I disagree. Aside from Reagan, the last great president was Jefferson Davis.

I thought Jefferson Davis pretty much freaked out at the end and went out gracelessly, kind of like Al Gore in Florida, but worse, and in drag. I haven't really looked much into his short reign, but I didn't think he was really all that great, from what I've read. Aside from giving Lee (who really was a great man) oversight of the armies of Northern Virginia, did he really do anything worth while? Didn't he make some other military appointments that weren't too slick?

I should probably read more about that. I only know what I've gleaned from doccumentaries on the war, nothing specific on Davis.

He had the same birthday as me, so he couldn't have been that bad.

I'm sure the perception of Davis varies depending on whether you live in the north or south.
Here is a wikipedia article on him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Davis
In the south, at least, he is still considered a great man.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Davis


Interesting read.


Davis has received criticism over his conduct of the military affairs of the Confederacy. Until late in the war, he resisted efforts to appoint a general-in-chief, essentially handling those duties himself; on January 31, 1865, Lee assumed this role, but it was far too late for him to establish a grand strategy that could achieve success. Davis was responsible for the strategy of defending all Southern territory with ostensibly equal effort, which diluted the limited resources of the South and made it vulnerable to coordinated strategic thrusts by the Union into the vital Western Theater. He made other poor strategic choices, such as allowing Lee to invade the North on two occasions while the Western armies were losing battles and critical terrain, such as the Mississippi River. He also has been faulted for poor coordination and management of his generals in the field, notably in his reluctance to relieve his personal friend, the inept Braxton Bragg, defeated in important battles and distrusted by his subordinates; he relieved the cautious but capable Joseph E. Johnston and replaced him with the reckless John Bell Hood, resulting in the loss of Atlanta and the eventual loss of an army.


That's what I was talking about with regard to his questionable military appointments. One thing I didn't know was that he, like Lee, opposed secession:


On the Fourth of July, he delivered an anti-secessionist speech on board a ship near Boston. He again urged the preservation of the Union on October 11 in Faneuil Hall, Boston, and returned to the Senate soon after.

On February 2, 1860, as secessionist clamor in the South grew ever louder, Davis submitted six resolutions in an attempt to consolidate opinion regarding states' rights, and to further his own position on the issue. Abraham Lincoln, a known opponent of slavery, won the presidency that November. Matters came to a head, and South Carolina seceded from the Union.

Though an opponent of secession in principle, Davis upheld it in practice on January 10, 1861. On January 21, 1861, he announced the secession of Mississippi, delivered a farewell address, and resigned from the Senate.


I wonder if it had any impact that the two main leaders of the Confederacy both opposed secession. Not that I don't think Lee fought his best, but it's still kind of interesting that the losing side had two primary leaders who weren't completely behind the movement they were leading.

Another thing I think I recal reading was that Davis didn't want Lee to surrender, and I think even ordered him not to. I believe Davis wanted to resort to guerrilla war to drag it out to the bitter end.

I went to the Jefferson Davis museum in New Orleans. It is virtually next to the World War museum and in the place he had his funeral. In a glass case they have a crown of thorns that the Pope gave to J. Davis. J. Davis got this dubious honor while in prison after the war. In the accompanying letter, the Pope said that Jefferson was like Christ. The letter said that Jefferson Davis was also being persecuted by a great power for his ideals. AMAZING in numerous ways. Poor Jesus.

People tend to remember the winners in war, and Davis was the loser. That's what he'll be remembered for above all else.

He may have been a great man in his day, but when the war had reached the point that Lincoln was in Richmond, sitting in Davis's desk with his feet propped up and shuffling through his papers, Davis probably knew deep down that it was the beginning of the end.

Davis had retreated only hours before and didn'
t even have time to clean out his office. That would be like an American President abandoning the White House permanently after being invaded and beaten.

Lincoln, although he had his dark moments both personally and Constitutionally, took the high road in the end. He never wanted revenge against the South, but unity. The war had humbled him. Unortunately for him, many Southerners did want revenge, and it cost him his life.

Actually, the "revenge" part of that equation was expressed on the part of the Northern states during reconstruction.
Lincoln didn't want to punish the south, but rather wanted the Union to be whole again. Therefore, his reconstruction plan was intended to rebuild the south and return it to its former glory. Of course, Lincoln was assasinated before being able to enact his plan.
His successors didn't share his vision, and reconstruction in the South moved forward in such a way as to punish many southerners.
You can still see evidence of this period on the South today if you look closely.

From what I know about him he was a former General who was on good terms with Robert E Lee. After the war he was about to be tried but was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson. And Johnson was impeached for doing this. Additionally, Davis ran his plantation like a utopian community, he had his own slaves elect a committee and they made major decisions and were used to judge other slaves accused of infractions.

The trail of Jefferson Davis was the greatest trail that never was. Jefferson Davis was confident he could win and so was his legal council. Here's the kicker: Jefferson Davis' legal council was composed of prominent northern attorneys. From what I have read they were considered the best in the country and they had an axe to grind with Lincoln's unconstitutional policies that resulted in many of their friends being thrown in jail without trial. Many have speculated why JD was never tried for treason. The northern public was for it. Some say the government just wanted to move on. Others say it would of brought up broader issues like the legality of secession and what type of government the framers of the constitution intended for us to have.

This would make for a good mock trial at some law school with reenactors and students or attorneys. This would be great. I think it would open up a lot of debate if it was televised.

From what I know about him he was a former General who was on good terms with Robert E Lee. After the war he was about to be tried but was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson. And Johnson was impeached for doing this. Additionally, Davis ran his plantation like a utopian community, he had his own slaves elect a committee and they made major decisions and were used to judge other slaves accused of infractions.

Just read something about this today. JD had an older brother that was fascinated with a Utopianist English author. JD's brother met with the author and came up with some ideas for his plantation. JD copied his brother's model.