THE REAL JEFFERSON DAVIS [Illustration: Jefferson Davis (From a photograph taken in 1865)] The Real Jefferson Davis _By_ LANDON KNIGHT "Where once raged the storm of battle now bloom the gentle flowers of peace, and there where the mockingbird sings her night song to the southern moon, sweetly sleeps the illustrious chieftain whom a nation mourns. Wise in council, valiant in war, he was still greater in peace, and to his noble, unselfish example more than to any other one cause do we owe the indellible inscription over the arch of our union, '_Esto perpetua_.'" PUBLISHED BY THE PILGRIM MAGAZINE COMPANY BATTLE CREEK, MICH. 1904 Copyright, 1904, THE PILGRIM MAGAZINE CO. Battle Creek, Mich. DEDICATION _To My Wife_ Is dedicated this little volume in appreciation of that innate sense of justice which has ever loved and followed the right for its own sake. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Birth and Education 11 II Service in the Army 21 III His Life at Briarfield 29 IV First Appearance in Politics 35 V Enters Mexican War 41 VI The Hero of Buena Vista 45 VII Enters the Senate 49 VIII Becomes Secretary of War 53 IX He Re-enters the Senate 59 X Still Hoped to Save the Union 67 XI President of the Confederacy 75 XII His First Inaugural 79 XIII Delays and Blunders 85 XIV The Bombardment of Sumter 91 XV Conditions in the South 97 XVI The First Battle 101 XVII A Lost Opportunity 105 XVIII The Quarrel with Johnston 111 XIX The Battle of Shiloh 115 XX The Seven Days of Battle 121 XXI Butler's Infamous Order 28 125 XXII Mental Imperfections 131 XXIII Blunders of the Western Army 135 XXIV Davis and Gettysburg 139 XXV The Chief of a Heroic People 145 XXVI Sherman and Johnston 151