The Cabinet of the Confederate States of America, commonly called the Confederate cabinet or Cabinet of Jefferson Davis, was part of the executive branch of the federal government of the Confederate States that existed between 1861 and 1865. The members of the Cabinet were the vice president and heads of the federal executive departments.
Confederate PresidentJefferson Davis made many of his initial selections to the Cabinet on the basis of political considerations; his choices "Were dictated by the need to assure the various states that their interests were being represented in the government."[2] Moreover, much Confederate talent went into the military rather than the Cabinet, and the cabinet suffered from frequent turnover and reshuffling. Sixteen different men served in the six Cabinet posts during the four years of the Confederacy's existence.[3] The most talented—but also the most unpopular—member of the Cabinet was Judah P. Benjamin.[2][4][5] Among the weakest cabinet secretaries was Treasury Secretary Christopher Memminger, who had little experience with fiscal policy; Memminger was placed at the Treasury by Davis due to the influence of South Carolinians, because Memminger had been an influential supporter of that state's secession.[2] Civil War historian Allen C. Guelzo describes the first Confederate secretaries of war and state, LeRoy Pope Walker of Alabama and Robert Toombs of Georgia, respectively—as "brainless political appointees."[2]
The cabinet's performance suffered due to Davis's inability to delegate and propensity to micromanage his Cabinet officers.[6] Davis consulted with the Cabinet frequently—meeting with individual cabinet secretaries almost every day and convening meetings of the full Cabinet two or three times a week—but these meetings, which could stretch to five hours or more, "rarely saw anything accomplished."[7] Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory lamented that "From [Davis's] uncontrollable tendency to digression," cabinet meetings "consumed four or five hours without determining anything."[8] Many of the cabinet members became frustrated, especially the secretaries of war; after concluding "that they could not get along with Davis's constant interference and micromanagement," many resigned.[9] Nine of the eleven Confederate states "had representation in the Cabinet at some point during the life of Confederacy"; only Tennessee and Arkansas never had a Confederate cabinet secretary.[10]
The final meeting of the Confederate cabinet took place in Fort Mill, South Carolina, amid the collapse of the Confederacy.[11] Fort Mill was the only place where the full Confederate cabinet met after the fall of Richmond.[12]
^Geoffrey C. Ward & Kenneth Burns, The Civil War: The Complete Text of the Bestselling Narrative History of the Civil War--Based on the Celebrated PBS Television Series (Vintage Books, 1990),p. 162.
^Clint Johnson, Touring the Carolinas' Civil War Sites, 2nd ed. (John F. Blair, Publisher: 2011), p. 109.
^James E. Walmsley, The Last Meeting of the Confederate Cabinet (The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, 1919).
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January 01, 1970
cabinet, confederate, states, america, commonly, called, confederate, cabinet, cabinet, jefferson, davis, part, executive, branch, federal, government, confederate, states, that, existed, between, 1861, 1865, members, cabinet, were, vice, president, heads, fed. The Cabinet of the Confederate States of America commonly called the Confederate cabinet or Cabinet of Jefferson Davis was part of the executive branch of the federal government of the Confederate States that existed between 1861 and 1865 The members of the Cabinet were the vice president and heads of the federal executive departments Cabinet of the Confederate StatesCabinet of Jefferson DavisSeal of the Confederate StatesLast meeting of the Confederate cabinetCabinet overviewFormedFebruary 18 1861 1861 02 18 DissolvedMay 10 1865 1865 05 10 TypeAdvisory bodyEmployees7 members 1 Vice president 6 Principal officersCabinet executivesJefferson Davis president of the Confederate States chairman Alexander H Stephens vice president of the Confederate States Contents 1 History 2 Cabinet 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory edit nbsp President Davis first cabinet 1861 The cabinet was largely modeled on the Cabinet of the United States with its members overseeing a State Department Treasury Department War Department and Post Office Department However unlike the Union the Confederacy lacked a Department of the Interior and created a Justice Department the position of U S Attorney General existed but the U S Department of Justice was only created in 1870 after the end of the Civil War 1 Confederate President Jefferson Davis made many of his initial selections to the Cabinet on the basis of political considerations his choices Were dictated by the need to assure the