Confederate States Secretary of War The Confederate States Secretary of War was a member of the Confederate States President ' s Cabinet during the American Civil War . The Secretary of War was head of the Confederate States Department of War . The position ended in May 1865 when the Confederacy crumbled during John C . Breckinridge ' s tenure of the office . The Secretary of War , a Confederate cabinet position , was the chief officer of the Confederate War Department . Answerable to Jefferson Davis , the Secretary of War controlled all matters regarding the army and Indian tribes , and had the right to appoint as many clerks as it found necessary . This designation allowed the Secretary of War to create what eventually became the biggest department in the Confederacy . Related to the war effort , the Secretary of War managed important aspects of the war effort like medical distribution , engineering devices ( pontoon bridges ) , prisoners of war and fort cessions . During the war the Confederate Secretary of War ’ s report on the war effort became important information for the Confederate Congress and President Jefferson Davis . The President had the power to appoint and fire the Secretary of War for unnecessary , dishonest and inefficient work performance . The Secretary of War was also subject to impeachment proceedings from the Confederate Congress . The Secretaries of War . Confederate President Jefferson Davis appointed Leroy Pope Walker as the first Confederate Secretary of War . Walker ’ s first major role involved the situation at Fort Sumter . Communicating often with P . G . T . Beauregard , he advocated for no direct clash with the Union . He also focused on the Border States , and was instrumental in ordering the muster , organization and supply of the upper states when they seceded . His stint as Secretary of War was marked by inefficiency and clashes with Jefferson Davis . His lack of experience in the military field hampered his ability to manage the war effort , and he received the blame for the early supply and organizational issues of the Confederacy . In the wake of the " failure " of the Confederate army to pursue fleeing troops after the First Battle of Bull Run , the Davis administration received lots of criticism , and Walker began to be criticized more . Walker resigned in September 1861 after a dispute with President Jefferson Davis and mounting Congressional criticism . Davis named Judah P . Benjamin acting Secretary of War the same September , and he was confirmed in November 1861 . Benjamin ’ s addition responded to the organizational shortcomings that the War Department office was criticized for most . However , Benjamin clashed repeatedly with Confederate generals , and the downturn and increasing casualties of the war opened Benjamin up to extensive criticism . Antisemitism became a strong part of this criticism , and intensified as the war effort further diminished in the eyes of the Confederate public . Davis responded to the criticism of his trusted adviser by naming him Acting Secretary of State in March 1862 . Next , Davis tapped Brigadier General George W . Randolph to succeed Benjamin , now Confederate Secretary of State . Randolph placed more emphasis on organization in the Western theater of the war , and his meticulous organization and strong work ethic increased the efficiency of the War Department . However , health problems and conflict with Davis resulted in the early resignation of G . W . Randolph in November 1862 . By 1862 Jefferson Davis had to replace three Secretaries of War . Davis appointed James Seddon to the position of Secretary of War next , and Seddon would be the Confederate official to hold the position for the longest . Seddon ’ s reportedly " malleable " nature as Secretary of War meshed perfectly with the micromanaging nature of Jefferson Davis ’ interactions with the war effort . Seddon clashed repeatedly with Confederate governors , but Seddon ' s concurrence with Davis on the demotion of General Joseph E . Johnston caused the strongest backlash from Congress . Seddon resigned in January 1865 . With the war effort disintegrating , Davis appointed John C . Breckinridge in February 1865 , three months before the surrender of the Confederate Army . Breckenridge ’ s strong leadership led to improvements in supply and strategy , but the dire situation that the Confederate army made most of his contributions minimal . His most important contribution was his opposition to pursuing a “ guerrilla war ” to prolong the Confederacy . With the surrender of the Confederacy , Breckinridge fled the country , abdicating his post , and was the last Confederate Secretary of State .