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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journal of the Confederate Congress --MONDAY, May 30, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
Mr. Johnson of Arkansas (by leave) introduced
A joint resolution (S. 9) of thanks to Gen. E. Kirby Smith and the officers and soldiers of his command;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Sparrow (by leave) introduced the following bills; which were severally read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs:
Mr. Caperton (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 56) to authorize the appointment of graduates of military institutions as cadets in the Provisional Army of the confederate States of America;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Brown, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 53)to amend the several acts in relation to a volunteer navy, reported it without amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bill; and no amendment being proposed, it was reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time.
The said bill was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
Mr. Hill, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was recommitted the bill (H. R. 8) to authorize the judge of the district court for the northern district of Georgia to change the place of holding said court, reported it with amendments.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bill; and the reported amendments having been agreed to, the bill 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 an amended was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass with amendments.
On motion by Mr. Hill, the title was amended to read: "An act to authorize the judges of the district courts of the Confederate States to appoint and change the times and places of holding the courts in their respective districts."
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendments.
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The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Johnson of Missouri on the 26th instant, to rescind the resolution passed by the two Houses fixing Tuesday. the 31st instant, as the day for the adjournment of the present session of Congress; and
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
Ordered, That the further consideration of the resolution be postponed until to-morrow.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas, the vote on agreeing to the motion to postpone the further consideration of the resolution until to-morrow was reconsidered.
The Senate resumed the consideration of said motion; and
On the question to agree thereto,
It was determined in the negative.
On motion by Mr. Barnwell,
Ordered, That the resolution lie upon the table.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (S. 38)for the payment of commissioners appointed under the act entitled "An act to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases," and to confer certain powers upon said commissioners.
On motion by Mr. Orr, to amend the bill by striking out of the first section the words
the compensation of the judges of the military courts while engaged in the performance of their duties, and that their assistants shall be allowed the pay of judge-advocate of the said courts,
and inserting in lieu thereof the words
as compensation for such service the sum of ten dollars per day while actually engaged in the performance of their duties, and that their assistants shall be allowed the sum of seven dollars per day while actually engaged in the performance of their duty,
It was determined in the negative.
The amendments reported from the Committee on the Judiciary having been agreed to,
On motion by Mr. Barnwell, further to amend the bill by striking out of the first section the following proviso:
Provided, That not more than one commissioner shall be appointed in any one State, and that not more than eric assistant shall be employed for that purpose,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Graham, to amend the bill by inserting the following independent section:
A question was raised by Mr. Sparrow, whether, under the twentieth clause of the ninth section of the first article of the Constitution, the amendment was in order; and
The President pro tempore, under the sixth rule of the Senate, took the sense of the Senate thereon; and
On the question,
Is the proposed amendment in order?
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It was determined in the negative.
So it was decided by the Senate that the amendment was not in order.
No further amendment being proposed, 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.
Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
On motion by Mr. Orr.
Ordered, That the petition of Margaret A. Rice, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Finance.
On motion by Mr. Hill,
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
The doors having been opened,
On motion by Mr. Maxwell, that the Senate take a recess until 3 o'clock p. m.,
It was determined in the negative.
On motion by Mr. Walker, that the Senate proceed to the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Johnson of Missouri on the 26th instant, to rescind the resolution passed by the two Houses fixing Tuesday, the 31st instant, as the day for the adjournment of the present session of Congress,
It was determined in the negative.
On motion by Mr. Orr,
The Senate took a recess until half past 2 o'clock p. m.
HALF PAST 2 O'CLOCK P. M.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a bill (H. R. 125) to establish certain post routes therein named; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.
They have agreed to the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 52) to amend an act of this Congress entitled "An act to provide for holding elections of Representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States in the State of Tennessee."
And they have passed the following resolution; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate:
"Resolved, That the joint resolution fixing the time for the adjournment of the Senate and House of Representatives on the thirty-first day of May, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, be, and is hereby, rescinded, and that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives adjourn their respective Houses at twelve o'clock meridian on Tuesday, June seventh."
The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed sundry enrolled bills and an enrolled joint resolution, I am directed to bring them to the Senate for the signature of their President.
The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution of the House of Representatives extending the time for the adjournment of the present session of Congress; and
Resolved, That they concur therein.
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof.
The bill (H. R. 125) received this day from the House of Representatives for concurrence was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
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The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Richmond. Va., May 28, 1864.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering copies of several reports of military operations, together with a copy of a letter from Gen. R. E. Lee, in which he expresses his disapproval of the publication of such reports, and to which I invite your special attention.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
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:
Richmond, Va., May 30, 1864.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your consideration a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, submitting an estimate of an additional sum required for the support of the Government.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance.
