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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 --FORTY-NINTH DAY--FRIDAY, January 6, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Read.
The speaker laid before the House a message from the President in response to a resolution of the House, transmitting a copy of the official report of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston of military operations in Georgia during the last spring and summer.
On motion of Mr. Clark, the message and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The House then resumed the consideration of the unfinished business; which was the bill "to authorize the consolidation of companies, battalions, and regiments."
The question being on the substitute, based on the elective system, offered by Mr. Snead for the second section of the bill,
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Mr. Holliday offered an amendment allowing the board to select officers from noncommissioned officers and privates, instead of confining their choice to those already in commission.
The amendment was adopted.
Leave of absence was granted Messrs. Welsh of Mississippi and Atkins of Tennessee (detained from their seats by sickness).
Mr. Akin moved to amend the substitute of Mr. Snead so as to allow the men to have an equal voice with the officers in the election of the field officers, instead of allowing the line officers alone to elect them; which was not agreed to.
Mr. Machen moved to strike out the clause in Mr. Snead's substitute which limits the choice of the officers to those now in commission in the same grade; which was agreed to.
Mr. Snead moved to insert in place of the clause stricken out an amendment declaring "that no person shall be eligible to command in the consolidated commands."
The motion was lost.
Mr. Clark moved to strike out the provision requiring the result of the election to be submitted to the President before going into effect.
Mr. Marshall moved to amend the provision proposed to be stricken out so as to require the approval of the President of the elections only in cases where the officers are not already in commission in the same grade; which was adopted.
The question was then taken on the motion of Mr. Clark to strike out,
The question then recurring on the substitute offered by Mr. Snead,
The yeas and nays were ordered;
So the substitute was rejected.
Mr. Clopton offered a substitute for the second section of the bill, vesting the power to select the officers for the consolidated commands in the general commanding the army, and authorizing him, should he deem proper, to appoint boards of examination to examine into the qualifications of those whom he shall recommend.
The yeas and nays being demanded on the adoption of the substitute,
The same were ordered,
So the substitute of Mr. Clopton was adopted.
A motion was made to reconsider the vote just taken; which motion was lost.
The third section of the bill was then taken up for consideration;
When,
Mr. Villeré offered the following as a substitute for the section:
That the officers of the old organizations over and above the number requisite for the new shall be entitled to retain their rank and commissions if pronounced worthy and competent by the examining boards thus provided, said judgments to be approved by the general and Secretary of War, and may, if they elect, they and all other officers without commands, organize themselves into a corps of cavalry, to be commanded by the senior officers joining the
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command, subject to the approval of the President. Said corps shall perform such special duty as the Secretary of War or general commanding the department or separate army may order. All officers not joining the above corps may be assigned to such appropriate duties as the Secretary of War may prescribe; or may enlist in any regular organization of the Army upon tender to the proper authorities of their resignation for that purpose.
Mr. Read offered the following as an amendment to the third section:
Officers who shall lose their rank, and all other company, battalion, regimental, post, or department officers (except such as are prisoners of war), not assigned to duty, who do not elect to serve in some company thus consolidated or previously established, shall have the privilege, within sixty days, of forming themselves into companies, battalions, or regiments, at such time and place as the commander of their respective departments shall direct. The organization thus composed shall be known as the "Confederate States Legion of Honor:" said legion of honor shall be officered by election from its own members, with the approval of the President. by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; each member thereof being entitled to wear such "decoration" as shall be prescribed for the corps. Such organization to be equipped in the most approved style, and so armed and instructed as to insure it the greatest military efficiency, and shall serve in separate detachments or collectively, or in conjunction with other commands, subject to the regulations for the government of troops of a like arm, and in such district or department under such orders and commander as the Commander in Chief of the Confederate States armies may direct: Provided, That officers who may select and serve in other commands, and officers, noncommissioned officers, and soldiers in any part of the Army who have or may hereafter specially distinguish themselves in action, shall be considered members of the legion of honor and be entitled to its decorations in their several commands: Provided further, That able-bodied officers on post, staff, or department duty who may resign their positions in favor of disabled officers shall be entitled to all the privileges of this section, and any member of the legion of honor who may become permanently disabled may, at the discretion of the department commander and the consent of th? President, be restored to his original rank and be assigned to any vacancy post, staff, or department service for which he may be found qualified.
The question being taken on the adoption of the amendment,
It was agreed to.
Mr. Montague moved a reconsideration of the vote just taken.
Pending which,
On motion,
The House adjourned till to-morrow at 11 o'clock a. m.
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