The Papers of Jefferson Davis

1853–1855

Jefferson Davis

• Publisher: LSU Press
• Year: 1985
• ISBN:
  9780807158746
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

Mary Seaton Dix, Associate Editor
The fifth volume of The Papers of Jefferson Davis presents 9, 000 of the approximately 21, 000 known Davis letters, papers, and speeches from the years 1853 through 1855, when Davis served as secretary of war under President Franklin Pierce. Most of the documents are included in summary form in an extensive calendar; 93 are published in full with annotation.Well prepared for the War Department position by his military education and experience, Davis was already known as a champion of the army and West Point from his years in Congress. As secretary, Davis administered a department of eight bureaus and a military establishment spread thinly from coast to coast. An increase and reorganization of the army along with the establishment of new posts became top priorities as a tide of settlers encroached in Indian lands in the Mexican cession and Far West. Davis also supervised army engineering projects as varied as the Capitol extension, military roads, and river and harbor improvements. The curriculum of the Military Academy, new weapons and armaments development, the activities of the Crimea commission, the Pacific railroad surveys, and the camel expedition -- all commanded his minute attention.Despite the burdens of office, Davis maintained a lively interest in the issues of the day, among them Latin American filibustering, the purchase of Cuba, states' rights, slavery, and the conflict in Kansas. The wide attention accorded his travels and speeches brought national prominence to him and speculation about his future candidacy for governor, a return to the Senate, the vice-presidency, and even the presidency. Personal correspondence includes letters that touch on Davis' long estrangement from his brother, the death of his first child, persistent health problems, and relationships with friends and family. Much of hiss official correspondence, especially several angry exchanges with army officers, reveals even more about Davis' personality. In addition to the documents published in full and calendared, an appendix includes over one hundred recently discovered personal and political items dates from 1838 through 1852, before Davis' selection as secretary of war.

INDEX

Abbreviations edn and dsn refer to editorial note and descriptive note, respectively.

Abbay, S. F. R. (sketch, 2:304): Davis on, 279

L from, 279

Abbot, Henry L., 370, 375

Abbott, Eli (sketch, 2:108): Davis commends, 314

L to, 9

Ls from, 152, 314, 451

Abeel, James S., 293–94

Aberdeen: postmaster appt., 201

Davis speaks at, 478

Aberdeen, 413

Abert, John J. (sketch, 21): Davis reprimands, 21, 140, 180, 397, 407

on army bill, 98n

relations with J. G. Totten, 140

Davis instructs, 336, 340

Ls to, 21, 140, 177, 195, 198, 210, 218, 220–21, 228, 259, 274, 290, 297, 331, 390, 399

Lsfrom, 155–59, 167–73, 177, 180–81, 184–85, 188, 191–96, 198, 203–204, 208, 210, 213–16, 218–21, 224–25, 230, 237–38, 242–47, 256–57, 259, 262, 265, 268, 270, 274–77, 279–80, 284, 295–99, 301, 303–304, 307–11, 313–16, 318, 321–22, 324–25, 329–32, 334, 336, 338–39, 342–43, 349–50, 354–55, 357–59, 364–65, 367, 370, 372, 374–77, 379, 381–83, 386–87, 389–91, 394, 397, 399–401, 406–407, 409, 416–18, 420–21, 433, 441, 448–49, 451–53, 457, 459–60, 462, 473

