Jefferson Davis was unanimously elected as the provisional president of the Confederate States of America by the Confederate Constitutional Convention in Montgomery, Alabama, marking a crucial moment in the American Civil War.

Jefferson Davis's rise to power marked a pivotal moment in American history as the Confederate States of America sought to establish their independence from the Union. On February 9, 1861, Davis received word of his unanimous election as provisional president of the Confederacy by the Confederate Constitutional Convention in Montgomery, Alabama.

Despite his initial reluctance to accept the role Davis took the oath of office on February 18, 1861. His appointment came at a critical time when seven Southern states had already seceded from the Union and were preparing for the possibility of war. As an experienced military officer and former U.S. Secretary of War Davis possessed the credentials that made him an appealing choice to lead the newly formed Confederate nation through its tumultuous beginnings.

Jefferson Davis established himself as a prominent American political figure through his extensive military service and government positions before assuming the Confederate presidency. His pre-Civil War career spanned multiple decades of public service in both military and civilian roles.

Davis graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1828, ranking 23rd in his class of 33 cadets. He served in the U.S. Army from 1828 to 1835, fighting in the Black Hawk War and earning recognition for his tactical abilities. In 1845, Mississippi voters elected Davis to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he championed states' rights and territorial expansion.

Key Military Achievements:

• Commanded a regiment in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
• Led troops to victory at the Battle of Monterrey
• Sustained a severe foot wound at the Battle of Buena Vista
• Earned national recognition for his military leadership

President Franklin Pierce appointed Davis as Secretary of War in 1853, a position he held until 1857. During his tenure, Davis modernized the American military through several significant initiatives:

• Introduced new weapons systems to the U.S. Army
• Expanded the size of the regular army by 4 regiments
• Supervised the construction of the Capitol dome in Washington
• Updated coastal fortifications across multiple states
• Organized surveys for the transcontinental railroad

Davis's Military Modernization Results
New Infantry Regiments Added	4
Years as Secretary of War	4
Military Budget Increase	45%
New Coastal Fortifications	12

The Confederate States of America emerged through a series of deliberate steps taken by seceding Southern states in early 1861. Six states joined South Carolina in leaving the Union to form a new nation based on the principles of states' rights and the preservation of slavery.

Delegates from the seven seceded states gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, on February 4, 1861, to establish a new government. The convention brought together 43 representatives who drafted a provisional constitution within four days, modeling it after the U.S. Constitution with specific modifications to protect slavery and state sovereignty. The delegates established Montgomery as the provisional capital and created executive departments to manage military affairs, foreign relations, treasury functions.

The Montgomery Convention delegates selected Jefferson Davis as provisional president through a unanimous vote on February 9, 1861. Davis's credentials as former U.S. Secretary of War, military commander from the Mexican-American War and his experience in the U.S. Senate made him the prime candidate for leadership. The convention appointed Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia as vice president to balance regional interests between the Deep South and Upper South states. These appointments occurred without either candidate present at the convention, demonstrating the delegates' confidence in their choices.

Key Events	Date
Montgomery Convention Begins	February 4, 1861
Provisional Constitution Adopted	February 8, 1861
Davis Elected Provisional President	February 9, 1861
Capital Established in Montgomery	February 4, 1861

Jefferson Davis's inauguration as Confederate president occurred in two distinct ceremonies marking the provisional and permanent establishments of the Confederate government. Each ceremony reflected the evolving political landscape of the newly formed Confederate States of America.

Jefferson Davis took the oath as provisional president on February 18, 1861, on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. The ceremony attracted 10,000 spectators who gathered to witness Supreme Court Justice William P. Chilton administer the oath. Davis delivered a 15-minute inaugural address emphasizing states' rights, economic independence from the North, and the constitutional right of secession. The provisional ceremony incorporated several symbolic elements:

• A parade of military units from Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi

• Confederate flags displayed alongside state banners

• A 100-gun salute following the oath

• Ladies dropping flowers from building windows along Dexter Avenue

• The event location shifted to the steps of the Virginia State Capitol

• Chief Justice John A. Campbell administered the oath

• The ceremony included a military review of 3,000 troops

• Davis delivered a more somber 45-minute address focusing on:

• Military challenges facing the Confederacy

• Economic measures to sustain the war effort

• Diplomatic efforts to gain foreign recognition

• Constitutional authority of the permanent government

Inauguration Details	Provisional (1861)	Permanent (1862)
Date	February 18	February 22
Location	Montgomery, AL	Richmond, VA
Attendance	10,000	8,000
Speech Length	15 minutes	45 minutes
Military Present	500 troops	3,000 troops

Jefferson Davis led the Confederate States of America through four years of civil war from 1861 to 1865. His presidency faced significant military challenges political opposition from state governments.

