Union Organisations – Departments
Departments typically reported directly to the President, to the War Department and, were subject to the orders of the General-in-Chief. They were largely independent and were effectively the highest level territorial command from before the war until the end of 1863. Close control was often difficult due to distance and unreliable or slow communications, so Department commanders enjoyed substantial authority and autonomy within their territory. From late 1863 onwards, more and more Departments were subjected to greater coordination as part of a Military Division, and all had been thus allocated mid-1865.
Departments were originally created to oversee regions where Union forces were being organised in the Union states. Departments were extended or created progressively as Union forces occupied segments of the Confederate States. They eventually extended across the entire Confederacy by the end of the war. As the advancing Union army occupied Confederate territory, Departments and their sub-units were established, discontinued, or adjusted to reflect changing priorities. The Union also had the challenge of maintaining a presence and prosecuting operations against Native Americans in the western territories, and this required changes in the Departments in frontier and far western regions.
Some Departments were subdivided into one or more Districts and Sub-Districts. The size and borders of Departments and their Districts and Sub-Districts evolved in response to local circumstances and to changing command priorities. Some territorial commands were aligned with state borders, but the majority reflected territories appropriate to military operations, regardless of state and territorial borders.
The nomenclature of territorial command could be inconsistent, and anomalies occasionally arose over the geographical extent and authority of some Departments.
Alphabetical Index
Department of Alabama 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Annapolis, Maryland 27 April 1861-19 July 1861
Department of Arkansas 6 January 1864-1 August 1865
Department of California #1 1 January 1861-15 January 1861
Department of California #2 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of the Columbia 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of the Cumberland #1 15 August 1861-9 November 1861
Department of the Cumberland #2 24 October 1862-27 June 1865
Department of the East #1 1 January 1861-26 October 1861
Department of the East #2 3 January 1863-31 December 1865
Department of Florida #1 13 April 1861-15 March 1862
Department of Florida #2 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Georgia 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of the Gulf 23 February 1862-27 June 1865
Department of Kansas #1 9 November 1861-19 March 1862
Department of Kansas #2 2 May 1862-19 September 1862
Department of Kansas #3 1 January 1864-30 January 1865
Department of Kentucky #1 28 May 1861-15 August 1861
Department of Kentucky #2 10 February 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Key West, Florida 11 January 1862-15 March 1862
Department of Louisiana 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Maryland 19 July 1861-25 July 1861
Middle Department 22 March 1862-31 December 1865
Department of Mississippi 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of the Mississippi #1 11 March 1862-19 September 1862
Department of the Mississippi #2 28 November 1864-5 June 1865
Department of the Missouri 9 November 1861–31 December 1865
Department of the Monongahela 9 June 1863-6 April 1864
Mountain Department 11 March 1862-26 June 1862
Department of New England 1 October 1861-20 February 1862
Department of New Mexico #1 1 January 1861–3 July 1861
Department of New Mexico #2 9 November 1861-27 June 1865
Department of New York 26 October 1861-3 January 1863
Department of North Carolina #1 7 January 1862-15 July 1863
Department of North Carolina #2 31 January 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Northeastern Virginia 27 May 1861-17 August 1861
Northern Department 12 January 1864-27 June 1865
Department of the Northwest 6 September 1862-27 June 1865
Department of the Ohio #1 3 May 1861-11 March 1862
Department of the Ohio #2 19 August 1862-17 January 1865
Department of the Ohio #3 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Oregon 1 January 1861-15 January 1861
Department of the Pacific 15 January 1861-27 June 1865
Department of Pennsylvania #1 27 April 1861-17 August 1861
Department of Pennsylvania #2 1 December 1864-27 June 1865
Department of the Potomac 17 August 1861-27 June 1865
Department of the Rappahannock Virginia 4 April 1862-26 June 1862
Department of the Shenandoah #1 19 July 1861-17 August 1861
Department of the Shenandoah #2 4 April 1862-26 June 1862
Department of the South 15 March 1862-27 June 1865
Department of South Carolina 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of the Susquehanna 9 June 1863-1 December 1864
Department of Tennessee 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of the Tennessee 16 October 1862-28 November 1864
Department of Texas #1 1 January 1861-8 November 1862
Department of Texas #2 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Utah 1 January 1861-17 July 1861
Department of Virginia #1 22 May 1861-15 July 1863
Department of Virginia #2 18 January 1865-31 December 1865
Department of Virginia and North Carolina 15 July 1863-18 January 1865
Department of Washington, District of Columbia #1 9 April 1861-17 August 1861
Department of Washington, District of Columbia #2 2 February 1863-31 December 1865
Department of the West 1 January 1861-3 July 1861
Western Department 3 July 1861-9 November 1861
Department of West Virginia 24 June 1863-27 June 1865
Department of Western Virginia 19 September 1861-11 March 1862
Chronological List – in order of establishment
Department of California #1
1 January 1861-15 January 1861
Benjamin Lloyd Beall temporary 1 January 1861-15 January 1861
1 January 1861: The Department of California was established. It comprised the country west of the Rocky Mountains south of the Oregon Territory and including the Utah Territory west of the 117 degree of longitude and the New Mexico Territory west of 100 degrees of longitude. Headquarters were in San Francisco.
15 January 1861: The Department of California was discontinued and its territory was included in the Department of the Pacific.
Department of the East #1
1 January 1861-26 October 1861
John Ellis Wool 1 January 1861-26 October 1861
1 January 1861: The Department of the East included all of the United States east of the Mississippi River. Headquarters were in New York City.
9 April 1861: The Department of Washington was established, comprising the original boundaries of the District of Columbia including Alexandria County, Virginia, and the state of Maryland as far south as Bladensburg, taken from the Department of the East.
13 April 1861: The Department of Florida was established with headquarters at Fort Pickens, comprising the state of Florida taken from the Department of the East.
19 April 1861: The states of Pennsylvania and Delaware transferred from the Department of the East to the Department of Washington.
27 April 1861: The Department of Washington was extended to include the District of Columbia, and Maryland as far as Fort Washington and Bladensburg, Maryland, taken from the Department of the East.
3 May 1861: The Department of the Ohio was established, comprising Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana taken from the Department of the East.
8 May 1861:The parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia north of the Kanawha River, north and west of the Greenbrier River, and thence on a line northwest to the southwest boundary of Maryland transferred from the Department of the East to the Department of the Ohio.
9 May 1861: The Department of the Ohio was extended to include the parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia north of the Kanawha River and west of the Greenbrier River, and on a line drawn from the Greenbrier River to the southwest corner of Maryland, then to the Pennsylvania border and to the northeast corner of McKean county, Pennsylvania, to its existing territory of Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana. These territories were detached from the Department of the East and the Department of Pennsylvania.
22 May 1861: The Department of Virginia was established with headquarters at Fortress Monroe, comprising the territory of Virginia within sixty miles of Fort Monroe, detached from the Department of the East. It also assumed authority over any territories of North Carolina and South Carolina to be occupied by Union forces.
27 May 1861: The Department of Northeastern Virginia was established, comprising the part of Virginia east of the Allegheny Mountains and north of the James River, and west of the existing Department of Virginia within sixty miles of Fort Monroe. Its territory was detached from the Department of the East.
28 May 1861: The Department of Kentucky was established, comprising that territory of the state within 100 miles of the Ohio River, detached from the Department of the East.
19 July 1861: The Department of the Shenandoah was established, comprising the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, taken from the Department of the East. The remainder of Kentucky and the state of Tennessee not already assigned were detached from the Department of the East and assigned to the Department of the Shenandoah.
19 September 1861: The Department of Western Virginia was established, comprising Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its territory was taken from the Department of the East and the Department of the Ohio.
1 October 1861: The Department of New England was established, comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut detached from the Department of the East.
26 October 1861: The Department of the East was discontinued.
Department of New Mexico #1
1 January 1861–3 July 1861
Thomas Turner Fauntleroy 1 January 1861-21 January 1861 interim 21 March 1861
William Wing Loring 22 January 1861-30 April 1861
Edward Richard Sprigg Canby temporary 14 May 1861-10 June 1861, 11 June 1861-3 July 1861
1 January 1861: The Department of New Mexico comprised the Territory of New Mexico east of 110 degrees of longitude and a part of southwest Colorado Territory. Headquarters were at Santa Fe.
3 July 1861: The Department of New Mexico was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Western Department.
Department of Oregon
1 January 1861-15 January 1861
George Wright 1 January 1861-15 January 1861
1 January 1861: The Department of Oregon comprised the territory of the later states of Washington, Idaho, and all but the southwestern corner of Oregon. Headquarters were in Vancouver.
