1861 January 15th

January 15 1861 Tuesday

Go to January 16 1861

USA. John Adams Dix was appointed US Secretary of the Treasury.

Arkansas. The Arkansas state legislature passed the Convention Bill.

California. Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston assumed command of the Department of the Pacific. At one time he had been a Brigadier-General of the army of the independent Republic of Texas in the 1830s. He rejoined the US Army in 1849 and assumed command of the 2^nd US Cavalry as its Colonel in 1855. Johnston was considered by many to be one of the foremost military commanders in North America. He subsequently became the senior field General of the Confederate States.

Florida. The US Coast Survey steamer Dana was seized by Florida State troops at St Augustine.

Florida. A second demand for the surrender of Fort Pickens was refused by the garrison commander US Army Lieutenant Adam Jacoby Slemmer.

Missouri. The Missouri House and Senate passed the Convention Bill.

Pennsylvania. Andrew G Curtin succeeded William F Packer as Governor of Pennsylvania.

South Carolina. The South Carolina Commissioner to Washington, DC, demanded the withdrawal of the US garrison from Fort Sumter.

Union Organisation

USA: The Department of California was discontinued, and its area was included in the Department of the Pacific.
USA: The Department of the Pacific was established, comprising the area west of the Rocky Mountains except for the part of Utah Territory east of 117 degrees west longitude and except for New Mexico Territory east of 110 degrees west longitude.
USA: Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston assumed command of the Department of the Pacific.

USA: The Department of Oregon was discontinued, and its area was incorporated into the new Department of the Pacific.
USA: The District of Oregon was established in the Department of the Pacific, comprising the state of Oregon and Washington Territory except for the areas of the Rogue and Umpqua Rivers.
USA: Colonel George Wright (9th US Infantry) assumed command of the District of Oregon.

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 established: Albert Sidney Johnston

• District of Oregon: George Wright

Department of the East: John Ellis Wool

Department of New Mexico: Thomas Turner Fauntleroy

Department of Texas: David Emanuel Twiggs

Department of Utah: Philip St George Cooke

Department of the West: William Selby Harney

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