The Prescott daily news., 1908-06-03
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duy lQudl Cd- reer has known since the world began. MT. Davis was born June 8, 1908, in Christian county, now Todd county, Ky, and died Dec. 6, 1889, in New Or leans. Eight months after his birth not many miles away in the same state was born Abraham Lincoln, who was to play opposite" Jefferson Davis dur ing the four years of civil war which made both of them historical person ages. Each in his respective sphere served as helpless target for the darts of vituperation and abuse from those who on the one side or the other held that the war could have been handled better. Practically all through his service as the Confederate president MT. Davis was charged with incompe- tency by Richmond newspaper print ed so close to his official chambers that he could almost smell the ink. The vice president of his own government, Alexander H. Stephens, wrote letter declaring his belief that President Davis aspired to become a dictator and in substance that his object, instead of fighting for independence, was the sub version of human liberty.
 As seen through historical perspec- tive fifty years from now, when all tho count is made up. when prejudice and passion shall have given place to calmer judgment, the likelihood Is that Jeffer- son Davis will be regarded as one who did nobly and ably what 1t was pos sible and imperative for him to do in a time that tried mems souls. For the present, In connection with the cen tenary of his birth, 1t is sufficient to set forth some of the salient features of his career as a man, as a soldier. as a statesman and as a scholar. It Is con- ceded that his service to the United States as soldier. as lawmaker and as cabinet minister were highly credit able. MT. Davis first went to congress from Mississippi in 1S45. John Quincy Adams, the grand old man" of the house, who had been president of the United States, listened attentively to the first speech of the young Mississip- plan.
 That young man," he said. 'is bound to make his mark"
 Less than two years later the young man made his mark as a soldier. He had resigned his seat in the house to enter the military service in the war with Mexico, being West Point graduate. He was elected colonel of the First Mississippi volunteer rl1emen. In the fierce battle of Buena Vista, though severely wounded, he saved the day by an exploit which won the warm praise of the venerable Duke of Wellington and other noted military men of Europe. That was the famous movement. Colonel Davis formed his forces in the shape of V open toward an advancing host of mounted Mexican lancers much superior in num- bers. When the lancers rode down in- to the V, the American rifiemen caught tsem in a whitening fire that moved them down like weeds before q scythe. few years later Sir Colin Campbell, at lnkerman, V shaped his forces and repulsed a heavy body of Russians, taking his cue from Colonel Davis of Buena Vista.
 dozen years before, when young heutenant in the army, Davis had loved and won daughter of Zachary Taylor, his immediate commander at the time. The marriage was practi- cally an elopement Mrs. Davis died a lew weeks after the event, her bus band having resigned from the army and retired to plantation life in Mlssls-