How did a speech made by Jefferson Davis in 1862 contradict the views of many Northern leaders?

Answer 1

In late December of 1862, Confederate President Jefferson Davis made a speech in Jackson, Mississippi made a speech that contradicted the views of many Northern leaders. His speech was made on December 26, 1862 and at the time Davis was aware of how costly the war was in terms of human lives lost and destruction of property. At that point in time, the two battles of Bull Run had already been fought. On top of that was the horrible Battle of Antietam and the Union's disaster at Fredericksburg. Davis stated that the war had reached such great proportions that he believed would force an end to the conflict very soon.It is ironic that many leaders in the North saw no end at all in the conflict that so many people believed would would be a short lived rebellion.

Union political leaders, the press and the ordinary citizen saw the same results as Davis did, however, they had many believe that the war was one with no end in sight at all.

These views were not overly pessimistic based on what they saw. One key to their beliefs were based on solid facts. For example, the military leader they had so much faith in was out of the military. That was General McClellan. On top of that, the prestige military army, the Army of the Potomac, had already failed to capture the Southern capital in three separate battle attempts. Along with that was the plain but unfavorable situation that their premier army had already had three leaders within a short period of time. That was McClellan, Burnside and now Pope. No one on either side was aware that what Davis called a war of protracted dimensions had yet to see its worst days were yet to come.