Jefferson Davis, American
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Notes on front endpapers: "Wed. Jan. 31, 11 a.m. - Varina: forceful personality, lack of civility, unnecessarily abrasive. Davis - a wealthy man: $35,000 to 40,000 a year; average income: $150 a yr. - Joseph and Varina didn't always get along. She was jealous for her husband's attention. - Lee - 1861-1865, 53 to 57 yrs. old. - Ft. Bragg, Kenner, La., Slidell, La. - John Breckenridge, V.P. under Buchanan, Sec. of War under Davis. - Congress; 1847; Cabinet: 1853-1857; Senate: 1857-1861.- Slave: 1835: Pemberton only slave; 1840: 35; during '40's: 72; final antebellum decade: 113; slave jury, forbade corporal punishment. - b. June 3, 1808: Christian County, Ky., named for Jefferson - he was 10th child; Baptist, Welsh; d. Dec. 6, 1889. - What about the bad eye? - July 1828: leaves West Point, not been home for 5 years; stationed Ft. Crawford, Wis., meets Sarah Knox Taylor. - June 17, 1835: marries Zachary Taylor's daughter in Louisville - he was 27; dies 3 months later of malaria. - 1845: Varina: 17 yrs. old - J.D. 35, 2 1/2 yrs. younger than her mother; wedding Feb. 26, 1845 at the Briar; elected to Congress in Nov. - Oregon / Cal. Mexican War; Texas became state 1845; Battle of Buena Vista - wounded foot. - 1847: Polk names Davis as Brig. General - he turned it down, p. 162; named Senator - he's 39 1/2 yrs. old - leaves Varina at home - unhappy with her. - 1853: Secretary of War - Pierce Admin. - Feb. 4, 1861: six states meet in Montgomery; p. 326: Constitutional convention, electoral college, unicameral congress; Confederate States of America. - Confederate consultations: affirmed slavery and states' right; Davis triumphed easily, no one else got votes. - Goes to Montgomery - doesn't return to Brierfield for 7 years. - He [?] throughout the book - he never [?] discussion; father fought in Revolution; 3 brothers fought with Jackson at New Orleans; Davis entered West Point at 16. - 1848: Wilmot Proviso: northern democrats insisted on it. - Z. Taylor runs as a Whig - Lewis Cass for Democrats; Popular Sovereignty. - [?]Scott. - John Calhoun: what was his impact? - Wilmot Proviso: prohibit slavery in any state taken or purchased from Mexico. - Missouri Compromise: blocked slavery north of 36° 30'." - Notes on front flyleaf: p. 195: Foote and Davis had altercation - Christmas Day 1847; pistols in the room; issue was popular sovereignty; 2 years later in New Orleans another flare-up. - First child born 1852: Samuel Emory Davis. - His eye problem - Type I herpes simplex virus. - Governor contest: Foote and Quitman pummeled each other. - 1851: Davis resigned from Senate, runs for Governor against Foote. - State Rights vs. Union Party. - Davis denounced compromise of 1850. - Sec. of War - immediate staff: 11 (p. 250); Army: 10,417. - Winfield Scott ran for Pres. (Whig), 1852 - kept his [?] Pierce (Brig. Gen.) assigned to Scott's command; went to Senate after 4 years as Sec. of War. - Davis tried to belittle Win. Scott - soup story - Varine's dinner party (p. 254). - Ft. Sumter: 4:30 a.m. April 12, 1861. - The [?] Scott decision; John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry. - What did Davis think of Blacks fighting for Confederacy. " -- Notes on back flyleaf: "Jan. 5, 1861: a caucus of senators from state moving toward secession, called for a creation of a Southern Confederacy. - Davis' West Point days: courts martial; finished 163 out of 208. - How many men who had been active in government in the North moved to join Southern government? - Ft. Monroe Conference: Lincoln and Seward participated; 5 men met on Lincoln's steamer; mission failed. - Did Davis ever meet Lincoln? He called Lincoln "His Majesty Abraham the First". - Davis against 13th Amendment - abolition of slavery. - Davis was willing to sever slavery for European recognition. - p. 287-288: 1858: Lecompton, Feb. 13 - Davis laid up for 2 months, depressed, painful illness, eye inflamed, darkened rooms; Senator William Seward visit daily." -- Notes on back endpapers: "p. 623: Relationship with two generals - at odds with Pierre Beauregard, Joseph Johnston. - Jubal Early - Southern Historical Society. - Juday Benjamin. - 1885: T.R. associated Davis with Benedict Arnold. - Book of his New England Speeches to counter Albert Brown; named his son Joseph instead of William, upset Varina. Varina had no use for Joseph, letting him know how she felt; Jefferson - Joseph - Varina: rigid triangle. - Andrew Johnson accused J.D. of complicity in Lincoln's death. - Fortress Monroe - in prison - visited by Taylor brother-in-law, shackled before prison. - Sarah Dorsey - she dies 1879 - at Beauvoir - where Davis lived. Varina, a contemporary - didn't want to go there but did and got along with Sarah, especially when Varina turned ill. - 1876: Davis became Pres. of International Chamber of Commerce; he was 68, has a 12 year old daughter (Winnie). - Canadian stay: Montreal and Lennoxville - small hotel, fell down stairs, broke two ribs (p. 576); moved to London, Paris; Joseph dies at about 86, son Billy dies at 11; back to U.S.: Memphis, Peabody Hotel, Varina's health. - p. 508: 1865: Mounting criticism of Davis, becomes an inviting target: 1) erred in removing Gen. Joseph Johnston, 2) mismanaged Western war, 3) had interfered with generals in the field. - The end of Davis' presidency, p. 534. - Scene near Irwinville, May 10, 1865. - 1881: 'Rise and Fall' is published, Davis takes possession of Brierfield. - Ben Montgomery - a slave; Davis never thought they could succeed. - Became President of Carolina Life Memphis, resigned Aug. 25, 1873; has no money. - 1875: started working on book - 'Rise and Fall', 4 years - neuralgia, bronchial difficulties, eye disease, problem right hip - all interrupted process. - 1881: 2 volumes, one - 700 p., two - 800 p." -- Annotations by Brian Lamb in the margins and underlining of pertinent phrases throughout the book.
