戴维斯

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Davis, Jefferson

美国政治领袖,美利坚邦联的总统(1861~1865)。毕业於西点军校(West Point),後派驻威斯康辛准州(Wisconsin Territory),不久参加「黑鹰战争」(Black Hawk War)。1835年退役,在密西西比州经营种植园。1845~1846年选入美国国会,後辞职参与墨西哥战争(Mexican War),在布埃纳维斯塔战役(Battle of Buena Vista)中表现优异,成为民族英雄。之後进入参议院(1847~1851)。1853年皮尔斯(Franklin Pierce)总统任命他为陆军部长。1857年重返参议院,鼓吹州权,但不赞成南北分裂。1861年密西西比州脱离联邦後,他被联盟大会选为临时总统。他在没有人力、物资和金钱的情况下,领导南方对抗北方的战争,而且行政体系内部有来自激进派的不同声音。在李将军向北方投降以後,戴维斯逃到里奇蒙(Richmond),冀望继续作困兽之斗以和北方争取较好的条件。1865年被俘,因叛国罪被起诉,但从未审判。1867年因健康不佳而获释。他回到密西西比州,但并没有致力於寻求特赦或恢复公民权,死後一直到1978年才获恢复。

1808~1889年

Davis, Jefferson

U.S. political leader, president of the Confederate States of America (1861-65). Born in Christian Co., Ky., he graduated from West Point and served in Wisconsin Territory and later in the Black Hawk War. In 1835 he became a planter in Mississippi. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (1845-46), he resigned to serve in the Mexican War, where he distinguished himself at the Battle of Buena Vista. A national hero, he served in the U.S. Senate (1847-51) and as Pres. Franklin Pierce's secretary of war (1853-57). He returned to the Senate in 1857, where he advocated states' rights but tried to discourage secession. After Mississippi seceded in 1861, he resigned and was chosen president of the Confederacy. He conducted the South's war effort in the face of a lack of manpower, supplies, and money, and hampered by discord from radicals within his administration. On Lee's surrender, he fled Richmond, hoping to continue the fight until he could secure better terms from the North. Captured and indicted for treason, he was never tried; he was released in poor health in 1867. He retired to Mississippi and never sought amnesty or restoration of his citizenship, which was restored posthumously in 1978.

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