Jefferson Davis
By: Delia Gutierrez
About Jefferson
He was born in June 3rd,1808. Jefferson had a secluded life of the eight years of cotton plantation. He was given classical education in Transylvania. He spent the next seven years in various army post in Old Northwest. He was a United States soldier and statesman, and was the President of the Confederate States of America during the entire Civil War which was fought from 1861 to 1865. He took personal charge of the Confederate war plans but was unable to find a strategy to defeat the larger, more powerful and better organized Union.Davis was the first choice because of his strong political and military credentials. He wanted to serve as commander in chief of the Confederate armies but said he would serve wherever directed
His married life
Davis fell in love with his commanding officer's daughter Sarah Knox Taylor. Both Sarah and Jefferson sought Taylor's permission to marry. Taylor refused, as he did not wish his daughter to have a difficult life as a military wife on frontier army posts. Davis' own experience led him to appreciate the basis for Taylor's objection. He consulted with his older brother Joseph, and they both began to question the value of an Army career. Davis hesitated to leave, but his desire for Sarah overcame this, and he resigned his commission in a letter dated April 20, 1835. He had arranged for the letter to be sent to the War Department for him on May 12 when he did not return from leave;he had made no mention to Taylor of his intention to resign. Against his former commander's wishes, on June 17, he married Sarah in Louisville, Kentucky. His resignation became effective June 30. In 1845 he married Varina Howell, a young woman eighteen years old. They had 6 kids, two girls and four boys. Gosh, that has to hurt! His wife died 3 months after their married life. She died by malaria. Malaria is a fever that invades the red blood cells.
Jefferson quotes:
- Slavery existed before the formation of this Union. It derived from the Constitution that recognition which it would not have enjoyed without the confederation. If the States had not united together, there would have been no obligation on adjoining States to regard any species of property unknown to themselves
- It is not differences of opinion; it is geographical lines, rivers, and mountains which divide State from State, and make different nations of mankind.
- I worked night and day for twelve years to prevent the war, but I could not. The North was mad and blind, would not let us govern ourselves, and so the war came.
- All we ask is to be let alone.
Against slavery or into slavery?
Jefferson was into slavery and owned over 70 slaves!