Union Military Organisations: Atlantic Coast Theatre

Union Military Organisations: Atlantic Coast Theatre

Go to Western Territories and Pacific Coast Theatre / Pacific Coast Theatre / Trans-Mississippi, Northwest, and Frontier Theatres / Western Theatre / Gulf Coast Theatre / Eastern Theatre / Capital and North-Eastern Theatre for detailed summaries.

This theatre broadly covers the states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and adjacent operational regions.
Activity in the theatre grew through the gradual acquisition of bases along the coasts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The western parts of Florida passed between this theatre and the Gulf Coast Theatre, depending on operational requirements. Being isolated by sea from the contiguous mass of Union territory, the military outposts in this theatre were enabled and sustained by the Navy. The aim was to secure bases of operations to maintain the naval blockade and for the army to advance to capture ports that would provide secure supply lines and into the hinterland. It was not until mid-1864 for Virginia, the end of 1864 for Georgia and South Carolina, and early 1865 for North Carolina that these operational territories meshed with the forces advancing overland from the north, west, and south.
The retention of Fortress Monroe in Virginia at the outbreak of hostilities provided the first avenue to penetrate the interior, along the Yorktown Peninsula and James River. Created as early as May 1861, the Department of Virginia continued to control the Virginia coastline until July 1863. In spring 1862, it became part of the operational territory of the main eastern army in Virginia but regained its autonomy in summer 1862 as those operations ended in a withdrawal of the bulk of the field forces from the outskirts of Richmond. By July 1863 it was extended to become the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, in order to assure unity of command for the coastal garrisons of Virginia and North Carolina. In mid-1864, its active operations could be synchronised with the Eastern army which was approaching Richmond overland from the north.
The Department of North Carolina was founded first January 1862, to direct operations along the North Carolina Coast. This was followed in March 1862 by the creation of the Department of the South which operated along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, and to varying degrees, in Florida.
The Department of the South was established in March 1862 and took control of the Department of Florida and Department of Key West, each of which was reduced to a District of that Department. Responsibility for western Florida and the coastal section of Alabama alternated between the Department of the Gulf and the Department of the South, depending on the evolving military situation and progress of operations. The Department of the South remained active until June 1865.
The Department of North Carolina and the Department of Virginia were incorporated into the Department of Virginia and North Carolina from July 1863 until January 1865, when their strategic objectives diverged. The Department of Virginia was separated for the final operations of the eastern armies around the Confederate capital. The northward advance of the Union armies through Georgia and South Carolina brought North Carolina under the aegis of the Military Division of the Mississippi to provide unity of command.

This is an alphabetical Index of each Organisation by Level and then by name 

Details of each specific organisation can be found in the Introduction to Union Military Organisations – Types -by searching for the Level and then the Name of the Organisation

Department of Georgia
Department of North Carolina #1
Department of North Carolina #2
Department of the South
Department of South Carolina

District of Albemarle, North Carolina
District of Beaufort, North Carolina #1
District of Beaufort, North Carolina #2
District of Beaufort, South Carolina
District of Charleston, South Carolina
District of Currituck, North Carolina
District of Etowah, Georgia
District of Northern Georgia
District of Southern Georgia
District of Greensboro, North Carolina
District of Hilton Head, South Carolina
District of the Neuse, North Carolina
Defences of New Bern, North Carolina
District of New Bern, North Carolina
District of North Carolina #1
District of North Carolina #2
District of West North Carolina
District of the Pamlico, North Carolina
District of Port Royal, South Carolina
District of Raleigh, North Carolina
District of Savannah, Georgia
Northern District of the South #1
Northern District of the South #2
Southern District of the South
Western District of the South
District of Eastern South Carolina
District of Western South Carolina
District of Wilmington, North Carolina
Sub-District of Albemarle, North Carolina
Sub-District of Beaufort, North Carolina #1
Sub-District of Beaufort, North Carolina #2
Sub-District of Beaufort, Virginia
Sub-District of Beaufort, Virginia and North Carolina
Sub-District of New Bern, North Carolina
Sub-District of New Bern, Virginia
Sub-District of New Bern, Virginia and North Carolina
Sub-District of the Pamlico, North Carolina
Army of North Carolina
X Corps North Carolina
X Corps South
XVIII Corps North Carolina #1
XVIII Corps North Carolina #2
XVIII Corps Virginia and North Carolina #1
XVIII Corps Virginia and North Carolina #2
XXIII Corps North Carolina
Terry’s Provisional Corps North Carolina
Terry’s Provisional Corps Virginia
Terry’s Provisional Corps Virginia and North Carolina