15 January 1861: The Department of Oregon was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the new District of Oregon in the Department of the Pacific.
Department of Texas #1
1 January 1861-8 November 1862
David Emanuel Twiggs 1 January 1861-18 February 1861
Carlos Adolphus Waite temporary 19 February 1861-22 April 1861
Vacant 23 April 1861-8 November 1862
1 January 1861: The Department of Texas comprised the state of Texas. Headquarters were in San Antonio.
8 November 1862: The Department of Texas was discontinued. The state of Texas was added to the Department of the Gulf.
Department of Utah
1 January 1861-17 July 1861
Philip St George Cooke 1 January 1861-17 July 1861
1 January 1861: The Department of Utah comprised Utah Territory east of 177 degrees west longitude. Headquarters were at Fort Crittenden.
17 July 1861: The Department of Utah was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Pacific.
Department of the West
1 January 1861-3 July 1861
William Selby Harney 1 January 1861–22 April 1861
Nathaniel Lyon temporary de facto 22 April 1861-28 April 1861
Edmund Brooke Alexander temporary 29 April 1861-10 May 1861
William Selby Harney 11 May 1861-30 May 1861
Nathaniel Lyon 31 May 1861-3 July 1861
1 January 1861: The Department of the West comprised the country west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, except for Texas, Utah Territory and New Mexico Territory. It included Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas Territory, Nebraska Territory, Indian Territory and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. Headquarters were at St Louis.
28 February 1861: Colorado Territory was incorporated into the Department of the West.
6 June 1861: The state of Missouri transferred from the Department of the West to the Department of the Ohio.
2 July 1861: The Army of the West was established in the Department of the West.
3 July 1861: The Department of the West was discontinued, and incorporated into the Western Department.
Department of the Pacific
15 January 1861-27 June 1865
Albert Sidney Johnston 15 January 1861-22 March 1861 interim 11 April 1861, interim 12 April 1861-24 April 1861
Edwin Vose Sumner 25 April 1861-19 October 1861
George Wright temporary 20 October 1861-November 1861, 19 November 1861-20 May 1864
Irvin McDowell 25 May 1864-27 June 1865
15 January 1861: The Department of the Pacific was established, comprising the territory west of the Rocky Mountains except for the part of Utah Territory east of 117 degrees west longitude and except for New Mexico Territory east of 110 degrees west longitude. The District of Oregon was established in the Department of the Pacific, comprising the state of Oregon and Washington Territory except for the territories of the Rogue and Umpqua Rivers.
2 March 1861: Nevada Territory and Dakota Territory were included in the Department of the Pacific.
17 July 1861: The Department of Utah was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Pacific.
14 September 1861: The District of Southern California was established in the Department of the Pacific, comprising California from San Francisco southwards.
12 December 1861: The District of the Humboldt was established in the Department of the Pacific, comprising Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Trinity, Humboldt, Klamath, and Del Norte counties in California.
6 August 1862: The District of Utah was established in the Department of the Pacific, comprising Utah Territory and Utah Territory.
4 March 1863: The territory of Idaho Territory was added to the District of Oregon.
20 August 1863: Soda Springs, Idaho Territory, transferred to the District of Utah.
1 July 1864: The District of California was established in the Department of the Pacific, comprising the state of California.
20 January 1865: The Arizona Territory transferred from the Department of New Mexico to the Department of the Pacific.
17 February 1865: The District of Utah transferred from the Department of the Pacific to the Department of the Missouri. It comprised the Utah Territory, the state of Nevada, and Soda Springs in the Idaho Territory.
7 March 1865: The District of Arizona was established in the Department of the Pacific, to comprise the Arizona Territory.
14 March 1865: The District of Oregon was extended to include the entire state of Oregon, including the Rogue and Umpqua River areas.
14 March 1865: The District of Arizona transferred from the Department of the Pacific to the Department of California.
27 June 1865: The Department of the Pacific was discontinued and its territory was divided between the Department of California and the Department of the Columbia.
Department of Washington, District of Columbia #1
9 April 1861-17 August 1861
Charles Ferguson Smith 9 April 1861-21 April 1861
Robert Patterson 22 April 1861-26 April 1861 interim 27 April 1861
Joseph King Fenno Mansfield 27 April 1861-17 August 1861
9 April 1861: The Department of Washington was established, comprising the original boundaries of the District of Columbia including Alexandria County, Virginia, and the state of Maryland as far south as Bladensburg, taken from the Department of the East.
19 April 1861: The states of Pennsylvania and Delaware transferred from the Department of the East to the Department of Washington.
27 April 1861: The Department of Washington was extended to include the District of Columbia, and Maryland as far as Fort Washington and Bladensburg, Maryland. Pennsylvania and Delaware transferred from the Department of Washington to the Department of Pennsylvania.
25 July 1861: Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Frederick counties of Maryland transferred from the Department of Pennsylvania to the Department of Washington. The Department of Washington transferred to the Military Division of the Potomac.
17 August 1861: The Department of Washington was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the Potomac.
Department of Florida #1
13 April 1861-15 March 1862
Harvey Brown 13 April 1861-9 January 1862
Lewis Golding Arnold 10 January 1862-15 March 1862
13 April 1861: The Department of Florida was established with headquarters at Fort Pickens, comprising the state of Florida transferred from the Department of the East.
11 January 1862: Key West and the coastline of Florida from Cape Canaveral to the Apalachicola River transferred from the Department of Florida to the Department of Key West.
15 March 1862: The Department of Florida was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Western District of the Department of the South.
Department of Annapolis, Maryland
27 April 1861-19 July 1861
Benjamin Franklin Butler 27 April 1861-15 May 1861
George Cadwalader 27 April 1861-15 May 1861
John Adams Dix 16 May 1861-31 May 1861 interim 10 June 1861
Nathaniel Prentiss Banks 1 June 1861-19 July 1861
27 April 1861: The Department of Annapolis was established to include the counties 20 miles each side of the Baltimore and Washington railroad from Annapolis as far as Bladensburg, Maryland.
19 July 1861: The Department of Annapolis was discontinued and reorganised as the Department of Maryland.
Department of Pennsylvania #1
27 April 1861-17 August 1861
Robert Patterson 27 April 1861-25 July 1861
John Adams Dix 25 July 1861-17 August 1861
27 April 1861: The Department of Pennsylvania was established with headquarters in Philadelphia, comprising Pennsylvania, Delaware, and parts of Maryland not in the Department of Washington and the Department of Annapolis. Pennsylvania and Delaware transferred from the Department of Washington to the Department of Pennsylvania.
9 May 1861: The Department of the Ohio was extended to include the parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia north of the Kanawha River and west of the Greenbrier River, and on a line drawn from the Greenbrier River to the southwest corner of Maryland, then to the Pennsylvania border and to the northeast corner of McKean county, Pennsylvania, to its existing territory of Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana. These territories were detached from the Department of the East and the Department of Pennsylvania.
2 June 1861: The Army of the Shenandoah also known unofficially as the “Army of Pennsylvania” was established in the Department of Pennsylvania.
25 July 1861:Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Frederick counties of Maryland transferred from the Department of Pennsylvania to the Department of Washington. Washington and Allegheny counties of Maryland transferred from the Department of Pennsylvania to the Department of the Shenandoah. The Department of Maryland was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of Pennsylvania. All the parts of Pennsylvania in the Department of the Ohio transferred to the Department of Pennsylvania. All the parts of Pennsylvania in the Department of Maryland transferred to the Department of Pennsylvania.
17 August 1861: The Army of the Shenandoah was discontinued, and its forces were transferred to the Army of the Potomac. The Department of Pennsylvania was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the Potomac. The state of Pennsylvania remained under state command.
Department of the Ohio #1
3 May 1861-11 March 1862
George Brinton McClellan 3 May 1861-22 July 1861
William Starke Rosecrans 23 July 1861-20 September 1861
Ormsby McKnight Mitchel 21 September 1861-9 November 1861 interim 14 November 1861
Don Carlos Buell 10 November 1861-11 March 1862
3 May 1861: The Department of the Ohio was established, comprising Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana transferred from the Department of the East.
8 May 1861: The parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia north of the Kanawha River, north and west of the Greenbrier River and thence on a line northwest to the southwest boundary of Maryland transferred from the Department of the East to the Department of the Ohio.
