Please share this story with your children.

We should never forget December 7, 1941, a "Day of Infamy," when our nation was attacked.... And Lest We forget those on the Battleship Arizona, and many others, who perished on that fateful Sunday morning at Oahu, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

We should also tell our children about December 6, 1889, When America lost a National Hero who supported the United States Constitution and freedom.

"Never teach your children to admit that their father's were wrong in their efforts to maintain the sovereignty, freedom and independence which was their birthright."------Jefferson Davis

Much sorrow was felt in the South during the Christmas Season of 1889. On December 6, of that year, an American Statesman, Orator, Patriot, Humanitarian, Philanthropist, Christian-Soldier, Husband, and Father died at the home of a friend in New Orleans, Louisiana. The news of Jefferson Davis' death spread throughout the South.

Jefferson Davis was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, served valiantly in the War with Mexico, served as Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce, elected United States Senator from Mississippi and served as President of the Confederate States of America..... He also wrote the book "The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government."

Jefferson Davis, and wife Varina, found great contentment and peace at "Beauvoir" their beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast home. This is where he wished to die but it was not meant to be. This magnificent home was damaged by "Hurricane Katrina" but restoration efforts are underway to restore it to its historic beauty. You can see a picture of the home at:

www.beauvoir.org

Varina Davis moved from Mississippi after the death of Jefferson Davis. The conditions of the sale of their home, Beauvoir, was that it be used as a retirement home for Confederate veterans and their families and also operated as a memorial to her late husband and the Confederate soldier.

In November 1889, Varina attended to their home as Jefferson Davis left to take care of business at Brierfield Plantation, which was owned by the Davis family. While traveling through New Orleans, Davis was exposed to a cold rain that caused a severe cold and Bronchitis. His condition was further complicated by malaria.

Miles Cooper, a former servant of the Davis family, upon hearing of Jefferson Davis' illness, made the long trip from Florida to be near Davis' side. As Cooper entered Davis' sick room, he burst into tears and fell on his knees and prayed that God would spare the life of Jefferson Davis and bless the family.

Jefferson Davis died between 12:30AM and 1AM on December 6, 1889. The news of his death hit the front page of many Southern newspapers. The praises and tributes read similar to that of a New Orleans paper that read,

"Through the South are Lamentations and tears, in every country on the globe where there are lovers of liberty there is mourning, wherever there are men who love heroic patriotism, dauntless resolution, fortitude or intellectual power, there is an sincere sorrowing. The beloved of our land, the unfaltering upholder of Constitutional Liberty, the typical hero and sage, is no more; the fearless heart that beats with sympathy for all mankind is stilled forever, a great light is gone-----Jefferson Davis is dead!"

The body of Jefferson Davis did lay in state at the City Hall of New Orleans, Louisiana from midnight December 6, 1889, to December 11th. A United States and Confederate flag hung from the wall of the city hall and many flowers filled the room. Over 70,000 people braved the crowd to view the remains of a man who had led the Confederacy during the War Between the States, 1861-1865.

Church bells toiled as over 200,000 men, women and children lined the streets of the crescent city to pay their respects to an American Legend and Hero. All schools and businesses were closed.

Those men who comprised the Honor Guard for the Jefferson Davis Funeral Procession to Metairie Cemetery included: the Army of Northern Virginia Association, the Army of Tennessee and the Washington Artillery. Metairie would serve as a temporary burial place for President Davis. He would be moved in 1893 to a final burial at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

It is written that the United States flag is lowered to half-mast for those who served as Secretary of War. Davis served in this position under President Pierce but he may well be the only man who was not afforded this same honor.

There was no official notice of Jefferson Davis' death in Washington, D.C., but a group of Southern Congressman met and wired Davis' wife Varina: "The Historians of after years, looking down the perspective of the past, will see Jefferson Davis as a colossal figure of his times, and do justice to his virtues which so deeply fixed him in our hearts."

Jefferson Davis was a man who should be remembered.

Source of information: The 1999, First Quarter Edition of the Southern Partisan Magazine. From a magazine article by Freelance writer Mrs. Peggy Robbins, entitled "Jefferson Davis' Death." and "Jefferson Davis" by Mildred Lewis Rutherford, who was Historian of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in the early 1900s.

By: Calvin E. Johnson, Jr.,Author of book, "When America stood for God, Family and Country."