167-582: The Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum is the library of Jefferson Davis , President of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. Designed by Larry Albert of Albert & Associates Architects, the library is located within the Beauvoir historical site in Biloxi, Mississippi , United States. The library has the stated purpose of preserving, housing, and making available
334-683: A sinecure as measurer of coal and salt at the Boston Customs House that allowed the author time to continue writing. Pierce voted the party line on most issues and was an able senator, but not an eminent one; he was overshadowed by the Great Triumvirate of Calhoun, Henry Clay , and Daniel Webster , who dominated the Senate. Pierce entered the Senate at a time of economic crisis, as the Panic of 1837 had begun. He considered
501-749: A Catholic preparatory school run by Dominicans near Springfield, Kentucky . In 1818, Davis returned to Mississippi, where he briefly studied at Jefferson College in Washington . He then attended the Wilkinson County Academy near Woodville for five years. In 1823, Davis attended Transylvania University in Lexington . While he was still in college in 1824, he learned that his father Samuel had died. Before his death, Samuel had fallen into debt and sold Rosemont and most of his slaves to his eldest son Joseph Emory Davis , who already owned
668-438: A Union with those who have already shown the will ...to deprive you of your birthright and to reduce you to worse than the colonial dependence of your fathers." In February 1860, Davis presented a series of resolutions defining the relationship between the states under the constitution, including the assertion that Americans had a constitutional right to bring slaves into territories. These resolutions were seen as setting
835-559: A career as an attorney, he was fully drawn into the realm of politics as the 1828 presidential election between Adams and Jackson approached. In the state elections held in March 1828, the Adams faction withdrew their support of Benjamin Pierce, voting him out of office, but Franklin Pierce won his first election, a one-year term as Hillsborough's town meeting moderator , a position to which he
1002-668: A crisis because the Confederacy needed time to organize its resources. To ensure that no attack on Fort Sumter was launched without his command, Davis had appointed Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard to command all Confederate troops in the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina. Davis sent a commission to Washington to negotiate the evacuation of the forts, but President of the United States Lincoln refused to meet with it. When Lincoln informed Davis that he intended to reprovision Fort Sumter, Davis convened with
1169-657: A debate on the Lecompton Constitution submitted by a convention in Kansas Territory . If approved, it would have allowed Kansas to be admitted as a slave state. Davis supported it, but it was not accepted, in part because the leading Democrat in the North, Stephen Douglas , argued it did not represent the true will of the settlers in the territory. The controversy undermined the alliance between Northern and Southern Democrats. Davis's participation in
1336-419: A decade, and lacked the front-runners' national reputation. He publicly declared that such a nomination would be "utterly repugnant to my tastes and wishes", but given New Hampshire Democrats' desire to see one of their own elected, he knew his future influence depended on his availability to run. Thus, he quietly allowed his supporters to lobby for him, with the understanding that his name would not be entered at
1503-481: A family and lived to be 54; Jefferson Davis Jr., born in 1857, who died of yellow fever at age 21; Joseph Evan, born 1859, who died from an accidental fall at age five; William Howell, born 1861, who died of diphtheria at age 10; and Varina Anne , born 1864, who remained single and lived to be 34. In July 1845, Davis became a candidate for the United States House of Representatives . He ran on
1670-706: A family friend in Portsmouth, New Hampshire . He then spent a semester at Northampton Law School in Northampton, Massachusetts , followed by a period of study in 1826 and 1827 under Judge Edmund Parker in Amherst, New Hampshire . He was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in late 1827 and began to practice in Hillsborough. He lost his first case, but soon proved capable as a lawyer. Despite never being
1837-597: A forerunner to the Pendleton Act passed three decades later, which mandated that most U.S. government positions be awarded on the basis of merit, not patronage. Secretary Robert McClelland reformed the Interior Department , systematizing its operations, expanding the use of paper records, and going after fraud. Another of Pierce's reforms was to expand the role of the U.S. attorney general in appointing federal judges and attorneys, an important step in
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#17327799136472004-420: A general, especially in the initial march from Vera Cruz, but his short tenure and his injury left little for historians to judge his ability as a military commander by. Ulysses S. Grant , who had the opportunity to observe Pierce firsthand during the war, countered the allegations of cowardice in his memoirs, written several years after Pierce's death: "Whatever General Pierce's qualifications may have been for
2171-560: A large estate in Davis Bend, Mississippi , about 15 miles (24 km) south of Vicksburg, Mississippi . Joseph, who was 23 years older than Davis, informally became his surrogate father. His older brother Joseph got Davis appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1824, where he became friends with classmates Albert Sidney Johnston and Leonidas Polk . Davis frequently challenged
2338-521: A law book rather than on a Bible, as all his predecessors except John Quincy Adams, who swore on a book of law, had done. He was the first president to deliver his inaugural address from memory. In it, he hailed an era of peace and prosperity at home and urged a vigorous assertion of U.S. interests in its foreign relations, including the "eminently important" acquisition of new territories. "The policy of my Administration", he said, "will not be deterred by any timid forebodings of evil from expansion." Avoiding
2505-436: A legal scholar, his memory for names and faces served him well, as did his personal charm and deep voice. In Hillsborough, his law partner was Albert Baker, who had studied law under Pierce and was the brother of Mary Baker Eddy . By 1824, New Hampshire was a hotbed of partisanship, with figures such as Woodbury and Isaac Hill laying the groundwork for a party of Democrats in support of General Andrew Jackson . They opposed
2672-637: A legislator, he was a passionate advocate for volunteer militias. As a militia officer himself, he had experience mustering and drilling bodies of troops. When Congress declared war against Mexico in May 1846, Pierce immediately volunteered to join, although no New England regiment yet existed. His hope to fight in the Mexican–American War was one reason he refused an offer to become Polk's Attorney General . General Zachary Taylor 's advance slowed in northern Mexico, and General Winfield Scott proposed capturing
2839-558: A lieutenant in the United States Army . After leaving the army in 1835, Davis married Sarah Knox Taylor , daughter of general and future President Zachary Taylor . Sarah died from malaria three months after the wedding. Davis became a cotton planter , building Brierfield Plantation in Mississippi on his brother Joseph's land and eventually owning as many as 113 slaves. In 1845, Davis married Varina Howell . During
3006-477: A member from each of the states of the Confederacy, including Texas which had recently seceded: Robert Toombs of Georgia for Secretary of State, Christopher Memminger of South Carolina for Secretary of the Treasury, LeRoy Walker of Alabama for Secretary of War, John Reagan of Texas for Postmaster General, Judah P. Benjamin of Louisiana for Attorney General, and Stephen Mallory of Florida for Secretary of
3173-762: A member of the Democratic Party before the American Civil War . He was the United States Secretary of War from 1853 to 1857. Davis, the youngest of ten children, was born in Fairview, Kentucky , but spent most of his childhood in Wilkinson County, Mississippi . His eldest brother Joseph Emory Davis secured the younger Davis's appointment to the United States Military Academy . Upon graduating, he served six years as
3340-553: A military college in Vermont , and Truman B. Ransom and Alonzo Jackman , Norwich faculty members and militia officers, to increase recruiting efforts and improve training and readiness. Pierce served as a Norwich University trustee from 1841 to 1859, and received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Norwich in 1853. In late 1832, the Democratic Party convention nominated Pierce for one of New Hampshire's five seats in
3507-689: A more robust community life. Jane had remained in Concord with her young son Frank and her newborn Benjamin for the latter part of Pierce's Senate term, and this separation had taken a toll on the family. Pierce, meanwhile, had begun a demanding but lucrative law partnership with Asa Fowler during congressional recesses. Pierce returned to Concord in early 1842, and his reputation as a lawyer continued to flourish. Known for his gracious personality, eloquence, and excellent memory, Pierce attracted large audiences in court. He would often represent poor people for little or no compensation. Pierce remained involved in