9 May 1861: The Department of the Ohio was extended to include the parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia north of the Kanawha River and west of the Greenbrier River, and on a line drawn from the Greenbrier River to the southwest corner of Maryland, then to the Pennsylvania border and to the northeast corner of McKean county, Pennsylvania, to its existing territory of Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana. These territories were detached from the Department of the East and the Department of Pennsylvania.
6 June 1861: The state of Missouri transferred temporarily from the Department of the West to the Department of the Ohio.
14 June 1861: The Army of Occupation was established in western Virginia in the Department of the Ohio.
5 July 1861: The states of Missouri and Illinois transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Western Department.
24 July 1861: The Cheat Mountain District was established in the Department of the Ohio, comprising the vicinity of Cheat Mountain, Virginia.
25 July 1861: All the parts of Pennsylvania in the Department of the Ohio transferred to the Department of Pennsylvania. The Cheat River District was established in the Department of the Ohio, comprising the territories of Tygart’s Valley and the Cheat River in Virginia.
3 August 1861: The District of Grafton was established in the Department of the Ohio, comprising the line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from Cumberland, Maryland, to Wheeling, Virginia, and the Northwestern Virginia Railroad from Grafton to Parkersburg, Virginia.
4 September 1861: The Cheat River District was discontinued.
19 September 1861: The Department of the Ohio was reorganised to include Ohio, Indiana, and the territory of Kentucky within 15 miles of Cincinnati, Ohio. The territory of Kentucky within 15 miles of Cincinnati transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Department of the Ohio. The states of Ohio and Indiana transferred to the Department of the Ohio.
19 September 1861: The Department of Western Virginia was established, comprising Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with its territory taken from the Department of the East and the Department of the Ohio. The Army of Occupation Ohio was discontinued. The Cheat Mountain District was discontinued.
9 November 1861: The Army of the Ohio was established in the Department of the Ohio.
20 December 1861: The District of Grafton was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the Railroad District in the Department of Western Virginia.
6 February 1862: The region of Western Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Missouri.
11 March 1862: The Army of the Ohio transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Mississippi. The Department of the Ohio was discontinued.
Department of Virginia #1
22 May 1861-15 July 1863
Benjamin Franklin Butler 22 May 1861-8 August 1861 interim 16 August 1861
John Ellis Wool 9 August 1861-1 June 1862 interim 16 June 1862
John Adams Dix 2 June 1862-5 April 1863
Erasmus Darwin Keyes 6 April 1863-15 July 1863
22 May 1861: The Department of Virginia was established with headquarters at Fortress Monroe, comprising the territory of Virginia within sixty miles of Fort Monroe, detached from the Department of the East. It also assumed authority over any territories of North Carolina and South Carolina to be occupied by Union forces.
1 June 1862: The parts of Virginia south of the Rappahannock River and east of the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of Virginia.
22 July 1862: VII Corps Virginia was established in the Department of Virginia, comprising forces based at Fortress Monroe, Camp Hamilton, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, and Yorktown in Virginia.
3 August 1862: IX Corps transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the Department of Virginia.
16 August 1862: IV Corps Potomac transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the Department of Virginia.
3 September 1862: IX Corps Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Army of the Potomac.
5 February 1863: IX Corps Potomac transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the Department of Virginia.
17 March 1863: IX Corps transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of the Ohio.
15 July 1863: IV Corps Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. VII Corps Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. The Department of Virginia was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
Department of Northeastern Virginia
27 May 1861-17 August 1861
Irvin McDowell 27 May 1861-17 August 1861
27 May 1861: The Department of Northeastern Virginia was established, comprising the part of Virginia east of the Allegheny Mountains and north of the James River, and west of the existing Department of Virginia within sixty miles of Fort Monroe. Its territory was detached from the Department of the East.
8 July 1861: The Army of Northeastern Virginia was established in the Department of Northeastern Virginia.
25 July 1861: The Department of Northeastern Virginia transferred to the Military Division of the Potomac.
17 August 1861: The Department of Northeastern Virginia was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the Potomac.
Department of Kentucky #1
28 May 1861-15 August 1861
Robert Anderson 28 May 1861-15 August 1861
28 May 1861: The Department of Kentucky was established, comprising that territory of the state within 100 miles of the Ohio River, detached from the Department of the East.
5 August 1861: Western Kentucky transferred from the Department of Kentucky to the Western Department.
15 August 1861: The Department of Kentucky was discontinued, and most of its territory was transferred to the Department of the Cumberland.
Western Department
3 July 1861-9 November 1861
Nathaniel Lyon 3 July 1861-24 July 1861
John Charles Frémont 25 July 1861-1 November 1861
David Hunter 2 November 1861-9 November 1861
3 July 1861: The Western Department was established, with headquarters at St Louis, Missouri, comprising Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska Territory, Colorado Territory, Dakota Territory, and Indian Territory from the discontinued Department of the West; Missouri and Illinois were taken from the Department of the Ohio; New Mexico Territory was taken from the discontinued Department of New Mexico. Missouri and Illinois transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Western Department. The Department of New Mexico was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Western Department. The Army of the West transferred from the Department of the West to the Western Department.
5 July 1861: The states of Missouri and Illinois transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Western Department. The District of Ironton was established in the Western Department, comprising the territory around Ironton, Missouri.
29 July 1861: The District of North Missouri was established in the Western Department, comprising the territory of Hannibal, Mexico, Warrenton, and Renick, Missouri.
8 August 1861: The Southern District of New Mexico was established in the Western Department, comprising all the New Mexico Territory south of Albuquerque.
10 August 1861: The Army of the West was discontinued.
15 August 1861: Western Kentucky transferred from the discontinued Department of Kentucky to the Western Department.
1 September 1861: The District of Ironton was discontinued. The District of Southeast Missouri was established in the Western Department, comprising Bird’s Point, Missouri, and Cairo and Mound City in Illinois.
8 September 1861: The District of Western Kentucky was established in the Western Department.
24 September 1861: The Western Army was established in the Western Department.
9 November 1861: The Western Department was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Department of New Mexico, the Department of the Missouri, and the Department of Kansas.
Department of the Shenandoah #1
19 July 1861-17 August 1861
Nathaniel Prentiss Banks 19 July 1861-17 August 1861
19 July 1861: The Department of the Shenandoah was established, comprising the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, taken from the Department of the East.The remainder of Kentucky and the state of Tennessee not already assigned were detached from the Department of the East and assigned to the Department of the Shenandoah.
25 July 1861: Washington and Allegheny counties of Maryland transferred from the Department of Pennsylvania to the Department of the Shenandoah.
17 August 1861: The Department of the Shenandoah was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Potomac.
Department of Maryland
19 July 1861-25 July 1861
John Adams Dix 19 July 1861-25 July 1861
19 July 1861: The Department of Maryland was established, comprising the counties ten miles on each side of the Baltimore and Washington railroad from Annapolis as far as Bladensburg, Maryland.
25 July 1861: The Department of Maryland was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of Pennsylvania. All the parts of Pennsylvania in the Department of Maryland transferred to the Department of Pennsylvania.
Department of the Cumberland #1
15 August 1861-9 November 1861
Robert Anderson 15 August 1861-6 October 1861 interim 8 October 1861
William Tecumseh Sherman 6 October 1861-9 November 1861
15 August 1861: The Department of the Cumberland was established, comprising the states of Tennessee and Kentucky except for the territory occupied by forces of the Western Department at the junction of Tennessee, Cumberland Ohio, and Mississippi rivers.
19 September 1861: The territory of Kentucky within 15 miles of Cincinnati transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Department of the Ohio.
9 November 1861: The Department of the Cumberland was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Department of the Missouri and the Department of the Ohio. The parts of Tennessee west of the Cumberland River transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Department of the Ohio.
Department of the Potomac
17 August 1861-27 June 1865
Irvin McDowell interim 17 August 1861-19 August 1861
George Brinton McClellan 17 August 1861-4 November 1862 interim 6 November 1862
Ambrose Everett Burnside 5 November 1862-24 January 1863 interim 25 January 1863
Joseph Hooker 25 January 1863-26 June 1863 interim 27 June 1863
George Gordon Meade 27 June 1863-19 December 1863
John Grubb Parke temporary 20 December 1864-10 January 1865
George Gordon Meade 11 January 1865-27 June 1865
17 August 1861: The Department of the Potomac was established, comprising the states of Delaware and Maryland, the District of Columbia, the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and Virginia east of the Allegheny Mountains and north of the James River, except for a 60-mile radius around Fort Monroe. Its territory was taken from the Department of Pennsylvania, the Department of Washington, the Department of the Shenandoah, and the Department of Northeastern Virginia. The Department of Pennsylvania was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the Potomac. Pennsylvania remained under independent state command. The Department of the Shenandoah was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the Potomac. The Department of Washington was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the Potomac.
