Civil War -- 1861
Brackets indicate dates and entries that follow logically from information in primary sources but are not explicitly stated.
- 1861
- January 23
- Elected major general, Mississippi militia
- February 1
- Arrives in Vicksburg; leaves for Brierfield
- February 9
- Elected president of the Confederate States
- February 11
- Speaks at Vicksburg and Jackson
- February 12
- Resigns general's commission
- February 13
- Leaves Jackson
- February 16
- Arrives at Montgomery, Alabama
- February 18
- Inaugurated as president of the Confederacy; sworn in on front portico of the Alabama capitol
- March 1
- Varina Davis and children arrive at Montgomery, settle in First White House of the Confederacy
- March 4
- Abraham Lincoln inaugurated
- March 11
- Congress ratifies Confederate Constitution
- April 12
- P. G. T. Beauregard fires on Fort Sumter, in Charleston, South Carolina
- May 26
- Leaves Montgomery for Richmond, Virginia
- May 29
- Arrives in Richmond
- May 31
- Meets with Governor John Letcher, Beauregard, and Robert E. Lee
- June 1
- Meets Varina Davis and family at station; visits city defenses; confers with Letcher; speaks
- June 16
- Visits Manassas Junction, Virginia
- June 27
- With Lee, visits Virginia convention
- July 21
- Battle of First Manassas (Bull Run), Virginia; Davis takes train to Manassas, arriving after the battle; tours grounds, addresses troops, and telegraphs news to Richmond; Joseph E. Davis and family arrive in Richmond for visit
- July 22
- Confers with J. E. Johnston and Beauregard
- July 23
- Returns to Richmond
- August 1
- Moves into executive mansion
- August 10
- Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri
- August 26-September 6
- Confined to home by illness
- September 30
- Leaves for Fairfax Court House, Virginia
- October 2
- Confers with Beauregard, Johnston, and Gustavus W. Smith
- October 3
- Reviews troops; leaves for Richmond; Varina Davis and children have carriage accident
- October 4
- Arrives in Richmond
- October 21
- Battle of Ball's Bluff (Leesburg), Virginia
- [October 30]
- Writes reply to Beauregard's Manassas report
- November 6
- Election day
- November 18
- Sends address on the nation to Congress
- December 6
- Son William Howell Davis born
