1861 February 5th

February 5 1861 Tuesday

Go to February 6 1861

Alabama. Plans continued in Montgomery for the inauguration of the provisional government of the Confederate States of America.

District of Columbia. A Peace Convention headed by former President John Tyler of Virginia continued in its aim of proposing amendments to the Constitution and finding a compromise to end the secession crisis.

Kentucky. The Kentucky House passed the Senate’s resolutions of 2 February 1861.

Louisiana. Louisiana Senators withdrew from the US Congress along with the state’s Representatives, except for John E Bouligny.

Oregon Territory. Reconnaissances to Willow Creek began. US Army scouts departed from Walla Walla in Washington Territory and from Fort Dallas in Oregon Territory and headed for the Umatilla River, Willow Creek, and Butter Creek.

Texas. Pro-Confederate officials appointed a commission to confer with the US officer commanding the military Department of Texas, Brigadier-General William Selby Harney, about the transfer of military posts and property from the Federal Government to Texas State authority.

Union Organisation

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 Pacific: Albert Sidney Johnston

• District of Oregon: George Wright

Department of the East: John Ellis Wool

Department of New Mexico: Thomas T Fauntleroy

Department of Texas: David Emanuel Twiggs

Department of Utah: Philip St George Cooke

Department of the West: William Selby Harney

Confederate Organisation

Provisional President Thomas Howell Cobb

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