20 August 1861: The Army of the Potomac transferred to the Department of the Potomac from the Department of Northeastern Virginia.
20 October 1861: The District of Harper’s Ferry and Cumberland was established in the Department of the Potomac, responsible for the railroad from Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, to Cumberland, Maryland, including a strip of land twenty miles wide along the south bank of the Potomac River.
9 November 1861:The territory of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains transferred to the Department of Western Virginia from the Department of the Potomac.
1 February 1862: The state of New Jersey transferred from the Department of New York to the Department of the Potomac. The state of Pennsylvania was incorporated into the Department of the Potomac.
3 March 1862: The territory west of Flintstone Creek, Maryland, South Branch Mountain, North Shenandoah Mountain, Purgatory Mountain, Blue Ridge Mountain, and Allegheny Mountain transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of Western Virginia.
12 March 1862: The District of Harper’s Ferry and Cumberland was discontinued. The Military District of Washington was established as an independent command under the War Department, comprising the District of Columbia, Alexandria in Virginia, and Port Washington.
22 March 1862: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland and of Virginia, and Cecil, Hartford, Baltimore, and Anne Arundel counties of Maryland transferred from the
Department of the Potomac to the Middle Department.
4 April 1862: Virginia east of the Blue Ridge and west of the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad, Washington and the District of Columbia, and the parts of Maryland between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, transferred from the Department of the Potomac. The territory of Maryland between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, the District of Columbia, and Virginia east of the Blue Ridge Mountains and west of the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of the Rappahannock. The parts of Maryland and Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and east of the Mountain Department transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of the Shenandoah.
1 June 1862: The parts of Virginia south of the Rappahannock River and east of the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of Virginia. The territory of north-eastern Virginia transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of the Rappahannock.
2 September 1862: The Army of Virginia transferred to the Department of the Potomac.
12 September 1862: The Army of Virginia was discontinued, and its forces were incorporated into the Army of the Potomac.
19 September 1862: Western Virginia transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of the Ohio.
2 February 1863: The country north of the Potomac River in Maryland from Piscataway Creek to Annapolis Junction, to the mouth of the Monocacy River and south by Goose Creek and the mouth of the Bull Run Mountains to the mouth of the Occoquan Creek, transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of Washington.
3 August 1863: The territory of Maryland west of the Monocacy River and the territory around Harper’s Ferry transferred from the Middle Department and the Department of the Potomac to the Department of West Virginia.
13 April 1864: IX Corps Ohio transferred from the Army of the Ohio to the Department of the Potomac.
24 May 1864: IX Corps Potomac transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Army of the Potomac.
21 June 1864: The part of Maryland between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of Washington.
26 March 1865: Sheridan’s Cavalry Command was established in the Department of the Potomac.
19 April 1865: The Department of the Potomac transferred to the Military Division of the James.
6 May 1865: Sheridan’s Cavalry Command Potomac was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Army of the Potomac transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Military Division of the Atlantic. The Department of the Potomac was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Middle Department.
Department of Western Virginia
19 September 1861-11 March 1862
William Starke Rosecrans 19 September 1861-11 March 1862
19 September 1861: The Department of Western Virginia was established, comprising Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its territory was taken from the Department of the East.
11 October 1861: The District of the Kanawha was established in the Department of Western Virginia.
9 November 1861:The territory of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains transferred to the Department of Western Virginia from the Department of the Potomac.
19 December 1861: The Cheat Mountain District was established in the Department of Western Virginia, comprising the vicinity of Beverly, Elkwater, and Huttonsville.
20 December 1861: The Railroad District was established in the Department of Western Virginia, comprising the territory of the former District of Grafton in the Department of the Ohio and all railroads in western Virginia.
3 March 1862: The territory west of Flintstone Creek, Maryland, South Branch Mountain, North Shenandoah Mountain, Purgatory Mountain, Blue Ridge Mountain, and Allegheny Mountain transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of Western Virginia.
11 March 1862: The Department of Western Virginia was discontinued and its territory was transferred to the Mountain Department.
Department of New England
1 October 1861-20 February 1862
Benjamin Franklin Butler 1 October 1861-20 February 1862
1 October 1861: The Department of New England was established, comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, detached from the Department of the East. Headquarters was in Boston, Massachusetts.
20 February 1862: The Department of New England was discontinued, and the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut reverted to local control.
Department of New York
26 October 1861-3 January 1863
Edward Denison Morgan 26 October 1861-31 December 1862
Vacant 1 January 1863-3 January 1863
26 October 1861: The Department of New York was established, with responsibility for the remaining territory of the discontinued Department of the East, with headquarters at Albany.
9 November 1861: The state of Michigan transferred from the former Department of the East to the Department of the Ohio.
1 February 1862: The state of New Jersey transferred from the Department of New York to the Department of the Potomac. The state of Pennsylvania was incorporated into the Department of the Potomac.
3 January 1863: The Department of New York was discontinued, and the state of New York was transferred to the Department of the East.
Department of New Mexico #2
9 November 1861-27 June 1865
Edward Richard Sprigg Canby 9 November 1861-25 August 1862, interim 26 August 1862-17 September 1862
James Henry Carleton 26 August 1862-27 June 1865
9 November 1861: The Department of New Mexico was re-established, comprising New Mexico Territory transferred from the Western Department. The Southern District of New Mexico transferred from the Western Department to the Department of New Mexico.
14 February 1862: Fort Garland in the Colorado Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of New Mexico.
16 April 1862: The Southern District of New Mexico was discontinued in the Department of New Mexico. The Central and Northern District of New Mexico was established in the Department of New Mexico, comprising the territory north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Central and Northern District of New Mexico was discontinued.
30 August 1862: The District of Arizona was established in the Department of New Mexico, comprising the Arizona Territory.
8 December 1864: The District of Arizona was discontinued.
27 June 1865: Fort Garland, Arkansas, transferred from the Department of New Mexico to the Department of the Missouri.
27 June 1865: The Department of New Mexico was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Department of California and the Department of the Missouri.
Department of Kansas #1
9 November 1861-19 March 1862
David Hunter 9 November 1861–18 March 1862, interim 18 March 1862-19 March 1862
9 November 1861: The Department of Kansas was established, with headquarters at Fort Leavenworth, comprising Kansas, Nebraska Territory, Colorado Territory, Dakota Territory, and the Indian Territory, taken from the Western Department.
14 February 1862: Fort Garland in the Colorado territory was transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of New Mexico.
19 March 1862: The Department of Kansas was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Kansas.
Department of the Missouri
9 November 1861-31 December 1865 and continuing
David Hunter 9 November 1861-9 November 1861, interim 10 November 1861-19 November 1861
Henry Wager Halleck 9 November 1861-23 September 1862
Samuel Ryan Curtis 24 September 1862-12 March 1863 interim to 23 March 1863
John McAllister Schofield 13 March 1863-22 January 1864 interim to 29 January 1864
William Starke Rosecrans 30 January 1864-1 December 1864 interim to 8 December 1864
Grenville Mellen Dodge 2 December 1864-27 June 1865, interim 27 June 1865-21 July 1865
John Pope 21 July 1865-31 December 1865
9 November 1861: The Department of the Missouri was established, comprising Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Arkansas taken from the Western Department and the Department of the East. Kentucky west of the Cumberland River transferred to the Department of the Missouri from the Department of the Cumberland. The District of North Missouri was discontinued. The District of Southeast Missouri transferred from the Western Department to the Department of the Missouri, comprising the vicinity of Cairo, Illinois, and Ironton, Jefferson City and Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The District of Western Kentucky transferred from the Western Department to the Department of the Missouri. The Southern District of New Mexico transferred from the Western Department to the Department of New Mexico.
21 November 1861: The District of St Louis was established in the Department of the Missouri.
26 November 1861: The District of North Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
3 December 1861: The District of Central Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri. The Army of Western Missouri was established in the District of Central Missouri.
23 December 1861: The District of Cairo was established in the Department of the Missouri. The District of Southwest Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri. The Army of the Southwest “Army of Southwest Missouri” was established in the District of Southwest Missouri.
