Happy Birthday Handsome Frank
On this day November 23, in 1804 (206 years ago today), Franklin Pierce (no middle name) was born in a log cabin in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. He was the first President born in the 19th century and the only one born in New Hampshire so far. His father was Benjamin Pierce, a frontier farmer who became a Revolutionary War soldier, a state militia general, and the Democratic-Republican governor of New Hampshire for two terms. Franklin was a lifelong friend of writer Nathaniel Hawthorne and also a friend of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Pierce served in the state legislature including during the time that his father was the Governor. He served in Congress from 1833-37 and in the Senate from 1837-42, when he resigned. In 1844 President James K. Polk offered Pierce the job of Attorney-General, but Pierce turned it down. He served as a brigadier general of volunteers in the Mexican War and took command of a brigade of reinforcements for Winfield Scott's army marching on Mexico City. His brigade joined Scott's army in time for the Battle of Contreras. During the battle he was seriously wounded in the leg when he fell from his horse. The next day he returned to battle, but during the Battle of Churubusco the pain in his leg became so great that he passed out and had to be carried from the field. His political opponents used this against him, claiming that he left the field because of cowardice instead of injury. He returned to command and led his brigade throughout the rest of the campaign, resulting in the capture of Mexico City. In his autobiography, Ulysses S. Grant, who also fought in the Mexican War, claimed that Pierce was a true hero and that the stories of his cowardice were untrue.
The Democratic Convention of 1852 resulted in a deadlock between four candidates and on the 35th ballot Pierce was accepted as a compromise candidate. He soundly defeated his old commander Winfield Scott in the election, winning 27 of 31 states and 254 electoral votes to 42 for Scott. The Democrats' slogan was "We Polked you in 1844; we shall Pierce you in 1852!"
On the way to his inauguration, the train that Pierce and his family were riding on derailed. Pierce's 11 year old son Benny was decapitated in front of his parents' eyes. Pierce's wife Jane Pierce viewed the train accident as a divine punishment for her husband's pursuit of high office and she returned home. The accident may have been what motivated Pierce to affirm his oath of office on a law book instead of swearing it on a bible.
Pierce is the only President to complete a full term and have the same cabinet for the entire term. His Vice-President Rufus King died early on in office and was never replaced. The most famous event in his presidency was the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act which triggered a series of violent events that became known as "Bleeding Kansas" as competing factions resorted to violence to influence the outcome of local elections on the subject of slavery. Pro-slavery factions from out of state, illegally voted in a government that Pierce recognized. Meanwhile, a government supported by Kansas residents was rejected by Pierce. He continued to recognize the pro-slavery legislature even after a congressional investigative committee found its election illegitimate, and he sent federal troops to break up a meeting of the shadow government.
Northerners saw Pierce as being in he pocket of slave-holding interests and he was seen as untrustworthy. Having lost public confidence, Pierce failed to receive the nomination by his party for a second term.It led to Pierce hiring a full-time bodyguard - the first president to do so.
Pierce retired and traveled with his wife overseas. He returned to the U.S. in 1859 and was critical of Northern abolitionists for alienating the South. In 1860 some Democrats saw Pierce as a good compromise choice for the presidential nomination, uniting both Northern and Southern wings of the party, but Pierce declined to run. During the Civil War, Pierce attacked Lincoln for his order suspending habeas corpus. He argued that even in a time of war, the country should not abandon its protection of civil liberties. Pierce died on October 8, 1869, likely of cirrhosis of the liver. It is unclear if he was as much of a drinker as his critics accuse him, though his cause of death would support this. Pierce himself said, upon leaving the White House, "after being President, what is there to do but drink?"
Pierce served in the state legislature including during the time that his father was the Governor. He served in Congress from 1833-37 and in the Senate from 1837-42, when he resigned. In 1844 President James K. Polk offered Pierce the job of Attorney-General, but Pierce turned it down. He served as a brigadier general of volunteers in the Mexican War and took command of a brigade of reinforcements for Winfield Scott's army marching on Mexico City. His brigade joined Scott's army in time for the Battle of Contreras. During the battle he was seriously wounded in the leg when he fell from his horse. The next day he returned to battle, but during the Battle of Churubusco the pain in his leg became so great that he passed out and had to be carried from the field. His political opponents used this against him, claiming that he left the field because of cowardice instead of injury. He returned to command and led his brigade throughout the rest of the campaign, resulting in the capture of Mexico City. In his autobiography, Ulysses S. Grant, who also fought in the Mexican War, claimed that Pierce was a true hero and that the stories of his cowardice were untrue.
The Democratic Convention of 1852 resulted in a deadlock between four candidates and on the 35th ballot Pierce was accepted as a compromise candidate. He soundly defeated his old commander Winfield Scott in the election, winning 27 of 31 states and 254 electoral votes to 42 for Scott. The Democrats' slogan was "We Polked you in 1844; we shall Pierce you in 1852!"
On the way to his inauguration, the train that Pierce and his family were riding on derailed. Pierce's 11 year old son Benny was decapitated in front of his parents' eyes. Pierce's wife Jane Pierce viewed the train accident as a divine punishment for her husband's pursuit of high office and she returned home. The accident may have been what motivated Pierce to affirm his oath of office on a law book instead of swearing it on a bible.
Pierce is the only President to complete a full term and have the same cabinet for the entire term. His Vice-President Rufus King died early on in office and was never replaced. The most famous event in his presidency was the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act which triggered a series of violent events that became known as "Bleeding Kansas" as competing factions resorted to violence to influence the outcome of local elections on the subject of slavery. Pro-slavery factions from out of state, illegally voted in a government that Pierce recognized. Meanwhile, a government supported by Kansas residents was rejected by Pierce. He continued to recognize the pro-slavery legislature even after a congressional investigative committee found its election illegitimate, and he sent federal troops to break up a meeting of the shadow government.
Northerners saw Pierce as being in he pocket of slave-holding interests and he was seen as untrustworthy. Having lost public confidence, Pierce failed to receive the nomination by his party for a second term.It led to Pierce hiring a full-time bodyguard - the first president to do so.
Pierce retired and traveled with his wife overseas. He returned to the U.S. in 1859 and was critical of Northern abolitionists for alienating the South. In 1860 some Democrats saw Pierce as a good compromise choice for the presidential nomination, uniting both Northern and Southern wings of the party, but Pierce declined to run. During the Civil War, Pierce attacked Lincoln for his order suspending habeas corpus. He argued that even in a time of war, the country should not abandon its protection of civil liberties. Pierce died on October 8, 1869, likely of cirrhosis of the liver. It is unclear if he was as much of a drinker as his critics accuse him, though his cause of death would support this. Pierce himself said, upon leaving the White House, "after being President, what is there to do but drink?"