various states that their interests were being represented in the government 2 Moreover much Confederate talent went into the military rather than the Cabinet and the cabinet suffered from frequent turnover and reshuffling Sixteen different men served in the six Cabinet posts during the four years of the Confederacy s existence 3 The most talented but also the most unpopular member of the Cabinet was Judah P Benjamin 2 4 5 Among the weakest cabinet secretaries was Treasury Secretary Christopher Memminger who had little experience with fiscal policy Memminger was placed at the Treasury by Davis due to the influence of South Carolinians because Memminger had been an influential supporter of that state s secession 2 Civil War historian Allen C Guelzo describes the first Confederate secretaries of war and state LeRoy Pope Walker of Alabama and Robert Toombs of Georgia respectively as brainless political appointees 2 The cabinet s performance suffered due to Davis s inability to delegate and propensity to micromanage his Cabinet officers 6 Davis consulted with the Cabinet frequently meeting with individual cabinet secretaries almost every day and convening meetings of the full Cabinet two or three times a week but these meetings which could stretch to five hours or more rarely saw anything accomplished 7 Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory lamented that From Davis s uncontrollable tendency to digression cabinet meetings consumed four or five hours without determining anything 8 Many of the cabinet members became frustrated especially the secretaries of war after concluding that they could not get along with Davis s constant interference and micromanagement many resigned 9 Nine of the eleven Confederate states had representation in the Cabinet at some point during the life of Confederacy only Tennessee and Arkansas never had a Confederate cabinet secretary 10 The final meeting of the Confederate cabinet took place in Fort Mill South Carolina amid the collapse of the Confederacy 11 Fort Mill was the only place where the full Confederate cabinet met after the fall of Richmond 12 Cabinet editOffice Image Name Home state Dates Vice President nbsp Alexander H Stephens Georgia February 18 1861 May 11 1865 Secretary of State nbsp Robert Toombs Georgia February 25 1861 July 25 1861 nbsp Robert M T Hunter Virginia July 25 1861 February 18 1862 nbsp William M Browne Georgia February 18 1862 March 18 1862 nbsp Judah P Benjamin Louisiana March 18 1862 May 10 1865 Secretary of the Treasury nbsp Christopher Memminger South Carolina February 25 1861 July 18 1864 nbsp George Trenholm South Carolina July 18 1864 April 27 1865 nbsp John H Reagan Texas April 27 1865 May 10 1865 Secretary of War nbsp LeRoy Pope Walker Alabama February 25 1861 September 16 1861 nbsp Judah P Benjamin Louisiana September 17 1861 March 24 1862 nbsp George W Randolph Virginia March 24 1862 November 15 1862 nbsp James Seddon Virginia November 21 1862 February 5 1865 nbsp Major General John C Breckinridge Kentucky February 6 1865 May 10 1865 Secretary of the Navy nbsp Stephen Mallory Florida March 4 1861 May 2 1865 Postmaster General nbsp John H Reagan Texas March 6 1861 May 10 1865 Attorney General nbsp Judah P Benjamin Louisiana February 25 1861 September 17 1861 nbsp Wade Keyes Alabama September 17 1861 November 21 1861 nbsp Thomas Bragg North Carolina November 21 1861 March 18 1862 nbsp Thomas H Watts Alabama March 18 1862 October 1 1863 nbsp Wade Keyes Alabama October 1 1863 January 2 1864 nbsp George Davis North Carolina January 2 1864 April 24 1865See also edit nbsp Politics portal Rufus Randolph Rhodes the only head of the Confederate Patent OfficeReferences edit The Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference eds Margaret E Wagner Gary W Gallagher amp Paul Finkelman Simon amp Schuster 2012 p 161 a b c d Allen C Guelzo Fateful Lightning A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction Oxford University Press 2012 p 361 Exploring American History From Colonial Times to 1877 Vol 3 eds Tom Lansford amp Thomas E Woods Marshall Cavendish 2008 p 241 Dennis L Peterson Confederate Cabinet Departments and Secretaries MacFarland 2016 pp 141 42 Bell Irvin Wiley Embattled Confederates An Illustrated History of Southerners at War Harper amp Row 1964 p 19 Peterson pp 12 18 24 91 127 150 Peterson p 18 Geoffrey C Ward amp Kenneth Burns The Civil War The Complete Text of the Bestselling Narrative History of the Civil War Based on the Celebrated PBS Television Series Vintage Books 1990 p 162 Peterson p 24 Peterson p 13 Clint Johnson Touring the Carolinas Civil War Sites 2nd ed John F Blair Publisher 2011 p 109 James E Walmsley The Last Meeting of the Confederate Cabinet The Mississippi Valley Historical Review 1919 External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cabinet of the Confederate States of America amp oldid 1212188290, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
