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Wikipedia / 37th United States Congress

The 37th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1861, to March 4, 1863, during the first two years of Abraham Lincoln's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1850 United States census.

For the first time since the party's establishment, the Republicans won the majority of both chambers, and thus full control of Congress. And with Abraham Lincoln becoming the first Republican President after being sworn in on March 4, 1861, the Republicans had their first ever overall federal government trifecta.

Major events

Two special sessions

The Senate, a continuing body, was called into special session by President Lincoln, meeting from March 4 to 28, 1861. The border states and Texas were still represented. Shortly after the Senate session adjourned, Fort Sumter was attacked. The immediate results were to draw four additional states "into the confederacy with their more Southern sisters", and Lincoln called Congress into extraordinary session on July 4, 1861. The Senate confirmed calling forth troops and raising money to suppress rebellion as authorized in the Constitution.

Both Houses then duly met July 4, 1861. Seven states which would send representatives held their state elections for Representative over the months of May to June 1861. Members taking their seats had been elected before the secession crisis, during the formation of the Confederate government, and after Fort Sumter.

Once assembled with a quorum in the House, Congress approved Lincoln's war powers innovations as necessary to preserve the Union. Following the July Federal defeat at First Manassas, the Crittenden Resolution asserted the reason for "the present deplorable civil war". It was meant as an address to the nation, especially to the Border States at a time of U.S. military reverses, when the war support in border state populations was virtually the only thing keeping them in the Union.

Following resignations and expulsions occasioned by the outbreak of the Civil War, five states had some degree of dual representation in the U.S. and the C.S. congresses. Congress accredited Members elected running in these five as Unionist (19), Democratic (6), Constitutional Unionist (1) and Republican (1). All ten Kentucky and all seven Missouri representatives were accepted. The other three states seated four of thirteen representatives from Virginia, three of ten Tennesseans, and two of four from Louisiana.

The Crittenden Resolution declared the civil war "... has been forced upon the country by the disunionists of the southern States..." and it would be carried out for the supremacy of the Constitution and the preservation of the Union, and, that accomplished, "the war ought to cease". Democrats seized on this document, especially its assurances of no conquest or overthrowing domestic institutions (emancipation of slaves).

Slaves and slavery

Congressional policy and military strategy were intertwined. In the first regular March session, Republicans superseded the Crittenden Resolution, removing the prohibition against emancipation of slaves.

In South Carolina, Gen. David Hunter issued a General Order in early May 1862 freeing all slaves in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. President Lincoln quickly rescinded the order, reserving this "supposed power" to his own discretion if it were indispensable to saving the Union. Later in the same month without directly disobeying Lincoln's prohibition against emancipation, General Benjamin Butler at Fort Monroe Virginia declared slaves escaped into his lines as "contraband of war", that is, forfeit to their rebel owners. On May 24, Congress followed General Butler's lead, and passed the First Confiscation Act in August, freeing slaves used for rebellion.

In Missouri, John C. Frémont, the 1856 Republican nominee for president, exceeded his authority as a General, declaring that all slaves held by rebels within his military district would be freed. Republican majorities in Congress responded on opening day of the December Session. Sen. Lyman Trumbull introduced a bill for confiscation of rebel property and emancipation for their slaves. "Acrimonious debate on confiscation proved a major preoccupation" of Congress. On March 13, 1862, Congress banned military officers from enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act under penalty of dismissal. The next month, the Congress abolished slavery in the District of Columbia with compensation for loyal citizens. An additional Confiscation Act in July declared free all slaves held by citizens in rebellion, but it had no practical effect without addressing where the act would take effect, or how ownership was to be proved.

Lincoln's preliminary Emancipation Proclamation was issued September 22, 1862. It became the principal issue before the public in the mid-term elections that year for the 38th Congress. But Republican majorities in both houses held (see 'Congress as a campaign machine' below), and the Republicans actually increased their majority in the Senate.

On January 1, 1863, the war measure by executive proclamation directed the army and the navy to treat all escaped slaves as free when entering Union lines from territory still in rebellion. The measure would take effect when the escaped slave entered Union lines and loyalty of the previous owner was irrelevant. Congress passed enabling legislation to carry out the Proclamation including "Freedman's Bureau" legislation. The practical effect was a massive internal evacuation of Confederate slave labor, and augmenting Union Army teamsters, railroad crews and infantry for the duration of the Civil War.

Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War

Congress assumed watchdog responsibilities with this and other investigating committees.

The principle conflict between the president and congress was found in the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Eight thick volumes of testimony were filled with investigations of Union defeats and contractor scandals.

They were highly charged with partisan opinions "vehemently expressed" by chair Benjamin Wade of Ohio, Representative George Washington Julian of Indiana, and Zachariah Chandler of Michigan.

Sen. Chandler, who had been one of McClellan's advocates promoting his spectacular rise, particularly documented criticism of McClellan's Peninsular Campaign with its circuitous maneuvering, endless entrenchment and murderous camp diseases. It led to support for his dismissal.

A congressional committee could ruin a reputation, without itself having any military expertise. It would create the modern Congressional era in which generals fought wars with Congress looking over their shoulders, "and with public opinion following closely behind".

Republican Platform goals

Republican majorities in both houses, apart from pro-union Democrats, and without vacant southern delegations, were able to enact their party platform. These included the Legal Tender Act, February 20, 1862, and increases in the tariff that amounted to protective tariffs. The Homestead Act, May 20, 1862, for government lands, and the Morrill Land Grant Act, July 2, 1862, for universities promoting practical arts in agriculture and mining, had no immediate war purpose. But they would have long range effects, as would the Pacific Railroad Act, July 1, 1862, for a transcontinental railroad.

