Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Davis (June 3, 1808 – December 6, 1889) was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as the President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history, 1861 to 1865. On February 18, 1861, he resigned from the U.S. Senate and was selected President of the Confederate States of America. Davis took charge of the Confederate war plans, but was unable to find a strategy to stop the larger, more powerful Union Army. His efforts failed to gain recognition from any foreign country. Historians criticized Davis for being out of touch with public opinion, making him a failure as the President of the Confederacy. After Davis was captured on May 10, 1865, he was charged with treason, though never tried. Over time, admiration for his pride and ideals made him a Civil War hero to many white Southerners, and his legacy became part of the foundation of the postwar New South.