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#17327799136473674-478: A mother. She avoided social functions for much of her first two years as First Lady , making her public debut in that role to great sympathy at the annual public reception held at the White House on New Year's Day, 1855. When Franklin Pierce departed New Hampshire for the inauguration, Jane chose not to accompany him. Pierce, then the youngest man to be elected president, chose to affirm his oath of office on
3841-416: A national bank. In December 1841 Pierce decided to resign from Congress, something he had been planning for some time. New Hampshire Democrats insisted that their state's U. S. senators be limited to one six-year term, so he had little likelihood of reelection. Also, he was frustrated at being a member of the legislative minority and wished to devote his time to his family and law practice. His last actions in
4008-640: A permanent exhibit covering Davis's life. On August 29, 2005, the library suffered heavy damage from the fierce wind and water of Hurricane Katrina . The library pavilion, the Hayes Cottage, the Soldiers Home barracks replica, the Confederate Soldiers Museum, the gift shop, and the director's home were totally destroyed. Artifacts were photographed, inventoried, boxed, and placed in environmental storage while conservation of
4175-529: A platform emphasizing a strict constructionist view of the constitution, states' rights , tariff reductions, and opposition to a national bank. He won the election and entered the 29th Congress. Davis opposed using federal monies for internal improvements, which he believed would undermine the autonomy of the states. He supported the American annexation of Oregon, but through peaceful compromise with Britain. On May 11, 1846, he voted for war with Mexico. At
4342-613: A platform that rejected further "agitation" over slavery and supported the Compromise of 1850. When word reached New Hampshire of the result, Pierce found it difficult to believe, and his wife fainted. Their son Benjamin wrote to his mother hoping that Franklin's candidacy would not be successful, as he knew she would not like to live in Washington. The Whig nominee was General Scott, Pierce's commander in Mexico; his running mate
4509-489: A popular slogan was that the Democrats "will pierce their enemies in 1852 as they poked [that is, Polked ] them in 1844." This proved true, as Scott won only Kentucky, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Vermont, finishing with 42 electoral votes to Pierce's 254. With 3.2 million votes cast, Pierce won the popular vote, 50.9% to 44.1%. A sizable block of Free Soilers broke for Pierce's in-state rival, Hale, who won 4.9% of
4676-491: A progressive literary society, alongside Jonathan Cilley (later elected to Congress) and Nathaniel Hawthorne , with whom he formed lasting friendships. He was the last in his class after two years, but he worked hard to improve his grades and graduated in fifth place in 1824 in a graduating class of 14. John P. Hale enrolled at Bowdoin in Pierce's junior year; he became a political ally of Pierce's and then his rival. Pierce organized and led an unofficial militia company called
4843-710: A project could be justified as a Constitutional national security objective. Davis also deployed the Army Corps of Engineers to supervise construction projects in the District of Columbia, including the expansion of the United States Capitol and building of the Washington Monument . The Pierce administration aligned with the expansionist Young America movement, with Marcy leading the charge as secretary of state. Marcy sought to present to
5010-481: A restriction on corporate privilege. The state's political culture grew less tolerant of banks and corporations after the Panic of 1837, and Hill was voted out of office. Pierce was closer to the radicals philosophically, and reluctantly agreed to represent Hill's adversary in a legal dispute regarding ownership of a newspaper—Hill lost, and founded his own paper, of which Pierce was a frequent target. In June 1842 Pierce
5177-516: A senator. When Calhoun died in the spring of 1850, Davis became the senatorial spokesperson for the South. The Congress debated Henry Clay 's resolutions, which sought to address the sectional and territorial problems of the nation and became the basis for the Compromise of 1850 . Davis was against the resolutions because he felt they would put the South at a political disadvantage. He opposed
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5344-410: A short-term opening to be filled by the state legislature, and with Hill's term as senator due to expire in March 1837, the legislature also had to fill the six-year term to follow. Pierce's candidacy for the Senate was championed by state Representative John P. Hale, a fellow Athenian at Bowdoin. After much debate, the legislature chose John Page to fill the rest of Hill's term. In December 1836, Pierce
5511-766: A stalemate at the Battle of Perryville , Bragg and Smith retreated to Tennessee. In December, Bragg was defeated at the Battle of Stones River . In response to the defeat and the lack of coordination, Davis reorganized the command in the West in November, combining the armies in Tennessee and Vicksburg into a department under the overall command of Joseph Johnston. Davis expected Johnston to relieve Bragg of his command, but Johnston refused. During this time, Secretary of War Randolph resigned because he felt Davis refused to give him
5678-606: A woman of Scots-Irish descent whom he had met in South Carolina during his military service, in 1783. Around 1793, Samuel and Jane moved to Kentucky. Jefferson was born on June 3, 1808, at the family homestead in Davisburg, a village Samuel had established that later became Fairview, Kentucky . He was named after then-President Thomas Jefferson . In 1810, the Davis family moved to Bayou Teche , Louisiana. Less than
5845-522: A year later, they moved to a farm near Woodville, Mississippi , where Samuel cultivated cotton, acquired twelve slaves, and built a house that Jane called Rosemont . During the War of 1812 , three of Davis's brothers served in the military. When Davis was around five, he received a rudimentary education at a small schoolhouse near Woodville. When he was about eight, his father sent him with Major Thomas Hinds and his relatives to attend Saint Thomas College ,
6012-586: The 1840 presidential election . The incumbent carried New Hampshire but lost the election to the Whig candidate, military hero William Henry Harrison . The Whigs took a majority of seats in the Twenty-seventh Congress . Harrison died after a month in office, and Vice President John Tyler succeeded him. Pierce and the Democrats were quick to challenge the new administration, questioning the removal of federal officeholders, and opposing Whig plans for
6179-509: The Battle of Bad Axe , which ended the war. When Black Hawk was captured, Davis escorted him for detention in St. Louis. Black Hawk stated that Davis treated him with kindness. After Davis's return to Fort Crawford in January 1833, he and Taylor's daughter, Sarah, became romantically involved. Davis asked Taylor if he could marry Sarah, but Taylor refused. In spring, Taylor had him assigned to
6346-496: The Battle of Buena Vista on February 22, 1847. He was wounded in the heel during the fighting, but his actions stopped an attack by the Mexican forces that threatened to collapse the American line. In May, Polk offered him a federal commission as a brigadier general . Davis declined the appointment, arguing he could not directly command militia units because the U.S. Constitution gives the power of appointing militia officers to
6513-588: The Mexican–American War as a brigadier general in the United States Army . Democrats saw him as a compromise candidate uniting Northern and Southern interests, and nominated him for president on the 49th ballot at the 1852 Democratic National Convention . He and running mate William R. King easily defeated the Whig Party ticket of Winfield Scott and William Alexander Graham in the 1852 presidential election . As president, Pierce attempted to enforce neutral standards for civil service while also satisfying
6680-641: The Missouri Compromise 's limits on slavery and left the decision about a territory's slaveholding status to popular sovereignty , which allowed the territory's residents to decide. The passage of this bill led to the demise of the Whig party, which had tried to limit expansion of slavery in the territories. It also contributed to the rise of the Republican Party and the increase of civil violence in Kansas . The Democratic nomination for
6847-661: The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. The commanders responsible for the defeat were Brigadier Generals Gideon Pillow and John B. Floyd , political generals that Davis had been required to appoint. Davis gathered troops defending the Gulf Coast and concentrated them with A. S. Johnston's remaining forces. Davis favored using this concentration in an offensive. Johnston attacked the Union forces at Shiloh in southwestern Tennessee on April 6. The attack failed, and Johnston
