Jefferson Davis was born in Christian County, Kentucky, on June 3, 1808, and died in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 6, 1889. He was a member of the West Point class of 1828, served in the House of Representatives from Mississippi from 1845 to 1846, was colonel of the 1st Mississippi Rifles in the Mexican War from 1846 to 1847, became brigadier general in the U.S. Army on May 17, 1847, served in the U.S. Senate from 1847 to 1851, was Secretary of War from 1853 to 1857, returned to the U.S. Senate from 1857 to 1861, and was President of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. He is characterized here as an American soldier and defender of the Constitution, faithful to all trusts, a martyr to principle, and the most consistent of American soldiers and statesmen.
