The Provisional Congress of the Confederate States, also known as the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America, was a

congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

deputies A legislator (also known as a deputy or lawmaker) is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people of the state. Legislatures may be supra-national (for e ...

and delegates called together from the Southern States which became the

governing body A governing body is a group of people that has the authority to exercise governance over an organization or political entity. The most formal is a government, a body whose sole responsibility and authority is to make binding decisions in a taken g ...

of the

Provisional Government A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, or a transitional government, is an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or f ...

of the

Confederate States The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

from February 4, 1861, to February 17, 1862. It sat in

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...

, until May 21, 1861, when it adjourned to meet in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, on July 20, 1861. In both cities, it met in the existing state capitols which it shared with the respective secessionist state legislatures. It added new members as other states

seceded Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics lea ...

from the Union and directed the

election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...

on November 6, 1861, at which a permanent government was elected.

First Session

The First Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Montgomery from February 4, 1861, to March 16, 1861. Members were present from

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to t ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Mis ...

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = "Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = G ...

, and

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. It drafted a provisional constitution and set up a government. For

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...

and

vice-president A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

, it selected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia.

Constitutional Convention

The Confederate States of America

Constitutional Convention Constitutional convention may refer to: * Constitutional convention (political custom), an informal and uncodified procedural agreement *Constitutional convention (political meeting), a meeting of delegates to adopt a new constitution or revise an e ...

was held at Montgomery from February 28, 1861, to March 11, 1861.

Second Session

The Second Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Montgomery from April 29, 1861, to May 21, 1861. Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...

, and

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the ...

Third Session

The Third Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond from July 20, 1861, to August 31, 1861. Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...

, and

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to ...

Fourth Session

The Fourth Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond on September 3, 1861. Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Fifth Session

The Fifth Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond from November 18, 1861, to February 17, 1862. Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee,

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, and

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...

. One non-voting member was present from the Arizona Territory.

Leadership

* President:

Howell Cobb Howell Cobb (September 7, 1815 – October 9, 1868) was an American and later Confederate political figure. A southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and the speaker of the House from 184 ...

Members

Deputies

Deputies from the first seven states to secede formed the first two sessions of the Congress.

* Richard W. Walker * Robert H. Smith *

Colin J. McRae Colin J. McRae (born Colin John McRae; October 22, 1812 – February 1877) was an American politician who had served as a Deputy from Alabama to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1862. The location of his grave, in ...

* John Gill Shorter (''resigned'' November 1861) ** Cornelius Robinson (''took his seat on'' April 29, 1861 – ''Elected to fill vacancy; resigned'' January 24, 1862) * W. P. Chilton *

Stephen F. Hale Stephen F. Hale (born Stephen Fowler Hale; January 31, 1816 – July 18, 1862) was an American politician who served as a Deputy from Alabama to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1862. In July 1862, he died of wound ...

* David P. Lewis (''resigned'' April 29, 1861) ** Nic. Davis, Jr. (''took his seat on'' April 29, 1861 – ''Elected to fill vacancy'') * Thomas Fearn (''resigned'' April 29, 1861) ** H. C. Jones (''took his seat on'' April 29, 1861 – ''Elected to fill vacancy'') * J. L. M. Curry

* J. Patton Anderson (''resigned'' April 8, 1861) ** George Taliaferro Ward (''took his seat on '' May 2, 1861 – ''Elected to fill vacancy; resigned ''February 5, 1862) ** John Pease Sanderson (''took his seat on '' February 5, 1862 – ''Appointed to fill vacancy'') * James B. Owens *

Jackson Morton Jackson Morton (August 10, 1794 – November 20, 1874) was an American politician. A member of the Whig Party, he represented Florida as a U.S. Senator from 1849 to 1855. He also served as a Deputy from Florida to the Provisional Congress of th ...

(''took his seat on '' February 6, 1861)

Robert Toombs Robert Augustus Toombs (July 2, 1810 – December 15, 1885) was an American politician from Georgia, who was an important figure in the formation of the Confederacy. From a privileged background as a wealthy planter and slaveholder, Toombs ...

* F. S. Bartow (''killed'' July 21, 1861 ''at the

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassascites 18,052 Confederate men and 37 guns engaged. McDowell's plan was to move westward in three columns and make a diversionary attack on ...

'') ** Thomas Marsh Forman (''took his seat on'' August 7, 1861 – ''Appointed to fill vacancy'') * M. J. Crawford * E. A. Nisbet (''resigned'' December 10, 1861) ** Nathan Henry Bass, Sr. (''took his seat on'' January 14, 1862 – ''Appointed to fill vacancy'') * B. H. Hill * A. R. Wright * T. R. R. Cobb * A. H. Kenan * A. H. Stephens

* John Perkins, Jr. * Alexander de Clouet *

Charles M. Conrad Charles Magill Conrad (December 24, 1804 – February 11, 1878) was a Louisiana politician who served in the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, and Confederate Congress. He was Secretary of War under President Mill ...