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7014-522: The U.S. House of Representatives . This was tantamount to election for the young Democrat, as the National Republicans had faded as a political force, while the Whigs had not yet begun to attract a large following. Democratic strength in New Hampshire was also bolstered by Jackson's landslide reelection that year . New Hampshire had been a marginal state politically, but from 1832 through
7181-865: The United States Regiment of Dragoons under Colonel Henry Dodge . He was promoted to first lieutenant and deployed at Fort Gibson in Arkansas Territory . In February 1835, Davis was court-martialed for insubordination. He was acquitted. He requested a furlough, and immediately after it ended, he tendered his resignation, which was effective on June 30. Davis decided to become a cotton planter . He returned to Mississippi where his brother Joseph had developed Davis Bend into Hurricane Plantation , which eventually had 1,700 acres (690 ha) of cultivated fields with over 300 slaves. Joseph loaned him funds to buy ten slaves and provided him with 800 acres (320 ha), though Joseph retained
7348-642: The " Mississippi Rifles ". Davis's regiment was assigned to the army of his former father-in-law, Zachary Taylor, in northeastern Mexico. Davis distinguished himself at the Battle of Monterrey in September by leading a charge that took the fort of La Teneria. He then went on a two-month leave and returned to Mississippi, where he learned that Joseph had submitted Davis's resignation from the House of Representatives in October. Davis returned to Mexico and fought in
7515-524: The 1830 census, and suggested the actual number was one-in-33. Pierce was outraged when South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun read the article on the Senate floor as "proof" that New Hampshire was a hotbed of abolitionism. Calhoun apologized after Pierce replied to him in a speech which stated that most signatories were women and children, who could not vote, which therefore cast doubt on the one-in-33 figure. The resignation in May 1836 of Senator Isaac Hill, who had been elected governor of New Hampshire, left
7682-588: The 1856 presidential election went to James Buchanan . Knowing his term was over when the Pierce administration ended in 1857, Davis ran for the Senate once more and re-entered it on March 4, 1857. In the same month, the United States Supreme Court decided the Dred Scott case , which ruled that slavery could not be barred from any territory. The Senate recessed in March and did not reconvene until November 1857. The session opened with
7849-637: The Bowdoin Cadets during his junior year, which included Cilley and Hawthorne. The unit performed drill on campus near the president's house, until the noise caused him to demand that it halt. The students rebelled and went on strike, an event that Pierce was suspected of leading. During his final year at Bowdoin, he spent several months teaching at Hebron Academy in rural Hebron, Maine , where he earned his first salary and his students included future Congressman John J. Perry . Pierce read law briefly with former New Hampshire Governor Levi Woodbury ,
8016-418: The Confederacy and regain Tennessee, but he did not create a unified command. He formed a new department independent of Bragg under Major General Edmund Kirby Smith at Knoxville, Tennessee . In August, both Bragg and Smith invaded Kentucky. Frankfort was briefly captured and a Confederate governor was inaugurated, but the attack collapsed, in part due to lack of coordination between the two generals. After
8183-410: The Confederacy. The American Civil War had begun. In addition to being the constitutional commander-in-chief of the Confederacy, Davis was operational military leader as the military departments reported directly to him. Many people, including Generals Joseph E. Johnston and Major General Leonidas Polk, thought he would direct the fighting, but he left that to his generals. Major fighting in
8350-545: The Confederate Congress on April 8 and gave orders to demand the immediate surrender of the fort or to reduce it. The commander of the fort, Major Robert Anderson , refused to surrender, and Beauregard began the attack on Fort Sumter early on April 12. After over thirty hours of bombardment, the fort surrendered. When Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion , four more states– Virginia , North Carolina , Tennessee , and Arkansas —joined
8517-555: The Constitution then had no provision for filling the vacancy. This extended vacancy meant that for nearly the entirety of Pierce's presidency the Senate President pro tempore , initially David Atchison of Missouri, was next in line to the presidency. Pierce sought to run a more efficient and accountable government than his predecessors. His Cabinet members implemented an early system of civil service examinations,
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#17327799136478684-564: The Democratic Party's diverse elements with patronage, an effort that largely failed and turned many in his party against him. He was a Young America expansionist who signed the Gadsden Purchase of land from Mexico and led a failed attempt to acquire Cuba from Spain. He signed trade treaties with Britain and Japan and his Cabinet reformed its departments and improved accountability, but political strife during his presidency overshadowed these successes. His popularity declined sharply in
8851-453: The District of Columbia, where Congress had jurisdiction. Pierce supported a resolution by Calhoun against this proposal, which Pierce considered a dangerous stepping stone to nationwide emancipation. Meanwhile, the Whigs were growing in congressional strength, which would leave Pierce's party with only a small majority by the end of the decade. One topic of particular importance to Pierce was
9018-595: The East began an amphibious attack on the Virginia Peninsula , 75 miles from the Confederate capital of Richmond . Davis and Lee wanted Joseph Johnston, who commanded the Confederate army near Richmond, to make a stand at Yorktown . Instead, Johnston withdrew from the peninsula without informing Davis. Davis reminded Johnston that it was his duty to not let Richmond fall. On May 31, 1862, Johnston engaged
9185-460: The East began when a Union army advanced into northern Virginia in July 1861. It was defeated at Manassas by two Confederate forces commanded by Beauregard and Joseph Johnston. After the battle, Davis had to manage disputes with the two generals, both of whom felt they did not get the recognition they deserved. In the West, Davis had to address a problem caused by another general. Kentucky , which
9352-606: The Hurricane Plantation for the Christmas season. At the convention, Davis was selected as one of Mississippi's six presidential electors for the 1844 presidential election . Within a month of their meeting, 35-year-old Davis and Varina became engaged despite her parents' initial concerns about his age and politics. During the remainder of the year, Davis campaigned for the Democratic party, advocating for
9519-674: The Mexican–American War, claiming that Nicholas Trist , who negotiated the treaty, had done so as a private citizen and not a government representative. Instead, he advocated negotiating a new treaty ceding additional land to the United States, and opposed the application of the Wilmot Proviso to the treaty, which would have banned slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico. During the 1848 presidential election, Davis chose not to campaign against Zachary Taylor, who
9686-523: The Navy. Davis stood in for Mississippi. During his presidency, Davis's cabinet often changed; there were fourteen different appointees for the positions, including six secretaries of war. On November 6, 1861 , Davis was elected president for a six-year term. He took office on February 22, 1862. As the Southern states seceded, state authorities took over most federal facilities without bloodshed. But four forts, including Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina , had not surrendered. Davis preferred to avoid
9853-501: The New York Democratic Party. The more conservative Hardshell Democrats or "Hards" of New York were deeply skeptical of the Pierce administration, which was associated with Marcy (who became Secretary of State) and the more moderate New York faction, the Softshell Democrats or "Softs". Buchanan had urged Pierce to consult Vice President-elect King in selecting the Cabinet, but Pierce did not do so—Pierce and King had not communicated since they had been selected as candidates in June 1852. By
10020-408: The North, Lee invaded Maryland , but retreated back to Virginia after a bloody stalemate at Antietam in September. In December, Lee stopped another invasion of Virginia at the Battle of Fredericksburg . In the West, Bragg shifted most of his available forces from Tupelo to Chattanooga in July 1862 for an offensive toward Kentucky. Davis approved, suggesting that an attack could win Kentucky for
10187-411: The Northern states after he supported the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which nullified the Missouri Compromise , while many Southern whites continued to support him. The act's passage led to violent conflict over the expansion of slavery in the American West. Pierce's administration was further damaged when several of his diplomats issued the Ostend Manifesto calling for the annexation of Cuba, a document that
