(1861–1865). Blue indicates the
Union states, including five
border states in light blue. Red represents the
Confederate States of America. Uncolored areas were territories. The committee was established on December 13, 1865, after both houses reached agreement on an amended version of a House
concurrent resolution introduced by
Representative Thaddeus Stevens of
Pennsylvania to establish a joint committee of 15 members. Stevens and
Senator William P. Fessenden of
Maine served as
co-chairmen. The joint committee divided into four subcommittees to hear testimony and gather evidence. The first subcommittee handled Tennessee, the second Virginia and the Carolinas, the third Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas, and the fourth Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. In all, 144 witnesses were called to testify. The joint committee included nine members from the House, and six from the Senate. The House members were Stevens,
Elihu Washburne,
Justin Morrill,
John A. Bingham,
Roscoe Conkling,
George Boutwell,
Henry Blow,
Henry Grider, and
Andrew Jackson Rogers. The Senate members were Fessenden,
James W. Grimes,
Jacob Howard,
George Henry Williams,
Ira Harris, and
Reverdy Johnson. ==Journal and report==