Confederate States Department of the Navy
Seal of the Department of the Navy of the Confederate States of America
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | February 21, 1861 |
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| Dissolved | May 20, 1865 |
| Jurisdiction | Confederate States of America |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia |
| Agency executive | |
The Department of the Navy was the Confederate Civil Service department responsible for the administration of the affairs of the Confederate Navy and Confederate Marine Corps. It was officially established on February 21, 1861.
The Department of the Navy was established by an act of the Provisional Confederate Congress in Montgomery, Alabama which passed into law on February 20, 1861. This act also established the position of Secretary of the Navy which was according to the act authorized to handle all affairs related to the navies of the Confederacy. President Jefferson Davis nominated Stephen Mallory and he was confirmed by the Congress.
On May 9, 1862, Secretary Mallory issued orders to James D. Bulloch instructing him to proceed to London, England to act as the Confederacy's agent in securing six new vessels, armaments, and supplies for the nascent Confederate Navy. These orders granted Bulloch a wide berth of discretion in the selection of these ships, but specified that these ships must be suitable for the commerce raiding. Furthermore, the orders specified that at least one Armstrong breech-loading rifled cannon be acquired for each vessel.
Interestingly enough an amendment to this act passed on May 21, 1861 granted the Department of the Navy the power to grant patents concerning armed vessels, floating batteries, or other defenses.
Key positions of the Department of the Navy included:
Important Bureaus and Offices of Department of the Navy included:
The Office of Special Service was responsible for the construction of wooden gunboats.
The Bureau of Orders and Details was responsible for the administration of personnel affairs of the Navy. This included the postings of officers and crews to ships, recruitment for the Navy, and the determination of promotions.Captain William F. Lynch was Chief of the Bureau in 1862 and Captain French Forrest in 1862 to 1863.
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