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#173277991364710354-495: The Presidency, he was a gentleman and a man of courage. I was not a supporter of him politically, but I knew him more intimately than I did any other of the volunteer generals." Returning to Concord, Pierce resumed his law practice; in one notable case he defended the religious liberty of the Shakers , the insular sect threatened with legal action over accusations of abuse. But his role as a party leader continued to take up most of his attention. He continued to wrangle with Hale, who
10521-533: The Senate in February 1842 were to oppose a bill distributing federal funds to the states—believing that the money should go to the military instead—and to challenge the Whigs to reveal the results of their investigation of the New York Customs House , where the Whigs had probed for Democratic corruption for nearly a year but had issued no findings. Despite his resignation from the Senate, Pierce had no intention of leaving public life. The move to Concord had given him more opportunities for cases, and allowed Jane Pierce
10688-437: The Senate was interrupted in early 1858 by a recurring case of iritis , which threatened the loss of his left eye. It left him bedridden for seven weeks. He spent the summer of 1858 in Portland, Maine recovering, and gave speeches in Maine, Boston, and New York, emphasizing the common heritage of all Americans and the importance of the constitution for defining the nation. His speeches angered some states' rights supporters in
10855-442: The Senate. He resigned in 1861 when Mississippi seceded from the United States. During the Civil War, Davis guided the Confederacy's policies and served as its commander in chief. When the Confederacy was defeated in 1865, Davis was captured, arrested for alleged complicity in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln , accused of treason , and imprisoned at Fort Monroe . He was released without trial after two years. Immediately after
11022-483: The South, requiring him to clarify his comments when he returned to Mississippi. Davis said that he appreciated the benefits of Union, but acknowledged that it could be dissolved if states' rights were violated or one section of the country imposed its will on another. Speaking to the Mississippi Legislature on November 16, 1858, Davis stated "if an Abolitionist be chosen President of the United States ... I should deem it your duty to provide for your safety outside of
11189-651: The Supreme Court , as a compromise candidate, but Woodbury's death in September 1851 opened up an opportunity for Pierce's allies to present him as a potential dark horse in the mold of Polk. New Hampshire Democrats felt that, as the state in which their party had most consistently gained Democratic majorities, they should supply the presidential candidate. Other possible standard-bearers included Douglas, Cass, William Marcy of New York, James Buchanan of Pennsylvania, Sam Houston of Texas, and Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. Despite home-state support, Pierce faced obstacles to his nomination, since he had been out of office for
11356-401: The Union army counterattacked and Bragg's forces retreated to northern Georgia. Bragg resigned his command; Davis replaced him with Joseph Johnston but retained Bragg as an informal chief of staff. Davis had to address faltering civilian morale. In early spring, there were riots in Confederate cities as people began to suffer food shortages and price inflation. During one riot in Richmond,
11523-434: The Union army less than ten miles from Richmond at the Battle of Seven Pines , where he was wounded. Davis put Lee in command. Lee began the Seven Days Battles less than a month later, pushing the Union forces back down the peninsula and eventually forcing them to withdraw from Virginia. Lee beat back another army moving into Virginia at the Battle of Second Manassas in August 1862. Knowing Davis desired an offensive into
11690-424: The United States have been removed . Jefferson F. Davis was the youngest of ten children of Jane and Samuel Emory Davis. Samuel Davis's father, Evan, who had a Welsh background, came to the colony of Georgia from Philadelphia. Samuel served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War , and received a land grant for his service near present-day Washington, Georgia . He married Jane Cook,
11857-479: The United States. From the beginning, Pierce found the abolitionists' "agitation" to be an annoyance, and saw federal action against slavery as an infringement on southern states' rights, even though he was morally opposed to slavery itself. He was also frustrated with the "religious bigotry" of abolitionists, who cast their political opponents as sinners. "I consider slavery a social and political evil," Pierce said, "and most sincerely wish that it had no existence upon
12024-570: The Western territories. He argued that because the territories were the common property of all the United States and lacked state sovereignty to ban slavery, slave owners had the equal right to settle them as any other citizens. Davis tried to amend the Oregon Bill to allow settlers to bring their slaves into Oregon Territory . He opposed ratifying the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , which ended
12191-468: The Whig administrations. Guthrie reclaimed these funds and sought to prosecute corrupt officials, with mixed success. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis , at Pierce's request, led surveys by the Corps of Topographical Engineers of possible transcontinental railroad routes throughout the country. The Democratic Party had long rejected federal appropriations for internal improvements, but Davis felt that such
12358-585: The academy's discipline. In his first year, he was court-martialed for drinking at a nearby tavern. He was found guilty but was pardoned. The following year, he was placed under house arrest for his role in the Eggnog Riot during Christmas 1826 but was not dismissed. He graduated 23rd in a class of 33. Second Lieutenant Davis was assigned to the 1st Infantry Regiment . He was accompanied by his personal servant James Pemberton, an enslaved African American whom he inherited from his father. In early 1829, he
12525-566: The admission of California as a free state without its first becoming a territory, asserting that a territorial government would give slaveowners the opportunity to colonize the region. He also tried to extend the Missouri Compromise Line to allow slavery to expand to the Pacific Ocean. He stated that not allowing slavery into the new territories denied the political equality of Southerners, and threatened to undermine
12692-472: The age of 21 on September 15, 1835, after only three months of marriage. For several years after Sarah's death, Davis spent much of his time developing Brierfield. In 1836, he possessed 23 slaves; by 1840, he possessed 40; and by 1860, 113. He made his first slave, James Pemberton, Brierfield's effective overseer, a position Pemberton held until his death around 1850. Davis continued his intellectual development by reading about politics, law and economics at
12859-495: The age of four from epidemic typhus . Benjamin (April 13, 1841 – January 6, 1853) died at the age of 11 in a train accident . Pierce departed in November 1833 for Washington, D.C., where the Twenty-third United States Congress convened its regular session on December 2. Jackson's second term was under way, and the House of Representatives had a strong Democratic majority, whose primary focus
13026-569: The agenda for the Democratic Party nomination, ensuring that Douglas's idea of popular sovereignty, known as the Freeport Doctrine , would be excluded from the party platform. The Democratic party split—Douglas was nominated by the North and Vice President John C. Breckinridge was nominated by the South —and the Republican Party nominee Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election . Davis counselled moderation after
13193-640: The autonomy to do his job; Davis replaced him with James Seddon . In the winter of 1862, Davis decided to join the Episcopal Church ; in May 1863, he was confirmed at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond. On January 1, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation . Davis saw this as attempt to destroy the South by inciting its enslaved people to revolt, declaring the proclamation "the most execrable measure recorded in
13360-505: The balance of power between Northern and Southern states in the Senate. In the autumn of 1851, Davis was nominated to run for governor of Mississippi against Henry Stuart Foote , who had favored the Compromise of 1850. He accepted the nomination and resigned from the Senate, but Foote won the election by a slim margin. Davis turned down a reappointment to his Senate seat by outgoing Governor James Whitfield , settling in Brierfield for
13527-559: The beginning of the Mexican–American War , Mississippi raised a volunteer unit, the First Mississippi Regiment , for the U.S. Army. Davis expressed his interest in joining the regiment if he was elected its colonel, and in the second round of elections in June 1846 he was chosen. He did not give up his position as a U.S. Representative, but left a letter of resignation with his brother Joseph to submit when he thought it
13694-423: The best route and sectional problems prevented any choice being made. Davis also argued for the acquisition of Cuba from Spain, seeing it as an opportunity to add the island, a strategic military location and potential slave state. He suggested that the size of the regular army was too small and that its salaries were too meagre. Congress agreed and authorized four new regiments and increased its pay scale. He ended
