“Jeff Davis’ Proclamation”

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From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information


About this item

In this proclamation Confederate President Jefferson Davis advertised for vessels willing to sail under “letters of marque,” a way for the government that had no real navy to create one from armed, private ships. This allowed a shipowner to attack and seize enemy vessels with the approval of his government.  Although the Confederacy had authorized the creation of a navy in February of 1861, it had only a tiny number of ships: five small vessels, four revenue cutters, three slavers, two privately owned coastal steamers, and an old side-wheeled steamboat, the “Fulton.” There were few major shipyards and only one foundry for the casting of naval guns. The Union, on the other hand, had a huge shipbuilding capacity. On April 19, 1861, President Lincoln authorized the blockade that would eventually choke the Confederacy.

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Details

Item typeArticle
PublisherGreenfield Gazette and Courier
Date1861-04-22
TopicMilitary, Wars, Battles
EraCivil War and Reconstruction, 1861–1877
EventAmerican Civil War. 1861–1865
MaterialPaper
Process/FormatPrinting
Dimension detailsProcess Material: printed paper, ink Height: 9.00 in Width: 2.50 in
Catalog #L02.124
View this item in our curatorial database →
Greenfield Gazette and Courier. “Jeff Davis’ Proclamation.” April 22, 1861. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l02-124/. Accessed on October 10, 2024.

Please note: Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.