March 23 1861 Saturday
California. Mr A J King, Under Sheriff of Los Angeles County, and other influential men in El Monte had formed a pro-secessionist militia on 23rd March, 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 from John G Downey, the Governor of California. This action prevented the arming of the militia and stopped the potential insurrection.
Virginia. The USS Cumberland arrived at Hampton Roads from Vera Cruz, New Mexico.
Texas. The state of Texas ratified the Confederate Constitution.
Union Organisation
USA. Brigadier-General Edwin Vose Sumner was appointed to command the Department of the Pacific, arriving on 25th April 1861.
Sumner, Edwin Vose (Sr) | Massachusetts-New York | Born 30 January 1797 Boston, Massachusetts | 2nd Lieutenant USA 2nd US Infantry 3 March 1819 1st Lieutenant USA 2nd US Infantry 25 January 1825 Captain USA US Dragoons 3 March 1833 1st US Dragoons Major USA 2nd US Dragoons 30 June 1846 Lieutenant-Colonel USA 1st US Dragoons 23 July 1848 Colonel USA 1st US Cavalry 3 March 1855 Brigadier-General USA 16 March 1861 Major-General USV 16 July 1862 to rank from 4 July 1862 later adjusted to rank from 5 May 1862 | WIA Mexican War 1846 | Died 21 March 1863 | 23 March 1861 – 25 October 1861 Department of the Pacific, 3 March 1862 – 6 October 1862 II Corps Potomac, 14 November 1862 – 24 January 1863 Right Grand Division Potomac
Commander in Chief: President Abraham Lincoln
Vice-President: Hannibal Hamlin
Secretary of War: Simon Cameron
Secretary of the Navy: Gideon Welles
- African Squadron USN: Captain William Inman USN
- Brazil Squadron USN: Captain Joshua R Sands USN.
- East Indian (Asiatic) Squadron USN: Captain Cornelius K Stribling USN
- European Squadron USN: vacant
- Home Squadron USN: Captain Garrett J Prendergast USN
- Mediterranean Squadron USN: Captain Charles H Bell USN
- Pacific Squadron USN: Captain John B Montgomery USN
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 5 July 1841 to rank from 25 June 1841 General-in-Chief
- Brigadier-General USA John Ellis Wool 25 June 1841 Department of the East
- Brigadier-General USA William Selby Harney 14 June 1858 Department of the West
- Brigadier-General USA Joseph Eggleston Johnston 28 June 1860 Quartermaster-General
- Brigadier-General USA Edwin Vose Sumner 16 March 1861 Department of the Pacific awaited
- Colonel George Wright 3 March 1855 District of Oregon
- Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston 3 March 1855 Department of the Pacific interim
- Colonel William Wing Loring 30 December 1856 Department of New Mexico
- Colonel Philip St George Cooke 14 June 1858 Department of Utah
- Colonel Carlos Adolphus Waite 5 June 1860 Department of Texas temporary
Confederate Seniority
- Major-General PACS David Emanuel Twiggs 22 March 1861 Department of Louisiana
- Brigadier-General ACSA Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard 1 March 1861 Department of South Carolina & Forces in South Carolina
- Brigadier-General ACSA Braxton Bragg 7 March 1861 Department of West Florida & Forces in Louisiana & Forces in Pensacola