* Duncan F. Kenner * Edward Sparrow * Henry Marshall

* A. M. Clayton (''resigned'' May 11, 1861) **

Alexander Blackburn Bradford Alexander Blackburn Bradford (June 2, 1799 – July 10, 1873) The life of Alexander Blackburn Bradford saw his conspicuous participation in the early affairs of two Southern states, a distinguished career as a lawyer and elected politician, a sk ...

(''took his seat on'' December 5, 1861 – ''Elected to fill vacancy'') * James T. Harrison * William S. Barry * J. A. P. Campbell * Wiley P. Harris * Walker Brooke * William S. Wilson (''resigned'' April 29, 1861) ** J. A. Orr (''took his seat on'' April 29, 1861 – ''Elected to fill vacancy'')

* Robert Barnwell Rhett * Robert W. Barnwell * Christopher Gustavus Memminger * James Chesnut, Jr. *

William Porcher Miles William Porcher Miles (July 4, 1822 – May 11, 1899) was an American politician who was among the ardent states' rights advocates, supporters of slavery, and Southern secessionists who came to be known as the "Fire-Eaters." He is notable for h ...

* Laurence M. Keitt * Thomas J. Withers (''resigned'' May 21, 1861 ''after second session'') **

James Lawrence Orr James Lawrence Orr (May 12, 1822May 5, 1873) was an American diplomat and politician who served as the 22nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1857 to 1859. He also served as the 73rd governor of South Carolina from 1865 ...

(''took his seat on'' February 17, 1862 – ''Appointed to fill vacancy'') * William W. Boyce

* John Gregg (''took his seat on'' February 15, 1861) *

Thomas N. Waul Thomas Neville Waul (January 5, 1813 – July 28, 1903) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War (Civil War). Before the Civil War, he was a teacher, lawyer, judge and planter. He served for a year in the P ...

(''took his seat on'' February 19, 1861) * W. S. Oldham (''took his seat on'' March 2, 1861) * J. H. Reagan (''took his seat on'' March 2, 1861) * John Hemphill (''took his seat on'' March 2, 1861; ''died'' January 4, 1862) * W. B. Ochiltree (''took his seat on'' March 2, 1861) * L. T. Wigfall (''took his seat on'' March 2, 1861)

Delegates

Representatives from states to secede after the

Battle of Fort Sumter The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12–13, 1861) was the bombardment of Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina by the South Carolina militia. It ended with the surrender by the United States Army, beginning the American Civil War. Foll ...

were referred to as delegates, in contrast to the deputies from the original seven states.

Augustus Hill Garland Augustus Hill Garland (June 11, 1832 – January 26, 1899) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Arkansas, who initially opposed Arkansas' secession from the United States, but later served in both houses of the Congress ...

Robert Ward Johnson Robert Ward Johnson (July 22, 1814 – July 26, 1879) was an American planter and lawyer who served as the senior Confederate States senator for Arkansas, a seat that he was elected to in 1861. He previously served as a delegate from Arkansas ...

Albert Rust Albert Rust (April 4, 1870) was an American politician and slaveholder, who served as a delegate from Arkansas to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1862. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. represen ...

* Hugh French Thomason *

William Wirt Watkins William Wirt Watkins (April 1, 1826 – January 15, 1898) was an American politician. He was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, and later moved to Arkansas, where he served in the state senate 1856 to 1860, 1866, and 1878. He was a delegate ...

* Henry Cornelius Burnett * Theodore Legrand Burnett * John Milton Elliott * George Washington Ewing * Samuel Howard Ford *

George Baird Hodge George Baird Hodge (April 8, 1828 – August 1, 1892) was an attorney, Confederate politician, colonel and acting general from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He commanded a cavalry brigade at various times and was paroled as a brigadier genera ...

* Thomas Johnson *

Thomas Bell Monroe Thomas Bell Monroe (October 7, 1791 – December 24, 1865) was the 15th Secretary of State of Kentucky and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky. Education and career Born on October ...

* John J. Thomas *

Daniel Price White Daniel Price White (November 16, 1814 – April 12, 1890) was a prominent Confederate politician. Early life He was born in Green County, Kentucky, to his mother Judith Taylor and father Major General William Price White. He was educated at ...

* Caspar Wistar Bell *

John Bullock Clark, Sr. John Bullock Clark Sr. (April 17, 1802 – October 29, 1885) was a politician who served as a member of the United States Congress and Confederate Congress. Early life and education John B. Clark Sr. was born in Madison County, Kentucky, a ...