The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Richmond, Va., May 30, 1864.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your consideration communications from the proper officers submitting estimates of the amounts required to carry out the provisions of the act approved May 13, 1864, authorizing additional compensation to certain officers and employees in the civil and legislative departments of the Government.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance.
The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederate States of America:
A bill "to provide and organize a general staff for armies in the field, to serve during the war," was passed by your predecessors and submitted for my approval at the close of the last session.
I was unable to approve it, and now desire to state my objections to it, as well as my views on this important subject, in the hope that, by a comparison of opinion, some measure may be framed equally acceptable to the legislative and executive departments of the Government.
I believe it to be established by the experience of Europe, as well as our own, that it is impracticable to organize and administer armies with efficiency without the aid of a general staff, permanent in its character, trained in its duties, aspiring to promotion in its own corps, and responsible to the head of the department. Such a staff should be composed of a small body of officers whose education, experience, activity, and special adaptation to their duties render them peculiarly competent to perform functions on which an army depends for its capacity to act with vigor. In Europe, veers of varied education in the schools, the cantonment, and the field, fit the staff officer for his position, and a long experience in the lower grades is required before he is deemed competent to duty in a more important sphere. We are forced to make experimental appointments of officers unprepared by any previous training, and who can only acquire in actual service that experience which must serve in place of well-grounded instruction. It is scarcely possible to make this experience supply the defect of previous military education otherwise than by the organization of the officers into one corps, responsible to one head, who can assign them to positions independent of the movements of general officers, and who, by judiciously varying the field or character of their duties, can give them larger opportunities for instruction, and prevent their views being narrowed to the routine and usages of a single commander, himself, perhaps, without military education.
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Hope of promotion, founded on their own merit and length of good service, is as necessary to the officers of the general staff as to those of the line, furnishing the best stimulus known to honorable exertion and zealous discharge of duty. This stimulus can not exist unless the staff be organized into one corps, responsible to one chief, who, thus becoming intimately acquainted with the capacity and merits of each, is able properly to distribute the duties so as to secure the services of the right man in the right place, and afford to each an opportunity for distinction. If otherwise, each staff officer becomes dependent upon the particular commander with whom he is serving. No means of comparison exist between the relative merits of the officers. Each looks for promotion to the favor of his general, and rises in grade not by his own relative merit, but by the patronage of his commander. A gallant and able commander, whose own promotion is exceptionably rapid by reason of his special merits, is thus enabled to lift to higher grades the officers of his staff to whom he has become attached by companionship in the field, although these officers may be far inferior in merit and length of service to others whose duties have connected them with generals less distinguished. Promotion thus becomes with the staff a matter of hazard, dependent, not on the merit of the officer himself, but of the general with whom he serves, and heartburnings, jealousy, and discontent are the natural results of so false a system.
Again, if the general staff is not formed into corps there will not be the "esprit" necessary in all military organizations, and there can not be the cointelligence among the officers thereof which secures the certain and rapid communication of all information through the different parts of an army. There will also be embarrassment in their tenure of office and assignment to duty, as when a general officer dies, or is relieved from his command, there remain no duties to be performed by the staff which had been authorized for him especially. However valuable or meritorious the officers may be they are displaced by the staff chosen by the successor of their commander. Nothing remains but to deprive them of their commissions without fault of their own, or to keep them in service as supernumeraries, and thus to add to the number of officers already in excess of the wants of the Army.
Again, an organization of a general staff should possess flexibility, so that the proper number and class of staff officers can be sent where needed. If an inflexible rule of assignment be fixed by legislation, some commands will be cumbered with unnecessary officers, while others will be deficient in the number indispensable to perform the necessary duties. Legislation would surely be considered unwise if it allotted by inflexible rule the number of troops to be used in each military department, yet it would be scarcely more objectionable than the assignment of the same specified number of staff officers to each commander according to his grade, thus applying a general rule to a series of cases each requiring special treatment.
