Jefferson Davis in Blue: The Life of Sherman's Relentless Warrior

by Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes Jr., Gordon D. Whitney

Besides his illustrious name, Jefferson Columbus Davis, who fought for the Union, is best known for two appalling the September 1862 murder of General William "Bull" Nelson- his former commanding officer-and the abandonment of hundreds of African American refugees to the mercy of the Confederate cavalry at Ebenezer Creek during Sherman's march through Georgia in 1864. Not surprisingly, historians have generally dismissed Davis (1828-1879) as a reckless assassin, a racist, a journeyman soldier at best, and an embarrassment to the Lincoln war effort. But as Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes, Jr., and Gordon D. Whitney demonstrate in the first biography of the unredeemed general, such smoke of notoriety obscures the real story of a complex military leader. Through careful research and absorbing prose, Hughes and Whitney bring order to the muddle of contradictions that was Davis's life and offer an impartial profile of the soldier and the man. They describe his distinguished service in the Mexican War and at Fort Sumter, and his rapid advancement to general officer. Although Davis's sensational killing of Nelson-for which he was never tried-undoubtedly damaged his career, the authors show that he was venerated by professional military men even as he was vilified by civilians. They also follow Davis into his postwar career, first as a commissioner with the Freedmen's Bureau and then as an influential commander in territorial Alaska. With this study, Hughes and Whitney shatter the collective memory of "Jef" Davis as a grim, destructive child of war and replace it with a more rounded portrait of an energetic, faithful patriot who must be remembered for his splendid contributions as well as his startling failures.

Genres: Civil War

544 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[James Crabtree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jefferson C. Davis had a unique history when the Civil War broke out: he was a sergeant who served during the Mexican-American War, who then got a direct commission into the U.S. Army when a promised slot at West Point failed to appear. He found himself at Fort Sumter when the first shots of the Civil War were fired and was soon embroiled in the confused fighting in the border state of Missouri. He next found himself in Kentucky during the 1862 Confederate invasion and the event which would follow him for the rest of his life took place in Louisville: the murder of General William Nelson following a heated argument as to the best means to defend the city.

The author does an excellent job of examining the whole incident with Nelson and explaining why no charges were ever made against General Davis. He also does a great job of discussing Davis's rise from brigade commander to corps commander, serving in the Atlanta campaign, the March to the Sea and the Carolina Campaign. His postwar career in Alaska and the Modoc War are also dealt with. A lot of information but well worth the read.

[Stephen Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The bio labors under the handicap that Davis left no papers behind. So we never truly understand certain passages from his life. The book itself also suffers from issues related to the partial battle narratives included. While it is natural for a bio to focus on the operations of a particular unit, there were several points, particularly in the Atlanta campaign portions, which were difficult to understand without outside references. Review by an outside reader less familiar with the Civil War would likely have helped. However, it's quite interesting to cover Davis' post-war career on the West Coast and Alaska.