Jefferson Davis and the Conspiracy

[Kieran McAuliffe]

For those who might think Jefferson Davis was not capable of words that might approve of Lincoln’s death; remember the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid. This Union raid on Richmond, approved by Lincoln, just one year previous, failed, but on the body of Ulric Dahlgren were found papers that showed that at least one of the leaders of the raid was planning on killing Jeff Davis and his cabinet and burning Richmond. The official reason for the raid was to release Union prisoners held there before they could be sent south to a new POW camp at Andersonville. Davis and his cabinet were, of course, shocked and demanded answers. Did Davis think Lincoln was behind the plot to kill him and the cabinet?