* Aaron H. Conrow *

William Mordecai Cooke, Sr. William Mordecai Cooke Sr. (December 11, 1823 – April 14, 1863) was a prominent Confederate politician. Biography William Mordecai Cooke was born in Portsmouth, Virginia on December 11, 1823. He earned a law degree at the University of ...

* Thomas W. Freeman * Thomas Alexander Harris * Robert Ludwell Yates Peyton * George Graham Vest * Delegate-elect Hyer never took his seat

* William Waightstill Avery *

Francis Burton Craige Francis Burton Craige (March 13, 1811 – December 30, 1875) was an editor, lawyer, and U.S. congressional representative from the south fork of the Yadkin River five miles from Salisbury, North Carolina. He was the youngest son of David and Ma ...

* Allen Turner Davidson * George Davis *

Thomas David Smith McDowell Thomas David Smith McDowell (January 4, 1823 – May 1, 1898) was a prominent slave-owner and North Carolina politician. He was born in Bladen County, North Carolina. He served in the state House from 1846 to 1850 and in the state senate from 1854 ...

John Motley Morehead John Motley Morehead (July 4, 1796 – August 27, 1866) was an American lawyer and politician who became the 29th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina (1841 to 1845). He became known as "the Father of Modern North Carolina." Early an ...

Richard Clauselle Puryear Richard Clauselle Puryear (February 9, 1801 – July 30, 1867) was a U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between the years of 1853 and 1857. A planter and politician, he also served in the North Carolina House for several terms and the state ...

* Thomas Hart Ruffin * William Nathan Harrell Smith *

Abraham Watkins Venable Abraham Watkins Venable (October 17, 1799 – February 24, 1876) was a 19th-century US politician and lawyer from North Carolina. He was a slaveholder. He was the nephew of congressman and senator Abraham Bedford Venable. Biography Born in S ...

John DeWitt Clinton Atkins John DeWitt Clinton Atkins (June 4, 1825 – June 2, 1908) was an American slave owner, politician and a member of both the United States House of Representatives and Confederate Congress from Tennessee. Biography Johnathan Atkins was born ...

* Robert Looney Caruthers * David Maney Currin *

William Henry DeWitt William Henry DeWitt (October 24, 1827 – April 11, 1896) was a prominent Tennessee politician. DeWitt was born in Smith County, Tennessee. He was largely self-educated, but studied briefly at Berea Academy near Chapel Hill, Tennessee. In 1847 ...

* John Ford House * Thomas McKissick Jones * James Houston Thomas

* Thomas Salem Bocock * Alexander Boteler * John White Brockenbrough *

Gideon D. Camden Gideon Draper Camden (August 31, 1805 – April 22, 1891) was an American lawyer, judge and politician who opposed the creation of the state of West Virginia and sympathized with the Confederacy, but later served in the West Virginia Senate repr ...

(''resigned'' June 1861) * R. M. T. Hunter * Robert Johnston * William Hamilton MacFarland *

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

* Walter Preston * William Ballard Preston * Roger Atkinson Pryor *

William Cabell Rives William Cabell Rives (May 4, 1793April 25, 1868) was an American lawyer, planter, politician and diplomat from Virginia. Initially a Jackson Democrat as well as member of the First Families of Virginia, Rives served in the Virginia House of Deleg ...

* Charles Wells Russell * Robert Eden Scott * James Alexander Seddon * Waller Redd Staples *

John Tyler John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States, serving from 1841 to 1845, after briefly holding office as the tenth vice president of the United States, vice president in 1841. He was elected v ...

(''died'' January 18, 1862) Arizona Territory *

Granville Henderson Oury Granville Henderson Oury (March 12, 1825 – January 11, 1891) was a nineteenth-century American politician, lawyer, judge, soldier, and miner. Early life Born in Abingdon, Virginia; Granville Henderson Oury and his family moved to Bowling Gre ...

Notes

References

* * Thomas, Emory M. (1998), ''The Confederate State of Richmond: A Biography of the Capital'',

Louisiana State University Press The Louisiana State University Press (LSU Press) is a university press at Louisiana State University. Founded in 1935, it publishes works of scholarship as well as general interest books. LSU Press is a member of the Association of American Univ ...

. *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Confederate States, Provisional Congress Of The 1861 establishments in the Confederate States of America 1862 disestablishments in the Confederate States of America

Defunct national legislatures Legislative branch of the Confederate States of America government

First Session

Constitutional Convention

Second Session

Third Session

Fourth Session

Fifth Session

Leadership

Members

Deputies

Delegates

Notes

References

Further reading

External links