Jefferson Davis elected President

J. Davis / A.H. Stephens

• Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and Alexander Hamilton Stephens of Georgia are unanimously elected Provisional President and Vice President of the Confederacy in Montgomery, Alabama. The men selected are at the moment unaware of the honor. The choice of these two devolved on the desire in the Convention to have the border states join the new Confederacy. Davis’ and Stephens’ moderate positions and able leadership will likely be attractive to these the border states. In a move to preserve order, the Provisional Congress resolves that the laws of the United States will remain valid unless they interfere with stated law of the new Confederacy./1861 

• In Tennessee, a referendum votes down a proposal 68,282 to 59,449 to hold a convention to consider secession./1861

• At Fort Pickens, Pensacola Bay, Florida, although the USS Brooklyn has arrived to reinforce the installation, both Federal and state authorities decide that the balance of power should not be disturbed and for now there will be no reinforcement of Fort Pickens./1861