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 ex ...

and

delegate Delegate or delegates may refer to: * Delegate, New South Wales, a town in Australia * Delegate (CLI), a computer programming technique * Delegate (American politics), a representative in any of various political organizations * Delegate (Unit ...

s 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 ...

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 ...

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, 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 from the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

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 = 135,765 ...

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, and to ...

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 the ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

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. Miss ...

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 = ...

, and

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

. It drafted a

provisional constitution A provisional constitution, interim constitution or transitional constitution is a constitution intended to serve during a transitional period until a permanent constitution is adopted. The following countries currently have,had in the past,such a c ...

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 ...

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 Alexander Hamilton Stephens (February 11, 1812 – March 4, 1883) was an American politician who served as the vice president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, and later as the 50th governor of Georgia from 1882 until his death in 1 ...

of Georgia.

Constitutional Convention

The Confederate States of America Constitutional Convention 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 Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, 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 O ...

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 and ...

, 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 th ...

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 state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, 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 Virginia ...

. 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 *

John Gill Shorter John Gill Shorter (April 23, 1818 – May 29, 1872) was an American politician who served as the 17th Governor of Alabama from 1861 to 1863. Prior to assuming the governorship, Shorter was a Deputy from Alabama to the Provisional Congress of th ...

(''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 woun ...

* David P. Lewis (''resigned'' April 29, 1861) ** Nic. Davis, Jr. (''took his seat on'' April 29, 1861 – ''Elected to fill vacancy'') *

Thomas Fearn Thomas Fearn (November 15, 1789 – January 16, 1863) was an American politician who served as a Deputy from Alabama to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States from February until April 1861, when he resigned from office. Biography ...

(''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 t ...

(''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, Toomb ...

* 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 Manassas

'') ** 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 Benjamin Harvey Hill (September 14, 1823 – August 16, 1882) was a politician whose career spanned state and national politics, and the Civil War. He served in the Georgia legislature in both houses. Although he had opposed secession, he st ...

* A. R. Wright * T. R. R. Cobb * A. H. Kenan * A. H. Stephens

* John Perkins, Jr. *

Alexander de Clouet Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants li ...

* Charles M. Conrad * Duncan F. Kenner * Edward Sparrow * Henry Marshall

* A. M. Clayton (''resigned'' May 11, 1861) ** Alexander Blackburn Bradford (''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 Walker Brooke (December 25, 1813 – February 18, 1869) was an American politician who served as a Deputy from Mississippi to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1862. He was also a U.S. Senator from 1852 to 1853, re ...

* 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 Barnwell Rhett (born Robert Barnwell Smith; December 21, 1800September 14, 1876) was an American politician who served as a deputy from South Carolina to the Provisional Confederate States Congress from 1861 to 1862, a member of the US H ...

* Robert W. Barnwell * Christopher Gustavus Memminger *

James Chesnut, Jr. James Chesnut Jr. (January 18, 1815 – February 1, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician, and a Confederate functionary. Chesnut, a lawyer prominent in South Carolina state politics, served as a Democratic senator in 1858–60, wher ...

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 186 ...

(''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 (''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 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 Congres ...

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 * Hugh French Thomason * William Wirt Watkins

* Henry Cornelius Burnett * Theodore Legrand Burnett * John Milton Elliott * George Washington Ewing * Samuel Howard Ford * George Baird Hodge * Thomas Johnson (Kentucky), Thomas Johnson * Thomas Bell Monroe * John J. Thomas * Daniel Price White

* Caspar Wistar Bell * John Bullock Clark, Sr. * Aaron H. Conrow * William Mordecai Cooke, Sr. * 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 * Allen Turner Davidson * George Davis (Confederate States politician), George Davis * Thomas David Smith McDowell * John Motley Morehead * Richard Clauselle Puryear * Thomas Hart Ruffin * William Nathan Harrell Smith * Abraham Watkins Venable

* John DeWitt Clinton Atkins * Robert L. Caruthers, Robert Looney Caruthers * David Maney Currin * William Henry DeWitt * John Ford House * Thomas McKissick Jones * James Houston Thomas

* Thomas S. Bocock, Thomas Salem Bocock * Alexander Boteler * John White Brockenbrough * Gideon D. Camden (''resigned'' June 1861) * Robert M. T. Hunter, R. M. T. Hunter * Robert Johnston (American politician), Robert Johnston * William Hamilton MacFarland * James Murray Mason, James Mason * Walter Preston (Virginia), Walter Preston * William Ballard Preston * Roger Atkinson Pryor * William Cabell Rives * Charles Wells Russell * Robert Eden Scott * James Alexander Seddon * Waller Redd Staples * John Tyler (''died'' January 18, 1862) Territory of Arizona (Confederate States), Arizona Territory * Granville Henderson Oury

Notes

References

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

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Confederate States, Provisional Congress Of The Provisional Congress of the Confederate States, 1861 establishments in the Confederate States of America 1862 disestablishments in the Confederate States of America Defunct unicameral legislatures, Confederate States Defunct national legislatures Legislative branch of the Confederate States of America government Provisional governments, Confederate States

First Session

Constitutional Convention

Second Session

Third Session

Fourth Session

Fifth Session

Leadership

Members

Deputies

Delegates

Notes

References

Further reading

External links