Duke University Libraries 
 
 Communication o 
 
 Conf Pam #421 
 
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 Richmond, Ya., Feb, 8, 1861. 
 
 To the House of Representatives : 
 
 In response to your resolution of the ISth ultimo, I herewith 
 transmit, f^r your information, a coininunication from the Secretary 
 of War, relative to the " domestic pas'^port system " now enforced 
 upon citizens travelling in some parts of the Confederate States out- 
 side of the linos of the armies. 
 
 JEFFERSON DAVIS. 
 
 COMMUNICATION OF THE SEOKETARV OF WAR. 
 
 Confederate States of Amckica, ^ 
 4 War Department, ^ 
 
 Richmond, Va., Jan. 27, 1864. ) 
 7\) the President of the Confederate States : 
 
 Sir : The resolution of the House of Representatives requesting 
 the President "to communicate any orders or reguhitiotis establish- 
 ing a domestic passport system for citizens, whether men or women, 
 travelling within the Confederate States, outsiile the Hue of any army, 
 the authority under which such orders and regulations are made, and 
 the number and compensation of the officers ami men empl )yed in 
 enforcing such system of domestic passj orts," has been referred by 
 you to this department for reply. 
 
 The files and records of this department have been examined, and 
 no orders or regulations are to be found estabishing cr regulating the 
 system of passports now in use. The resolution of tho House of 
 Representatives has been referred to Brigadier General W inder for 
 his report upon the origin, progress, and present condition of the 
 system, and for copies of any orders under which it has existed, and 
 for a statement of the number of persons employed, which report is 
 herewith returned. 
 
 That report shows the manner in which the system was introduced 
 into Richmond, and the causes which led to its further development 
 in this city. In other cities and towns of the Confederacy, it has 
 been under the control and direction of the military authorities, and 
 its supervision has been, commonly, entrusted to provost marshals. 
 
2 
 
 Its development through the country was probably due to the procla- 
 mations for ths suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, and the neces- 
 sity of providing measures to restrain stragglers and deserters, to pre- 
 vent intercourse and communication with the enemy, and to detect 
 spies and persons in the employ of the enemy from collecting infor- 
 mation to the prejudice of the Confederacy. 
 
 In order to accomplish this object, the habit of requiring all per- 
 sons to obtain passports became general, and, with all its inconve- 
 ii'ences, has been productive of beneficial consequences in the accom- 
 plishment of these objects. 
 
 This department has no report of the persons employed in the 
 offices of the provost marshals. 
 
 Such offices are generally established with a view to the police of 
 their commands by the generals commanding departments, at the 
 leading cities and towns therein, or, in some few instances, at the 
 request of citizens, by the department, at posts where there are hos- 
 pitals and depots, for the better police aroun 1 them. Since no appro- 
 priation is made for provost marshals, they consist of officers with 
 commissions. It has been the policy of this department to select 
 for such posts officers disqualified from active service by wounds or 
 disease, and to aid them, as far as necessary, to detail disabled sol- 
 diers. Such policy will be studiously pursued, and its observance 
 urged on the attention of depavmental commanders. The few detec- 
 tives or civilians occasionally found necessary are paid out of the 
 appropriation for the contingent expenses of the army. 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 . JAMES A. SEDDON, 
 
 Secretary of War. 
 
Headquarters Dfpartment of Henrico, } 
 
 Rk' rtrond, January 26, 18G4. ji 
 
 Hon. James A. Seddon, Secrdary of War : 
 
 Sir : I have the honor to submit, in obedience fo orders, the report 
 of Major E. Griswold, Provost Marshal, upon the subject of the 
 passport sysreni of this Dt'partmerit, with accompanying papers, called 
 for by a resolution of the House of Representaiives. 
 
 Very respectfullv, your obedient servant, 
 
 JOHN H. WINDER, Brig.dier General. 
 
 Provost Marshal's Office, 
 Richmond, January 22, 1864. 
 
 Brigadier General John H. Winder, 
 
 Comrnanding Department of Henrico : 
 
 General: In regard to the accompanying resolution of tlio House 
 of Representatives, of the date of the 12th instant, and the endorse- 
 ment of the Secretary of War thereon, I have the honor to state, 
 that, having been assigned to duty in this city as provost marshal, 
 (under whose charge the pa-sport oflSJe is placed,) on the oth of May, 
 1862, I have no personal knowledge of the orders and regulations 
 establishing a (louiestic passport system. I found it in full operation, 
 I have, however, procured and communicate the fallowing information 
 as to the oi-igin of the system in this city. When the Government 
 was transferred to Richmond, and the army was at Manassas, applica- 
 tions to the then Secrecary of War, Hon. L. P. Walker, were fre- 
 quently made by officers and citizens, having relatives in the army, 
 for passports to the army; and it w^s commoc, also, for citizens, desi- 
 rous of going to different sections of the Confederacy, to ask for 
 passports to facilitate traveling, passing pickets and guards, and, as 
 a certificate of localty through the country, then sensitive in regard 
 to the status of all strangers. 
 