The inspecting duties in an army ought not, in my judgment, to be separated from those of the adjutants. The erroneous impression prevails that an inspecting department, independent of the general staff, is established in most of the armies of Europe. The reverse is the fact, and the duties of inspection are so intimately connected with the other duties of the general staff that they can be properly performed by it alone. The objections to the separation are manifold. In the first place, officers having no other than inspecting duties must frequently be unemployed even in war, while in peace their duties will occupy but very little time. Next, it is to be observed that where the adjutants and inspectors form one corps the duties of the adjutant make him familiar with the details of the service where reform and discipline are most needed, and thus render him more competent to effective inspection when assigned to that duty than he could be if exclusively employed as inspector. Lastly, the duties of an inspector are such as not to render the officer who performs them acceptable to his brother officers, if his duty be properly performed. It is not to be wondered at that an officer, whose duties may not be inappropriately described as those of a detective, should, if his duty be rigidly performed, incur somewhat of the odium of an informer, and when these duties constitute the sole service of an officer permanently attached to an army he must become either so lax in their performance as to render him useless, or his professional pride and self-respect are wounded, and his relations with his brother officers unfavorably affected by the distrust and dislike resulting from his official reports. When, however, an assistant adjutant and inspector general is from time to time assigned to the making of necessary inspections at various points, this temporary discharge of an unpleasant duty becomes but an incident in his professional career, and does not affect his relations with his brother officers.
Having stated these as the general principles which, in my judgment, should govern legislation on the subject, the objections to the bill passed at the last session can be more easily understood, and I proceed to state them briefly:
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army to assign to duty one of the general officers under his command as chief of staff, one of the brigadier-generals under his command as inspector-general, and one other brigadier as chief quartermaster; one officer below the rank of brigadier as chief commissary, and one as chief of ordnance.
This power of assignment is given without reference to, or consultation with, the War Department or the Executive, and might be exercised in contravention of the views and judgment of both. Leaving out of view the question whether it is in accordance with the Constitution to make the commander of an army independent of the Commander in Chief, in the discharge of any of the duties of his office, and looking only to the effect of such a system, it plainly creates in this branch of the service as many independent executives as there are generals commanding armies in the field, and thus destroys that unity of design and concert of action which are indispensable elements of success in war. The generals commanding armies would be, by this section, vested with the right to derange the organization of their commands as settled by the Commander in Chief by removing from their appropriate functions the commanders of corps, divisions, and brigades, whom the Executive had selected and the Senate had approved as specially fitted to lead the troops in battle.
That the general commanding the army has under the terms of this section the right of assigning general officers under his command to the duties of the general staff, without, reference to the authority of the Executive, is plain from the other sections which declare that the President is to appoint, with the advice of the Senate, the staffs of all general officers, other than those who command armies.
Nor does this section restrict the commanding general in relation to the branch of service or the grade of the officers whom he is permitted to assign to commissary and ordnance duties of the general staff. It is only necessary that they be below the rank of brigadier-general. The commanding general would have the power, therefore, to assign a captain commissary to be chief of ordnance, or a lieutenant of infantry to be chief commissary, without check or control from the President or Senate, while the President would be without power to appoint subordinates to the officers thus selected by the general of an army, without submitting their nominations for the approval of the Senate. Not only, therefore, is all order of authority interverted by these provisions, but the officers assigned to duty by the commanding generals, not being permanent members of the general staff, would be independent of its chief, and inextricable confusion would necessarily result.
This section, so far from responding to the title of the bill by providing a general staff, in reality breaks up that which now exists, subdivides it into a number of small bodies irresponsible to the head of the department, and destroys the possibility of any regular, consistent, and intelligent cooperation in the action of our forces, so essential to success. Its effect is to create a staff for generals, not a general staff.
If a contest should arise between the quartermaster-generals, the commissaries-general, or the chiefs of ordnance of generals A and B, in any district of country for supplies or means of transportation, who is to determine between these rivals, each equal in authority, and each dependent on a separate chief? How are the chiefs of those bureaus in Richmond to apportion the supplies in store according to the wants of the different armies, without authority to exact from them reports and returns? If it be said that these officers would become temporarily responsible to the heads of Departments, how is this responsibility to be enforced, if the orders of the general and those of the chief of the Department should conflict? If ordnance depots are provided at different points for different commands, how is the officer in charge of these depots to act, if ordered by the chief of ordnance of a general in the field to make a different disposal of the stores, from that ordered by the head of the Department in Richmond?
If such a bill should become a law, in vain would the War Department seek to exact rigid obedience to law or orders from the irresponsible staff created under its provisions. In vain would it seek for the information necessary for its guidance, or attempt to change the relative strength of armies to meet the varying movements of the enemy. The staff officers could be made the ready and safe means of thwarting the Government in its orders for the removal of troops from one command to reenforce threatened positions in another, and could be easily rendered subservient to the natural but dangerous propensity of most commanders to retain all the troops under their own control for the safety of their own commands, without reference to more urgent needs at other points.
