The Papers of Jefferson Davis

July 1846–December 1848

Jefferson Davis

• Publisher: LSU Press
• Year: 1982
• ISBN:
  9780807158685
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

Lynda L. Crist, Associate Editor
Mary S. Dix, Assistant EditorAt the end of Volume 2 Jefferson Davis had left Congress to become a colonel in the First Mississippi Regiment. The first item in this volume is a speech as he prepares to leave on a riverboat to serve in the Mexican War. The years 1846 through 1848 see Davis play a conspicuous role in the war and in the subsequent political clashes and controversies over slavery.Volume 3 details Davis' first experience in battle as an officer of a regiment as well as his initial term as a U.S. senator. He received both praise and criticism for his leadership in Mexico. In 1847 he returned to Mississippi a wounded hero of national fame, refused a brigadier generalship, and took his place in the U.S. Senate.There are several items of correspondence with Zachary Taylor that shed light on Taylor's attitude toward the proposed nomination that would lead to his election as president in 1848. Davis' first wife was Taylor's daughter; and in spite of political and family differences the two men maintained a close friendship. In a major speech in July, 1848, Davis protested the formal prohibition of slavery from the Oregon Territory; he then voted for the Senate's compromise bill on Oregon.Volume 3 of The Papers of Jefferson Davis includes letters to and from Davis, his speeches in chronological order, and other documents, further illuminating Davis' character, opinions, philosophy, and personal relationships as well as continuing the development of his military career.

INDEX

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

Abercrombie, John J. (sketch, 1:213): and Tenería controversy, 115

Aberdeen Mississippi Advertiser: on Davis, 233-35

Aberdeen Monroe Democrat, 236n

Abert, John J.: letter from, 428

Abolitionism: Z. Taylor on, 22

Davis on, 358, 365-69. See also Slavery

Abston, Albert L., 411

Adams, John Quincy (sketch, 2:397): 373n

Adams, Mary P. (Mrs. Stephen), 458

Adams, Stephen (sketch, 2:298), 420

Alexander, J. M., 137

Allen, William (sketch, 1:457), 395

Amanda (servant), 238

American party: and Z. Taylor, 168

Ames, Adelbert, 275n

Amistad, 372n

Amparo: Davis on, 345

Ampudia, Pedro (sketch, 23): and Monterrey capitulation, 22-24, 55, 57-60, 62, 107

at Buena Vista, 125n, 126n, 137n, 138n, 163n

Amyx, Fleming (sketch, 195): letter to, 215-16

letter from, 193-94

Anderson, Garland: killed at Buena Vista, 163

claim by heir of, 453

Anderson, John L., 29

Anderson, John M.: Davis recom. for office, 451

Anderson, Samuel R. (sketch, 38): at Monterrey, 35, 105-106, 228

Archer, Richard T.: letter to, 429

letter from, quoted, 388n

letter transmitted, 429

Arista, Mariano (ident., 329), 23n, 328

Arkansas Cavalry: repulsed at Buena Vista, 125n, 132, 140, 154-55, 157, 159, 407

skirmish (Feb. 22), 158n

petition of, 431

Armstrong, Robert, 176n

Army: condition of, in Mexico, 182, 200, 201, 203, 244n, 255, 259-60, 269-70, 278, 323, 430, 441

Davis on regulars vs. vols., 257-59, 264, 428

and Mexican property, 283

and Colt revolvers, 290n

Davis amendments on, 322-24, 448

regulations, 397-98

disabled veterans, 423, 424

Davis on increase of, 424, 436

promotions, 425

quarters in New Orleans, 426

pensions, 427

pay of mil. storekeepers, 428

Davis on mil. asylum, 434

medical staff, 443

officers’ rank, 443

rifle rgt. for Calif., 448. See also Artillery; Dragoons; Infantry; Ten-regiment bill Arnold, John G.: Davis recom. for