Treasury innovations were driven by Secretary Salmon P. Chase and necessity of war. The Income Tax of 1861, numerous taxes on consumer goods such as whiskey, and a national currency all began in Civil War Congresses.

Congress as election machinery

Member's floor speeches were not meant to be persuasive, but for publication in partisan newspapers. The real audience was the constituents back home. Congressional caucuses organized and funded political campaigns, publishing pamphlet versions of speeches and circulating them by the thousands free of postage on the member's franking privilege. Party congressional committees stayed in Washington during national campaigns, keeping an open flow of subsidized literature pouring back into the home districts.

Nevertheless, like other Congresses in the 1850s and 1860s, this Congress would see less than half of its membership reelected. The characteristic turmoil found in the "3rd Party Period, 1855-1896" stirred political party realignment in the North even in the midst of civil war. In this Congress, failure to gain nomination and loss at the general election together accounted for a Membership turnover of 25%.

Major legislation

States admitted and territories organized

States admitted

  • December 31, 1862: West Virginia admitted, Sess. 3, ch. 6, , pending a presidential proclamation. (It became a state on June 20, 1863.)

Territories organized

  • July 14, 1862: Nevada–Utah boundary line moved to the east, enlarging Nevada and reducing Utah in size, Sess. 2, ch. 12,

  • February 24, 1863: Arizona Territory organized, Sess. 3, ch. 56,

  • March 3, 1863: Idaho Territory organized, Sess. 3, ch. 117,

States in rebellion

Congress did not accept secession. Most of the Representatives and Senators from states that attempted to secede left Congress; those who took part in the rebellion were expelled.

Secessions declared during previous Congress: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

  • Louisiana Congressional Districts LA 1 and 2, two of its four representatives remained seated in the 37th Congress.

Secessions declared during this Congress:

  • April 17, 1861: Virginia (The pro-Union Restored Government of Virginia's two senators were seated, along with duly elected Representatives for VA 1, 7, 10, 11 and 12, five of its 13 representatives in the House.)

  • May 6, 1861: Arkansas

  • May 20, 1861: North Carolina

  • June 8, 1861: Tennessee (Sen. Andrew Johnson and three of the ten duly elected members of the House did not recognize secession and retained their seats in TN 2, 3 and 4.)

Although secessionist factions passed resolutions of secession in Missouri October 31, 1861, and in Kentucky November 20, 1861, their state delegations in the U.S. Congress remained in place, seven from Missouri and ten from Kentucky. Exile state governments resided with Confederate armies out-of-state, army-elected congressional representatives served as a solid pro-Jefferson Davis administration voting bloc in the Confederate Congress.

Party summary

Senate

House of Representatives

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives by district.

  1. Skip to House of Representatives, below

Senate

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1862; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1864; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1866.

List of United States senators from AlabamaAlabama

  1. 2. Vacant

  2. 3. Vacant

List of United States senators from ArkansasArkansas

  1. 2. William K. Sebastian (D), until July 11, 1861, vacant thereafter

  2. 3. Charles B. Mitchel (D), until July 11, 1861, vacant thereafter

List of United States senators from CaliforniaCalifornia

  1. 1. Milton S. Latham (D)

  2. 3. James A. McDougall (D)

List of United States senators from ConnecticutConnecticut

  1. 1. James Dixon (R)

  2. 3. Lafayette S. Foster (R)

List of United States senators from DelawareDelaware

  1. 1. James A. Bayard Jr. (D)

  2. 2. Willard Saulsbury Sr. (D)

List of United States senators from FloridaFlorida

  1. 1. Vacant

  2. 3. Vacant

List of United States senators from GeorgiaGeorgia

  1. 2. Vacant

  2. 3. Vacant

List of United States senators from IllinoisIllinois

  1. 2. Stephen A. Douglas (D), until June 3, 1861

    1. Orville H. Browning (R), June 26, 1861 – January 12, 1863

    2. William A. Richardson (D), from January 12, 1863

    3. Lyman Trumbull (R)

List of United States senators from IndianaIndiana

  1. 1. Jesse D. Bright (D), until February 5, 1862

    1. Joseph A. Wright (U), February 24, 1862 – January 14, 1863

    2. David Turpie (D), from January 14, 1863

    3. Henry S. Lane (R)

List of United States senators from IowaIowa

  1. 2. James W. Grimes (R)

  2. 3. James Harlan (R)

List of United States senators from KansasKansas

  1. 2. Jim Lane (R), from April 4, 1861

  2. 3. Samuel C. Pomeroy (R), from April 4, 1861

List of United States senators from KentuckyKentucky

  1. 2. Lazarus W. Powell (D)

  2. 3. John C. Breckinridge (D), until December 4, 1861

    1. Garrett Davis (U), from December 23, 1861

List of United States senators from LouisianaLouisiana

  1. 2. Vacant

  2. 3. Vacant

List of United States senators from MaineMaine

  1. 1. Lot M. Morrill (R)

  2. 2. William P. Fessenden (R)

List of United States senators from MarylandMaryland

  1. 1. Anthony Kennedy (KN)

  2. 3. James Pearce (D), until December 20, 1862

    1. Thomas H. Hicks (U), from December 29, 1862

List of United States senators from MassachusettsMassachusetts

  1. 1. Charles Sumner (R)