It is scarcely necessary to add to these considerations more than a bare allusion to the tendency of such bodies of officers, when dependent for their own promotion on the favor of their special chiefs, to resort to agencies less commendable than the zealous discharge of their legitimate duties for the attainment of their desires.
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of the general staff other than those who may be selected as the favorites of commanding generals.
Numbers of zealous, meritorious, and valuable officers have made the duties of the general staff objects of special study, have embraced the staff as a branch of the profession in which, under existing laws, they are entitled to promotion for merit and long service, just as the line officers have a right to promotion in their branch.
This bill deprives the staff officers of this, the great incentive to the zealous discharge of duty. It debars them from promotion to the higher grades of their own branch of service, and bestows these prizes of honorable ambition on the officers of the line, who will thus monopolize the promotions to the higher grades, both in the line and staff, to the entire exclusion of the officers of the latter. Few will be willing to remain in the staff under such circumstances. Those who consent to continue will be those least ambitious of promotion, and the whole staff service will be impaired in tone and efficiency.
An organization into corps meets all these difficulties, by providing for assignment of the proper number of officers to different commands according to the needs of each.
According to the bill as passed, the staff would embrace an addition of about four hundred officers, involving an increased annual expenditure for pay, rations, forage, and allowance, amounting to $1,138,728, above the present staff as organized by general orders under existing legislation.
If generals are to be allowed to change the staff of each army, to which they may be assigned, at their pleasure, it is difficult to calculate the extent to which this abuse would grow, the number of men that would be drawn from useful service to cumber the staff, or the increase of expenditure involved.
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Congress will perceive that with objections so radical it was impossible for me to approve the bill passed at the last session, and that the subject was too important to be treated in a hurried message within the last few hours of the close of a Congress. Concurring in the expediency of legislation for the organization of a general staff, I have thought a full exposition of my views on the subject would, perhaps, conduce to the framing of a measure which would carry into effect the views of the legislative department, while excluding the provisions which have compelled me to decline approving that devised by your predecessors.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Richmond, May 28, 1864.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it lie upon the table.
On motion by Mr. Semmes,
The Senate adjourned.
SECRET SESSION.
Mr. Hill, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the communication from Thomas C. Reynolds, governor of the State of Missouri, in relation to the vacancy existing in the representation of that State in the Confederate States Senate, submitted a report (No. 3); which was read.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,
Ordered, That it lie upon the table.
Leave was granted Mr. Johnson of Missouri, on his motion, to communicate to the governor of the State of Missouri a copy of the said report, together with the action of the Senate thereon.
On motion by Mr. Hill,
Ordered, That the injunction of secrecy be removed from the first section of the act entitled "An act to fix the time for the assembling of the Congress at its next regular session," etc., approved May 27, 1864.
A message from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Mr. President: The President of the Confederate States, on the 27th instant, approved and signed the following act and joint resolution:
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof.
Mr. Sparrow (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 57) to provide for the appointment of officers with temporary rank and command;
which was read the first and second times and considered as in Committee of the Whole.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas, to amend the bill by striking out, section 1, lines 10 and 11, the words "such commands as he may deem proper" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "any appropriate command where the commanding officer may be absent,"
On motion by Mr. Sparrow, to amend the proposed amendment by striking out the words "where the commanding officer may be absent,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
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On the question to agree to the amendment proposed by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas, as amended,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Brown, to amend the bill by inserting after "rank of," section 1, line 6, the words "major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel,"
It was determined in the negative.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas, to amend the bill by inserting after "appoint," section 1, line 6, the word "Temporary,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Orr, to amend the bill by striking out the words "President may consider their services therein necessary," section 2, lines 4, 5, and 6, and inserting in lieu thereof the word "temporary exigency may require,"
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.
Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
On motion by Mr. Orr,
The Senate resolved into executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
Mr. Orr, from the Committee on Rules, agreeably to instructions of the Senate, reported the following resolution; winch was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the following rule be adopted and numbered the fifty-second rule of the Senate:
"When nominations shall be made in writing by the President of the Confederate States to the Senate, they shall be referred to an appropriate committee, unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the Senate; and nominations neither confirmed nor rejected during the session at which they are made shall not be acted upon at any succeeding session without being again made by the President."
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,
Ordered, That the Secretary be instructed to lay the foregoing rule before the President of the Confederate States and that the injunction of secrecy be removed therefrom.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of the communication from W. B. Lowry in relation to his appointment as colonel of the Eleventh Mississippi Regiment.
