1861 March 20th

March 20 1861 Wednesday

CSA. The Confederate States government discussed the relocation of the capital from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia.

Florida. The sloop Isabel, carrying supplies for the US fleet, was seized off Pensacola by Florida state authorities.

Georgia. The state of Georgia passed an ordinance authorising the Confederate States government to occupy, use, and possess all military forts, navy yards, arsenals, and custom houses within the limits of the state.

Texas. Fort Brown was abandoned by US troops under Lieutenant-Colonel Electus Backus (3rd US Infantry).

Texas. Fort Duncan was abandoned by Union forces under Captain O L Shepherd (3rd US Infantry).

Texas. The Texas state legislature confirmed the action of the Texas Convention in deposing Governor Samuel Houston. The legislature also transferred the forts, arsenals, and other military facilities in the state to the Confederate government.

Union Organisation

Commander in Chief: President Abraham Lincoln

Vice-President: Hannibal Hamlin

Secretary of War: Simon Cameron

Secretary of the Navy: Gideon Welles

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 T Fauntleroy interim, William Wing Loring awaited

Department of the Pacific: Albert Sidney Johnston

• District of Oregon: George Wright

Department of Texas: Carlos Adolphus Waite

Department of Utah: Philip St George Cooke

Department of the West: William Selby Harney

Confederate Organisation

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 Louisiana”: Braxton Bragg

• “Forces in New Orleans” “Army of Louisiana”: Braxton Bragg

Department of South Carolina: Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard

• “Forces in Charleston”: Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard

Department of West Florida: Braxton Bragg

• “Forces in Pensacola”: Braxton Bragg

Union Generals

Major-General USA

Winfield Scott

Brigadier-General USA

John Ellis Wool
David Emanuel Twiggs
Edwin Vose Sumner

Brigadier-General USA (Staff)

Joseph Eggleston Johnston

Confederate Generals

Brigadier-General ACSA

Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard
Braxton Bragg