PREVIOUS

NEXT

NEW SEARCH

A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875

Journal of the Confederate Congress --MONDAY, January 18, 1864.

Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 [Volume 3]
MONDAY, January 18, 1864.

OPEN SESSION.

Mr. Maxwell (by leave) introduced

A joint resolution (S. 24) in relation to the exchange of prisoners; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

On motion by Mr. Orr,

Ordered, That the said resolution be transferred to the Secret Legislative Calendar.

On motion by Mr. Orr,

Ordered, That the Hon. Robert W. Barnwell have leave of absence from the sessions of the Senate until Monday next.

Mr. Orr submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing an invalid corps, to be composed of officers and soldiers who have been incapacitated for field service by disease and the casualties of battle, and who, when organized, may be assigned to the performance of such light duties as are now performed by efficient officers and soldiers.

Mr. Orr submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of placing in the military service of the Confederate States all male free persons of color, between the ages of eighteen and fifty years, to be employed as cooks, teamsters, and laborers.

On motion by Mr. Sparrow,

Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of a resolution inquiring what further legislation is necessary to prevent assistant quartermasters, commissaries, and others from detailing able-bodied men from the Army to collect the tax in kind and perform other light duties, etc.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 159) to authorize the appointment of an Assistant

Page 585 | Page image

Postmaster-General, and such clerks as may be necessary, to carry on the postal service in the States west of the Mississippi River.

On motion by Mr. Oldham, to amend the bill by inserting after "of," in the seventh line of the first section, the words "four thousand,"

It was determined in the affirmative.

On motion by Mr. Oldham, to amend the bill by striking out the words "Assistant Postmaster-General," where they occur in the first and second sections, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "agent of the Post-Office Department,"

It was determined in the affirmative.

On motion by Mr. Semmes, to amend the bill by inserting the following independent section:

• Sec. 5. That this act shall expire on the day of the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United States of America,

It was determined in the affirmative.

No further amendment being made, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendments were concurred in.

Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time.

The said bill was read the third time and the title was amended.

Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be: "An act to authorize the appointment of an agent of the Post-Office Department, and such clerks as may be necessary, to carry on the postal service in the States west of the Mississippi River."

Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.

The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (H. R. 84) to authorize the appointment of an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury west of the Mississippi; and the reported amendments having been agreed to, and the bill further amended, on the motion of Mr. Semmes, by striking out "three thousand dollars," in the seventh line of the first section, and inserting "four thousand dollars," it was reported to the Senate and the amendments were concurred in.

Ordered, That the amendments be engrossed and the bill read a third time.

The said bill as amended was read the third time.

Resolved, That it pass with amendments.

On motion by Mr. Semmes, the title was amended to read: "An act to authorize the appointment of an agent of the Treasury Department west of the Mississippi."

Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendments.

The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (S. 168) to provide for a new issue of Treasury notes, and for funding all such notes now outstanding.

On motion by Mr. Semmes,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed until Monday next.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:

Mr. President: The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed an enrolled bill, I am directed to bring it to the Senate for the signature of their President.

Page 586 | Page image

The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (H. R. 75) to amend an act to regulate impressments, approved March 26, 1863, and to repeal an act amendatory thereof, approved April 27, 1863.

On motion by Mr. Wigfall, to recommit the bill to the Committee on the Judiciary,

It was determined in the negative.

On the question to agree to the following reported amendment, viz:

Strike out the first section of the bill, as follows:

That so much of the above-recited act as authorizes the commissioners appointed by the President of the Confederate States, and the governors of the different States, to fix the prices to be paid for property impressed, be, and the same is hereby, repealed,

It was determined in the affirmative,
• Yeas ... 15
• Nays ... 4

On motion by Mr. Orr,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,

Those who voted in the affirmative are,

Messrs. Brown, Caperton, Clay, Dortch, Haynes, Henry, Hill, Hunter, Johnson of Arkansas, Johnson of Missouri, Maxwell, Phelan, Semmes, Sparrow, and Wigfall.

Those who voted in the negative are,

Messrs. Clark, Jemison, Johnson of Georgia, and Orr.

The residue of the amendments reported from the Committee on the Judiciary were then agreed to.

On motion by Mr. Johnson of Georgia, to amend the bill by striking out, in the eighth and ninth lines of the third section, the words "commissioners appointed under said act, to which this is an amendment, for their decision," and inserting in lieu thereof the words "next district court of the Confederate States,"

It was determined in the negative.

On motion by Mr. Henry, to amend the bill by striking out, in the third and fourth lines of the fourth section, the words "which shall be the value of the property at the time and place of impressment" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "which shall be a just compensation for the property so impressed at the time and place of impressment,"

It was determined in the affirmative.