The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Richmond, Va., May 24, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby nominate the person named upon the annexed list to the office designated.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
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Navy Department, Confederate States of America,
Richmond, May 23, 1864.
The President.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nomination for appointment in the Marine Corps:
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
Richmond. Va., May 30, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Attorney-General, I hereby nominate James H. Patterson, to be district attorney for the eastern district of Arkansas.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Department of Justice, Confederate States of America,
Richmond, Va., May 30, 1864.
To the President.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend that James H. Patterson be appointed district attorney of the Confederate States for the eastern district of Arkansas, in the place of W. M. Randolph, removed for disloyalty.
GEO. DAVIS,
Attorney-General.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Richmond, Va., May 27, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States.
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Postmaster-General, I hereby nominate the persons named upon the annexed list to the offices designated.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Post-Office Department, Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend for appointment as postmasters, with the advice and consent of the Senate, the following-named persons, who were appointed during the recess of the Senate:
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,JOHN H. REAGAN,
Postmaster-General.
The President.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Richmond, Va., May 30, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Postmaster-General, I hereby nominate E. A. Thomas, to be postmaster at Holly Springs, Miss.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Post-office Department, Richmond, Va., May 28, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend for appointment as postmaster, with the advice and consent of the Senate, E. A. Thomas, Holly Springs, Marshall County, Miss.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,JOHN H. REAGAN,
Postmaster-General.
The President.
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The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Richmond, Va., May 30, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Postmaster-General, I hereby nominate Dr. James H. Starr, to be agent of the Post-Office Department for the country west of the Mississippi River.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Post-Office Department, Richmond, May 30, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend for appointment, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, Dr. James H. Starr, of Nacogdoches, Tex., as agent of the Post-Office Department for the country west of the Mississippi River, as authorized by an act of Congress approved February 10, 1864.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,JOHN H. REAGAN,
Postmaster-General.
The President.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Confederate States of America, Executive Department,
Richmond, May 28, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate Col. Bryan Grimes, of North Carolina, to be a brigadier-general in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 28, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the nomination of Col Bryan Grimes, of North Carolina, to be a brigadier-general in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America, to command the late General Daniel's brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, to rank from May 19, 1864.
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.
Confederate States of America, Executive Department,
Richmond, May 27, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate L. T. Nunnelee, of --, to be second lieutenant, Stuart's Artillery, in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the nomination of L. T. Nunnelee, of --, to be second lieutenant, Stuart's Artillery, in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America, for distinguished valor and skill (under act approved April 16, 1862), to rank from February 27, 1864.
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,J. 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.
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Confederate States of America, Executive Department,
Richmond, May 28, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate A. P. Sangrain, of Missouri, to be adjutant Twenty-seventh Arkansas Regiment, in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the nomination of A. P. Sangrain, of Missouri, to be adjutant Twenty-seventh Arkansas Regiment, in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America, vice Lieutenant Magenis, promoted, to rank from March 15, 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.
Confederate States of America, Executive Department,
Richmond, May 28, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate John B. Hardeman, of Texas, to be a quartermaster, with the rank of major in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the nomination of John B. Hardeman, of Texas, to be a quartermaster, with the rank of major in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America, for duty with the brigade under command of Col. H. Randal, Trans-Mississippi Department (an original vacancy), to date from September 1, 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.
Confederate States of America, Executive Department,
Richmond, May 28, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate John W. Brown, of Texas, to be a commissary, with the rank of major in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the nomination of John W. Brown, of Texas, to be a commissary, with rank of major in the Provisional Army of the Confederate states of America, for duty with the late Thomas Green's brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department (an original vacancy), to date from September 1, 1863.
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War.
To His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President, etc.
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The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Confederate States of America, Executive Department,
Richmond, May 28, 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 be assistant quartermasters, with the rank of captain in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America:
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.
Confederate States of America, Executive Department,
Richmond, May 28, 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 be artillery officers, under act approved January 22, 1862, with the rank of major in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America:
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.
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Confederate States of America, Executive Department
Richmond, May 30, 1864.
To the Senate of the Confederate State as:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate the officers on the accompanying list for promotion in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, May 28, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for promotion in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America:
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.
Executive Department, Richmond, May 30, 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, Richmond, May 26, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America:
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I am, sir, very 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.
Executive Department Richmond, May 27, 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.
No. 12.]War Department, Richmond, May 8, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America:
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. Orr,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
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