The National tribune., 1909-04-08
DAVIS AS A SOLDIER.

age the service of any man for the
country and the Flag, no matter wnat
may be that mans after life. Ihe fact
that he fought bravely for the Flag
must always be kept to his credit, and
The National Tribune will give him
| that credit in its fullness. AS we have
said before, Benedict Arnold was one
of the very ablest soldiers of the Revo-
1 luton and very few men did more for
| the glory of the Flag and the success
of the Revolution than Arnold prior to
his crowning treason. His expedition
| thru the unbroken forests of Maine
against Quebec, his magnificent fighting
| in Canada. where he was severely
wounded under the walls of Quebec,
his wonderful defense of Lake Cham
plain, where he fought British fleet
twice the size of his own and crippled
| it, and particularly in his splendid bat
tie at Saratoga, which sealed the fate
of Burgoyne, are all matters which re-
bounded greatly TO the glory of the
American Flag and contributed most
| Importantly to the success of the Revo-
luton. For these he deserves high
place among American soldiers, which
makes only the more conspicuous the
monstrous crime of which he was at
| last guilty.
The Southern writer's are now max
ing desperate attempts to exaggerate
Jefferson Davis's achievements as a SOL
der and to place him in a far higher
class than that to which he belongs.
We are quite willing to admit that
Davis made an excellent Colonel, and
behaved himself quite as well as the
Average of American Colonels in the
two battles in which he had the honor
to participate. This, however, is as far
as his military record goes. He never
| rose above the rank of Colonel, he
never was intrusted with an independ-
ent operation, and he never performed
any act which would lift him out Of
| the large class of American Colonels
who have commanded regiments in two
engagements.
Mr.. Davis graduated from West Point
| in the class of 1928, and had the quite
low rank of 23d in class of 33, none
of whom ever rose to distinction. 1t
was probably the least conspicuous class
ever graduated from the United States
| Military Academy. He was brevetted
Army, and for seven years served as
such on the frontier. During this time
he had the usual experience of young
Lieutenants on Indian expeditions. but
never seems to have done anything
which attracted attention to him, ex-
cept that he became involved in cabal
which compelled his resignation. His
ming the heart and hand of the daugh-
ter of his commanding officer, Col.
Zachary Taylor. The troubles in which
he became involved at that time gave
him the reputation which he main
tanned until his death of having more
quarrels and fewer fights than any 9TH
er man in the Army. After resigning
from the Army he went to Mississippi
| ard became a cotton planter. In 1S43,
Eight years after his resignation, he en-
tered politics, taking the Democratic
side, and two years later was elected to
Congress. The Mexican War came on.
a regiment of Mississippians was raised,
and he was elected their Colonel. With
it he took part in the attack upon and
storming of Monterey. His regiment
was part of the little army with which
hosts at Buena Vista. Davis and his
regiment acted very well in this battle,
as did all the other troops. With Da-
vis's usual passion for self-adyertise-
ment, he greatly exaggerated what his
regiment had done, at the expense of
some of the other troops, for which he
was sharply called down in the House
Bissell, Representative from Illinois,
who had also commanded a regiment
| in the battle and who defended the
troops from his own State, while Sc
| verely criticisng Davis's management
of his regiment and conduct in the bat
tie. The criticism was so stinging that
Davis Immediately challenged him, and
a meeting was arranged at Bladens-
burg. the historic duelling ground of
the District of Columbia. AS usual with
Davis's personal fights. this did not
come off. President Zachary Taylor
was informed of the intended meeting,
and took summary steps to prevent it.
Jefferson Davis's actual service in
| the Mexican War lasted from July,
1886, to the same month in 1847, or
one year, during which time he took
part in the two engagements mentioned.
This is the sum and substance of JEFF
ferson Davis's career as a soldier in the
United States Army, and he is entitled
to the full credit for that much, and
no more. There were some seven or
eight Colonies commanding regiments
and battalions at Buena Vista, all of
whom did their duty. and three OF
whom-Hardin, of Illinois; Clay, of
Kentucky, and Yell, of Arkansas-were
killed. Yet the ardent apostles of the
Lost Cause would make us believe that
Davis was pretty near~the whole thing
at Buena Vista.
Philadelphia is in the throes of dis
cussion over the question of naming
one Of the public school buildings after
Robert e. Lee. What mushy sentimen-
talist first started this folly is not
known, but he apparently has a num-
| ber of symDathiZerS in PhiIadeInhia