The Daily Dispatch: may 20, 1861., [Electronic resource]

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President Davis.

Eminent as Jefferson Davis is as a states man, he is also beyond all doubt one of the first military men of this country. Some of the Northern journals have the justice to accord to him great powers as a General. The Cleveland Plaindealer styles him ‘"a genuine son of Mars."’ The Bangor Democrat says:

‘ "Whatever estimate Republicans may place upon the character of Jefferson Davis, all parties know and agree that he is not a man of bluster and bluff, but a man of terrible determination, who means what he says, and whose resources of mind rise in grandeur in proportion as the difficulties by which he is surrounded increase. He is one of those very, very few gigantic minds which adorn the pages of history, of whom it may be said :--‘"Desperate courage makes one a majority."’ The latent powers of his soul and intellect have been fully called forth on but one occasion. When the flower of the Mexican cavalry, numbering 8,000 strong, came down on his hand of 400 Mississippians at Buena Vista, whilst the whole army of Americans trembling looked for naught but to see his little band go down before that terrible charge, he alone felt no misgivings, and knew that he should triumph. The world knows the result. The iron man of war stood firm; they received the shock of the charge, and delivered their deadly fire. The cavalry reeled and fled, and the field of Buena Vista was won."

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