army comn., 421

Aroostook War, 289n

Arthur, Alexander H. (sketch, 2: 251), 33n

Arthur, Rufus K. (sketch, 33): at Monterrey, 28, 42

praised by Davis, 146

letters from, 422, 429

mentioned, 9n

Articles of Confederation, 334, 350-52

Artillery: 2d Art. at Buena Vista, 138n; 3d Art. at Monterrey, 65, 228

3d Art. at Buena Vista, 114, 138n, 143, 160

4th Art. at Buena Vista, 116n, 138n

Aspinwall, William H.: letter from, 453

Atkinson, Asa B. (ident., 139), 137

Atwood, Jesse (ident., 224), 217

Bache, Miss-, 191

Backus, Electus, 50n

Baden, Dr.-, 310-11

Badger, George E.: letter to, 437

Bagby, Arthur P. (sketch, 301): on Cumberland Island dam, 295, 297-98

on Pearl, 314edn

Bailey, Jacob W.: introduced to Davis, 445-46

Bainbridge, Henry (sketch, 233), 232

Baker, David: petition of, 438

Baker, Rufus L.: letter to, 421

Baldwin, Francis G. (sketch, 394): letter from, 392-93

Baldwin, Julia S., 393n

Baltimore Battalion: at Monterrey, 49n, 50-51

Bancroft, George (sketch, 2:382): letter to, 457

mentioned, 435

Barnburners, 372n

Barton, Roger: as rival for Senate, 250n, 254n

letter from, 452

Belize: arms depot at, 321

Bell, John (sketch, 266) : and ten-rgt. bill, 263edn, 265

Bell, William H. (sketch, 33): wounded at Monterrey, 28

Davis recom. for office, 451

Bennett, Albert G. (sketch, 2:673), 452

Bennett, Robert A. (sketch, 44), 42

Benton, Thomas H. (sketch, 2:464): and lt. gen. proposal, 119

and Ore. bill, 374

opposes brevet for W. H. Emory, 439

mentioned, 366, 373n

Berrien, John M., 371n

Betsy (servant), 458

Bigbie, James N. (sketch, 409), 408

Big Black River: resolution on, 433

Biloxi: resolution on, 431

Bilton, John R., 442

Bingaman, Adam L. (sketch, 1:439): speaks at Natchez, 183edn

Bishop’s Palace (Monterrey), 43n

Black, John (ident., 289), 285

Black Fort. See Citadel

Blair, Francis P.: letter to, 420

Blakely, James W., 408

Bliss, Mary Taylor. See Dandridge, Mary Taylor

Bliss, William W. S. (sketch, 147): visits Davis, 270

letters to, 139-47, 412

mentioned, 311

Bobb, John, Jr., 10n

Bond, Joseph S., 137

Boone, Reuben H. (sketch, 2:93), 312n

Borland, Solon, 331n

Bostick, Ferdinand, 9n

Bowen, Robert, 29

Bowles, William A. (sketch, 125): joins 1st Miss. Rgt. at Buena Vista, 124, 133, 143, 146, 152, 162

Davis’ testimony on, 166-67

Boyd, Gordon: bill for, 442

Boyd, Linn (sketch, 2:529): letter to, 276-77

mentioned, 458

Boyle, Ann Jane. See Davis, Ann Boyle

Boyle, Lucinda Smith (niece) (sketch, 1:473), 240n

Boyle, William D. (nephew-in-law) (sketch, 240) : death of, 238

Bradford, Alexander B. (sketch, 2: 223): at Monterrey, 27, 63, 66n, 68, 76, 107, 110n, 232, 241n, 242, 243, 404, 406

as envoy for Davis, 115

at Buena Vista, 133, 143, 145, 152, 153, 162

praised by Davis, 145

runs for state office, 174n

letters from, 40-42, 151-54

mentioned, 9n, 13n, 16, 17, 167n

Bradford, Amanda Davis (sister) (sketch, 1:280): letter to, 455

mentioned, 56n, 96n, 97, 98n, 170, 307

Bradford, Anna Matilda. See Miles, Anna

Bradford Bradford, Charles M. (sketch, 43), 9n, 42, 68, 125

Bradford, David (brother-in-law) (sketch, 1:7): J. E. Davis’ opinion of, 100

reinterred, 100

mentioned, 240n

Bradford, Mary Jane. See Sayre, Mary Bradford

Bradford,—: letter from, mentioned, 94

Bragg, Braxton (sketch, 66) : at Monterrey, 27, 65

at Buena Vista, 138n

praised by Davis, 143

comments on 1st Miss. Rgt., 149n

mentioned, 110n, 116n, 132, 243

Branch, John S., 163

Brandon Republican, 33n

Breckinridge, John C, 98n

Brierfield (described, 2:244): cotton crop, 55-56, 119, 172-73

construction of new house, 95, 419

activities of V. Davis, 96-97

Howells visit, 119

levee tax, 120

gin, 121n

fear of flooding, 165, 168, 204

conditions, 173, 177, 238

Z. Taylor on, 308

tax roll (1846), 414

mentioned, 100, 198, 223. See also Davis—planter; Davis Bend

Bristol, Frank M.: letter from, cited, 108dsn

Brodhead, Richard (nephew-in-law) : letter to, cited, 150n

Brown, Albert G. (sketch, 2:22): and Davis’ resignation, 56n

and rifles for 1st Miss. Rgt., 174-75, 198, 206

criticism of, 176

relationship with Davis, 192, 206, 442

letters to, 207-208, 227-33, 241, 419

letters from, 20, 174-75, 197-98, 414, 418

comn. from, 418

mentioned, 3, 174n, 193, 223, 273, 275n, 311

Brown, Obadiah B. (sketch, 304), 302

Brown, William G., Jr. (ident., 224), 217

Brown, William N. (sketch, 151): praised by Davis, 146

mentioned, 9n

Browning, Alfred G., 411

Brownlee, Adams, 422

Brush, John M.: petition of, 424

Brush, Nehemiah: petition for, 424, 438

“Brutus”: letter from, 429

Buchanan, James (sketch, 2:345): and Wilmot Proviso, 306-307

as presidential possibility, 422

letters to, 428, 438, 452

mentioned, 24n, 192n, 271n, 394n

Buck, William A.: letter to, cited, 147n, 148nn

Buena Vista, Battle of: Davis on, 122, 139-47, 184, 2...