On motion by Mr. Henry, to amend the bill by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting:

That when it may be necessary to impress property, including provisions for the public use, it shall be done by quartermasters of the Government. In case they can agree with the owners as to what is just compensation for the property so impressed, they shall pay for the same immediately.

• Sec. 2. That in case they and the owners disagree as to what is just compensation, they shall give a receipt to the owner, descriptive of its quantity and quality, which shall be audited in Richmond for final adjustment and payment after the war, upon the decision of a court of claims, to be based upon evidence as to the just compensation for the property so impressed,

It was determined in the negative.

On motion by Mr. Henry, that the last-mentioned vote be reconsidered,

On motion by Mr. Henry,

Ordered, That the further consideration of the bill be postponed until to-morrow.

Page 587 | Page image

The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (H. R. 79) to prohibit dealing in the paper currency of the enemy; and the reported amendment having been agreed to,

On motion by Mr. Semmes,

Ordered, That the further consideration of the bill be postponed until Wednesday next.

The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (S. 170) to provide for the auditing and payment of certain claims in the State of Mississippi.

After debate,

On motion by Mr. Semmes,

The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.

The doors having been opened,

On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,

The Senate adjourned.

SECRET SESSION.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:

Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a bill (H. R. 92) to tax, fund, and limit the currency; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill (H. R. 92) last mentioned was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Finance.

On motion by Mr. Semmes,

Ordered, That it be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate.

On motion by Mr. Sparrow, that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the passage of the bill (S. 158) to organize forces to serve during the war,

It was determined in the negative.

On motion by Mr. Sparrow,

The Senate resolved into executive session.

EXECUTIVE SESSION.

Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom were referred the nominations of E. B. White, to be colonel of artillery; W. D. Robison and James R. Hagood, to be colonels; J. E. Shelley, W. J. Hale, and M. L. Kirkpatrick, to be lieutenant-colonels; James Gardner, G. W. Day, Edward Y. Clarke, Samuel L. Bishop, and James T. Weaver, to be majors; James F. Fambro, George W. Booth, William B. Turner,and John S. McElderry, to be captains; D. P. Oglesby, E. H. Powell, George W. Bedell, Sam. D. Buck, J. W. Lapsley, J. S. Semple, J. H. H. Figgat, and Robert A. Bright, to be first lieutenants; R. J. Jordan, M. L. Hudgins, H. N. Clark, J. S. Addison, H. H. McCrady, Drury Lacy, William A. Ryan, J. W. Norwood, D. E. Bates, G. C. Foresinger, C. Berkeley, O. I. Youmans, I. J. Horn, J. O. Patten, B. F. O'Neal, M. S. Stringfellow, J. A. Walker, W. S. Williamson, J. N. Williamson, John W. Glenn, L. E. Wright, Joe Turner, E. Borland, L. L. Ducat, J. W. De Roope, Benjamin K. Cocke, H. W. Fullenwider, R. A. McClellan, W. M. Lawson, N. H. Farley, H. M. Cooper, M. C. Toms, W. T. White, R. G. Burgess, L. S. Peyton, F. G. Obenchain, A. S. Murphy, A. J. Cross, F. A. Buhrman, J. H. Du Bose, J. Cummings, H. Davis, George W. Orear, T. W. Carwile, P. M. Peed, W. A. Mickler, S. L. Blackwell, H. Carter, W. H. Hiett, J. W. Harrell, W. F. Durisoe, R. G. Shaw,

Page 588 | Page image

J. W. Hughes, A. C. Hargrove, J. D. Read, C. R. Smith, W. W. Courtney, and B. C. Washington, to be second lieutenants; W. R. Browne and John Rawle, to be majors of artillery; E. S. Hammond, John L. Barksdale, W. B. Jones, W. G. Williams, P. C. Gaston, D. H. Halsey, C. Wick. Gue, W. L. Pike, G. E. Manigault, John McRae, C. V. Thompson, C. E. Kimball, John Fennelly, O. R. Funsten, A. J. Brooks, John Law, D. A. Hinton, and J. E. H. Post, to be adjutants, with rank of first lieutenant, reported, with the recommendation that all of said nominations be confirmed.

The Senate proceeded to consider said report; and in concurrence therewith, it was

Resolved, That the Senate advise and consent to their appointment, agreeably to the nomination of the President.

Mr. Orr, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom were referred the nominations of James M. Mason, to be commissioner to represent the Confederate States to such foreign nations as the President may deem expedient, and James E. Macfarland, to be secretary to the commissioner, reported, with the recommendation that the said nominations be confirmed.

The Senate proceeded to consider said report; and in concurrence therewith, it was

Resolved, That the Senate advise and consent to their appointment, agreeably to the nomination of the President.

On motion by Mr. Oldham,

The Senate resumed the consideration of the nomination of E. M. Burton, to be postmaster at Montgomery, Ala.

