February 19 1861 Tuesday
Louisiana. The city of New Orleans was occupied by armed Louisiana State troops. The US Paymaster’s Office and its contents were seized.
New York. US President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrived in New York City and gave a speech to the assembled crowd.
Texas. US Brigadier-General David Emanuel Twiggs would surrender all US military posts and property in Texas to Confederate forces on 28 February 1861. Since Texas had not yet ratified the ordinance of secession, Twiggs committed what many considered an act of treason. In anticipation of Twiggs’ intended actions Colonel Carlos Adolphus Waite, commanding the 1st US Infantry at Camp Verde, took effective command of what remained of US forces in the state and prepared to ensure their escape or proper treatment.
Union Organisation
USA: Colonel Carlos Adolphus Waite (1st US Infantry) assumed temporary command of the Department of Texas, replacing Brigadier-General David Emanuel Twiggs.
Commander in Chief: President James Buchanan
Vice-President: John Cabell Breckinridge
Secretary of War: Joseph Holt
Secretary of the Navy: Isaac Toucey
African Squadron: William Inman
Brazil Squadron: Joshua Ratoon Sands
East Indian (Asiatic) Squadron: Cornelius Kinchiloe Stribling
European Squadron: vacant
Home Squadron: Garrett J Prendergast
Mediterranean Squadron: Charles H Bell
Pacific Squadron: John Berrien Montgomery
General–in-Chief: Winfield Scott
Department of the East: John Ellis Wool
Department of New Mexico: Thomas Turner Fauntleroy interim, William Wing Loring awaited
Department of the Pacific: Albert Sidney Johnston
- District of Oregon: George Wright
Department of Texas: Carlos Adolphus Waite temporary
Department of Utah: Philip St George Cooke
- Department of the West: William Selby Harney
Confederate Organisation
President: Jefferson Finis Davis
Vice-President: Alexander Hamilton Stephens
Union Generals
Major-General USA
Winfield Scott
Brigadier-General USA
John Ellis Wool
David Emanuel Twiggs
William Selby Harney
Brigadier-General USA (Staff)
Joseph Eggleston Johnston
American Civil War High Command 