Date of Award
5-1-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in History
First Advisor
Robert K.D. Colby
Second Advisor
April E. Holm
Third Advisor
Darren E. Grem
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
This project argues that Jefferson Davis’s tenure as United States Secretary of War significantly influenced the Civil War. During his time as secretary, Davis implemented reforms at the War Department that modernized the United States Army prior to the Civil War. Davis was a highly involved secretary, and his micromanaging would continue into his more infamous role as President of the Confederacy. Davis brought changes across technology, tactics, armories, and the Army's overall structure. Davis implemented the rifle and Minié ball that would be used primarily by both sides during the Civil War. This implementation would make the Civil War the first war in which the rifle was used by both belligerents. He would reform West Point and place greater emphasis on strategy and tactics, shifting the school from an engineering focus to a more tactical one. His reforms of the Armories, especially Springfield, would allow Springfield to produce heavy quantities of small arms during the Civil War. Davis’s role as Secretary of War has been studied less vigorously than his roles as President and Colonel of the 1st Mississippi Infantry Regiment. This project highlights the specific changes Davis implemented. Davis’s changes did not necessarily tip the scales in favor of the Union, but they laid crucial foundations for the transformation of the old army, which would find its crucible in the Civil War.
Recommended Citation
Jenkins, Charles Gordon, "Jefferson Davis as Secretary of War: His Role in the Renovation of the Old Army, 1853-1857" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 8835.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/8835