May 1, 1863: Establishment of the Confederate Provisional Navy

MAY 1ST, 1863:  As requested by Secretary Mallory, the Confederate Congress enacted legislation "To create a Provisional Navy of the Confederate States."

The object of the act, as explained by Captain Semmes, was "without interfering with the rank of the officers of the Regular Navy, to cull men out from the navy-lost, younger and more active men, and put them in the Provisional Navy, with increased rank."

The Regular Navy became, thus, a kind of retired list, and the Secretary of the Navy was enabled to accomplish his object of bringing forward younger officers for active service, without wounding the feelings of the older officers, by promoting their juniors over their heads, on the same list.

Fast Move.  --Old B-R'er