13861-405: The bill stalled in the Senate, Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas led a successful effort to split it into separate measures so that each legislator could vote against the parts his state opposed without endangering the overall package. The bills passed, and were signed by President Millard Fillmore (who had succeeded Taylor after the president's death earlier in 1850). Pierce strongly supported
14028-442: The campaign. It was the custom at the time for candidates to not appear to seek the office, and he did no personal campaigning. Pierce's opponents caricatured him as an anti-Catholic coward and alcoholic ("the hero of many a well-fought bottle"). Scott, meanwhile, drew weak support from the Whigs, who were torn by their pro-Compromise platform and found him to be an abysmal, gaffe-prone public speaker. The Democrats were confident:
14195-486: The compromise, giving a well-received speech in December 1850 pledging himself to "The Union! Eternal Union!" The same month, the Democratic nominee for governor, John Atwood, issued a letter opposing the Compromise, and Pierce helped to recall the state convention and remove Atwood from the ticket. The fiasco compromised the election for the Democrats, who lost several races; still, Pierce's party retained its control over
14362-525: The constant conflict between Scott and the other generals. Pierce was finally allowed to return to Concord in late December 1847. He was given a hero's welcome in his home state, and submitted his resignation from the Army, which was approved on March 20, 1848. His military exploits elevated his popularity in New Hampshire, but his injuries and subsequent troubles in battle led to accusations of cowardice that would long shadow him. He had demonstrated competence as
14529-500: The controversy split the Democrats. At the 1848 Democratic National Convention , the majority nominated former Michigan senator Lewis Cass for president, while a minority broke off to become the Free Soil Party , backing former president Van Buren. The Whigs chose General Zachary Taylor , a Louisianan, whose views on most political issues were unknown. Despite his past support for Van Buren, Pierce supported Cass, turning down
14696-513: The convention unless it was clear that none of the front-runners could win. To broaden his potential base of southern support as the convention approached, he wrote letters reiterating his support for the Compromise of 1850, including the controversial Fugitive Slave Act . The convention assembled on June 1 in Baltimore, and deadlock occurred as expected. On the first ballot of the 288 delegates, held on June 3, Cass claimed 116, Buchanan 93, and
14863-417: The defeats, with George W. Randolph . Davis kept Benjamin in the cabinet, making him secretary of state to replace Hunter, who had stepped down. In March, Davis vetoed a bill to create a commander in chief for the army, but he selected General Robert E. Lee to be his military advisor. They formed a close relationship, and Davis relied on Lee for counsel until the end of the war. In March, Union troops in
15030-558: The depression a result of the banking system's rapid growth, amidst "the extravagance of overtrading and the wilderness of speculation". So that federal money would not support speculative bank loans, he supported newly elected Democratic president Martin Van Buren and his plan to create an independent treasury , a proposal which split the Democratic Party. Debate over slavery continued in Congress, and abolitionists proposed its end in
15197-469: The election, but South Carolina adopted an ordinance of secession on December 20, 1860. Mississippi seceded on January 9, 1861, though Davis stayed in Washington until he received official notification on January 21. Calling it "the saddest day of my life", he delivered a farewell address, resigned from the Senate , and returned to Mississippi. Before his resignation, Davis had sent a telegraph to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus informing him that he
15364-572: The established Federalists (and their successors, the National Republicans ), who were led by sitting President John Quincy Adams . The work of the New Hampshire Democratic Party came to fruition in March 1827, when their pro-Jackson nominee, Benjamin Pierce, won the support of the pro-Adams faction and was elected governor of New Hampshire essentially unopposed. While the younger Pierce had set out to build
15531-552: The eventual development of the Justice Department . There was a vacancy on the Supreme Court—Fillmore, having failed to get Senate confirmation for his nominees, had offered it to newly elected Louisiana Senator Judah P. Benjamin , who had declined. Pierce also offered the seat to Benjamin, but he persisted in his refusal, whereupon Pierce nominated John Archibald Campbell , an advocate of states' rights; this
15698-467: The face of the earth." Still, he wrote in December 1835, "One thing must be perfectly apparent to every intelligent man. This abolition movement must be crushed or there is an end to the Union." After the Civil War, Pierce believed that if the North had not aggressively agitated against Southern slavery, the South would have eventually ended slavery on its own and that the conflict had been "brought upon
15865-408: The history of guilty man". He requested a law that Union officers captured in Confederate states be delivered to state authorities and put on trial for inciting slave rebellion. In response, the Congress passed a law that Union officers of United States Colored Troops could be tried and executed, though none were during the war. The law also stated that captured black soldiers would be turned over to
16032-431: The items and Beauvoir Historic Site were underway. On January 9, 2007, the library accepted a $ 4.1 million bid to rebuild the library and museum. Because of hurricane damage, renovation of the original library was deemed impossible; a rebuilt library was rededicated and opened to the public on June 3, 2013. The Federal Emergency Management Agency paid $ 4 million to repair Beauvoir and an additional $ 10 million to construct
16199-553: The large library Joseph and his wife, Eliza , maintained at Hurricane Plantation. Around this time, Davis became increasingly engaged in politics, benefiting from his brother's mentorship and political influence. Davis became publicly involved in politics in 1840 when he attended a Democratic Party meeting in Vicksburg and served as a delegate to the party's state convention in Jackson ; he served again in 1842. One week before
16366-604: The manufacture of smoothbore muskets and shifted production to rifles, working to develop the tactics that accompany them. He oversaw the building of public works in Washington D.C., including the initial construction of the Washington Aqueduct . Davis assisted in the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 by allowing President Pierce to endorse it before it came up for a vote. This bill, which created Kansas and Nebraska territories, repealed
16533-431: The mayor of Richmond called the militia when a mob protesting food shortages broke into shops. Davis went to the scene and addressed the protesters, reminding them of their patriotic duty and promising them that he would get food. He then ordered them to disperse or he would command the soldiers to open fire; they dispersed. In October, Davis went on a month-long journey to rally the Confederacy, giving public speeches across
16700-500: The mid-1850s became the most reliably Democratic state in the Northern United States , boosting Pierce's political career. Pierce's term began in March 1833, but he would not be sworn in until Congress met in December, and his attention was elsewhere. He had recently become engaged and bought his first house in Hillsborough. Franklin and Benjamin Pierce were among the prominent citizens who welcomed President Jackson to
16867-461: The military were thus a major influence in his early life. Pierce's father placed Pierce in a school at Hillsborough Center in childhood and sent him to the town school in Hancock at age 12. Not fond of schooling, Pierce grew homesick and walked 12 miles (19 km) back to his home one Sunday. His father fed him dinner and drove him part of the distance back to school before ordering him to walk
17034-614: The military. He took an interest in military pensions, seeing abundant fraud within the system, and was named chairman of the Senate Committee on Military Pensions in the Twenty-sixth Congress (1839–1841). In that capacity, he urged the modernization and expansion of the Army, with a focus on militias and mobility rather than on coastal fortifications, which he considered outdated. Pierce campaigned vigorously throughout his home state for Van Buren's reelection in
17201-407: The nation by fanatics on both sides". When Rep. James Henry Hammond of South Carolina looked to prevent anti-slavery petitions from reaching the House floor, however, Pierce sided with the abolitionists' right to petition. Nevertheless, Pierce supported what came to be known as the gag rule , which allowed for petitions to be received, but not read or considered. This passed the House in 1836. He
17368-402: The national Democrats and Jackson's reelection effort. At 27, he was a star of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Though attaining early political and professional success, in his personal letters he continued to lament his bachelorhood and yearned for a life beyond Hillsborough. Like all white males in New Hampshire between the ages of 18 and 45, Pierce was a member of the state militia , and