31 January 1862: The District of Western Kentucky was discontinued.
6 February 1862: The region of Western Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Missouri.
14 February 1862: The District of West Tennessee was established in the Department of the Missouri.
23 February 1862: The Army of the Mississippi was officially announced for the proposed Department of the Mississippi (formally established on 1 March 1862). The District of the Mississippi was established in the Department of the Missouri.
27 February 1862: The Army of the Mississippi transferred to the District of the Mississippi.
12 March 1862: The District of Northeast Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri. The District of Northwest Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
1 April 1862: The Sub-District of Columbus was established in the District of Cairo.
2 May 1862: The District of Southeast Missouri transferred to the operational command of the District of Southwest Missouri.
11 May 1862: The District of Southeast Missouri was discontinued.
1 June 1862: The District of Central Missouri was discontinued, and incorporated into the District of Missouri. The District of Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
4 June 1862: The District of St Louis was discontinued, and incorporated into the District of Missouri. The District of Northeast Missouri was discontinued, and incorporated into the District of Missouri.
19 September 1862: The Department of the Missouri was reorganised to comprise Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and the Indian Territory. The Department of Kansas was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Missouri. Kansas and Indian Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. Alton, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Missouri. The District of St Louis was established in the Department of the Missouri. The Army of the Southwest transferred from the District of Southwest Missouri to the Department of the Missouri.
26 September 1862: The District of Missouri was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Central Missouri. The District of Central Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
27 September 1862: The District of Northeast Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri, from the District of Missouri.
1 October 1862: The Army of Southwestern Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
11 October 1862: The District of Colorado apart from Fort Garland transferred to the Department of the Missouri.
12 October 1862: The Army of Southwestern Missouri was discontinued, and incorporated into the Army of the Frontier. The Army of the Frontier was established in the Department of the Missouri, comprising the field forces of the former Army of Kansas and the Army of Southwestern Missouri.
2 November 1862: The District of Colorado was renamed the District of Colorado Territory. The District of Eastern Arkansas was established in the Department of the Missouri. The District of Nebraska Territory was established in the Department of the Missouri. The District of Rolla was established in the Department of the Missouri.
3 December 1862: The Army of Southeastern Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
12 December 1862: The Army of the Southwest was discontinued.
1 January 1863: The District of Colorado Territory was discontinued in the Department of the Missouri.
19 January 1863: Portions of Arkansas transferred temporarily from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of the Tennessee.
26 March 1863: The Army of Southeastern Missouri was discontinued.
30 March 1863: The District of Southwest Missouri was extended southwards to the Arkansas River. The District of St Louis was reduced in territory.
9 June 1863: The District of the Border was established in the Department of the Missouri. The District of the Frontier was established in the Department of the Missouri.
16 June 1863: The District of Southeast Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
6 July 1863: The District of Northwest Missouri was discontinued, and incorporated into the District of North Missouri. The District of North Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri.
15 July 1863: The counties of Vernon, Barton, Jasper, Newton, and McDonald transferred from the District of the Frontier to the District of Southwest Missouri.
25 July 1863: The Army of Arkansas was established in the Department of the Missouri.
7 August 1863: The Army of the Frontier was discontinued.
30 November 1863: The District of Southeast Missouri was discontinued, and its territory transferred to the District of St Louis. The District of Northern Arkansas (also known as the District of Northeastern Arkansas) was established in the Department of the Missouri.
1 January 1864: The District of Nebraska Territory transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Kansas.
6 January 1864: The District of Northern Arkansas transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Arkansas. The District of the Frontier transferred from the Department of the Missouri and was divided into two parts: the District of the Frontier Kansas in the Department of Kansas; and the District of the Frontier Arkansas in the Department of Arkansas.
7 February 1864: The District of Northeast Missouri was discontinued in the Department of the Missouri.
15 February 1864: Alton, Illinois, transferred from the Northern Department to the Department of the Missouri.
27 May 1864: The Department of the Missouri was subordinated to the Military Division of West Mississippi.
18 August 1864: The southern border of the District of Southwest Missouri was redefined as the Missouri-Arkansas state line.
26 December 1864: The northern border of the District of Southwest Missouri was re-defined as the Osage River.
30 January 1865: The Department of the Missouri transferred from the Military Division of West Mississippi to the Military Division of the Missouri. The District of Colorado Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of Nebraska Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of North Kansas transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of South Kansas transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of the Upper Arkansas transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri.
16 February 1865: Montana Territory and the part of Dakota Territory west of 100 degrees longitude transferred from the Department of the Northwest to the Department of the Missouri.
17 February 1865: The District of Utah transferred from the Department of the Pacific to the Department of the Missouri.
28 March 1865: The District of Utah was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the District of the Plains. The District of Colorado Territory was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the District of the Plains. The District of Nebraska Territory was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the District of the Plains.
22 April 1865: The District of South Kansas transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Arkansas. Fort Lyon, Colorado Territory, transferred from the District of the Plains to the District of the Upper Arkansas.
25 May 1865: The District of the Plains was discontinued.
27 May 1865: The District of North Kansas was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Military Division of the Mississippi was reorganised to consist of the Department of the Ohio, the Department of the Missouri, and the Department of Arkansas. The Department of the Missouri transferred to the Military Division of the Mississippi. Alton, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of the Ohio. Fort Garland, Arkansas, transferred from the Department of New Mexico to the Department of the Missouri. The Department of the Northwest was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Missouri. The District of Minnesota transferred from the Department of the Northwest to the Department of the Missouri. The Department of New Mexico was discontinued, and its territory divided between the Department of California and the Department of the Missouri.
1 July 1865: The District of North Missouri was discontinued.
10 July 1865: The District of Central Missouri was discontinued. The District of Rolla was discontinued. The District of Southwest Missouri was discontinued. The District of St Louis was discontinued. The District of the Upper Arkansas was discontinued. The District of Missouri was established in the Department of the Missouri. It consisted of the territories previously in the District of St Louis, the District of Central Missouri and the District of Rolla.
22 August 1865: The District of Missouri was discontinued.
30 October 1865: The state of Wisconsin transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of the Ohio.
Department of North Carolina #1
7 January 1862-15 July 1863
Ambrose Everett Burnside 7 January 1862-5 July 1862 interim to 9 July 1862
John Gray Foster 6 July 1862-28 March 1863
Innis Newton Palmer temporary 29 March 1863-15 April 1863
John Gray Foster 16 April 1863-15 July 1863
7 January 1862: The Department of North Carolina was established, comprising the parts of North Carolina occupied by Union forces, and territories detached from the Department of Virginia.
24 December 1862: XVIII Corps North Carolina was established in the Department of North Carolina, comprising forces from the expeditions to Roanoke Island and New Bern and the garrisons of New Bern, Plymouth, and Beaufort.
23 April 1863: The District of Albemarle was established in the Department of North Carolina, comprising the territories around Plymouth and Roanoke, North Carolina. The District of the Neuse was established in the Department of North Carolina, comprising the stations of the Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad outside New Bern, North Carolina. The District of the Pamlico was established in the Department of North Carolina, comprising Washington, North Carolina, Hatteras Inlet, and the surrounding areas.
27 April 1863:The District of the Neuse was discontinued. The District of Beaufort North Carolina was established in the Department of North Carolina by renaming the District of the Neuse. It included the region south of a line from Evan’s Mill due east to the Neuse River, except for Portsmouth, North Carolina. The District of the Pamlico was redefined to include Craven County north of the Neuse River except for Fort Anderson; and the counties of Pitt, Beaufort, and Hyde.
15 July 1863: The Department of North Carolina was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
Department of Key West, Florida
11 January 1862-15 March 1862
John Milton Brannan 11 January 1862-15 March 1862
11 January 1862: The Department of Key West was established, comprising Florida from Cape Canaveral along the coast to the Apalachicola River, and the Tortugas, transferred from the Department of Florida.
15 March 1862: The Department of Key West was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the South, later becoming the Southern District of the Department of the South.
Department of the Gulf
23 February 1862-27 June 1865
Benjamin Franklin Butler 23 February 1862-7 November 1862 interim 16 December 1862
Nathaniel Prentiss Banks 8 November 1862-21 September 1864, interim 22 September 1864
Stephen Augustus Hurlbut 22 September 1864-17 March 1865 interim to 21 April 1865
Nathaniel Prentiss Banks 22 April 1865-interim to 2 June 1865
Edward Richard Sprigg Canby 3 June 1865-27 June 1865
23 February 1862: The Department of the Gulf was established, with responsibility for the territory and forces west of the Mississippi River and in eastern Louisiana.
