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1861 American Civil War Map of the West Coast Defenses
The West Coast in 1861
Department of the Pacific: Oregon and California
| Map of California and Oregon during the Civil War |
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| Civil War Department of California and Department of Oregon Map |
(About) On the eve of the American Civil War, January 1, 1861,
U.S. Army dispositions for the Military Departments of California and Oregon are shown. While roughly corresponding to
the present-day states of California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho, the
nation's vast western geography was defended by scarce military resources, and when the war began three months later on April
12, Native Americans in this region would view the white man's war as an opportunity to flex their muscle against local
Union forces, believing that there would not be reinforcements sent from Washington as the Union was engaged in a great
contest with its Southern states. Based on table in Official
Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume L, Part I, pp. 428 - 429. Courtesy Fornadan.
Distribution of U.S. Army troops, January 1, 1861, on the eve of the
American Civil War in the Military Departments of California and Oregon, roughly corresponding to the present-day states of
California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Based on table in Official Records of the Union and Confederate
Armies, Series I, Volume L, Part I, pp. 428 - 429. During the Civil War (1861 - 1865), the Department of California was designated
the District of California and the Department of Oregon was renamed the District of Oregon, but both
districts were subordinate to the reorganized Department of the Pacific.
Department of the Pacific
The Department of the Pacific or Pacific Department was a major command
(Department) of the United States Army during the 19th century.
The Department of the Pacific was created on October 31, 1853, at San
Francisco, California, replacing the older Pacific Division, (1848-53) and abolishing the existing 10th (California) and 11th
(Oregon) Departments, consolidating them within the new Department. The department reported directly to the headquarters of
the Army in Washington, D.C. It oversaw the military affairs in the country west of the Rocky Mountains (California, Oregon
Territory, and Washington Territory), except for the Utah Territory and the Territory of New Mexico east of the 110th meridian
west, (thus including most of modern Arizona and southern Nevada).
On September 2, 1854, the headquarters was moved to Benicia Barracks, in
Benicia, California. From 1855-57 the Puget Sound District was organized. In January 1857, the headquarters again returned
to San Francisco. On January 14, 1858, the Utah Territory was placed within the Department but soon removed into the Department
of Utah, in 1858, that remained until 1861.
On September 13, 1858, the Department of the Pacific was disbanded, replaced
by two new departments: the Department of California and the Department of Oregon. The Department of California included the
territory west of the Rockies, the Umpqua and Rogue River districts in Oregon, Utah and New Mexico. The Department of Oregon
included the Oregon and Washington Territories.
During the American Civil War the army again reorganized, and on January
15, 1861, the independent Pacific Department was reconstituted by consolidating the Departments of California and Oregon.
The first commander of the new Department of the Pacific was Colonel (Brevet Brigadier General) Albert Sidney Johnston who
was later to become a prominent General in the Confederate Army. On July 27, 1865 the Military Division of the Pacific was
created under Major General Henry W. Halleck, replacing the Department of the Pacific, consisting of the Department of the
Columbia that now consisted of the state of Oregon and the territories of Washington and Idaho and the expanded Department
of California that now consisted of the states of California and Nevada and the Territory of New Mexico and Territory of Arizona.
| Map of West Coast in the Civil War |
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| (Map) Close-up view of Forts and Posts on the West Coast when the US Civil War began in 1861.. |
(About) Location and strength of U.S. military assets tasked with
protecting the nation's western interests. Based on table dated January 1, 1861, in Official Records of the Union
and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume L, Part I, pp. 428 - 429. Courtesy Fornadan.
The Department of California was one of two Army Departments created September 13, 1858, replacing
the original Department of the Pacific and was composed of the territory of the United States lying west of the Rocky Mountains
and south of Oregon and Washington territories, except the Rogue River and Umpqua Districts of southwestern Oregon Territory,
which were assigned to the Department of California and excluding the Utah Territory east of the 117th meridian west and New
Mexico Territory east of the 110th meridian west. Its creation was authorized by General Orders, No. 10, of the War Department,
Adjutant-General's Office, September 13, 1858. Headquarters as before remained at San Francisco. The Department of California
was commanded first by Brevet Brigadier General Newman S. Clarke, Colonel U.S. 6th Infantry Regiment, until his death on October
17, 1860. It was next commanded by Lt. Colonel Benjamin L. Beall, U.S. 1st Dragoon Regiment, who had assumed command, by seniority
of rank, on the death of General Clarke, on October 17, 1860. It was merged into the restored Department of the Pacific on
January 15, 1861, as the District of California administering the same territories, under Brevet Brigadier General Albert
Sidney Johnston from January 15, 1861. When General Edwin Vose Sumner relieved General Johnston in March 1861, he continued
in command of the Department of California now renamed the District of California. His successor in October 1861, Brigadier
General George Wright continued in command of the District even after losing command of the Department of the Pacific, on
July 1, 1864, to Gen. Irvin McDowell.
The Department of Oregon was one of two Army Departments created September 13, 1858, replacing
the original Department of the Pacific and was composed of the Territories of Washington and Oregon, except the Rogue River
and Umpqua Districts, which were assigned to the Department of California. Its creation was authorized by General Orders,
No. 10, of the United States Department of War, Adjutant-General's Office, September 13, 1858. Its Headquarters was at Fort
Vancouver, in the Washington Territory. Its first commander was Brevet Brigadier General William S. Harney, U.S. Army, from
1858 to June 1860. Shortly after he took command he sent troops under Captain George E. Pickett to San Juan Island precipitating
the Pig War with Great Britain. Due to these altercations with the British he was recalled in June
1860 by the United States Secretary of War who reassigned Harney to the Department of the West, replacing him with the victor
of the Oregon Indian Wars, Colonel George Wright, of the U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment, from June 8, 1860. The Department of
Oregon was merged into the restored Department of the Pacific on January 15, 1861, as the District of Oregon administering
the same territories, under Col. Wright.
Source: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.
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