17535-535: The new library. A statue of Davis by sculptor William Beckwith is on display outside the museum. Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808 – December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the first and only president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as
17702-478: The next fifteen months. He remained politically active, attending the Democratic convention in January 1852 and campaigning for Democratic candidates Franklin Pierce and William R. King during the presidential election of 1852 . In March 1853, President Franklin Pierce named Davis his Secretary of War . He championed a transcontinental railroad to the Pacific, arguing it was needed for national defense, and
17869-508: The nomination of John C. Calhoun . He preferred Calhoun because he championed Southern interests including the annexation of Texas , reduction of tariffs, and building naval defenses in southern ports. When the party chose James K. Polk for their presidential candidate, Davis campaigned for him. Davis and Varina married on February 26, 1845. They had six children: Samuel Emory, born in 1852, who died of an undiagnosed disease two years later; Margaret Howell, born in 1855, who married, raised
18036-495: The nomination, and some had allied with the Free Soil party to gain victory in local elections. Pierce decided to allow each of the party's factions some appointments, even those that had not supported the Compromise of 1850. The Senate unanimously and immediately confirmed all of Pierce's Cabinet nominations. Pierce spent the first few weeks of his term sorting through hundreds of lower-level federal positions to be filled. This
18203-691: The official papers, records, artifacts, and other historical materials of Jefferson Davis. Despite the name, it is not administered by the National Archives and Records Administration , as Jefferson Davis was never president of the United States . It is, however, supported by the State of Mississippi , as is described on a plaque at the library entrance. The library is managed by the Mississippi Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans , and features continually changing temporary exhibits and
18370-414: The opposition to slavery as a threat to that. Democratic James K. Polk 's dark horse victory in the 1844 presidential election was welcome news to Pierce, who had befriended the former Speaker of the House while both served in Congress. Pierce had campaigned heavily for Polk during the election, and in turn Polk appointed him as United States Attorney for New Hampshire . Polk's most prominent cause
18537-413: The popular vote. The Democrats took large majorities in Congress. Pierce began his presidency in mourning. Weeks after his election, on January 6, 1853, he and his family were traveling from Boston by train when their car derailed and rolled down an embankment near Andover, Massachusetts . Both Franklin and Jane Pierce survived, but their only remaining son, 11-year-old Benjamin, was crushed to death in
18704-525: The port of Vera Cruz and driving overland to Mexico City. Congress passed a bill authorizing the creation of ten regiments, and Pierce was appointed commander and colonel of the 9th Infantry Regiment in February 1847, with Truman B. Ransom as lieutenant colonel and second-in-command. On March 3, 1847, Pierce was promoted to brigadier general , and took command of a brigade of reinforcements for General Scott's army, with Ransom succeeding to command of
18871-434: The quiet offer of second place on the Free Soil ticket , and was so effective that Taylor, who was elected president , was held in New Hampshire to his lowest percentage in any state. Senator Henry Clay, a Whig, hoped to put the slavery question to rest with a set of proposals that became known as the Compromise of 1850 . These would give victories to North and South, and gained the support of his fellow Whig, Webster. With
19038-410: The regiment. Needing time to assemble his brigade, Pierce reached the already seized port of Vera Cruz in late June, where he prepared a march of 2,500 men accompanying supplies for Scott. The three-week journey inland was perilous, and the men fought off several attacks before joining with Scott's army in early August, in time for the Battle of Contreras . The battle was disastrous for Pierce: his horse
19205-457: The remaining Buchanan forces began to break for Marcy, and Pierce was soon in third place. After the 48th ballot, North Carolina Congressman James C. Dobbin delivered an unexpected and passionate endorsement of Pierce, sparking a wave of support for him. On the 49th ballot, Pierce received all but six of the votes, gaining the nomination. Delegates selected Alabama Senator William R. King , a Buchanan supporter, as Pierce's running mate, and adopted
19372-520: The responsibility of the states. Pierce's first term was fairly uneventful from a legislative standpoint, and he was easily reelected in March 1835. When not in Washington, he attended to his law practice, and in December 1835 returned to the capital for the Twenty-fourth Congress . As abolitionism grew more vocal in the mid-1830s, Congress was inundated with petitions from anti-slavery groups seeking legislation to restrict slavery in
19539-493: The rest of the campaign, eventually taking part in the capture of Mexico City in mid-September, although his brigade was held in reserve for much of the battle. For much of the Mexico City battle, he was in the sick tent, plagued by acute diarrhea. Pierce remained in command of his brigade during the three-month occupation of the city; while frustrated by the stalled peace negotiations, he also tried to distance himself from
19706-588: The rest of the way in a thunderstorm. Pierce later cited this moment as "the turning-point in my life". Later that year, he transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy to prepare for college. By this time, he had built a reputation as a charming student, sometimes prone to misbehavior. In fall 1820, Pierce entered Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine , one of 19 freshmen. He joined the Athenian Society,
19873-418: The rest were scattered, with no votes for Pierce. The next 34 ballots passed with no candidate even close to victory, and still no votes for Pierce. Buchanan's team then had its delegates vote for minor candidates, including Pierce, to demonstrate Buchanan's inevitability and unite the convention behind him. This novel tactic backfired after several ballots as Virginia, New Hampshire, and Maine switched to Pierce;
20040-450: The same year, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives , serving for one year. From 1846 to 1847, he fought in the Mexican–American War as the colonel of a volunteer regiment. He was appointed to the United States Senate in 1847, resigning to unsuccessfully run as governor of Mississippi. In 1853, President Franklin Pierce appointed him Secretary of War . After Pierce's administration ended in 1857, Davis returned to
20207-593: The south and meeting with civic and military leaders. In his address to the Second Confederate Congress on May 2, 1864, Davis outlined his strategy of achieving Confederate independence by exhausting the Union will to fight: If the South could show it could not be subjugated, the North would elect a president who would make peace. Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804 – October 8, 1869)
20374-523: The start of 1853, King was severely ill with tuberculosis, and went to Cuba to recuperate. His condition deteriorated, and Congress passed a special law allowing him to be sworn in before the American consul in Havana on March 24. Wanting to die at home, he returned to his plantation in Alabama on April 17 and died the next day. The office of vice president remained vacant for the remainder of Pierce's term, as
20541-450: The state Democratic Party, which was split by several issues. Governor Hill, who represented the commercial, urban wing of the party, advocated the use of government charters to support corporations, granting them privileges such as limited liability and eminent domain for building railroads. The radical " locofoco " wing of his party represented farmers and other rural voters, who sought an expansion of social programs and labor regulations and
20708-579: The state election in November 1843, he was chosen to be the Democratic candidate for the Mississippi House of Representatives for Warren County when the original candidate withdrew his nomination, though Davis lost the election. In early 1844, Davis was chosen to serve as a delegate to the state convention again. On his way to Jackson, he met Varina Banks Howell , the 18-year-old daughter of William Burr Howell and Margaret Kempe Howell , when he delivered an invitation from Joseph for her to visit
20875-468: The state on his visit in mid-1833. On November 19, 1834, Pierce married Jane Means Appleton (March 12, 1806 – December 2, 1863), a daughter of Congregational minister Jesse Appleton and Elizabeth Means. The Appletons were prominent Whigs, in contrast with the Pierces' Democratic affiliation. Jane Pierce was shy, devoutly religious, and pro- temperance , encouraging Pierce to abstain from alcohol. She