23 February 1862: The Army of the Gulf was established in the Department of the Gulf.
8 August 1862: The District of Pensacola was established in the Department of the Gulf, comprising Florida west of the Apalachicola River. The rest of Florida remained in the Department of the South.
8 November 1862: The Department of Texas was discontinued and the state of Texas was added to the Department of the Gulf.
9 November 1862: The District of La Fourche was established in the Department of the Gulf.
16 December 1862: The Defences of New Orleans was established in the Department of the Gulf.
16 March 1863: The District of Key West and Tortugas was established in the Department of the Gulf. The Tortugas and West Florida transferred from the Department of the South, and the remainder of Florida remained in the Department of the South.
9 July 1863: The District of Port Hudson was established in the Department of the Gulf.
8 October 1863: The District of Baton Rouge was established in the Department of the Gulf.
1 May 1864: The District of Carrollton was established in the Department of the Gulf.
7 May 1864: The Department of the Gulf transferred to the Military Division of West Mississippi.
17 May 1864: The District of West Florida transferred from the Department of the South to the Department of the Gulf.
22 May 1864: The District of Morganza was established in the Department of the Gulf.
6 August 1864: The District of Baton Rouge was discontinued, and re-designated as a Sub-District in the District of Baton Rouge and Port Hudson. The District of Port Hudson was discontinued, and re-designated as a Sub-District in the District of Baton Rouge and Port Hudson. The District of Baton Rouge and Port Hudson was established to comprise the territories of Baton Rouge, Plaquemine, Gaines Landing, Pass Manchac, De Sair, and Port Hudson, Louisiana.
12 September 1864: The District of West Florida was discontinued, and renamed as the Sub-District of West Florida. The Sub-District of West Florida was established in the District of West Florida and South Alabama. The District of West Florida and South Alabama was established in the Department of the Gulf, comprising the territories of Mobile Bay and Pensacola, Florida.
9 February 1865: The Northern District of Louisiana was established in the Department of the Gulf. Defences of New Orleans was discontinued.
10 February 1865: The District of Key West and Tortugas transferred from the Department of the Gulf and transferred directly to the Military Division of West Mississippi.
11 February 1865: The Southern District of Louisiana was established. The District of Carrollton transferred to the Southern District of Louisiana. The District of La Fourche transferred to the Southern District of Louisiana. The District of Morganza transferred to the Northern District of Louisiana.
13 February 1865: The Sub-District of Baton Rouge was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Baton Rouge and Port Hudson. The Sub-District of Port Hudson was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Baton Rouge and the District of Port Hudson. The District of Baton Rouge and Port Hudson was discontinued, and divided into the District of Baton Rouge and the District of Port Hudson. The District of Baton Rouge was established and transferred to the Northern District of Louisiana. The District of Port Hudson was established and transferred to the Northern District of Louisiana.
18 February 1865: The Army of the Gulf transferred to the Army of West Mississippi.
1 March 1865: The District of West Florida and South Alabama transferred from the Department of the Gulf to the direct control of the Military Division of West Mississippi.The Sub-District of West Florida transferred with the District of West Florida and South Alabama from the Department of the Gulf to the Military Division of West Mississippi.
17 March 1865: The District of West Florida and South Alabama was discontinued. Its territory transferred to the Department of the Gulf as the new District of West Florida and the District of South Alabama. The Sub-District of West Florida was discontinued, and its territory was assigned to the District of West Florida. The District of South Alabama was established in the Department of the Gulf. The District of West Florida was established in the Department of the Gulf.
27 March 1865: The District of Bonnet Carré was established in the Department of the Gulf. It comprised the territory between Bayou Manchac and Kennerville, Louisiana, west of New Orleans.
17 May 1865: The Military Division of the Southwest was established to comprise parts of the Department of Arkansas and the Department of the Gulf. The states of Louisiana and Texas were detached from the Department of the Gulf and assigned to the Military Division of the Southwest. The Military Division of West Mississippi was officially discontinued to be replaced by the Military Division of the Southwest. It remained in interim existence until finally disbanded officially on 1 June 1865. The Military Division of West Mississippi retained interim responsibility for the Army of West Mississippi and the Army of the Gulf. The Department of the Gulf was separated from the authority of the discontinued Military Division of West Mississippi and became temporarily autonomous with responsibility for Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The District of Alabama was established in the Department of the Gulf. The District of Mississippi was established in the Department of Gulf, comprising the state of Mississippi transferred from the Department of the Mississippi. The District of South Alabama was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the District of Alabama.
29 May 1865: The District of East Louisiana was established in the Department of the Gulf.
3 June 1865: The Army of the Gulf transferred from the Army of West Mississippi to the Department of the Gulf. The District of Florida transferred from the Department of the South to the Department of the Gulf. It comprised the state of Florida. The District of West Florida was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the District of Florida. The Sub-District of Mobile was established in the District of Alabama.
5 June 1865: The District of Vicksburg transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Gulf.
22 June 1865: The District of Vicksburg was discontinued.
24 June 1865: The District of Port Hudson was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Army of the Gulf was discontinued. The District of Florida was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the Department of Florida. The District of Bonnet Carré was discontinued. The District of Carrollton was discontinued. The District of La Fourche was discontinued. The District of Morganza was discontinued. The Northern District of Louisiana was discontinued. The Southern District of Louisiana was discontinued. The District of Baton Rouge transferred from the Department of the Gulf to the Department of Louisiana. The District of East Louisiana was discontinued. The District of Mississippi was discontinued. The District of Alabama was discontinued. The Sub-District of Mobile was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of Alabama. The Department of the Gulf was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Department of Louisiana, the Department of Mississippi, the Department of Alabama, the Department of Florida, and the Department of Texas.
Department of the Rappahannock, Virginia
4 April 1862-26 June 1862
Irvin McDowell 4 April 1862-26 June 1862
4 April 1862: The Department of the Rappahannock was established, comprising the portion of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge and west of the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad, Washington and the District of Columbia and the part of Maryland between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, transferred from the Department of the Potomac. I Corps Potomac was discontinued, and its forces were incorporated into the Department of the Rappahannock. The Military District of Washington transferred to the Department of the Rappahannock.
1 June 1862: The territory of Northeastern Virginia transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of the Rappahannock.
8 June 1862: The Piedmont region and the Bull Run Mountains of Virginia transferred from the Department of the Rappahannock to the Department of the Shenandoah.
26 June 1862: The Military District of Washington transferred from the Department of the Rappahannock and transferred to the War Department.
26 June 1862: The Department of the Rappahannock was discontinued.
Department of the Shenandoah #2
4 April 1862-26 June 1862
Nathaniel Prentiss Banks 4 April 1862-26 June 1862
4 April 1862: The Department of the Shenandoah was established, comprising Maryland west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and east of the Mountain Department namely, Flintstone Creek, south to Branch Mountain, Town Hill Mountain, Branch Big Ridge Mountain, North Shenandoah Mountain, Purgatory Mountain, and Allegheny Mountain. The parts of Maryland and Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and east of the Mountain Department transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of the Shenandoah. V Corps Potomac was discontinued, and its forces were incorporated into the Department of the Shenandoah.
8 June 1862: The parts of Virginia west of the road running from Williamsport to Martinsburg, Winchester, Strasburg, Harrisonville, Staunton, and then south to the Blue Ridge Mountains, transferred from the Department of the Shenandoah to the Mountain Department. The Piedmont region and the Bull Run Mountains of Virginia transferred from the Department of the Rappahannock to the Department of the Shenandoah.
26 June 1862: The Department of the Shenandoah was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Potomac.
Department of the Mississippi #1
11 March 1862-19 September 1862
Henry Wager Halleck 11 March 1862-19 September 1862
Ulysses Simpson Grant interim de facto 11 July 1862-22 July 1862, de facto 22 July 1862-19 September 1862
11 March 1862: The Department of the Mississippi was established from parts of the Department of Kansas, Department of the Ohio, and the Department of the Missouri Headquarters were established at St Louis, Missouri. The territory of Kansas, Nebraska Territory, Colorado Territory except Fort Garland in Dakota Territory, and the Indian Territory transferred to the Department of the Mississippi from the Department of Kansas. Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, western Kentucky, western Tennessee, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Iowa transferred to the Department of the Mississippi from the Department of the Missouri Western Michigan, Indiana, and western Ohio transferred to the Department of the Mississippi from the Department of Ohio.
