudice
against other persons.
1t was while i'll this service that Lieut. Da-
Wis wooed and won a daughter Of the eminent
general and president, Zachary Taylor Her
father was in command OF Fort Crawford
near Prairie Du Chen, and ais daughter a
beautiful and refined young lady, was the
center of attraction among the subordinate
officers. Innumerable are the romantic sto-
ries OF their rvalrieS, the final success of Lieut.
Davis, the bitter opposition of the sternI
parent and old Indian fighter, and the final
departure by night Of the young couple toI
be married by priest on the western bank of