Judy Willls
Letters of Marque
Wed Nov 29 13:36:43 2000


I am reading a novel about a modern day use of Letters of
Marque and Reprisals. The author state that this interesting provision of the Constitution has not been used
since 1812. I think he is wrong.

I know that both the CS and US Constitutions had provisions
for Letters of Marque and that the Union chose to regard the
CS Navy as Privateers who should be hanged. That was the
basis, I believe, of Rafe Semmes getting himself appointed
a Brigadier General during or after the fall of Richmond, thus being the only man in American history to be an Admiral
and a General at the same time.

It seems that I read somewhere that the USS Cairo was given
built privately by businessmen and given a Letter of Marque.
Is this so and was 1812 the last time Letters were used?
Judy Wills

• Letters of Marque — Judy Wills, Wed Nov 29 22:21
• U.S. and C.S. Letters of Marque (long) — Hayes Lowe, Wed Nov 29 17:04
• Confederate Privateers — Jim Taylor, Wed Nov 29 17:48