Huntsville gazette., 1889-12-14

presents many paradoxies, but none greater
than this That the victor should fall in
the very hour of victory and the defeated
live until almost every trace of the conflict
had vanished, to die of mere old age.
The ancestors of jefferson Davis were of
pure English stock, but so long resident in
America that the type had become thor
oughly Southern American. On both sides
they served in the war for American in
dependence, his father, Samuel Davis,
winning some distinction in the mounted
troops of Georgia. Of his two sons, Jeffer-
son early became soldier, while Joseph,
man of talent, scarcely, if at all, inferior,
gained local success as a lawyer and
planter in Mississippi. The brothers were
notably affectionate in childhood, and re-
manned through life devoted to each other.
Soon after the birth of Jefferson, Samuel
Davis removed to Mississippi, locating ne ar
Woodville, in Wilkinson county. The sons
there acquired an unusually good English
education for the time, and at an early age
Jefferson entered Transylvania College,
Kentucky. In 1924, however, President
Monroe appointed him a cadet at West
Point, where he was graduated in 1928, 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 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 surprise and
many promotions. Black Hawk entered on
his famous campaign, and Jefferson Davis
was at once given an active and response
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 inrecognition
of his services in the Black Hawk war was
promoted to first lieutenancy in the First
United States Dragons, of which COM
mand he was soon made adjutant. In this
position he made very brilliant record,
not only as an organizer and efficient ad-
ministrator 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 a daughter of the
| eminent General and President, Zachary
Taylor Her father ia command of
| Fort Crawford, near Prairie Du CHEN, and
| his daughter, a beautiful and refined young
| lady, was the center of attraction among
the subordinate officers. Innumerable are
the romantic stories Of their rivalries, the
final success of Lieut.. Davis, the bitter
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 it
that the father remained obdurate for some
time and was not completely reconciled to
his son -in-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:
bless you. When Dolly would have you
she was a better judge of 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 a
s'crsis;" the annexation of Texas may be
| taken as the first issue over which dis
tinctively Northern and Southern parties
| confronted each other. In 1843 Lieut..
| Davis took an active and most effective
| part in the State campaign, and in 1914 he
was one of the Democratic electors for
Mississippi. In 1916 he was elected Rep
resentative in Congress, and in December
! OF that year took his set in the House. 1t
was called then stormy session." but in
retrospect after the long session of 1S40-50,
it was thought mild.
Mr. Davis took an active part in the dis
cussons on the tariff, the Oregon boundary
| issue, the Mexican imbroglio and tine
| slavery question so for as it came up, but
his speeches at that time indicate a
position far more moderate than was after
ward attributed to him. 1t is of no 'graet
I 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 tho most eloquent
eulogies upol the Union came from the
South. In speech on the Oregon ques-
tion, February 6, 1916, Mr.. Davis said:
| "From sire to son has descended the love
of union in our hearts, as in our history are
ming gled the names of Concord and Cam
den, Of Yorktown and Saratoga, of Moul-
trie and Plattsburg, of Chippewa and Erie,
| of New Orleans and Bunker Hill. Grouped
together they form monument to the
common glory of our Common country
and whert is the Southern man who would
wish that that monument were less by one
of the Northern names that constitute the
mass?n
While Mr.. Davis was active in Congress
in July, the First Regiment Of Mississippi
/ volunteers enr oiled for the Mexican wal
elected him their Colonel. He resigned al
once, overlook his regiment at New Cr-
leans, organized and drilled it to a high