21042-615: The state, and was well positioned for the upcoming presidential election. As the 1852 presidential election approached, the Democrats were divided over slavery, though most of the "Barnburners" who had left the party with Van Buren to form the Free Soil Party had returned. It was widely expected that the 1852 Democratic National Convention would deadlock, with no candidate able to win the necessary two-thirds majority. New Hampshire Democrats, including Pierce, supported his old teacher, Levi Woodbury, by then an Associate Justice of
21209-463: The state. In April, Union forces resumed their attack on Vicksburg. Davis concentrated troops from across the south to counter the move, but Joseph Johnston did not stop the Union forces. Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton withdrew his army into Vicksburg, and after a siege , surrendered on July 4. The loss of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, Louisiana , led to Union control of the Mississippi. Davis relieved Johnston of his department command. During
21376-468: The states they were captured in to be dealt with as the state saw fit. In May, Lee broke up another invasion of Virginia at the Battle of Chancellorsville , and countered with an invasion into Pennsylvania . Davis approved, thinking that a victory in Union territory could gain recognition of Confederate independence, but Lee's army was defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg in July. After retreating to Virginia, Lee blocked any major Union offensives into
21543-515: The states, not the federal government. Instead, he accepted an appointment by Mississippi governor Albert G. Brown to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate left when Jesse Speight died. Davis took his seat in December 1847 and was made a regent of the Smithsonian Institution . The Mississippi legislature confirmed his appointment as senator in January 1848. He quickly established himself as an advocate of expanding slavery into
21710-409: The summer, Bragg's army was maneuvered out of Chattanooga and fell back to Georgia . In September, Bragg defeated the Union army at the Battle of Chickamauga , driving it back to Chattanooga, which he put under siege. Davis visited Bragg to address leadership problems in his army. Davis acknowledged that Bragg did not have the confidence of his subordinates but kept him in command. In mid-November,
21877-509: The time he caught up, the battle was mostly won. As the Battle of Churubusco approached, Scott ordered Pierce to the rear to convalesce. He responded, "For God's sake, General, this is the last great battle, and I must lead my brigade." Scott yielded, and Pierce entered the fight tied to his saddle, but the pain in his leg became so great that he passed out on the field. The Americans won the battle and Pierce helped negotiate an armistice. He then returned to command and led his brigade throughout
22044-511: The title to the property. Davis named his section Brierfield Plantation . Davis continued his correspondence with Sarah, and they agreed to marry with Taylor giving his reluctant assent. They married at Beechland on June 17, 1835. In August, he and Sarah traveled to Locust Grove Plantation , his sister Anna Smith's home in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana . Within days, both became severely ill with malaria . Sarah died at
22211-482: The war, Davis was often blamed for the Confederacy's defeat, but after his release from prison, the Lost Cause of the Confederacy movement considered him to be a hero. In the late 19th and the 20th centuries, his legacy as Confederate leader was celebrated in the South. In the twenty-first century, he is frequently criticized as a supporter of slavery and racism, and many of the memorials dedicated to him throughout
22378-418: The word "slavery", he emphasized his desire to put the "important subject" to rest and maintain a peaceful union. He alluded to his own personal tragedy, telling the crowd, "You have summoned me in my weakness, you must sustain me by your strength." In his Cabinet appointments, Pierce sought to unite a party that was squabbling over the fruits of victory. Most in the party had not originally supported him for
22545-549: The world a distinctively American, republican image. He issued a circular recommending that U.S. diplomats wear "the simple dress of an American citizen" instead of the elaborate diplomatic uniforms worn in European courts, and that they hire only American citizens to work in consulates. Marcy received international praise for his 73-page letter defending Austrian refugee Martin Koszta , who had been captured abroad in mid-1853 by
22712-401: The wreckage, his body nearly decapitated. Pierce was not able to hide the gruesome sight from his wife. They both suffered severe depression afterward, which likely affected Pierce's performance as president. Jane Pierce wondered whether the accident was divine punishment for her husband's pursuit and acceptance of high office. She wrote a lengthy letter of apology to "Benny" for her failings as
22879-662: Was Secretary of the Navy William A. Graham . The Whigs could not unify their factions as the Democrats had, and the convention adopted a platform almost indistinguishable from the Democrats', including support of the Compromise of 1850. This incited the Free Soilers to field their own candidate, Senator Hale, at the Whigs' expense. The lack of political differences reduced the campaign to a bitter personality contest and helped to dampen voter turnout to its lowest level since 1836 ; according to biographer Peter A. Wallner, it
23046-623: Was elected president in 1860 , the Southern states seceded , resulting in the American Civil War . Pierce was born in New Hampshire , the son of state governor Benjamin Pierce . He served in the House of Representatives from 1833 until his election to the Senate , where he served from 1837 until his resignation in 1842. His private law practice was a success, and he was appointed New Hampshire's U.S. Attorney in 1845. Pierce took part in
23213-418: Was "one of the least exciting campaigns in presidential history". Scott was harmed by the lack of enthusiasm of anti-slavery northern Whigs for him and the platform; New-York Tribune editor Horace Greeley summed up the attitude of many when he said of the Whig platform, "we defy it, execrate it, spit upon it". Pierce kept quiet so as not to upset his party's delicate unity, and allowed his allies to run
23380-484: Was Pierce's only Supreme Court appointment. Pierce charged Treasury Secretary James Guthrie with reforming the Treasury , which was inefficiently managed and had many unsettled accounts. Guthrie increased oversight of Treasury employees and tariff collectors, many of whom were withholding money from the government. Despite laws requiring funds to be held in the Treasury, large deposits remained in private banks under
23547-616: Was a Hale supporter. Hale refused to withdraw, and as a majority vote was needed for election in New Hampshire, the party split led to deadlock and a vacant House seat. Eventually, the Whigs and Hale's Independent Democrats took control of the legislature, elected Whig Anthony Colby as governor, and sent Hale to the Senate, much to Pierce's anger. Active military service was a long-held dream for Pierce, who had admired his father's and brothers' service in his youth, particularly his older brother Benjamin 's, as well as that of John McNeil Jr. , husband of Pierce's older half-sister Elizabeth. As
23714-516: Was a chore, as he sought to represent all factions of the party, and could fully satisfy none of them. Partisans found themselves unable to secure positions for their friends, which put the Democratic Party on edge and fueled bitterness between factions. Before long, northern newspapers accused Pierce of filling his government with pro-slavery secessionists, while southern newspapers accused him of abolitionism. Factionalism between pro- and anti-administration Democrats ramped up quickly, especially within
23881-423: Was anti-slavery and had opposed the war, stances that Pierce regarded as needless agitation. The large Mexican Cession of land divided the U.S. politically, with many in the North insisting that slavery not be allowed there (and offering the Wilmot Proviso to ensure it), while others wanted slavery barred north of the Missouri Compromise line of 36°30′ N . Both proposals were anathema to many Southerners, and
24048-507: Was appointed aide de camp to Governor Samuel Dinsmoor in 1831. He remained in the militia until 1847, and attained the rank of colonel before becoming a brigadier general in the Army during the Mexican–American War . Interested in revitalizing and reforming the state militias, which had become increasingly dormant during the years of peace following the War of 1812 , Pierce worked with Alden Partridge , president of Norwich University ,
24215-477: Was appropriate. Davis was able to get his regiment armed with new percussion rifles instead of the smoothbore muskets used by other units. President Polk approved their purchase as a political favor in return for Davis marshalling enough votes to pass the Walker Tariff . Because of its association with the regiment, the weapon became known as the " Mississippi rifle ", and the regiment became known as
24382-453: Was attacked by the New Hampshire anti-slavery Herald of Freedom as a " doughface ", which had the dual meaning of "craven-spirited man" and "northerner with southern sympathies". Pierce had stated that not one in 500 New Hampshirites were abolitionists; the Herald of Freedom article added up the number of signatures on petitions from that state, divided by the number of residents according to