  2. 2. Henry Wilson (R)

List of United States senators from MichiganMichigan

  1. 1. Zachariah Chandler (R)

  2. 2. Kinsley S. Bingham (R), until October 5, 1861

    1. Jacob M. Howard (R), from January 17, 1862

List of United States senators from MinnesotaMinnesota

  1. 1. Henry M. Rice (D)

  2. 2. Morton S. Wilkinson (R)

List of United States senators from MississippiMississippi

  1. 1. Vacant

  2. 2. Vacant

List of United States senators from MissouriMissouri

  1. 1. Trusten Polk (D), until January 10, 1862

    1. John B. Henderson (U), from January 17, 1862

    3. Waldo P. Johnson (D), March 17, 1861 – January 10, 1862

    1. Robert Wilson (U), from January 17, 1862

List of United States senators from New HampshireNew Hampshire

  1. 2. John P. Hale (R)

  2. 3. Daniel Clark (R)

List of United States senators from New JerseyNew Jersey

  1. 1. John R. Thomson (D), until September 12, 1862

    1. Richard S. Field (U), November 21, 1862 – January 14, 1863

    2. James W. Wall (D), from January 14, 1863

    2. John C. Ten Eyck (R)

List of United States senators from New YorkNew York

  1. 1. Preston King (R)

  2. 3. Ira Harris (R)

List of United States senators from North CarolinaNorth Carolina

  1. 2. Thomas Bragg (D), until March 6, 1861, vacant thereafter

  2. 3. Thomas L. Clingman (D), until March 28, 1861, vacant thereafter

List of United States senators from OhioOhio

  1. 1. Benjamin F. Wade (R)

  2. 3. Salmon P. Chase (R), until March 7, 1861

    1. John Sherman (R), from March 21, 1861

List of United States senators from OregonOregon

  1. 2. Edward D. Baker (R), until October 21, 1861

    1. Benjamin Stark (D), October 29, 1861 – September 12, 1862

    2. Benjamin F. Harding (U), from September 12, 1862

    3. James W. Nesmith (D)

List of United States senators from PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

  1. 1. Simon Cameron (R), until March 4, 1861

    1. David Wilmot (R), from March 14, 1861

    3. Edgar Cowan (R)

List of United States senators from Rhode IslandRhode Island

  1. 1. James F. Simmons (R), until August 15, 1862

    1. Samuel G. Arnold (CU), from December 1, 1862

    2. Henry B. Anthony (R)

List of United States senators from South CarolinaSouth Carolina

  1. 2. Vacant

  2. 3. Vacant

List of United States senators from TennesseeTennessee

  1. 1. Andrew Johnson (D), until March 4, 1862, vacant thereafter

  2. 2. Vacant

List of United States senators from TexasTexas

  1. 1. Louis Wigfall (D), until March 23, 1861, vacant thereafter

  2. 2. John Hemphill (D), until July 11, 1861, vacant thereafter

List of United States senators from VermontVermont

  1. 1. Solomon Foot (R)

  2. 3. Jacob Collamer (R)

List of United States senators from VirginiaVirginia

  1. 1. James M. Mason (D), until March 28, 1861

    1. Waitman T. Willey (U), from July 9, 1861

    2. Robert M. T. Hunter (D), until March 28, 1861

    1. John S. Carlile (U), from July 9, 1861

List of United States senators from WisconsinWisconsin

  1. 1. James R. Doolittle (R)

  2. 3. Timothy O. Howe (R)

House of Representatives

Representatives are listed by their districts.

List of United States representatives from AlabamaAlabama

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Vacant

  3. . Vacant

  4. . Vacant

  5. . Vacant

  6. . Vacant

  7. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from ArkansasArkansas

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from CaliforniaCalifornia

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

  1. . Frederick F. Low (R), from June 3, 1862

  2. . Timothy G. Phelps (R)

  3. . Aaron A. Sargent (R)

List of United States representatives from ConnecticutConnecticut

  1. . Dwight Loomis (R)

  2. . James E. English (D)

  3. . Alfred A. Burnham (R)

  4. . George C. Woodruff (D)

List of United States representatives from DelawareDelaware

  1. . George P. Fisher (U)

List of United States representatives from FloridaFlorida

  1. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from GeorgiaGeorgia

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Vacant

  3. . Vacant

  4. . Vacant

  5. . Vacant

  6. . Vacant

  7. . Vacant

  8. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from IllinoisIllinois

  1. . Elihu B. Washburne (R)

  2. . Isaac N. Arnold (R)

  3. . Owen Lovejoy (R)

  4. . William Kellogg (R)

  5. . William A. Richardson (D), until January 29, 1863, vacant thereafter

  6. . John A. McClernand (D), until October 28, 1861

    1. Anthony L. Knapp (D), from December 12, 1861

    . James C. Robinson (D)

  7. . Philip B. Fouke (D)

  8. . John A. Logan (D), until April 2, 1862

    1. William J. Allen (D), from June 2, 1862

List of United States representatives from IndianaIndiana

  1. . John Law (D)

  2. . James A. Cravens (D)

  3. . William McKee Dunn (R)

  4. . William S. Holman (D)

  5. . George W. Julian (R)

  6. . Albert G. Porter (R)

  7. . Daniel W. Voorhees (D)

  8. . Albert S. White (R)

  9. . Schuyler Colfax (R)

