Bloody Times

Bloody Times

Chapter 14

By:Brody Smith

Pictures

Summary Part 6

Davis eventually ended up with deciding to remember and honor the Confederacy and the people who died for the cause. He would write multiple articles and answer countless questions about the war. Davis and his family settled down in a house located at Mississippi, Beauvoir. At first he didn't own the house but the previous owner gave the house to Davis in her will.

In 1881, Davis published the book: Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. Starting in 1886, Davis took a tour to make speeches around the South. This tour would raise Davis's popularity with the people of the South.

After the tour, Davis returned to Beauvoir and on June 3, 1888, he celebrated his 80th birthday.

Lincoln was only 56 when he was assassinated which was a 24 year difference. Many letters as well as gifts were sent to congratulate him.

In 1889, Jefferson Davis finally died with his family surrounding him in New Orleans. The city preformed a spectacular ceremony fit for Davis and he was buried in the city until Varina would decide his ultimate resting place. Varina Davis selected Richmond, Virginia to be his final resting place. In 1893, Davis's body was placed on board a funeral train and traveled to Richmond which is similar to how Lincoln traveled to Springfield, Illinois. Both Presidents of the Union and the Confederacy from a age long past have now joined together in death.

Summary of Chapter 14 Part 1

The beginning of the chapter informs the reader that the capture of Jefferson Davis has occurred and how the people of the Union want Davis dead;others wanted to make a profit out of Davis. The outfit that Davis wore on the night of his capture is what was mainly wanted for an exhibit. The actual clothing that Davis wore was a loose fitting overcoat and a shawl which President Lincoln would ware on cold nights. The country would still mock Davis for years to come with cartoons and drawings.

Introduction of Chapter 14

Picture of Varina Davis

Picture of Jefferson Davis after the War.

This particular chapter of the novel,Bloody Times,is the final chapter that closes the story of Jefferson Davis after the Civil War and his imprisonment.

What I actually say WILL BE DIFFERENT from what I actually typed on the presentation.

Bibliography

Summary Part 2

Summary Part 5

Davis himself welcomed a trial. If he died, then he would benefit the south and save them from mercy; if he lives then the South is not wrong for leaving the Union. This whole problem leaves the U.S. government in a tight spot. After the winter of 1867 during the spring, the government decided that Davis would be released on bail. They claimed that the government had the right to put Davis on trial at anytime but would not do so at the current time.

On May 11, 1867, Davis left Fortress Monroe and traveled by steamboat to Richmond. All of the white citizens welcomed Davis back to the old capital of the Confederacy. May 13 was the day that Davis was held in court and his supporters raised enough money to pay for the bail. Jefferson Davis was now a free man with no kind of trial for being the President of the Confederacy. The very first thing Davis did was an act of remembrance.

Like most of the South, Davis was broke. The Union raided his plantations and looted everything. Almost immediately, Davis decided that he wouldn't run for office or ever go back to Washington, DC.

All information in this Presentation was selected from the novel, Bloody Times, by James L. Swanson in Chapter 14. I owe all of this information to James L. Swanson and thus give credit where credit is due.

Davis made the travel to Savannah, Georgia on May 16. Fortress Monroe, Virginia would be his next and final destination while in the company of the Union soldiers. Varina Davis was not taken to jail but instead let free.

On May 22, Davis made it to Fortress Monroe, Virginia where he was imprisoned. The guards would attempt to break and hinder his spirit by insulting him, isolating him, and simply staying silence.

Most folks hoped that Davis would die while in prison. Thankfully for the South, this would not occur.

Summary Part 4

The accomplices with John Wilkes Booth were killed on July 7, 1865. Jefferson Davis was not one of the people killed which meant that if he were to be convicted then the charge would be of treason. The first letter between Davis and Varina was on the 21st of August from Davis. From then on, the two sent multiple letters to each other while he was in prison. Davis also received letters from other individuals including Emily Jessie Morton who wanted to cheer Davis up.

To ensure that Davis was released, Varina began to call in favors, as well as using every social and political skill to her advantage to get Davis released. Her plan eventually began to start.

When the fall of 1866 rolled around, the government still had not decided on what to do with Davis.

Summary Part 3

A while after Davis was placed in prison, chains were to be placed on him. The guards succeeded but not before Daivs could put a fight.

Mary Lincoln finally moved out of the White House as well as the city with the children. Benjamin Brown French who was the current commissioner of public buildings and grounds told her good-bye. He later wrote that she left with symptoms of insanity which was most likely caused from the death of Abraham Lincoln.

The house of President Lincoln was by May 24 a lonesome place with no visitors. A photographer took a final picture however with the house fully covered with the black draping of mourning. People wanted Nature to merely take down the drapes of mourning.