Confederate Military History - A Library of Confederate States History #262529

South Carolina seceded December 20, 1860, and was followed by Mississippi, January 9, 1861; Florida, Jan uary 10, 1861; Alabama, January 11, 1861; Georgia, Jan uary 19, 1861; Louisiana, January 26, 1861, and Texas, February 1, 1861. As the different States seceded, many of the Officers Of the United States navy belonging to those States resigned their commissions and Offered their services to the Confederacy. Although many Of these officers were informed by Mr. Gideon Welles, the secretary Of the United States navy, that their names were dropped from the rolls, and up to the present time they are marked on the Official documents as dismissed, yet, as a matter of fact, when they resigned their commissions the President could not, in accordance with the custom of the navy, do otherwise than accept them. The right of an officer to resign has never been disputed, unless the officer is at the time under arrest and liable to charges.