Page "Jefferson Davis" Paragraph 30

Franklin Pierce won the presidential election, and in 1853 he made Davis his Secretary of War.

In this capacity, Davis gave Congress four annual reports ( in December of each year ), as well as an elaborate one ( submitted on February 22, 1855 ) on various routes for the proposed Transcontinental Railroad.

He promoted the Gadsden Purchase of today's southern Arizona from Mexico.

He also increased the size of the regular army from 11, 000 to 15, 000 and introduced general usage of the improved guns that he had used successfully during the Mexican – American War.