  10. . William Mitchell (R)

  11. . John P. C. Shanks (R)

List of United States representatives from IowaIowa

  1. . Samuel Curtis (R), until August 4, 1861

    1. James F. Wilson (R), from October 8, 1861

    . William Vandever (R)

List of United States representatives from KansasKansas

  1. . Martin F. Conway (R)

List of United States representatives from KentuckyKentucky

  1. . Henry C. Burnett (SR), until December 3, 1861

    1. Samuel L. Casey (U), from March 10, 1862

    . James S. Jackson (U), until December 13, 1861

    1. George H. Yeaman (U), from December 1, 1862

    . Henry Grider (U)

  2. . Aaron Harding (U)

  3. . Charles A. Wickliffe (U)

  4. . George W. Dunlap (U)

  5. . Robert Mallory (U)

  6. . John J. Crittenden (U)

  7. . William H. Wadsworth (U)

  8. . John W. Menzies (U)

List of United States representatives from LouisianaLouisiana

  1. . Benjamin F. Flanders (U), from December 3, 1862

  2. . Michael Hahn (U), from December 3, 1862

  3. . Vacant

  4. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from MaineMaine

  1. . John N. Goodwin (R)

  2. . Charles W. Walton (R), until May 26, 1862

    1. Thomas A. D. Fessenden (R), from December 1, 1862

    . Samuel C. Fessenden (R)

  3. . Anson P. Morrill (R)

  4. . John H. Rice (R)

  5. . Frederick A. Pike (R)

List of United States representatives from MarylandMaryland

  1. . John W. Crisfield (U)

  2. . Edwin H. Webster (U)

  3. . Cornelius L. L. Leary (U)

  4. . Henry May (U)

  5. . Francis Thomas (U)

  6. . Charles B. Calvert (U)

List of United States representatives from MassachusettsMassachusetts

  1. . Thomas D. Eliot (R)

  2. . James Buffington (R)

  3. . Charles F. Adams Sr. (R), until May 1, 1861

    1. Benjamin Thomas (U), from June 11, 1861

    . Alexander H. Rice (R)

  4. . William Appleton (CU), until September 27, 1861

    1. Samuel Hooper (R), from December 2, 1861

    . John B. Alley (R)

  5. . Daniel W. Gooch (R)

  6. . Charles R. Train (R)

  7. . Goldsmith F. Bailey (R), until May 8, 1862

    1. Amasa Walker (R), from December 1, 1862

    . Charles Delano (R)

  8. . Henry L. Dawes (R)

List of United States representatives from MichiganMichigan

  1. . Bradley F. Granger (R)

  2. . Fernando C. Beaman (R)

  3. . Francis W. Kellogg (R)

  4. . Rowland E. Trowbridge (R)

List of United States representatives from MinnesotaMinnesota

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

  1. . Cyrus Aldrich (R)

  2. . William Windom (R)

List of United States representatives from MississippiMississippi

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Vacant

  3. . Vacant

  4. . Vacant

  5. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from MissouriMissouri

  1. . Francis P. Blair Jr. (R)

  2. . James S. Rollins (CU)

  3. . John B. Clark (D), until July 13, 1861

    1. William A. Hall (D), from January 20, 1862

    . Elijah H. Norton (D)

  4. . John W. Reid (D), until August 3, 1861

    1. Thomas L. Price (D), from January 21, 1862

    . John S. Phelps (D)

  5. . John W. Noell (D)

List of United States representatives from New HampshireNew Hampshire

  1. . Gilman Marston (R)

  2. . Edward H. Rollins (R)

  3. . Thomas M. Edwards (R)

List of United States representatives from New JerseyNew Jersey

  1. . John T. Nixon (R)

  2. . John L. N. Stratton (R)

  3. . William G. Steele (D)

  4. . George T. Cobb (D)

  5. . Nehemiah Perry (D)

List of United States representatives from New YorkNew York

  1. . Edward H. Smith (D)

  2. . Moses F. Odell (D)

  3. . Benjamin Wood (D)

  4. . James E. Kerrigan (ID)

  5. . William Wall (R)

  6. . Frederick A. Conkling (R)

  7. . Elijah Ward (D)

  8. . Isaac C. Delaplaine (D)

  9. . Edward Haight (D)

  10. . Charles H. Van Wyck (R)

  11. . John B. Steele (D)

  12. . Stephen Baker (R)

  13. . Abram B. Olin (R)

  14. . Erastus Corning (D)

  15. . James B. McKean (R)

  16. . William A. Wheeler (R)

  17. . Socrates N. Sherman (R)

  18. . Chauncey Vibbard (D)

  19. . Richard Franchot (R)

  20. . Roscoe Conkling (R)

  21. . R. Holland Duell (R)

  22. . William E. Lansing (R)

  23. . Ambrose W. Clark (R)

  24. . Charles B. Sedgwick (R)

  25. . Theodore M. Pomeroy (R)

  26. . Jacob P. Chamberlain (R)

  27. . Alexander S. Diven (R)

  28. . Robert B. Van Valkenburgh (R)

  29. . Alfred Ely (R)

  30. . Augustus Frank (R)

  31. . Burt Van Horn (R)

  32. . Elbridge G. Spaulding (R)

  33. . Reuben Fenton (R)

List of United States representatives from North CarolinaNorth Carolina

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Vacant

  3. . Vacant

  4. . Vacant

  5. . Vacant

  6. . Vacant

  7. . Vacant

  8. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from OhioOhio

  1. . George H. Pendleton (D)

