In this Book
- The Papers of Jefferson Davis: January–September 1863
- Book
- 1997
- Published by: Louisiana State University Press
- Series: The Papers of Jefferson Davis
“The New Year . . . comes in auspiciously for us,” Jefferson Davis proclaimed in January, 1863, and indeed there were grounds for optimism within the Confederacy. By September, however, various hopes for ending the conflict with the North had given way to the harsh realities of a prolonged war, increasingly confined to southern soil. Although Davis suffered poor health during much of the nine-month period, he remained an active and vital leader. Volume 9 of The Papers of Jefferson Davis gives a vivid picture of the tasks he faced.
Military matters consumed most of Davis’ time. Already strained relations with Joseph E. Johnston worsened in the spring, and he was eventually relieved of his overall command of the western armies. Surrenders at Vicksburg and Port Hudson ended Confederate access to the Mississippi River, and in the East, Robert E. Lee’s stunning victory at Chancellorsville was blotted out by bloody repulse south of Gettysburg. Correspondence from Europe reveals what Davis knew of the Erlanger loan and the diminishing chances of French and British intervention.
As problems for the Confederacy mounted, discontent grew. Davis received complaints from across the young country, the conscription system being of particular concern. In April he saw firsthand the unhappiness over limited resources as he took to the streets to help calm the Richmond bread riot.
Over 2,000 documents, many never before published, are included in Volume 9. Eighty-one are printed with annotation, 242 more in full text, and about 1,750 others are calendared in summary form. They show Davis fighting to maintain morale and military cohesion during one of the Confederacy’s most difficult periods.
Table of Contents
- Title Page, Copyright Page
- pp. i-iv
- Introduction
- pp. v-xiv
- Acknowledgments
- pp. xv-xviii
- Editorial Staff
- pp. xix-xxii
- Editorial Method
- pp. xxiii-xxviii
- Symbols and Abbreviations
- pp. xxix-xxxii
- Repository Symbols
- pp. xxxiii-xxxiv
- Illustrations
- pp. xxxix-xl
- Chronology, January–September 1863
- pp. xli-xliv
- Speech at Richmond . . . January 5
- pp. 10-19
- From Robert E. Lee . . . January 13
- pp. 23-28
- From Braxton Bragg . . . January 17
- pp. 28-36
- To Robert E. Lee . . . January 22
- pp. 36-39
- To John Handy . . . January 25
- pp. 39-42
- From Robert E. Lee . . . February 26
- pp. 78-85
- From Guy M. Bryan . . . March 9
- pp. 93-106
- From Robert Ould . . . March 20
- pp. 106-110
- On Partisan Warfare . . . March 21
- pp. 110-117
- From Leonidas Polk . . . March 30
- pp. 118-122
- To William M. Brooks . . . April 2
- pp. 122-127
- From Varina Howell Davis . . . [April 5]
- pp. 127-130
- From Theophilus H. Holmes . . . April 8
- pp. 130-134
- From Joseph E. Davis . . . April 9
- pp. 134-136
- From Joseph E. Johnston . . . April 10
- pp. 137-141
- From John Milton . . . April 15
- pp. 142-151
- From David Hunter . . . April 23
- pp. 152-154
- From Robert E. Lee . . . April 27
- pp. 154-163
- From Robert E. Lee . . . May 3
- pp. 163-166
- To Joseph E. Davis . . . May 7
- pp. 166-169
- From Robert E. Lee . . . May 7
- pp. 169-171
- To E. Kirby Smith . . . May 8
- pp. 171-173
- To William M. Browne . . . May 10
- pp. 177-189
- To Joseph E. Johnston . . . May 24
- pp. 189-191
- To Robert E. Lee . . . May 26
- pp. 191-195
- To William Lowndes Yancey . . . May 26
- pp. 195-199
- To Joseph E. Davis . . . May 31
- pp. 200-201
- To Robert E. Lee . . . May 31
- pp. 201-207
- From Robert E. Lee . . . June 7
- pp. 208-216
- From Joseph E. Davis . . . June 14
- pp. 216-220
- From E. Kirby Smith . . . June 16
- pp. 220-225
- To Braxton Bragg . . . June 17
- pp. 225-227
- From Joseph E. Davis . . . June 17
- pp. 227-233
- From Joseph E. Davis . . . June 21
- pp. 233-236
- From Robert E. Lee . . . June 23
- pp. 236-240
- From Joseph E. Davis . . . June 25
- pp. 240-242
- From Robert E. Lee . . . June 25
- pp. 243-246
- To Robert E. Lee . . . June 28
- pp. 247-255
- From A. Dudley Mann . . . July 3
- pp. 256-259
- From Robert E. Lee . . . July 4
- pp. 259-263
- To Joseph E. Johnston . . . July 8
- pp. 302-303
- From Robert E. Lee . . . July 8
- pp. 266-272
- From Braxton Bragg . . . July 13
- pp. 272-275
- To Robert W. Johnson . . . July 14
- pp. 276-286
- To Eliza Cannon Cannon . . . July 18
- pp. 286-289
- To Reuben Davis . . . July 20
- pp. 290-294
- To Robert E. Lee . . . July 21
- pp. 294-298
- From Robert E. Melvin . . . July 22
- pp. 298-307
- To Robert E. Lee . . . July 28
- pp. 307-313
- From John C. Pemberton . . . July 29
- pp. 313-317
- To Robert E. Lee . . . August 2
- pp. 317-323
- From William L. Brandon . . . August 8
- pp. 323-326
- From Robert E. Lee . . . August 8
- pp. 326-329
- From Colin J. McRae . . . August 8
- pp. 329-333
- To John C. Pemberton . . . August 9
- pp. 333-336
- To Robert E. Lee . . . August 11
- pp. 337-339
- From Leonidas N. Walthall . . . August 11
- pp. 339-344
- From Joseph E. Davis . . . August 15
- pp. 344-350
- To Zebulon B. Vance . . . August 22
- pp. 351-356
- To James M. Howry . . . August 27
- pp. 357-363
- To John Milton . . . September 1
- pp. 363-366
- From E. Kirby Smith . . . September 5
- pp. 371-377
- From Joseph E. Davis . . . September 9
- pp. 377-385
- From Robert E. Lee . . . September 14
- pp. 385-387
- To Zebulon B. Vance . . . September 15
- pp. 388-390
- To Robert E. Lee . . . September 16
- pp. 390-397
- To Robert E. Lee . . . September 21
- pp. 397-404
- From Braxton Bragg . . . September 25
- pp. 404-411
- From E. Kirby Smith . . . September 28
- pp. 412-416
- Addenda, 1845–62
- pp. 417-420