 These applications became so frequent that a clerk was assigned to 
 that duty — first, fr a short time, Mr, Sheppard — and, afterwards, 
 Mr, J, B. Jones, now in the war office, who states to me, in writing, 
 ** that the origin of the passport office consisted merely in a verbal 
 order from the first Secretary of War, and, subsequently, I (Mr. 
 Jones.) was requested to take charge of the office by the same Secre- 
 tary, in August, 1861, Afterwards, I was continued in charge of 
 the office by Hon. J. P. Benjamin, Secretary of War, and continued 
 in charge until I received an order from the A(1juranc Geiieral, 
 (General Cooper,) to discoatinue my duty in that office. Martial 
 law had been proclaimed a few days previously. Subsequently, I 
 
received an oHer from the Hon. Secretary of "War, Mr. Benjamin, to 
 act under the instructions of Brigadier General Winder." 
 
 This is the statement of Mr. Jones in writing. He also informs 
 me, verbally, that these orders, except that irom the Adjutant Gene- 
 ral, were ve>bcd, and that, up to the time of the declaration of martial 
 law, the passport system was not compulsory, but a very large pro- 
 portion of citizens voliintsirily applied for and received passports. 
 
 After the declaration of martial law in the city of Richmond and 
 its vicinity, (which declaration appears in Gencal Orders, No. 9, A. 
 and I. General's office, March 1st, 1862,) Brigadier General Winder 
 being commandant of the department of Henrico, and Mr. Jones 
 passport clerk, the following order w^as issued: 
 
 ''Headquarters Department of Henrico, } 
 
 March 4, 1862. \ 
 ** GENERAL ORDERS, 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 '• By virtue of General Orders, No. 9, Adjutant and Inspector 
 General's office, March 1st, 1862: 
 
 << T * * * ■*■ * * * 
 
 *' II. The passport office is continued at its present location, 
 under the charge of the provost marshal." 
 
 At this time, to maintain martial law, a provost guard was 
 statiopt^d in the city, and at the different railroad depots and other 
 exits from »he city. 
 
 On the 6th day of March, 1862, and on the 17th day of March, 
 1862, General Orders, Nos. 4 and 9, were issued from the department 
 of Henrico, prohibiting the passing beyond the corporate limits of the 
 city by any coave3'ancj or vehicle without a passport. 
 
 These orders were, at the times of their date, published for the 
 information of ciiizens at large, and recognized by the Secreta- 
 ries of War in conferences, verbal orders and written directions of a 
 temporary' character, such ;:s orders "to suspend all passports" on 
 certain roads, " the transportation being occupied in carrying troops." 
 
 Before, however, the declaration of martail law, and while obtain- 
 ing passports was not compulsory, the practice became general to 
 procure them. In what ways the system originated in other parts of 
 the Confederacy, I am unable to state, other than it followed the 
 declaration of martial law, wherever declareed. This department has 
 no control of the s\stem beyond the limits of the department. 
 
 In reference to tnat portion of the resolution of the House of Rep- 
 resentatives, calling f^r " the number and compensation of the officers 
 and men employed in enforcing such system," so far as regards this 
 city, I have the honor to submit a copy of the report made to you on 
 the I8ih instant, upon the call of the Confederate States Senate, and 
 here maiked '"• A," adding thereto, that a guard, not more thaji five at 
 any one train, with a hou-commissioned officer are placed at the depots 
 of the diff'erent railroads to inspect passports, and prevent any one 
 leaving who has not a passport. 
 
In regard to that portion of the endorsement of the Secretary of 
 War, upon the rosoliition of the House, calling for " the p: ogress and 
 present condition of the system," so far as regards the office in Rich- 
 moml, I report, that there uie issued 'rom the passport office, daily, an 
 average of one thousand three- hundred and fifty passports. At rimes 
 it reaches ii much latgor number. Th6 p-issports are signed hy a 
 clerk, appointed for that puipoi^e, and b}' uivself. They are then 
 delivered to a commissioned officer in charge of the clerks, (detailed 
 for light duty by reason of disability,) who receipts for them and 
 distributes them to the clerks taking their receipts, and "vvhen the 
 clerks are relieved from luty by others, they account for all passports 
 issued and cancelled, and return those not issued, a report of which 
 is dail;y made to rao, and daily compared with the receipts. 
 
 On account of the large number of passports issued, it was found 
 necessary and conilucive to dispatch, as w£ll as exactitude, tb assign 
 one clerk to each of the main roads. These clerks are divided into 
 squads which relieve each other. There is also an apartment for 
 issuing passports to women separate from that for men. There are 
 office hours named, but the office is never c'osed in the day nor at 
 night, as long as any applicant remr.ins in the vicinity of the office 
 desiring a pasnport. 
 