On the question,

Will the Senate advise and consent to the appointment of E. M. Burton, to be postmaster at Montgomery, Ala.?

It was decided in the affirmative.

So it was

Resolved, That the Senate advise and consent to his appointment, agreeably to the nomination of the President.

The following messages were received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. Harrison, his Secretary:

Richmond, January 18, 1864.

To the Senate:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Treasury, I hereby nominate Lewis Cruger, to be Comptroller of the Treasury.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Richmond, January 16 1864.

To the Senate:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby nominate the person named on the annexed list to the office designated.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Navy Department, Richmond, January 16, 1864.

The President.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following appointment in the Provisional Navy of the Confederate States:

Commander.
• First Lieut. James D. Johnston, of Kentucky, of the Regular Navy.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.

Page 589 | Page image

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:

Executive Department, Confederate States of America,
Richmond, January 18, 1864.

To the Senate of the Confederate States:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate the officers on the accompanying list to the rank affixed to their names, respectively.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

War Department, Confederate States of America,
Richmond, January 16, 1864.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America:

Adjutants--first lieutenants.
• William B. Lowrance, of North Carolina Regiment, to rank from December 11, 1863.
• Morgan Stickley, of Virginia, to be adjutant Fiftieth Virginia Regiment, to rank from November 28, 1863.
• Edwin S. Moore, of North Carolina, to be adjutant Twentieth North Carolina Regiment, to rank from January 7, 1864.
• Samuel F. Chapman, of Virginia, to be adjutant Forty-third Virginia Cavalry Battalion, to rank from January 4, 1864.
• R. L. Watson, of Mississippi, to be adjutant Fifth Mississippi Cavalry Regiment, to rank from December 7, 1863.
• James S. Carothers, of Mississippi, to be adjutant Nineteenth Mississippi Cavalry Battalion, to rank from November 24, 1863.
• O. T. Thweatt, of Georgia, to be adjutant Twenty-seventh Georgia Battalion, to rank from November 28, 1863.
• Hugh R. Smith, of Virginia, to be adjutant Twelfth Virginia Regiment, to rank from November 2, 1863.
• Charles Quarles, of Mississippi, to be adjutant Second Missouri Cavalry Regiment, to rank from December 12, 1863.
• R. S. McFarlin, of Georgia, to be adjutant Sixtieth Georgia Regiment, to rank from June 13, 1863.
• James Keith, of Virginia, to be adjutant Fourth Virginia Cavalry Regiment, to rank from December 7, 1863.
• George S. Dewey, of North Carolina, to be adjutant Ninth North Carolina Regiment, to rank from July 23, 1863.
• Robert C. Carlton, of Arkansas, to be adjutant Twenty-fifth Arkansas Regiment, to rank from December 7, 1863.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War.

To His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President, etc.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:

Executive Department, Confederate States of America,
Richmond, January 18, 1864.

To the Senate of the Confederate States:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate the officers on the accompanying list to the rank affixed to their names, respectively.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Page 590 | Page image

War Department, Confederate States of America,
Richmond, January 6, 1864.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for promotion in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America:

Colonels.
• Lieut. Col. J. Randolph Lane, of North Carolina, to be colonel Twenty-sixth North Carolina Regiment, vice Colonel Burgwyn, killed, to rank from July 3, 1863.
• Lieut. Col. Benjamin R. Hart, of Alabama, to be colonel Twenty-second Alabama Regiment, vice Col. J. C. Marrast, deceased, to rank from December 15, 1863.

Lieutenant-colonels.
• Maj. E. F. Bookter, of South Carolina, to be lieutenant-colonel Twelfth South Carolina Regiment, vice Lieut. Col. H. C. Davis, resigned, to rank from November 17, 1863.
• Maj. George W. Law, of Missouri, to be lieutenant-colonel First Missouri Cavalry Regiment, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Maupin, killed, to rank from November 18, 1863.
• Maj. Philip Lee, of Kentucky, to be lieutenant-colonel Second Kentucky Regiment, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Moss, promoted, to rank from October 19, 1863.
• Maj. J. C. Gordon, of Georgia, to be lieutenant-colonel First Confederate Regiment, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Aderhold, cashiered, to rank from September 2, 1863.
• Maj. C. D. Anderson, of Georgia, to be lieutenant-colonel Sixth Georgia Regiment, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Cleveland, resigned, to rank from June 16, 1863.
• Maj. W. Smith Davis, of North Carolina, to be lieutenant-colonel Twelfth North Carolina Regiment, vice Lieut. Col. T. L. Jones, resigned, to rank from October 21, 1862.
• Maj. J. C. Goodgame, of Alabama, to be lieutenant-colonel Twelfth Alabama Regiment, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Pickens, promoted, to rank from September 16, 1862.
• Maj. R. Randolph, of Virginia, to be lieutenant-colonel Fourth Virginia Cavalry Regiment, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Payne, promoted, to rank from September 1, 1863.
• Maj. H. T. Toulmin, of Alabama, to be lieutenant-colonel Twenty-second Alabama Regiment, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Hart, promoted, to rank from December 15, 1863.
• Maj. M. R. Hall, of Georgia, to be lieutenant-colonel Forty-eighth Georgia Regiment.

