Jefferson Davis

Descended from Revolutionary soldiers, officer Jefferson Davis served in the military until ill health forced his resignation from the army in 1835. At various times, Davis was a congressman and a senator, often stating his support for slavery and states’ rights. During his second term as senator, he was seen as the spokesman for the Southern point of view. Yet, he was against seceding from the Union and worked to keep the states together, although not at the expense of Southern principles. When the state of Mississippi seceded, Davis resigned his senate seat. In February 1861, he was elected to a six-year term as president of the Confederacy. Although he failed to raise sufficient funds to fight the Civil War and did not receive support from foreign governments, he is recognized for raising the formidable Confederate army and appointing General Robert E. Lee as commander. In the 34 years between the end of the war in 1865 and his death in 1889, Davis never showed remorse for his part in the conflict.