 Sometimes afiplicants come after the office is closed at night, who 
 were not present when it closed; these arc disappointed. Un occa- 
 sions the crowd is so great that it is impossible for all to find access to 
 the office in tiaie for the train they take to leave the city. On one 
 occasion, recently, when the office had been kept open till half- past 
 one o'clock at night, for the accommodation of furloughed soldiers, 
 it was closed before all were acnoramodatcd, because word was sent 
 that the transportation office was closed, and, without access to both 
 offices, applicants could not leave the city; but, generally, both offices 
 are kept open as long as there are any furloughed soldiers to go. 
 
 A register is kept by each clerk of ever}' person who obtains a 
 passport, and the voucher or authority upon which it is obtained, 
 filed. Cases are daily occurving where deserters and persons with 
 fraudulent papers are thus arretted. In this connection, 1 beg to 
 refer to my report made to you, by your order, of date the l.)th 
 January, 1833, at the call of the Secretary of War, in regard '* to 
 the policy of abolishiug the passport system in whole or in pan," 
 
 When the present hiw of Congiess, sulijecliiig to conscription all 
 who had subtiitutes, was pn.sstd, and the orders of tfie Adjutant 
 General were published, I called, by your directi :n, upon Colonel 
 Preston, in chirgeof the bureau of conscription, aud ai ranged with him 
 a rule, by which all citizens of Vnginia having substitute i and calling 
 for pusaports, should report themselves first to the enrolling officer; 
 and all citizens of other S ates sh')uld re;(Ort to the coii>cript bureau 
 and obtain a certificate, a duplicate of which should be filed iu the 
 pa^spoit office, as the voucdier .or a passport. 
 
 This rules does aot in any way trench upon ihe privilege they h .ve 
 under the law to volunteer, &c., but securci their names and resi- 
 dence to the conscript officers, and prevents their going to any locality 
 
beyond the reach of conscription. Por a short time after the pasBage 
 of the present law, this Department having no sufficient number of 
 guards or pickets to prevent an escape to the United States, numbers, 
 with fraudulent passports and others with no passports, pushed for 
 the Rappahannock, and obtained comparatively easy exit at its 
 numerous feiries. Fearing this result, while the law was under con- 
 sideration and afterwards, this department asked for additional ofBcers 
 to be placed at these ferries. The Secretary of War took m^ii'-ures 
 to stop these escapes, directing Major General Elzey to have the 
 roads and ferries picketed, and requiring all passports in that direc- 
 tion to be approved at his headquarters. 
 
 Believing this covers the whole ground of inquiry, so far as regards 
 the passport system here, 
 
 I am, respectfully, yours, &c., 
 
 E. GRISWOLD, 
 Major and Provost Marshal. 
 Official : 
 
 JOHN H. WINDER, 
 
 Brigadier General. 
 
Provost Marshal's Office, 
 Richmond, Jan. 15, 1863. 
 
 Brig. General John H. Winder, 
 
 Commanding Department Henrico : 
 
 General: Of the policy of abolishing the passport system in whole 
 or in part, I report as requested, such opinions as my experience 
 suggests. 
 
 That the system is obnoxious and trenches odiously upon personal 
 liberty, there is no question, and that it should be abolished, unless 
 sternly demanded by the exigencies of the War, and the safety of our 
 cause, there is no doubt. 
 
 Its operation includes, of course, the high and low, rich and poor, 
 the loyal and disloyal, and is attended frequently with vexatious de- 
 lays, and sometimes with questionings and interviews, wounding to the 
 ac-lf- respect o'' worthy and good citizens. 
 
 It is just, however, to say, that much of the complaint it occasions 
 arises, not so much from any intentional disrespect on the part of 
 officials, as from the offended pride and dignity of those inaccustomed 
 to such restraints, and who,<e conscious integrity or high position, 
 makes the interruption and questioning offensive. Nothing, however, 
 can e>cuse or justify this interruption of personal liberty, but the 
 sternest exigencies of the Fervice. 
 
 I have, therefore, carefully endeavored to devise some expedient to 
 avoid the difficulties which must arise, without the check which pass- 
 ports impose. 
 
 Only a few days experience in this office will convince any one that 
 ■without passports, desertions from our armies would increase to such 
 an extent as to be truly disastrous. Nothing could prevent the sol- 
 dier, who desired to do so, from putting on citizens' dress and return- 
 ing to his home or going where he choose. Now a passport must be 
 obtained, every person whose age subjects him to military service 
 must give an account of himself, must produce his discharge or evi- 
 dence of substitution, &c. 
 
 The clerks at the passport table are. familiar with the forms and 
 authority of furloughs, leaves of absence, sick leave, discharges, ^c, 
 &c. In most instances they can verify the handwriting of the officers 
 signing them, and if a ease of doubt arises, it is referred to me or 
 is sent to the proper department to ascertain if the signatures are gen- 
 uine. Nor must it be supposed that efforts, even now with this check, 
 are few to evade service or to desert. Daily forged, illegal, informal 
 and unauthorized furloughs, sick leaves &c., are presented. 
 
 This effort to avoid service, in a vast many cases, does not arise 
 from disaffection to the cause or want of courage. Far from it. Very 
 many earnest patriots who would not hesitate to shoulder their muskets 
 and volunteer in a fight, and who would peril their lives for the cause, 
 
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