Franklin Pierce and Jefferson Davis
Franklin Pierce enjoyed a close friendship with Jefferson Davis, one that endured throughout their lives, even during the civil war. The two men had served in the senate, though at different times. Pierce represented his home state of New Hampshire from 1837 to 1842, while Davis represented Mississippi both before (1847-51) and after (1857-61) Pierce's presidency (1853-57). The two men served in the US Army during the Mexican War. Davis was regular army, while Pierce commanded troops from his state militia. After James Polk left the Presidency, a split in the Democratic Party developed between the "Barnburners" (those who supported the abolition of slavery) and the "Hunkers" (those who favored compromise). Both Pierce and Davis belonged to the latter faction.
Davis campaigned in numerous Southern states for Pierce in 1852, and when Pierce won the election, defeating Winfield Scott (a man despised by both Pierce and Davis), Pierce selected Davis for a cabinet post, naming him to be Secretary of War (the forerunner to the present-day Secretary of Defense).
Pierce's presidency began tragically. On January 6, 1853, Pierce, who was then President-elect, and his family were traveling on a train from Boston when their car derailed and rolled down an embankment near Andover, Massachusetts. Pierce and his wife survived but they saw their last son, 11-year-old Benjamin, horribly crushed to death. (The couple had two sons die in infancy previously). Pierce's wife Jane viewed the train accident as a divine punishment for her husband's pursuit and acceptance of high office. She refused to perform her duties as first lady. Davis's wife Varina often substituted in the role of White House hostess. The Davises, both individually and as a couple, often served as official hosts at White House functions in place of the President and his wife.
Pierce selected men of very diverse opinions and backgrounds for his cabinet. Many expected that the group would soon break up, but it remained unchanged during Pierce's entire four-year term. Thus far this is the only time that the cabinet has remained unchanged for an entire four year term. As the Secretary of War in a time of peace, Pierce and Davis turned to more domestic projects. Davis began the Pacific Railroad Surveys in order to determine various possible routes for the proposed Transcontinental Railroad. He promoted what became known as the Gadsden Purchase, in which a piece of land that today is part of southern Arizona from Mexico, because it would provide an easier route for the new railroad. Pierce agreed, and the land was purchased in December 1853.
Davis believed that the size of the regular army was insufficient to fulfill its responsibilities, and that salaries in the army were inadequate and would have to be increased. This was something which had not occurred for 25 years. Congress agreed and increased the pay scale, and added four regiments increasing the army's size from about 11,000 to about 15,000. Davis also introduced general usage of the rifles that his soldiers had used successfully during the Mexican–American War (over the objection of Winfield Scott, his commanding officer at the time.) Under Davis, both the morale and capability of the army was improved. Davis also became involved in public works when Pierce gave him responsibility for construction of the Washington Aqueduct and an expansion of the capitol.
The Pierce administration ended in 1857 with the loss of the Democratic nomination to James Buchanan. Davis's term ended with Pierce's, so Davis ran for the Senate, was elected, and re-entered it on March 4, 1857, while Pierce retired. The two men maintained a friendship and kept up regular correspondence.
Following the election of Abraham Lincoln in November of 1860, a move began towards secession by many of the southern states. On February 9, 1861, a constitutional convention at Montgomery, Alabama elected Davis as provisional Confederate President by acclamation. He was inaugurated on February 18, 1861. In 1863, following the siege of Vicksburg, in Mississippi, Union soldiers serving under General Hugh Ewing's command captured Davis's Fleetwood Plantation. Ewing seized Davis's personal correspondence and turned it over to his brother-in-law and commanding General William Tecumseh Sherman. Ewing also sent copies of the letters to friends in Ohio. Those letters revealed Pierce's close friendship with Davis and ambivalence about the goals of the war. In a letter that Pierce wrote to Davis in 1860, Pierce wrote about "the madness of northern abolitionism". In another letter Pierce stated that he would "never justify, sustain, or in any way or to any extent uphold this cruel, heartless, aimless unnecessary war." Pierce also wrote that "the true purpose of the war was to wipe out the states and destroy property".
