ENTRY

Members of the Confederate Congress from Virginia

SUMMARY

The Confederate States of America was established as a government separate from the United States of America on February 4, 1861, and lasted until the end of the American Civil War in 1865. The unicameral Provisional Confederate Congress that met from February 1861 until February 1862 consisted of representatives chosen by each participating state’s legislatures or conventions. The First and Second Confederate Congresses, which met from February 1862 until March 1865, were bicameral with both senators and representatives elected from each Confederate state. The following are Virginians who served in the Confederate Congress.

Provisional Confederate Congress

  • Thomas Salem Bocock (1815–1891), from Appomattox County, July 1861–February 1862 (president pro tempore, December 1861–February 1862).
  • Alexander Robinson Boteler (1815–1892), from Jefferson County (now West Virginia), November 1861–February 1862.
  • John White Brockenbrough (1806–1877), from Rockbridge County, May 1861–February 1862.
  • Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter (1809–1887), from Essex County, May 1861–February 1862.
  • Robert Johnston (1818–1885), from Harrison County (now West Virginia), July 1861–February 1862.
  • William Hamilton Macfarland (1799–1872), from Richmond, July 1861–February 1862.
  • James Murray Mason (1798–1871), from Winchester, July 1861–August 1861.
  • Walter Preston (1819–1867), from Washington County, July 1861–February 1862.
  • William Ballard Preston (1805–1862), from Montgomery County, July 1861–February 1862.
  • Roger Atkinson Pryor (1828–1919), from Petersburg, July 1861–February 1862.
  • William Cabell Rives (1793–1868), from Albemarle County, May 1861–February 1862.
  • Charles Wells Russell (1818–1867), from Ohio County (now West Virginia), July 1861–February 1862.
  • Robert Eden Scott (1808–1862), from Fauquier County, July 1861–February 1862.
  • James Alexander Seddon (1815–1880), from Richmond, July 1861–February 1862.
  • Waller Redd Staples (1826–1897), from Montgomery County, May 1861–February 1862.
  • John Tyler (1790–1862), from Charles City County, August 1861–January 1862.

First and Second Confederate Congresses, House of Representatives

  • John Brown Baldwin (1820–1873), from Staunton, February 1862–March 1865.
  • Thomas Salem Bocock (1815–1891), from Appomattox County, February 1862–March 1865 (Speaker, First and Second Congresses, 1862–1865).
  • Alexander Robinson Boteler (1815–1892), from Jefferson County (now West Virginia), February 1862–February 1864.
  • John Randolph Chambliss (1809–1875), from Greensville County, February 1862–February 1864.
  • Charles Fenton Collier (1827–1899), from Petersburg, August 1862–February 1864.
  • Daniel Coleman Dejarnette (1822–1881), from Caroline County, February 1862–March 1865.
  • David Funsten (1819–1866), from Alexandria, December 1863–March 1865.
  • Muscoe Russell Hunter Garnett (1821–1864), from Essex County, February 1862–February 1864.
  • Thomas Saunders Gholson (1809–1868), from Petersburg, May 1864–March 1865.
  • John Goode Jr. (1829–1909), from Bedford County, February 1862–March 1865.
  • James Philemon Holcombe (1820–1873), from Albemarle County, February 1862–February 1864.
  • Frederick William Mackey Holliday (1828–1899), from Winchester, May 1864–March 1865.
  • Albert Gallatin Jenkins (1830–1864), from Cabell County (now West Virginia), February 1862–August 1862.
  • Robert Johnston (1818–1885), from Harrison County (now West Virginia), February 1862–March 1865.
  • James Lyons (1801–1882), from Richmond, February 1862–February 1864.
  • Fayette McMullen (1805–1880), from Scott County, May 1864–March 1865.
  • Samuel Augustine Miller (1819–1890), from Kanawha County (now West Virginia), February 1863–March 1865.
  • Robert Latané Montague (1819–1880), from Middlesex County, May 1864–January 1865.
  • Walter Preston (1819–1867), from Washington County, February 1862–February 1864.
  • Roger Atkinson Pryor (1828–1919), from Petersburg, February 1862–April 1862.
  • William Cabell Rives (1793–1868), from Albemarle County, May 1864–March 1865.
  • Charles Wells Russell (1818–1867), from Ohio County (now West Virginia), February 1862–March 1865.
  • William Smith (1797–1887), from Fauquier County, February 1862–April 1863.
  • Waller Redd Staples (1826–1897), from Montgomery County, February 1862–March 1865.
  • John Tyler (1790–1862), from Charles City County, was elected but died before being seated.
  • Robert Henry Whitfield (1814–1868), from Isle of Wight County, May 1864–March 1865.
  • Williams Carter Wickham (1820–1888), from Hanover County, May 1864–March 1865.

First and Second Confederate Congresses, Senate

  • Allen Taylor Caperton (1810–1876), from Monroe County (now West Virginia), January 1863–March 1865.
  • Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter (1809–1887), from Essex County, February 1862–March 1865.
  • William Ballard Preston (1805–1862), from Montgomery County, February 1862–October 1862.

RELATED CONTENT
FURTHER READING
  • Salmon, Emily J. and Edward D. C. Campbell Jr., eds. The Hornbook of Virginia History: A Ready-Reference Guide to the Old Dominion’s People, Places, and Past. Fourth Edition. Richmond, Virginia: The Library of Virginia, 1994.
CITE THIS ENTRY
APA Citation:
The Hornbook of Virginia History. Members of the Confederate Congress from Virginia. (2020, December 07). In Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/members-of-the-confederate-congress-from-virginia.
MLA Citation:
The Hornbook of Virginia History. "Members of the Confederate Congress from Virginia" Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Humanities, (07 Dec. 2020). Web. 29 Nov. 2023
Last updated: 2020, December 07
Feedback
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sponsors