  2. . John A. Gurley (R)

  3. . Clement Vallandigham (D)

  4. . William Allen (D)

  5. . James M. Ashley (R)

  6. . Chilton A. White (D)

  7. . Thomas Corwin (R), until March 12, 1861

    1. Richard A. Harrison (U), from July 4, 1861

    . Samuel Shellabarger (R)

  8. . Warren P. Noble (D)

  9. . Carey A. Trimble (R)

  10. . Valentine B. Horton (R)

  11. . Samuel S. Cox (D)

  12. . John Sherman (R), until March 21, 1861

    1. Samuel T. Worcester (R), from July 4, 1861

    . Harrison G. O. Blake (R)

  13. . Robert H. Nugen (D)

  14. . William P. Cutler (R)

  15. . James R. Morris (D)

  16. . Sidney Edgerton (R)

  17. . Albert G. Riddle (R)

  18. . John Hutchins (R)

  19. . John Bingham (R)

List of United States representatives from OregonOregon

  1. . Andrew J. Thayer (D), until July 30, 1861

    1. George K. Shiel (D), from July 30, 1861

List of United States representatives from PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

  1. . William E. Lehman (D)

  2. . Edward Joy Morris (R), until June 8, 1861

    1. Charles J. Biddle (D), from July 2, 1861

    . John P. Verree (R)

  3. . William D. Kelley (R)

  4. . William Morris Davis (R)

  5. . John Hickman (R)

  6. . Thomas B. Cooper (D), until April 4, 1862

    1. John D. Stiles (D), from June 3, 1862

    . Sydenham E. Ancona (D)

  7. . Thaddeus Stevens (R)

  8. . John W. Killinger (R)

  9. . James H. Campbell (R)

  10. . George W. Scranton (R), until March 24, 1861

    1. Hendrick B. Wright (D), from July 4, 1861

    . Philip Johnson (D)

  11. . Galusha A. Grow (R)

  12. . James T. Hale (R)

  13. . Joseph Bailey (D)

  14. . Edward McPherson (R)

  15. . Samuel S. Blair (R)

  16. . John Covode (R)

  17. . Jesse Lazear (D)

  18. . James K. Moorhead (R)

  19. . Robert McKnight (R)

  20. . John W. Wallace (R)

  21. . John Patton (R)

  22. . Elijah Babbitt (R)

List of United States representatives from Rhode IslandRhode Island

  1. . William P. Sheffield (CU)

  2. . George H. Browne (CU)

List of United States representatives from South CarolinaSouth Carolina

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Vacant

  3. . Vacant

  4. . Vacant

  5. . Vacant

  6. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from TennesseeTennessee

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Horace Maynard (U)

  3. . George W. Bridges (U), from February 25, 1863

  4. . Andrew J. Clements (U)

  5. . Vacant

  6. . Vacant

  7. . Vacant

  8. . Vacant

  9. . Vacant

  10. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from TexasTexas

  1. . Vacant

  2. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from VermontVermont

  1. . Eliakim P. Walton (R)

  2. . Justin S. Morrill (R)

  3. . Portus Baxter (R)

List of United States representatives from VirginiaVirginia

  1. . Joseph E. Segar (U), from May 6, 1862

  2. . Vacant

  3. . Vacant

  4. . Vacant

  5. . Vacant

  6. . Vacant

  7. . Charles H. Upton (U), July 4, 1861 – February 27, 1862

    1. Lewis McKenzie (U), from February 16, 1863

    . Vacant

  8. . Vacant

  9. . William G. Brown Sr. (U)

  10. . John S. Carlile (U), until July 9, 1861

    1. Jacob B. Blair (U), from December 2, 1861

    . Kellian Whaley (U)

  11. . Vacant

List of United States representatives from WisconsinWisconsin

  1. . John F. Potter (R)

  2. . Luther Hanchett (R), until November 24, 1862

    1. Walter D. McIndoe (R), from January 26, 1863

    . A. Scott Sloan (R)

Non-voting members

  1. . Hiram P. Bennet (R), from August 19, 1861

  2. . John B. S. Todd (D), from December 9, 1861

  3. . Samuel G. Daily (R)

  4. . John Cradlebaugh (I), from December 2, 1861

  5. . John S. Watts (R)

  6. . John M. Bernhisel (I)

  7. . William H. Wallace (R)

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress.

Senate

|- | Missouri (3) | Vacant | Did not take seat until after Congress commenced. | nowrap | Waldo P. Johnson (D) | March 17, 1861

|- | Kansas (2) | Vacant | Election not recognized by US Senate. | nowrap | Jim Lane (R) | April 4, 1861

|- | Kansas (3) | Vacant | Election not recognized by the Senate. | nowrap | Samuel C. Pomeroy (R) | April 4, 1861

|- | Pennsylvania (1) | nowrap | Simon Cameron (R) | Resigned March 4, 1861, to become Secretary of War.Successor was elected. | nowrap | David Wilmot (R) | March 14, 1861

|- | North Carolina (2) | nowrap | Thomas Bragg (D) | Withdrew March 6, 1861; expelled later in 1861. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|- | Ohio (3) | nowrap | Salmon P. Chase (R) | Resigned March 7, 1861, to become Secretary of the Treasury.Successor was elected. | nowrap | John Sherman (R) | March 21, 1861

