Mallory was born on November 9, 1873, and served as a U.S. senator from Florida from 1852 to 1861. He had served on the Naval Affairs Committee. Appointed to Jefferson Davis's cabinet on March 4, 1861, Mallory developed the effective program of commerce raiding by Confederate cruisers. He believed strongly in ironclad warships, which he first sought to buy in Europe and then had built at home. In 1865, Mallory fled along with Davis, but was captured on May 20, 1865. After a brief jail time, Mallory again became an attorney.
Bibliography: Durkin, J. T., Stephen R. Mallory: Confederate Navy Chief (1954
