Jefferson Davis

author

Jefferson Davis

1808–1889

A Mississippi politician, soldier, and planter, he became the president of the Confederate States during the American Civil War. After the Confederacy’s defeat, he spent years defending its cause in writing, most notably in his book The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government.

3 Audiobooks

The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, Volume 1

The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, Volume 1

by Jefferson Davis

The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, Volume 2

The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, Volume 2

by Jefferson Davis

Speeches of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi; delivered during the summer of 1858.

Speeches of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi; delivered during the summer of 1858.

by Jefferson Davis

About the author

Born in 1808 in Kentucky and raised in Mississippi, he graduated from West Point and served in the U.S. Army before turning to politics. He later represented Mississippi in Congress, served as U.S. secretary of war, and became one of the best-known Southern political leaders of his era.

In 1861, he was chosen as the president of the Confederate States of America and led the Confederacy through the Civil War. His name remains closely tied to the Confederacy, slavery, secession, and the long, bitter conflict that ended in 1865.

After the war, he was imprisoned for a time, then returned to public life as a writer and public figure. He died in 1889, leaving behind a legacy that is historically significant and deeply controversial.