Ambrose Dudley Mann
Encyclopedia
Ambrose Dudley Mann was the first United States Assistant Secretary of State
and a commissioner for the Confederate States.
Mann was born on April 26, 1801 in Hanover Courthouse, Virginia
. He studied at the United States Military Academy
, but left before he graduated. He later became American consul
to Bremen
in 1842 and was appointed to negotiate commercial treaties with Hanover
, Oldenburg
, and Mecklenburg
in 1845 as well as all of the German
states except Prussia
in 1847. In 1849 he became commissioner to Hungary
and in 1850 became U.S. Minister to Switzerland where he negotiated a reciprocity treaty
. He came back to the United States
afterwards and was appointed the first ever United States Assistant Secretary of State
in 1853 which he served as until 1855.
During the Civil War
, he sided with the Confederacy
and devoted himself especially to the development of the material interests of the southern states. On March 16, 1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis
and Secretary of State
Robert Toombs
appointed Mann, William Lowndes Yancey
and Pierre Adolphe Rost
the first Confederate
commissioners to Europe
. The three sailed on March 31, 1861. Mann eventually received the title Commissioner of the Confederate States of America for Belgium and the Vatican. Yancey and Rost were later replaced by John Slidell
and James Murray Mason.
Mann spent the latter part of his life living in France
where he had an apartment in Paris and a country house in Chantilly
. He wrote his memoirs which were available to read by 1888. Mann died in France
in 1889, the exact date of his death (Nov. 15, 1889) being announced in the Nov. 16, 1889 issue of the French newspaper Journal des Debats. After a delay of about 6 weeks, Mann was finally interred on Jan. 2, 1890 in the Cimetiere du Montparnasse in Paris.
United States Assistant Secretary of State
In modern times, Assistant Secretary of State is a title used for many executive positions in the United States State Department. A set of six Assistant Secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs manage diplomatic missions within their designated geographic regions, plus one...
and a commissioner for the Confederate States.
Mann was born on April 26, 1801 in Hanover Courthouse, Virginia
Hanover Courthouse, Virginia
Hanover Courthouse is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Hanover County, Virginia, United States. Hanover Courthouse is located at the junction of U.S. Route 301 and State Route 54 south of the Pamunkey River. While historically and technically known as Hanover Courthouse, the...
. He studied at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, but left before he graduated. He later became American consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
to Bremen
Bremen (state)
The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen is the smallest of Germany's 16 states. A more informal name, but used in some official contexts, is Land Bremen .-Geography:...
in 1842 and was appointed to negotiate commercial treaties with Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
, and Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
in 1845 as well as all of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
states except Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
in 1847. In 1849 he became commissioner to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and in 1850 became U.S. Minister to Switzerland where he negotiated a reciprocity treaty
Reciprocity Treaty
There have been a number of Reciprocity Treaties, including:*the Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty of 1855*the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 between the United States and the Hawaiian Kingdom...
. He came back to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
afterwards and was appointed the first ever United States Assistant Secretary of State
United States Assistant Secretary of State
In modern times, Assistant Secretary of State is a title used for many executive positions in the United States State Department. A set of six Assistant Secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs manage diplomatic missions within their designated geographic regions, plus one...
in 1853 which he served as until 1855.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he sided with the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and devoted himself especially to the development of the material interests of the southern states. On March 16, 1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
and Secretary of State
Confederate States Secretary of State
The Confederate States Secretary of State was the head of the Confederate States State Department from 1861 to 1865 during the American Civil War. There were three people who served the position in this time. The department crumbled with the Confederate States of America in May 1865, marking the...
Robert Toombs
Robert Toombs
Robert Augustus Toombs was an American political leader, United States Senator from Georgia, 1st Secretary of State of the Confederacy, and a Confederate general in the Civil War.-Early life:...
appointed Mann, William Lowndes Yancey
William Lowndes Yancey
William Lowndes Yancey was a journalist, politician, orator, diplomat and an American leader of the Southern secession movement. A member of the group known as the Fire-Eaters, Yancey was one of the most effective agitators for secession and rhetorical defenders of slavery. An early critic of...
and Pierre Adolphe Rost
Pierre Adolphe Rost
Pierre Adolphe Rost was a Louisiana politician, diplomat, lawyer, judge, and plantation owner.- Early Life and Emigration to the United States :...
the first Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
commissioners to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The three sailed on March 31, 1861. Mann eventually received the title Commissioner of the Confederate States of America for Belgium and the Vatican. Yancey and Rost were later replaced by John Slidell
John Slidell
John Slidell was an American politician, lawyer and businessman. A native of New York, Slidell moved to Louisiana as a young man and became a staunch defender of southern rights as a U.S. Representative and Senator...
and James Murray Mason.
Mann spent the latter part of his life living in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he had an apartment in Paris and a country house in Chantilly
Chantilly, Oise
Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
. He wrote his memoirs which were available to read by 1888. Mann died in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1889, the exact date of his death (Nov. 15, 1889) being announced in the Nov. 16, 1889 issue of the French newspaper Journal des Debats. After a delay of about 6 weeks, Mann was finally interred on Jan. 2, 1890 in the Cimetiere du Montparnasse in Paris.