Wikipedia's not my first choice for sources, but here's a quick answer:
President
Jefferson Davis picked Reagan to head the new
Confederate States of America Post-office Department. He was an able administrator, presiding over the only cabinet department that functioned well during the war. Despite the hostilities, the
United States Post Office Department continued operations in the Confederacy until June 1, 1861, whereupon the Confederate service took over its functions. Reagan' sent an agent to
Washington, D.C., with letters asking the heads of the
United States Post Office Department's various bureaus to come work for him. Nearly all did so, bringing copies of their records, contracts, account books, etc. "Reagan in effect had stolen the U.S. Post Office," historian William C. Davis wrote. When President Davis asked his cabinet for the status of their departments, Reagan reported he had his up and running in only six weeks. Davis was amazed.
Reagan cut expenses by eliminating costly and little-used routes and forcing the railroads that carried the mail to reduce their rates. Despite the problems the war caused, his department managed to turn a profit, "the only post office department in American history to pay its own way," wrote William C. Davis. Reagan was the only member of the cabinet to oppose
Robert E. Lee's offensive into
Pennsylvania in June-July 1863. He instead supported a proposal to detach the
First Corps of the
Army of Northern Virginia to reinforce
Joseph E. Johnston in Mississippi so that he could break the
Siege of Vicksburg. Historian
Shelby Foote noted that, as the only Cabinet member from west of the Mississippi, Reagan was acutely aware of the consequences of Vicksburg's capture.
Maybe he should have been the Confederate President?
Bringing the