Printed in the United States of America
TO
THE BRAVE WHO DIED
FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVED
TO BE RIGHT
Fold up the banners! Smelt the guns!
Love rules. Her gentle purpose runs.
A mighty mother turns in tears
The pages of her battle years
Lamenting all her fallen sons!
THOMPSON
TO THE READER
In the historical romance which I have woven of the dramatic events of the life of Jefferson Davis I have drawn his real character unobscured by passion or prejudice. Forced by his people to lead their cause, his genius created an engine of war so terrible in its power that through it five million Southerners, without money, without a market, without credit, withstood for four years the shock of twenty million men of their own blood and of equal daring, backed by boundless resources.
The achievement is without a parallel in history, and adds new glory to the records of our race.
The scenes have all been drawn from authentic records in my possession. I have not at any point taken a liberty with an essential detail of history.