19 March 1862: The District of Kansas was established in the Department of the Mississippi, comprising the discontinued Department of Kansas. The District of the Ohio was established in the Department of the Mississippi.
2 May 1862: The District of Kansas was discontinued. The Department of Kansas was re-established and detached from the Department of the Mississippi, comprising Kansas, Dakota Territory, Nebraska Territory, Indian Territory and Colorado Territory except for Fort Garland.
8 June 1862: The territories of Eastern Kentucky and eastern Tennessee transferred from the Mountain Department to the Department of the Mississippi.
26 June 1862: The Army of the Mississippi transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the District of the West Tennessee.
1 July 1862: The District of Corinth was established in the Department of the Mississippi.
16 July 1862: The District of the Ohio transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to report directly to the War Department.
19 August 1862: The District of Cairo was discontinued.
6 September 1862: The states of Minnesota and Iowa transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Northwest.
19 September 1862: The Army of West Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the District of West Tennessee. The Army of the Mississippi transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Missouri.
19 September 1862: The Department of the Mississippi was discontinued.
Mountain Department
11 March 1862-26 June 1862
William Starke Rosecrans interim 11 March 1862-29 March 1862
John Charles Frémont 11 March 1862-26 June 1862
11 March 1862: The Mountain Department was established. Its territory included the parts of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee west of a line running north-south through Knoxville, Tennessee; all of Maryland and Virginia west of the line from Flintstone Creek, Maryland, to South Branch Mountain, Town Hill Mountain, Branch Mountain Big Ridge, North Shenandoah Mountain, Purgatory Mountain, Blue Ridge Mountain and Allegheny Mountain to the border of North Carolina. This territory was taken from the Department of the Ohio and the Department of Western Virginia. The Department of Western Virginia was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the Mountain Department. The Railroad District transferred from the Department of Western Virginia to the Mountain Department. The Cheat Mountain District transferred from the Department of Western Virginia to the Mountain Department. The District of the Kanawha transferred from the Department of Western Virginia to the Mountain Department. The District of Cumberland was established in the Mountain Department. The District of the Gap was established in the Mountain Department. The District of the Valley of the Big Sandy River was established in the Mountain Department.
7 April 1862: The District of Cumberland was discontinued.
8 June 1862: The territories of Eastern Kentucky and eastern Tennessee transferred from the Mountain Department to the Department of the Mississippi. The parts of Virginia west of the road running from Williamsport to Martinsburg, Winchester, Strasburg, Harrisonville, Staunton, and then south to the Blue Ridge Mountains transferred from the Department of the Shenandoah to the Mountain Department. The District of the Valley of the Big Sandy River was discontinued.
26 June 1862: The District of the Gap was discontinued. The District of the Kanawha was discontinued. The Cheat Mountain District was discontinued. The Railroad District was discontinued. I Corps Virginia was established to include the field forces formerly in the Mountain Department.
26 June 1862: The Mountain Department was discontinued.
Department of the South
15 March 1862-27 June 1865
Thomas West Sherman interim 15 March 1862-30 March 1862
David Hunter 15 March 1862-4 September 1862
John Milton Brannan temporary 5 September 1862-16 September 1862
Ormsby McKnight Mitchel 17 September 1862-26 October 1862
John Milton Brannan temporary 27 October 1862-19 January 1863
David Hunter 20 January 1863-2 June 1863 interim to 11 June 1863
Quincy Adams Gillmore 3 June 1863-30 April 1864
John Porter Hatch 1 May 1864-4 May 1864 interim to 25 May 1864
John Gary Foster 5 May 1864-8 February 1865
Quincy Adams Gillmore 9 February 1865-27 June 1865
15 March 1862: The Department of the South was established with headquarters at Hilton Head, South Carolina, comprising the states of Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. The Department of Florida was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the South. The Department of Key West was discontinued, and incorporated into the Department of the South. The Western District was established in the Department of the South, comprising the territory in Florida west of a line due north of Cedar Keys.
31 March 1862: The Northern District was established in the Department of the South, comprising the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and the parts of Florida north of the line connecting Cape Canaveral to Cedar Keys and east of a north-south line from Cedar Keys to the border of Georgia. The Southern District was established in the Department of the South, comprising Florida south of a line connecting Cape Canaveral and Cedar Keys.
21 June 1862: The Northern District of the Department of the South was discontinued. The Southern District of the Department of the South was discontinued. The Western District of the Department of the South was discontinued.
8 August 1862: The District of Pensacola was established and its territory transferred to the Department of the Gulf, comprising Florida west of the Apalachicola River. The rest of Florida remained in the Department of the South.
3 September 1862: X Corps South was established in the Department of the South.
15 January 1863: The District of West Florida was established in the Department of the South, comprising the vicinity of Pensacola, Florida.
16 March 1863: The District of Key West and Tortugas was established in the Department of the Gulf. The Tortugas and West Florida transferred from the Department of the South and the remainder of Florida remained in the Department of the South.
13 January 1864: The Northern District of the South was established in the Department of the South. It comprised the territory from Charleston Harbour to Saint Helena Sound, South Carolina.
15 January 1863: The District of Hilton Head was established in the Department of the South. It comprised Hilton Head, Seabrook, and Saint Helena Islands in South Carolina, and Tybee Island and Fort Pulaski, Georgia.
1 February 1864: The District of Pensacola was discontinued in the Department of the Gulf and its territory was transferred to the District of West Florida in the Department of the South.
7 February 1864: The District of Florida was established in the Department of the South, comprising the territories of Florida occupied by Federal troops.
25 April 1864: The District of Beaufort South Carolina was established in the Department of the South, comprising the vicinity of Beaufort, South Carolina.
28 April 1864: X Corps South transferred from the Department of the South to the Army of the James.
17 May 1864: The District of West Florida transferred from the Department of the South to the Department of the Gulf.
18 January 1865: The state of North Carolina transferred temporarily from the discontinued Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of the South, pending the re-establishment of the Department of North Carolina on 31 January 1865.
18 January 1865: The District of Savannah was established in the Department of the South. It comprised the occupation forces in Savannah, Georgia.
31 January 1865: The state of North Carolina was removed from the temporary authority of the Department of the South.
13 May 1865: The District of Beaufort South Carolina was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Port Royal. The District of Hilton Head was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Port Royal. The District of Port Royal was established in the Department of the South. It comprised the territories formerly in the District of Beaufort and the District of Hilton Head.
17 May 1865: The parts of Florida in the Department of the South transferred to the Department of the Gulf.
3 June 1865: The District of Florida transferred from the Department of the South to the Department of the Gulf. It comprised the state of Florida.
5 June 1865: The District of Northern Georgia was established in the Department of the South. It comprised the territory around Augusta and along the upper Savannah River. The District of Southern Georgia was established in the Department of the South. It comprised the state of Georgia south of the northern boundaries of Liberty, Tattnall, Montgomery, Laurens, Pulaski, Dooly, Sumter, Webster, and Stewart counties. The District of Savannah was extended to include the counties of Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, Bulloch,
23 June 1865: The District of Charleston was established in the Department of the South. It comprised Charleston, Colleton, Orangeburg, Lexington, Barnwell, and Richland districts counties of South Carolina. Emanuel, and Screven in Georgia. The District of Eastern South Carolina was established in the Department of the South. It consisted of Horry, Georgetown, Marion, Williamsburg, Marlboro, Darlington, Sumter, Kershaw, and Chesterfield districts counties. The District of Western South Carolina was established in the Department of the South. It consisted of Lancaster, Fairfield, Chester, York, Union, Newberry, Edgefield, Abbeville, Laurens, Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, and Pickens districts counties.
27 June 1865: The Northern District of the Department of the South was discontinued. The District of Charleston was discontinued. The District of Eastern South Carolina was discontinued. The District of Western South Carolina was discontinued. The District of Port Royal was discontinued. The District of Savannah was discontinued. The District of Southern Georgia was discontinued. The District of Northern Georgia was discontinued. The Department of the South was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Department of Georgia and the Department of South Carolina.