|- | Texas (1) | nowrap | Louis T. Wigfall (D) | Withdrew March 23, 1861. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|- | North Carolina (3) | nowrap | Thomas L. Clingman (D) | Withdrew March 28, 1861; expelled later in 1861. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|- | Virginia (2) | nowrap | Robert M. T. Hunter (D) | Withdrew March 28, 1861, and later expelled for support of the rebellion.Successor was elected. | nowrap | John S. Carlile (U) | July 9, 1861

|- | Virginia (1) | nowrap | James M. Mason (D) | Expelled March 28, 1861, for supporting the rebellion.Successor was elected. | nowrap | Waitman T. Willey (U) | July 9, 1861

|- | Illinois (2) | nowrap | Stephen A. Douglas (D) | Died June 3, 1861.Successor was appointed. | nowrap | Orville H. Browning (R) | June 26, 1861

|- | Texas (2) | nowrap | John Hemphill (D) | Expelled sometime in July 1861. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|- | Illinois (2) | nowrap | Orville H. Browning (R) | Interim appointee lost election to finish the term.Successor elected January 12, 1863. | nowrap | William A. Richardson (D) | January 30, 1863

|- | Arkansas (2) | nowrap | William K. Sebastian (D) | Expelled July 11, 1861. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|- | Arkansas (3) | nowrap | Charles B. Mitchel (D) | Expelled July 11, 1861. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|- | Michigan (2) | nowrap | Kinsley S. Bingham (R) | Died October 5, 1861.Successor was elected. | nowrap | Jacob M. Howard (R) | January 17, 1862

|- | Oregon (2) | nowrap | Edward D. Baker (R) | Killed at Battle of Ball's Bluff October 21, 1861.Successor was appointed. | nowrap | Benjamin Stark (D) | October 29, 1861

|- | Kentucky (3) | nowrap | John C. Breckinridge (D) | Expelled December 4, 1861, for supporting the rebellion.Successor was elected. | nowrap | Garrett Davis (U) | December 23, 1861

|- | Missouri (1) | nowrap | Trusten Polk (D) | Expelled January 10, 1862, for supporting the rebellion.Successor was appointed. | nowrap | John B. Henderson (U) | January 17, 1862

|- | Missouri (3) | nowrap | Waldo P. Johnson (D) | Expelled January 10, 1862, for disloyalty to the government.Successor was appointed. | nowrap | Robert Wilson (U) | January 17, 1862

|- | Indiana (1) | nowrap | Jesse D. Bright (D) | Expelled February 5, 1862, on charges of disloyalty.Successor was appointed. | nowrap | Joseph A. Wright (U) | February 24, 1862

|- | Tennessee (1) | nowrap | Andrew Johnson (D) | Resigned March 4, 1862. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|- | Rhode Island (1) | nowrap | James F. Simmons (R) | Resigned August 15, 1862.Successor was elected. | nowrap | Samuel G. Arnold (CU) | December 1, 1862

|- | New Jersey (1) | nowrap | John R. Thomson (D) | Died September 12, 1862.Successor was appointed. | nowrap | Richard S. Field (R) | November 21, 1862

|- | Oregon (2) | nowrap | Benjamin Stark (D) | Retired September 12, 1862, upon election of a successor. | nowrap | Benjamin F. Harding (U) | September 12, 1862

|- | Maryland (3) | nowrap | James Pearce (D) | Died December 20, 1862.Successor was appointed. | nowrap | Thomas H. Hicks (U) | December 29, 1862

|- | Indiana (1) | nowrap | Joseph A. Wright (U) | Retired January 14, 1863, upon election of a successor. | nowrap | David Turpie (D) | January 14, 1863

|- | New Jersey (1) | nowrap | Richard S. Field (R) | Retired January 14, 1863, upon election of a successor. | nowrap | James W. Wall (D) | January 14, 1863 |}

House of Representatives

|- | | colspan=2 | New seat. | nowrap | Hiram P. Bennett (Conservative R) | August 19, 1861

|- | | colspan=2 | New seat. | nowrap | John Cradlebaugh (I) | December 2, 1861

|- | | colspan=2 | New seat. | nowrap | John B. S. Todd (D) | December 9, 1861

|- | | colspan=2 | Vacant. | nowrap | Benjamin F. Flanders (U) | December 3, 1862

|- | | colspan=2 | Vacant. | nowrap | Michael Hahn (U) | December 3, 1862

|- | | Vacant | Representative-elect George W. Bridges was arrested by Confederate troops while en route to Washington, D.C., and held prisoner before he escaped. | nowrap | George W. Bridges (U) | February 25, 1863

|- | | colspan=2 | Vacant. | nowrap | Joseph E. Segar (U) | May 6, 1862

|- | | Vacant | Low not permitted to take seat, qualified later under special act of Congress, | nowrap | Frederick F. Low (R) | June 3, 1862

|- | | colspan=2 | Vacant. | nowrap | Charles H. Upton (U) | July 4, 1861

|- | | nowrap | Thomas Corwin (R) | Resigned March 12, 1861, to become Minister to Mexico. | nowrap | Richard A. Harrison (U) | July 4, 1861

|- | | nowrap | John Sherman (R) | Resigned March 12, 1861, when elected U.S. Senator. | nowrap | Samuel T. Worcester (R) | July 4, 1861

|- | | nowrap | George W. Scranton (R) | Died March 24, 1861. | nowrap | Hendrick B. Wright (D) | July 4, 1861