mentioned, 39, 59, 103, 227, 253. See also Topographical Engineers

Abert, S. T., 184

Abert, William S., 418

Ableman, Steven V. R.: L to, 300

Abolitionism: Davis on, 22–23, 108–109, 261

in Calif., 131–32, 111., 439, Kan., 84, 109, Pa., 463, tys., 142, 382, 391

patronage, 208, 220—21

and press, 450, 463

Academic Board. See United States Military Academy

Active, 291

Adams, Alvin, 62n

Adams, Amos: L from, 227

Adams, Charles, 399–400

Adams, Henry W.: L from, 386

Adams, John Quincy (sketch, 2:397): Davis visits, 104n

Adams, Robert W., 368

Adams, Stephen (sketch, 2:298): on Miss. Dems., 24n

and Miss, patronage, 175

Ls to, 151–52, 287, 298, 360

L from, 297–98

mentioned, 17n, 383

Adams, Theodore, 383

Adams, WyllyC, 239, 473

Adams, –––––, 320

Adams & Deane, 320

Adams Express Building, 374

Adams Express Co., 62n

Addison, William M.: claim, 303

L from, 316

Adjutant General's Office: and army bill, 98n

ests., 128, 247, 365, 452–53

ann. reps., 266, 379, 461

book order, 284

asst. AG, 465. See also Cooper, Samuel

Admiralty Inlet, Wash., 452

Agnew, Amelia, 11n

Agnew, Daniel, 11n

Agnew, James, 11n

Agnew, James, Jr., 11n

Agnew, Sarah H. (sketch, 11): L from, 388

Aiken, William: Ls to, 293, 325

Alabama: press patronage, 193, 236

Indians in, 424

Albemarle Sound, 179

Albuquerque, 25

Alcatraz, 129, 190, 296–97

Alden, Bradford R. (sketch, 4:132): L to, 323

Alexander II, 428

Alexander, Barton S.: assignment, 385, 390

Ls to, 287, 385

L from, 385

Alexander, Columbus, 380

Alexander, John H.: Lto, 275

L from, 275

Alexander, Thomas B., 400

Alexander, Thomas L.: L to, 400

Ls from, 400

Alexandria Boarding School, 418

Allegheny Arsenal: RR right of way, 166

pay, 294, 347

mentioned, 389, 412, 458

Allegheny Valley Railroad, 166

Allen, Ethan A., Jr.: L to, 441

L from, 441

Allen, Joseph, 207

Allen, Joseph D., 174

Allen, Philip: L from, 468

Allen, Robert, 436

Allen, Robert T P.: L to, 374

L from, 374

Allen, W. H.: Ls from, 398

Allen, Willis: L to, 167

Ls from, 167

Allston, Benjamin, 197–98

Allston, Robert F. W.: L to, 178

Ls from, 178, 197–98

Almonte, Juan N. (sketch, 52), 51, 326, 447

Alvord, Benjamin: Ls to, 209

Ls from, 209–10

mentioned, 323

Alvorde, Michael, 242

Amazon River, 268, 276

America, 289

American Association for the Advancement of Science, xl, 65, 335

American Cannel Coal Co., 285

American Fur Co., 474

American Iron Mountain Co., 406

American party. See Know-Nothings

American Revolution, 357, 375, 410, 430, 454

Amoskeag Stark veterans, xlii

Anderson, Elizabeth C, 371

Anderson, Ellen Davis (niece) (sketch, 1:282), 132, 171

Anderson, Frederick, 446

Anderson, George T.: Ls from, 435, 467

Anderson, Homer: L from, 408

Anderson, John, 439

Anderson, Joseph A., 161

Anderson, Joseph R., 381

Anderson, Julius, 446

Anderson, Pierce B., 161

Anderson, Richard H., 329

Anderson, Robert (sketch, 1:252): assignment, 402

L from, 371

Anderson, Robert Davis (grandnephew) (ident., 134), 133

Anderson, Robert H., 408

Anderson, Samuel I.: L from, 161

Anderson, Thomas S. (nephew-in-law) (sketch, 134): L from, 255

mentioned, 133, 171

Anderson, William: L to, 392

Ls from, 161, 282, 391–92

Anderson, William C, 310

Andrews, George, 473

Andrews, Robert, 198

Andrews, Timothy P. (sketch, 1:441): L to, 226

mentioned, 20, 280, 434

Andrews, William R.: Ls to, 404

Antarctic, 289–90

Apache, 93n, 177, 310, 339

Apalachicola, 327

Apalachicola Arsenal, 198–99, 344, 453

Applegate, Jesse, 210

Appomattox River, 233

Archer, Junius L.: L to, 182

Arctic, 92n

Arizona Co., 424

Arkansas, 165, 435, 462

Arkansas River: improvement, 169, 172, 301, 303–304, 309, 397

army post, 231, 241, 306, 430

Armories: supts., 147n, 159, 217, 226, 311–13, 360–61

pay, 165–66, 202, 398

appts., 240, 362

production, 266, 357, 378, 459, 469

sites, 285–86

expenses, 287, 312, 365, 378, 395

mentioned, 376, 393, 410. See also Harpers Ferry Armory; Ordnance Department; Springfield Armory; Washington Armory

Armstrong, James: L from, 466

Army: mil. depts., 8, 269, 279, 380

assignments, 16, 59, 161, 180, 200, 286, 302, 311–13, 348–49, 358, 371, 374, 389, 407, 423, 456, 464, 466

distribution, 26–27, 41n, 63, 93, 236, 241, 261, 266–67, 291–92, 336, 356, 363, 375, 379–80, 385, 398, 413–14, 420, 426, 460–62, 464, 468

and politics, 59–60, 265, 279, 360–61, 382, 420, 455, 470–71

increase in, 63, 93, 97n, 98, 236, 266–69, 291–92, 308, 339, 350, 353, 360–61, 400

and filibusters, 63, 271

Indian affairs, 66, 94, 101–102, 174, 197, 201, 205, 230–31, 235, 242, 253, 277, 291, 315, 337, ...