April 24 1861 Wednesday
Kentucky. Kentucky Governor Beriah Magoffin called an extra session of the Kentucky state legislature to consider matters related to secession.
Maryland. A special election of ten delegates to the Maryland state legislature took place in Baltimore.
Maryland. The historic USS Constitution (Lieutenant G W Rodgers) departed with a crew of midshipmen for New York and then Newport, Rhode Island. The aim was to transfer the venerable warship, nicknamed “Old Ironsides”, to the US Naval Academy for training and ceremonial purposes. It was taken under tow by USS Curler and escorted by USS Harriet Lane
Virginia. Virginia State Brigadier-General Philip St George Cocke reported from his headquarters at Alexandria that he had only 300 men to defend against an estimated force of 10,000 Union troops rumoured to be facing him across the Potomac River in Washington, DC. By this time a further 1,300 Virginia State volunteers had gathered at Harper’s Ferry further inland up the Potomac.
Virginia. USS Cumberland (Captain Garrett J Pendergrast) captured the Confederate tug Young America and schooner George M Smith with their cargo of arms and ammunition in Hampton Roads.
Union Organisation
Commander in Chief: President Abraham Lincoln
Vice-President: Hannibal Hamlin
Secretary of War: Simon Cameron
Secretary of the Navy: Gideon Welles
Pacific Squadron: John Berrien Montgomery
General–in-Chief: Winfield Scott
Department of the East: John Ellis Wool
Department of Florida: Harvey Brown
Department of New Mexico: William Wing Loring
Department of the Pacific: Albert Sidney Johnston interim Edwin Vose Sumner awaited
- District of Oregon: George Wright
Department of Texas: Vacant
Department of Utah: Philip St George Cooke
Department of Washington: Robert Patterson
Department of the West: Nathaniel Lyon
Confederate Organisation
CSA: The Department of Alexandria was established, comprising the environs of Alexandria, Virginia. Its field forces were referred to as the “Alexandria Line”.
CSA: Virginia State Brigadier-General Philip St George Cocke assumed command of the Department of Alexandria.
CSA: The “Alexandria Line” or “Forces in Alexandria” was established, comprising field forces gathering in the environs of Alexandria, Virginia and assigned to the Department of Alexandria.
CSA: Virginia State Brigadier-General Philip St George Cocke assumed command of the “Alexandria Line”.
Commander in Chief: President Jefferson Finis Davis
Vice-President: Alexander Hamilton Stephens
Secretary of War: Leroy Pope Walker
Secretary of the Navy: Stephen Russell Mallory
Department of Alexandria established: Philip St George Cocke assumed
- Alexandria Line established: Philip St George Cocke assumed
Department of North Carolina: Theophilus Hunter Holmes
- Defences of North Carolina: Theophilus Hunter Holmes
Department of South Carolina: Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard
- “Forces in Charleston”: Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard
Department of Texas: Earl Van Dorn
Department of West Florida: Braxton Bragg
- “Forces in Pensacola”: Braxton Bragg
District of Louisiana: David Emanuel Twiggs
- “Forces in New Orleans” “Army of Louisiana”: Braxton Bragg
Defences of Savannah: Alexander Robert Lawton
Potomac Line: Daniel Ruggles
“Forces in Harper’s Ferry”: Kenton Harper
“Forces in Norfolk”: William Booth Taliaferro
Union Generals
Major-General USA
Winfield Scott
Brigadier-General USA
John Ellis Wool
William Selby Harney
Edwin Vose Sumner
Confederate Generals
Note: Italics, awaiting confirmation of the commission
Major-General PACS
David Emanuel Twiggs
Brigadier-General ACSA
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard
Braxton Bragg
Brigadier-General PACS
Alexander Robert Lawton
Milledge Lake Bonham
American Civil War High Command 