March 23 1861 Saturday
California. A J King, the Under Sheriff of Los Angeles County, 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 US forces.
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 considering defection 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
American Civil War High Command 