24549-466: Was available to serve the state. On January 27, 1861, Pettus appointed him a major general of Mississippi's army. On February 9, Davis was unanimously elected to the provisional presidency of the Confederacy by a constitutional convention in Montgomery, Alabama including delegates from the six states that had seceded: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida , Georgia , Louisiana , and Alabama . He
24716-645: Was born on November 23, 1804, in a log cabin in Hillsborough, New Hampshire . He was a sixth-generation descendant of Thomas Pierce, who had moved to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from Norwich, Norfolk , England in about 1634. His father Benjamin was a lieutenant in the American Revolutionary War who moved from Chelmsford, Massachusetts to Hillsborough after the war, purchasing 50 acres (20 ha) of land. Pierce
24883-432: Was chosen because of his political prominence, his military reputation, and his moderate approach to secession, which Confederate leaders thought might persuade undecided Southerners to support their cause. He learned about his election the next day. Davis had been hoping for a military command, but he committed himself fully to his new role. Davis was inaugurated on February 18. Davis formed his cabinet by choosing
25050-541: Was elected again as governor, retiring after that term. The younger Pierce was appointed as chairman of the House Education Committee in 1829 and the Committee on Towns the following year. By 1831 the Democrats held a legislative majority, and Pierce was elected Speaker of the House. The young Speaker used his platform to oppose the expansion of banking, protect the state militia, and offer support to
25217-428: Was elected to the full term, to commence in March 1837, and at age 32, was at the time one of the youngest members in Senate history. The election came at a difficult time for Pierce, as his father, sister, and brother were all seriously ill, while his wife also continued to suffer from chronic poor health. As senator, he was able to help his old friend Nathaniel Hawthorne, who often struggled financially, procuring for him
25384-489: Was entrusted with overseeing the Pacific Railroad Surveys to determine which of four possible routes was the best. He promoted the Gadsden Purchase of today's southern Arizona from Mexico, partly because he preferred a southern route for the new railroad. The Pierce administration agreed and the land was purchased in December 1853. He presented the surveys' findings in 1855, but they failed to clarify
25551-408: Was killed in a train accident while the family was traveling, shortly before Pierce's inauguration . A heavy drinker for much of his life, Pierce died in 1869 of cirrhosis . As a result of his support of the South, as well as failing to hold the Union together in time of strife, historians and scholars generally rank Pierce as one of the worst and least memorable U.S. presidents . Franklin Pierce
25718-485: Was killed. General Beauregard took command, falling back to Corinth, Mississippi , and then to Tupelo, Mississippi . When Beauregard then put himself on leave, Davis replaced him with General Braxton Bragg . On February 22, Davis was inaugurated as president. In his inaugural speech, he admitted that the South had suffered disasters, but called on the people of the Confederacy to renew their commitment. He replaced Secretary of War Benjamin, who had been scapegoated for
25885-440: Was leaning toward the Confederacy, had declared its neutrality. In September 1861, Polk violated the state's neutrality by occupying Columbus, Kentucky . Secretary of War Walker ordered him to withdraw. Davis initially agreed with Walker, but changed his mind and allowed Polk to remain. The violation led Kentucky to request aid from the Union, effectively losing the state for the Confederacy. Walker resigned as secretary of war and
26052-657: Was named chairman of the State Democratic Committee, and in the following year's state election he helped the radical wing take over the state legislature. The party remained divided on several issues, including railroad development and the temperance movement , and Pierce took a leading role in helping the state legislature settle their differences. His priorities were "order, moderation, compromise, and party unity", which he tried to place ahead of his personal views on political issues. As he would as president, Pierce valued Democratic Party unity highly, and saw
26219-501: Was reelected five times. Pierce actively campaigned in his district on behalf of Jackson, who carried both the district and the nation by large margins in the November 1828 election, even though he lost New Hampshire . The outcome further strengthened the Democratic Party, and Pierce won his first legislative seat the following year, representing Hillsborough in the New Hampshire House of Representatives . Pierce's father
26386-561: Was replaced by Judah P. Benjamin. Davis appointed General Albert Sidney Johnston, as commander of the Western Military Department that included much of Tennessee , Kentucky, western Mississippi , and Arkansas . In February 1862, the Confederate defenses in the West collapsed when Union forces captured Forts Henry , Donelson , and nearly half the troops in A. S. Johnston's department. Within weeks, Kentucky, Nashville and Memphis were lost, as well as control of
26553-561: Was roundly criticized. He fully expected the Democrats to renominate him in the 1856 presidential election , but they abandoned him and his bid failed. His reputation in the North suffered further during the American Civil War as he became a vocal critic of President Lincoln. Pierce was popular and outgoing, but his family life was difficult; his three children died young and his wife, Jane Pierce , suffered from illness and depression for much of her life. Their last surviving son
26720-573: Was somewhat gaunt, and constantly ill from tuberculosis and psychological ailments. She abhorred politics and especially disliked Washington, DC, creating a tension that would continue throughout Pierce's political ascent. Jane Pierce disliked Hillsborough as well, and in 1838, the Pierces relocated to the state capital, Concord, New Hampshire . They had three sons, all of whom died in childhood. Franklin Jr. (February 2–5, 1836) died in infancy, while Frank Robert (August 27, 1839 – November 14, 1843) died at
26887-573: Was stationed at Forts Crawford and Winnebago in Michigan Territory under the command of Colonel Zachary Taylor , who later became president of the United States . Throughout his life, Davis regularly suffered from ill health. During the northern winters, he had pneumonia , colds, and bronchitis . He went to Mississippi on furlough in March 1832, missing the outbreak of the Black Hawk War , and returned to duty just before
27054-456: Was suddenly startled during a charge, knocking him groin-first against his saddle. The horse then tripped into a crevice and fell, pinning Pierce underneath and debilitating his knee. The incident made it look like he had fainted, causing one soldier to call for someone else to take command, saying, "General Pierce is a damned coward." Pierce returned for the following day's action, but injured his knee again, forcing him to hobble after his men; by
27221-540: Was the Whig candidate . After the Senate session following Taylor's inauguration ended in March 1849, Davis returned to Brierfield. He was reelected by the state legislature for another six-year term in the Senate. Around this time, he was approached by the Venezuelan adventurer Narciso López to lead a filibuster expedition to liberate Cuba from Spain. He turned down the offer, saying it was inconsistent with his duty as
27388-525: Was the annexation of Texas , an issue which caused a dramatic split between Pierce and his former ally Hale, now a U.S. Representative. Hale was so impassioned against adding a new slave state that he wrote a public letter to his constituents outlining his opposition to the measure. Pierce responded by reassembling the state Democratic convention to revoke Hale's nomination for another term in Congress. The political firestorm led to Pierce severing ties with his longtime friend, and with his law partner Fowler, who
27555-528: Was the 14th president of the United States , serving from 1853 to 1857. A northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity, he alienated anti-slavery groups by signing the Kansas–Nebraska Act and enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act . Conflict between North and South continued after Pierce's presidency , and, after Abraham Lincoln
27722-408: Was the fifth of eight children born to Benjamin and his second wife Anna Kendrick; his first wife Elizabeth Andrews died in childbirth, leaving a daughter. Benjamin was a prominent Democratic-Republican state legislator, farmer, and tavern-keeper. During Pierce's childhood, his father was deeply involved in state politics, while two of his older brothers fought in the War of 1812 ; public affairs and
27889-478: Was to prevent the Second Bank of the United States from being rechartered. The Democrats, including Pierce, defeated proposals supported by the newly formed Whig Party, and the bank's charter expired. Pierce broke from his party on occasion, opposing Democratic bills to fund internal improvements with federal money. He saw both the bank and infrastructure spending as unconstitutional, with internal improvements
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