|- | | nowrap | Charles F. Adams Sr. (R) | Resigned May 1, 1861, to become Ambassador to Great Britain. | nowrap | Benjamin Thomas (U) | June 11, 1861

|- | | nowrap | Edward Joy Morris (R) | Resigned June 8, 1861, to become Minister Resident to Turkey. | nowrap | Charles J. Biddle (D) | July 2, 1861

|- | | nowrap | John S. Carlile (U) | Resigned July 9, 1861, to become United States Senator from the loyal faction of Virginia. | nowrap | Jacob B. Blair (U) | December 2, 1861

|- | | nowrap | John Bullock Clark (D) | Expelled July 13, 1861, for having taken up arms against the Union. | nowrap | William A. Hall (D) | January 20, 1862

|- | | nowrap | Andrew J. Thayer (D) | Election was successfully contested July 30, 1861. | nowrap | George K. Shiel (D) | July 30, 1861

|- | | nowrap | John W. Reid (D) | Withdrew August 3, 1861, and then expelled December 2, 1861, for having taken up arms against the Union. | nowrap | Thomas L. Price (D) | January 21, 1862

|- | | nowrap | Samuel Curtis (R) | Resigned August 4, 1861, to become colonel of the 2nd Iowa Infantry. | nowrap | James F. Wilson (R) | October 8, 1861

|- | | nowrap | William Appleton (CU) | Resigned September 27, 1861, due to failing health. | nowrap | Samuel Hooper (R) | December 2, 1861

|- | | nowrap | John A. McClernand (D) | Resigned October 28, 1861, to accept a commission as brigadier general of volunteers for service in the Civil War. | nowrap | Anthony L. Knapp (D) | December 12, 1861

|- | | nowrap | Henry C. Burnett (D) | Expelled December 3, 1861, for support of secession. | nowrap | Samuel L. Casey (U) | March 10, 1862

|- | | nowrap | James S. Jackson (U) | Resigned December 13, 1861, to enter the Union Army. | nowrap | George H. Yeaman (U) | December 1, 1862

|- | | nowrap | Charles H. Upton (U) | Declared not entitled to seat February 27, 1862. | nowrap | Lewis McKenzie (U) | February 16, 1863

|- | | nowrap | John A. Logan (D) | Resigned April 2, 1862, to enter the Union Army. | nowrap | William J. Allen (D) | June 2, 1862

|- | | nowrap | Thomas B. Cooper (D) | Died April 4, 1862. | nowrap | John D. Stiles (D) | June 3, 1862

|- | | nowrap | Goldsmith F. Bailey (R) | Died May 8, 1862. | nowrap | Amasa Walker (R) | December 1, 1862

|- | | nowrap | Charles W. Walton (R) | Resigned May 26, 1862, to become associate justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. | nowrap | Thomas A. D. Fessenden (R) | December 1, 1862

|- | | nowrap | Luther Hanchett (R) | Died November 24, 1862. | nowrap | Walter D. McIndoe (R) | January 26, 1863

|- | | nowrap | William A. Richardson (D) | Resigned January 29, 1863, after being elected to the U.S. Senate. | colspan=2 | Vacant thereafter

|}

Committees

Senate

Standing committees of the Senate resolved, Friday, March 8, 1861

United States Senate Committee on Foreign RelationsForeign Relations

United States Senate Committee on FinanceFinance

United States Senate Committee on CommerceCommerce

United States Senate Committee on Military AffairsMilitary Affairs and Militia

United States Senate Committee on Naval AffairsNaval Affairs

United States Senate Committee on the JudiciaryJudiciary

United States Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post RoadsPost Offices and Post Roads

United States Senate Committee on Public LandsPublic Lands

United States Senate Committee on Private Land ClaimsPrivate Land Claims

United States Senate Committee on Indian AffairsIndian Affairs

United States Senate Committee on PensionsPensions

United States Senate Committee on Revolutionary ClaimsRevolutionary Claims

United States Senate Committee on ClaimsClaims

United States Senate Committee on the District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia

United States Senate Committee on Patents and the Patent OfficePatents and Patent Office

United States Senate Committee on Public Buildings and GroundsPublic Buildings and Grounds

United States Senate Committee on TerritoriesTerritories

United States Senate Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the SenateAudit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate

United States Senate Committee on PrintingPrinting

United States Senate Committee on Engrossed BillsEngrossed Bills

United States Senate Committee on Enrolled BillsEnrolled Bills

United States Senate Committee on the LibraryThe Library

United States Senate Select Committee on Preservation of Order in the GalleriesOrder in the Galleries (Select)

House of Representatives

Members by committee assignments, Congressional Globe, as published July 8, 1861. Spellings conform to those found in the Congressional Biographical Dictionary.