Davis and his wife were captured by Union soldiers on May 10, 1865. A historical misconception is that Davis attempted to avoid capture by dressing as a woman, but most reputable historians agree that this was a false story created by northern newspapers after the fact. Davis was imprisoned at Fortress Monroe on the coast of Virginia. He was released two years later on a bond of $100,000 posted by a number of prominent citizens including Horace Greeley and Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Pierce died on October 8, 1869 at the age of 64 from cirrhosis of the liver. Davis died in New Orleans in December of 1889 at the age of 81.
Davis campaigned in numerous Southern states for Pierce in 1852, and when Pierce won the election, defeating Winfield Scott (a man despised by both Pierce and Davis), Pierce selected Davis for a cabinet post, naming him to be Secretary of War (the forerunner to the present-day Secretary of Defense).
Pierce's presidency began tragically. On January 6, 1853, Pierce, who was then President-elect, and his family were traveling on a train from Boston when their car derailed and rolled down an embankment near Andover, Massachusetts. Pierce and his wife survived but they saw their last son, 11-year-old Benjamin, horribly crushed to death. (The couple had two sons die in infancy previously). Pierce's wife Jane viewed the train accident as a divine punishment for her husband's pursuit and acceptance of high office. She refused to perform her duties as first lady. Davis's wife Varina often substituted in the role of White House hostess. The Davises, both individually and as a couple, often served as official hosts at White House functions in place of the President and his wife.
Pierce selected men of very diverse opinions and backgrounds for his cabinet. Many expected that the group would soon break up, but it remained unchanged during Pierce's entire four-year term. Thus far this is the only time that the cabinet has remained unchanged for an entire four year term. As the Secretary of War in a time of peace, Pierce and Davis turned to more domestic projects. Davis began the Pacific Railroad Surveys in order to determine various possible routes for the proposed Transcontinental Railroad. He promoted what became known as the Gadsden Purchase, in which a piece of land that today is part of southern Arizona from Mexico, because it would provide an easier route for the new railroad. Pierce agreed, and the land was purchased in December 1853.
Davis believed that the size of the regular army was insufficient to fulfill its responsibilities, and that salaries in the army were inadequate and would have to be increased. This was something which had not occurred for 25 years. Congress agreed and increased the pay scale, and added four regiments increasing the army's size from about 11,000 to about 15,000. Davis also introduced general usage of the rifles that his soldiers had used successfully during the Mexican–American War (over the objection of Winfield Scott, his commanding officer at the time.) Under Davis, both the morale and capability of the army was improved. Davis also became involved in public works when Pierce gave him responsibility for construction of the Washington Aqueduct and an expansion of the capitol.
The Pierce administration ended in 1857 with the loss of the Democratic nomination to James Buchanan. Davis's term ended with Pierce's, so Davis ran for the Senate, was elected, and re-entered it on March 4, 1857, while Pierce retired. The two men maintained a friendship and kept up regular correspondence.
Following the election of Abraham Lincoln in November of 1860, a move began towards secession by many of the southern states. On February 9, 1861, a constitutional convention at Montgomery, Alabama elected Davis as provisional Confederate President by acclamation. He was inaugurated on February 18, 1861. In 1863, following the siege of Vicksburg, in Mississippi, Union soldiers serving under General Hugh Ewing's command captured Davis's Fleetwood Plantation. Ewing seized Davis's personal correspondence and turned it over to his brother-in-law and commanding General William Tecumseh Sherman. Ewing also sent copies of the letters to friends in Ohio. Those letters revealed Pierce's close friendship with Davis and ambivalence about the goals of the war. In a letter that Pierce wrote to Davis in 1860, Pierce wrote about "the madness of northern abolitionism". In another letter Pierce stated that he would "never justify, sustain, or in any way or to any extent uphold this cruel, heartless, aimless unnecessary war." Pierce also wrote that "the true purpose of the war was to wipe out the states and destroy property".
Davis and his wife were captured by Union soldiers on May 10, 1865. A historical misconception is that Davis attempted to avoid capture by dressing as a woman, but most reputable historians agree that this was a false story created by northern newspapers after the fact. Davis was imprisoned at Fortress Monroe on the coast of Virginia. He was released two years later on a bond of $100,000 posted by a number of prominent citizens including Horace Greeley and Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Pierce died on October 8, 1869 at the age of 64 from cirrhosis of the liver. Davis died in New Orleans in December of 1889 at the age of 81.