Majors.
• Capt. T. E. Upshaw, of Virginia, to be major Thirteenth Virginia Cavalry Regiment, vice Major Gillette, deceased, to rank from November 2, 1863.
• Capt. W. C. Parker, of Missouri, to be major First Missouri Cavalry Regiment, vice Maj. G. W. Law, promoted, to rank from November 18, 1862.
• Capt. H. McDowell, of Kentucky, to be major Second Kentucky Regiment, vice Maj. P. Lee, promoted, to rank from October 19, 1863.
• Capt. E. M. Dodson, of Georgia, to be major First Confederate Regiment, vice Major Gordon, promoted, to rank from September 2, 1863.
• Capt. James T. Adams, of North Carolina, to be major Twenty-sixth North Carolina Regiment, vice Maj. J. T. Jones, promoted, to rank from July 3, 1863.
• Capt. W. M. Arnold, of Georgia, to be major Sixth Georgia Regiment, vice Major Anderson, promoted, to rank from June 16, 1863.
• Capt. Samuel Sharp, of Tennessee, to be major Thirty-first Tennessee Regiment, vice Major Hudson, deceased, to rank from October 8, 1863.
• Capt. John W. Davis, of Alabama, to be major Twentieth Alabama Regiment, vice Major Porter, promoted, to rank from September 18, 1863.
• Capt. R. M. Tankesley, of Tennessee, to be major Thirty-seventh Tennessee Regiment, vice Major McReynolds, killed, to rank from December 31, 1862.
• Capt. J. W. Drane, of Mississippi, to be major Thirty-first Mississippi Regiment, vice Major Topp, deceased, to rank from July 23, 1863.
• Capt. W. C. Capers, of Louisiana, to be major First Louisiana Artillery Regiment, vice Major Montaigne, deceased, to rank from July 21, 1863.
• Capt. W. B. Wooldridge, of Virginia, to be major Fourth Virginia Cavalry Regiment, vice Major Randolph, promoted, to rank from September 1, 1863.
• Capt. E. H. Armistead, of Alabama, to be major Twenty-second Alabama Regiment, vice Major Toulmin, promoted, to rank from December 15, 1863.
• Capt. T. F. Clyburn, of South Carolina, to be major Twelfth South Carolina Regiment, vice Major Bookter, promoted, to rank from November 17, 1863.
• Capt. G. W. Maxson, of Kentucky, to be major Sixth Kentucky Regiment, vice Major Clarke, promoted, to rank from September 30, 1863.
• Capt. John K. Allen, of Mississippi, to be major Thirtieth Mississippi Regiment, vice Major Johnson, promoted, to rank from September 22, 1863.

Page 591 | Page image

Captains.
• First Lieut. H. W. Fowler, of Louisiana, to be captain, First Louisiana Artillery Regiment, vice Captain Capers, promoted, to rank from July 21, 1863.
• First Lieut. McMillan King, of South Carolina, to be captain, First South Carolina Battalion Artillery, vice Captain Harleston, promoted, to rank from --.

First lieutenants.
• Second Lieut. J. D. Scott, of Louisiana, to be first lieutenant, First Louisiana Artillery Regiment, vice Lieutenant Fowler, promoted, to rank from July 21, 1863.
• Second Lieut. F. C. Lucas, of South Carolina, to be first lieutenant, Fifteenth South Carolina, Battalion Artillery, vice Lieutenant Reveley, promoted, to rank from November 1, 1863.
• Second Lieut. W. H. Grimball, of South Carolina, to be first lieutenant, First South Carolina Artillery Regiment, vice Lieutenant Alston, deceased, to rank from August 25, 1863.
• Second Lieut. E. J. Simkins, of South Carolina, to be first lieutenant, First South Carolina Artillery Regiment, vice Lieutenant King, promoted, to rank from November 24, 1863.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War.

To His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President, etc.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

On motion by Mr. Wigfall,

Ordered, That the injunction of secrecy be removed from the report, with accompanying resolution, of the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted September 23, 1862, on a message of the President, requesting the advice of the Senate as to the meaning of the first clause of the sixth article of the Constitution, in regard to the reappointment of officers of the Regular and Provisional Army and Navy, appointed during the existence of the Provisional Government, and confirmed by the Provisional Congress.

On motion by Mr. Maxwell,

The Senate resolved into open legislative session.

PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR

PREVIOUS

NEXT

NEW SEARCH