Unless otherwise noted, all committees listed are Standing, as found at the Library of Congress

United States House Committee on AccountsAccounts

United States House Committee on AgricultureAgriculture

United States House Committee on ClaimsClaims

United States House Committee on CommerceCommerce

United States House Committee on the Confiscation of Rebel PropertyConfiscation of Rebel Property (Select)

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on the District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia

United States House Committee on ElectionsElections

United States House Committee on EmancipationEmancipation

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on Expenditures in the State DepartmentExpenditures in the State Department

United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Treasury DepartmentExpenditures in the Treasury Department

United States House Committee on Expenditures in the War DepartmentExpenditures in the War Department

United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Post Office DepartmentExpenditures in the Post Office Department

United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Interior DepartmentExpenditures in the Interior Department

United States House Committee on FinanceFinance

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs

  1. Also known as Foreign Relations

  2. John J. Crittenden (UU-Kentucky)

  3. Daniel W. Gooch (R-Massachusetts)

  4. Samuel S. Cox (D-Ohio)

  5. Albert S. White (R-Indiana)

  6. Robert McKnight (R-Pennsylvania)

  7. Alfred A. Burnham (R-Pennsylvania)

  8. Francis Thomas (R-Maryland)

  9. Theodore M. Pomeroy (R-New York)

  10. George P. Fisher (R-Delaware)

United States House Committee on Indian AffairsIndian Affairs

United States House Committee on Invalid PensionsInvalid Pensions

United States House Committee on the JudiciaryJudiciary

United States House Committee on Lake and River DefencesLake and River Defences

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on ManufacturesManufactures

  1. Listed in the Congressional Globe, but not listed in the Library of Congress summary page

  2. John Hutchins (R-Ohio) (chairman)

  3. James K. Moorhead (R-Pennsylvania)

  4. Edward Haight (R-New York)

  5. John B. Alley (R-Massachusetts)

  6. Albert G. Porter (R-Indiana)

  7. Alfred Ely (R-New York)

  8. Isaac N. Arnold (R-Illinois)

  9. Sydenham E. Ancona (D-Pennsylvania)

  10. William G. Brown (D-Virginia)

United States House Committee on MileageMileage

  1. Listed in the Congressional Globe, but not listed in the Library of Congress summary page

  2. James C. Robinson (D-Illinois) (chairman)

  3. John W. Killinger (R-Pennsylvania)

  4. Augustus Frank (R-New York)

  5. Henry Grider (R-Kentucky)

  6. Benjamin Wood (D-New York)

United States House Committee on Military AffairsMilitary Affairs

  1. Also known as Military

  2. Francis P. Blair Jr. (R-Missouri) (chairman)

  3. William A. Richardson (D-Illinois)

  4. James Buffinton (R-Massachusetts)

  5. Abram B. Olin (R-New York)

  6. William Allen (D-Ohio)

  7. Gilman Marston (R-New Hampshire)

  8. Hendrick B. Wright (R-Massachusetts)

  9. James S. Jackson (UU-Kentucky)

United States House Committee on a Military RailroadMilitary Railroad

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on the MilitiaMilitia

  1. Also known as Military Affairs and the Militia

  2. Robert B. Van Valkenburg (R-New York) (chairman)

  3. William M. Dunn (R-Indiana)

  4. Sydenham E. Ancona (D-Indiana)

  5. Charles Delano (D-Republican)

  6. Charles J. Biddle (D-Pennsylvania)

  7. Richard A. Harrison (U-Ohio)

  8. William G. Brown (D-Virginia)

  9. William P. Cutler (R-Ohio)

  10. John N. Goodwin (R-Maine)

United States House Committee on Naval AffairsNaval Affairs

United States House Committee on Niagara Ship CanalNiagara Ship Canal (Select)

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

  2. Burt Van Horn, Chairman (R-New York)

United States House Committee on the Pacific RailroadPacific Railroad

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on PatentsPatents

  1. Also known as Patents and Patent Office

  2. William M. Dunn (R-New York) (chairman)

  3. John H. Rice (R-Maine)

  4. Stephen Baker (R-New York)

  5. Philip Johnson (R-Pennsylvania)

  6. Warren P. Noble (D-Ohio)

United States House Committee on PensionsPensions

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on Post Office and Post RoadsPost Offices and Post Roads

United States House Committee on PrintingPrinting

  1. Also known as Joint Committee on Printing

  2. Eliakim Persons Walton (R-Vermont)

  3. Ambrose W. Clark (R-New York)

  4. Joseph Bailey (D-Pennsylvania)

United States House Committee on Private Land ClaimsPrivate Land Claims

United States House Committee on Public LandsPublic Lands

United States House Committee on Public Buildings and GroundsPublic Buildings and Grounds

United States House Committee on Public ExpendituresPublic Expenditures

United States House Committee on Revisal and Unfinished BusinessRevised and Unfinished Business

  1. Listed in the Congressional Globe, but not listed in the Library of Congress summary page

  2. John A. Logan (D-Illinois)

  3. Elijah Babbitt (R-Pennsylvania)

  4. John W. Menzies (UU-Kentucky)

  5. Samuel C. Fessenden (R-Maine)

  6. Edward Haight (D-New York)

United States House Committee on Revolutionary ClaimsRevolutionary Claims

United States House Committee on Revolutionary PensionsRevolutionary Pensions

United States House Committee on Roads and CanalsRoads and Canals

United States House Committee of the Whole House on the State of the UnionState of the Union

  1. Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

United States House Committee on TerritoriesTerritories

United States House Committee of Ways and MeansWays and Means

Joint committees

United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Joint Committee on Enrolled BillsEnrolled Bills

United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Joint Committee on the LibraryThe Library

Caucuses

Employees

List of federal agencies in the United States#United States CongressLegislative branch agency directors

Senate

Chaplain: Phineas D. Gurley (Presbyterian), until July 10, 1861

Secretary: Asbury Dickins, until July 10, 1861

Sergeant at Arms: Dunning R. McNair, until July 6, 1861

House of Representatives

Clerk: John W. Forney, until July 4, 1861

Sergeant at Arms: Henry William Hoffman, until July 5, 1861

See also

1860 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)

1862 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)

Notes

References

Sources