The Provisional Congress of the Confederate States, fully the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America, was a unicameral congress of deputies and delegates called together from the Southern States which became the governing body of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States from February 4, 1861, to February 17, 1862. It sat in Montgomery, Alabama, 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 separatist states seceded from the Union and directed the election on November 6, 1861, at which a permanent government was elected.

Digital remake of the flag used to represent the provisional government

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, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. It drafted a provisional constitution and set up a government. For president and vice president, it selected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia.

Constitutional Convention

The Confederate States 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, and Arkansas.

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, and Tennessee.

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

Leadership

Howell Cobb
Howell Cobb

Members

Deputies

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

Alabama

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana

Mississippi

South Carolina

Texas

Delegates

Representatives from states that seceded after the Battle of Fort Sumter were referred to as delegates, in contrast to the deputies from the original seven states, even though they all had the same obligations.

Arkansas Augustus Hill Garland Robert Ward Johnson Albert Rust Hugh French Thomason William Wirt Watkins Kentucky Henry Cornelius Burnett Theodore Legrand Burnett John Milton Elliott George Washington Ewing Samuel Howard Ford George Baird Hodge Thomas Johnson Thomas Bell Monroe John J. Thomas Daniel Price White Missouri 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 North Carolina William Waightstill Avery Francis Burton Craige Allen Turner Davidson George Davis Thomas David Smith McDowell John Motley Morehead Richard Clauselle Puryear Thomas Hart Ruffin William N. H. Smith Abraham Watkins VenableTennessee John DeWitt Clinton Atkins Robert Looney Caruthers David Maney Currin William Henry DeWitt John Ford House Thomas McKissick Jones James Houston Thomas Virginia Thomas Salem Bocock Alexander Boteler John White Brockenbrough Gideon D. Camden (resigned June 1861) Robert M. T. Hunter Robert Johnston William Hamilton MacFarland James M. Mason 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) Arizona Territory Granville Henderson Oury

Notes

Further reading

External links

  • Media related to Provisional Congress of the Confederate States at Wikimedia Commons
New constituencyProvisional Congress of the Confederate States February 4, 1861 – February 17, 1862Succeeded byConfederate States Congress