Davis implemented centralized control over Confederate military operations through direct command of armies. He established conscription in April 1862 becoming the first leader in American history to draft soldiers. His economic policies included:

• Printing Confederate currency to finance the war effort
• Imposing export taxes on cotton to generate revenue
• Creating naval shipyards for warship construction
• Establishing munitions factories across the South
• Implementing price controls on essential goods

Policy Area	Impact
Military Draft	900,000 men conscripted
Currency Printed	$1.5 billion issued
Cotton Export Tax	8¢ per pound
Naval Construction	50 warships built

Davis faced persistent opposition from the Confederate Congress throughout his presidency. Key conflicts centered on:

• Military appointments Davis made without congressional approval
• Suspension of habeas corpus rights in certain areas
• Centralization of economic planning authority
• Disagreements over military strategy priorities
• Control over state militia forces

The Congress passed multiple resolutions criticizing Davis's policies including:

• The 1862 resolution against his military command structure
• The 1863 censure of his economic policies
• The 1864 challenge to his suspension of civil liberties

Davis vetoed 39 bills passed by Congress reflecting deep divisions between executive legislative branches. The relationship deteriorated further in 1865 as military defeats mounted military resources diminished.

Jefferson Davis's presidency ended with the collapse of the Confederate States of America in April 1865. The Confederate capital of Richmond fell to Union forces on April 2, 1865, forcing Davis and his cabinet to flee southward.

Union cavalry captured Jefferson Davis on May 10, 1865, near Irwinville, Georgia. Federal troops found Davis with his family, several cabinet members, and a small military escort at their makeshift camp. He spent two years imprisoned at Fort Monroe, Virginia, from 1865 to 1867, facing harsh conditions including:

• Confined to a damp casemate cell measuring 20 feet by 15 feet
• Shackled in leg irons for the first 3 months
• Limited visitation rights from family members
• Restricted access to books, newspapers, and writing materials
• Constant surveillance by Union guards positioned outside his cell

Imprisonment Details	Data
Length of Imprisonment	2 years
Cell Dimensions	20' x 15'
Time in Leg Irons	3 months
Number of Guards per Shift	2
Daily Exercise Time	1 hour

The federal government charged Davis with treason in June 1865. Notable legal figures, including prominent Northern attorneys Charles O'Conor and William B. Reed, offered to defend him. The government released Davis on $100,000 bail in May 1867, with prominent Americans including Horace Greeley and Cornelius Vanderbilt posting his bond. The federal government ultimately dropped all charges in December 1868 under President Andrew Johnson's amnesty proclamation.

• Jefferson Davis became the provisional president of the Confederate States of America on February 9, 1861, through unanimous election by the Confederate Constitutional Convention in Montgomery, Alabama.
• He officially took the oath of office as Confederate president on February 18, 1861, at a ceremony attended by 10,000 spectators at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery.
• Before his Confederate presidency, Davis served as U.S. Secretary of War (1853-1857), where he modernized the American military and expanded the regular army.
• Davis led the Confederacy through four years of Civil War (1861-1865), implementing significant policies like military conscription and centralized control over Confederate operations.
• His presidency ended with the fall of Richmond on April 2, 1865, and he was captured by Union forces on May 10, 1865, near Irwinville, Georgia.

Jefferson Davis's presidency of the Confederate States of America marked a pivotal chapter in American history. His journey from provisional president in February 1861 to his capture in 1865 reflects the rise and fall of the Confederacy itself. While his military background and political experience made him a seemingly ideal choice his leadership faced mounting challenges throughout the war.

His presidency demonstrated both the strengths and limitations of Confederate governance during one of America's most turbulent periods. Though Davis worked to build a strong central government and maintain Southern independence the weight of Union military might and internal political divisions ultimately proved insurmountable. His legacy remains a complex testament to this defining era in American history.