1861 March 23rd

March 23 1861 Saturday

Go to March 24 1861

California. The Under Sheriff of Los Angeles County, A J King, and other influential men in El Monte formed a pro-secessionist militia known as the Monte Mounted Rifles. They aimed to assist Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston in pro-secessionist activity. King came to the attention of the Federal authorities when US army officers at San Pedro held up a shipment of arms sent by John G Downey, the Governor of California. This action prevented the arming of the militia and stopped a potential insurrection.

Virginia. USS Cumberland arrived at Hampton Roads from its station at Vera Cruz, New Mexico.

Texas. The state of Texas ratified the Confederate Constitution.

Texas. Fort Chadbourne was abandoned by the US Army. Fort Chadbourne was established in 1852 by Captain John Beardsley with companies A and K of the 8th US Infantry. It was named for 2nd Lieutenant Theodore Lincoln Chadbourne who was killed in the Mexican War. Its purpose was to protect a part of the trail to Santa Fe and the Butterfield Overland Mail route. It was originally called Camp on Oak Creek. It was surrendered to Confederate Colonel Henry Eustace McCulloch. It was not reoccupied by the US Army until 25 May 1867 but it was abandoned in 1868 and the troops transferred to Fort Concho.

Union Organisation

USA. Brigadier-General Edwin Vose Sumner was appointed to command the Department of the Pacific, arriving on 25 April 1861. The incumbent Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston was suspected of intending to defect to the Confederacy.

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: William Wing Loring

Department of the Pacific: Albert Sidney Johnston interim, Edwin Vose Sumner awaited

• 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”: David Emanuel Twiggs

• “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
William Selby Harney
Edwin Vose Sumner

Brigadier-General USA (Staff)

Joseph Eggleston Johnston

Confederate Seniority

Major-General PACS

David Emanuel Twiggs

Brigadier-General ACSA

Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard
Braxton Bragg