Middle Department
22 March 1862-31 December 1865 and continuing
John Adams Dix 22 March 1862-1 June 1862 interim 9 June 1862
John Ellis Wool 1 June 1862-17 December 1862 interim 22 December 1862
Robert Cumming Schenck 17 December 1862-12 March 1863
William Walton Morris temporary 12 March 1863-20 March 1863
Robert Cumming Schenck 20 March 1863-10 August 1863
William Walton Morris temporary 10 August 1863-31 August 1863
Robert Cumming Schenck 31 August 1863-22 September 1863
William Walton temporary 22 September 1863-28 September 1863
Erastus Barnard Tyler temporary 28 September 1863-10 October 1863
Robert Cumming Schenck 10 October 1863-21 November 1863 interim 5 December 1863
Henry Hayes Lockwood 21 November 1863-12 March 1864 interim 22 March 1864
Lewis Wallace 12 March 1864-1 February 1865
William Walton Morris temporary 1 February 1865-19 April 1865
Lewis Wallace 19 April 1865-27 June 1865 interim 27 June 1865-18 July 1865
Winfield Scott Hancock 27 June 1865-18 August 1865
Andrew Atkinson Humphreys temporary 18 August 1865-23 October 1865, 23 October 1865-13 November 1865
Winfield Scott Hancock 13 November 1865-21 December 1865
Emory Upton temporary 21 December 1865-29 December 1865
Winfield Scott Hancock 29 December 1865-31 December 1865
22 March 1862: The Middle Department was established, comprising New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, the Eastern Shores of Virginia and Maryland, and Cecil, Harford, Baltimore, and Anne Arundel counties in Maryland. transferred from the Department of the Potomac. The District of the Eastern Shore of Maryland was established in the Middle Department.
12 July 1862: VIII Corps Middle was organised in the Middle Department.
6 February 1863: The state of New Jersey transferred from the Middle Department to the Department of the East.
16 March 1863: The District of Western Virginia was discontinued, and the territory of Western Virginia transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Middle Department.
9 June 1863: Pennsylvania west of Johnstown and the Laurel Hill mountains, the counties of Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio in the West Virginia “panhandle”, and the Ohio counties of Columbiana, Jefferson, and Belmont, transferred from the Middle Department and the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Monongahela. The parts of Pennsylvania east of Johnstown and the Laurel Hill Mountains transferred from the Middle Department to the Department of the Susquehanna. Gallipolis, Ohio, transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Middle Department.
3 July 1863: The District of Delaware was established in the Middle Department, comprising the state of Delaware.
3 August 1863: The territory of Maryland west of the Monocacy River and the territory around Harper’s Ferry transferred from the Middle Department and the Department of the Potomac to the Department of West Virginia.
21 December 1863: Northampton and Accomac counties of Virginia transferred from the Middle Department to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
7 August 1864: The Middle Department was subordinated to the Middle Military Division.
24 March 1865: The District of Delaware and the Eastern Shore was established in the Middle Department. The District of Delaware was discontinued, and incorporated into the District of Delaware and the Eastern Shore. The District of the Eastern Shore of Maryland was discontinued, and incorporated into the District of Delaware and the Eastern Shore.
1 April 1865: The District of Annapolis was established in the Middle Department.
17 May 1865: VIII Corps Middle transferred from the Middle Department to the the Middle Military Division.
27 June 1865: The Department of Pennsylvania was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Middle Department and the Department of the Ohio. The Department of the Potomac was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Middle Department. The Middle Department transferred from the Middle Military Division to the Military Division of the Atlantic. The District of Columbia, Montgomery County, that part of Anne Arundel County south of the Annapolis & Elkridge Railroad including Annapolis and Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles, and St Mary’s counties in Maryland, and Alexandria, and Fairfax counties in Virginia were transferred from the Department of the Potomac and the Department of Washington to the Middle Department. The Department of West Virginia was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Middle Department and the Department of the Ohio.
19 July 1865: The District of Annapolis was discontinued.
27 July 1865: Fort Delaware transferred from the War Department to the Middle Department.
1 August 1865: The District of Delaware and the Eastern Shore was discontinued.
Department of Kansas #2
2 May 1862-19 September 1862
James Gilpatrick Blunt 2 May 1862-19 September 1862
2 May 1862: The Department of Kansas was re-established from the former District of Kansas, comprising Kansas, Dakota Territory, Nebraska Territory, Indian Territory, and Colorado Territory except for Fort Garland.
16 August 1862: The Army of Kansas was established in the Department of Kansas.
6 September 1862: . The Dakota Territory and Nebraska Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Northwest.
19 September 1862: Kansas and Indian Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The Army of Kansas was discontinued. The District of Colorado was established as an independent command reporting to the War Department, comprising the territory of the Colorado Territory taken from the discontinued Department of Kansas. The Department of Kansas was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Missouri.
Department of the Ohio #2
19 August 1862-17 January 1865
Horatio Gouverneur Wright 19 August 1862-25 March 1863
Ambrose Everett Burnside 25 March 1863-9 December 1863
John Gray Foster 9 December 1863-26 January 1864 interim 9 February 1864
John McAllister Schofield 26 January 1864-8 November 1864 interim 17 November 1864
George Stoneman temporary 17 November 1864-17 January 1865
19 August 1862: The Department of the Ohio was established, comprising Illinois, Indiana, western Ohio, western Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri and Tennessee and Kentucky east of the Tennessee River, including the Cumberland Gap in Tennessee. Headquarters were at Cincinnati. These territories were detached from the Department of the Mississippi, the Department of the Potomac, and the Mountain Department. The Army of the Ohio transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Ohio.
24 August 1862: The District of Louisville was established in the Department of the Ohio, comprising the territory round Louisville, Kentucky.
25 August 1862: The Army of Kentucky was established in the Department of the Ohio.
30 August 1862: The Army of Kentucky was discontinued and incorporated into the Army of the Ohio.
6 September 1862: The state of Wisconsin transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Northwest.
19 September 1862: Alton, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Missouri.
19 September 1862: Western Virginia transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of the Ohio. The Sub-District of the Kanawha was established in the Department of the Ohio.
24 September 1862: The Cheat Mountain District was established in the Department of the Ohio, comprising the vicinity of Cheat Mountain, Virginia.
28 September 1862: The District of Western Virginia was established in the Department of the Ohio, comprising western Virginia and the counties in Ohio adjacent to Virginia.
16 October 1862: Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Tennessee.
24 October 1862: Tennessee east of the Tennessee River excluding Fort Henry and Fort Donelson and the territory around Cumberland Gap transferred from the Department the Ohio to the Department of the Cumberland. The portions of Alabama and Georgia under the control of the Army of the Ohio transferred to the Department of the Cumberland. The Army of the Ohio was discontinued, and its forces transferred to the Army of the Cumberland. The District of the Ohio was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Cumberland.
13 November 1862: The Cheat Mountain District in the Department of the Ohio was discontinued.
17 November 1862: The District of Central Kentucky was established in the Department of the Ohio. The District of Eastern Kentucky was established in the Department of the Ohio. The District of Louisville was discontinued, and its territory incorporated into the District of Western Kentucky. The District of Western Kentucky was established in the Department of the Ohio. The Army of Kentucky was established in the Department of the Ohio.
16 March 1863: The District of Western Virginia was discontinued, and the territory of Western Virginia transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Middle Department. The Sub-District of the Kanawha was discontinued.
17 March 1863: IX Corps Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of the Ohio.
23 March 1863: The District of Indiana was established in the Department of the Ohio.
6 April 1863: The District of Ohio was established in the Department of the Ohio.
7 April 1863: The District of Illinois was established in the Department of the Ohio.
11 April 1863: The Army of the Ohio was established in the Department of the Ohio. IX Corps Ohio transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Army of the Ohio.
22 May 1863: The District of Kentucky was established in the Department of the Ohio.
3 June 1863: Columbiana, Jefferson and Belmont counties, Ohio, transferred from the District of Ohio to the Department of the Monongahela. Gallipolis, Ohio, transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Middle Department.
5 June 1863: The District of Indiana was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Indiana and Michigan. The District of Indiana and Michigan was established in the Department of the Ohio.
9 June 1863: Columbiana, Jefferson and Belmont counties, Ohio, transferred from the District of Ohio in the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Monongahela. Gallipolis, Ohio, transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Middle Department.
24 June 1863: The Ohio counties south of Belmont and neighbouring western Virginia transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of West Virginia.
4 July 1863: The District of Central Kentucky was discontinued.
11 September 1863: The District of Indiana and Michigan was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Indiana. The District of Indiana was established in the Department of the Ohio.
16 October 1863: The Department of the Ohio was subordinated to the Military Division of the Mississippi.
16 November 1863: The territory in eastern Tennessee which was occupied by troops of the Army of the Ohio transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Department of the Ohio. The District of Illinois was discontinued. The District of Indiana was discontinued. The District of Ohio was discontinued.
21 November 1863: The District of the Clinch was established in the Department of the Ohio.
16 December 1863: The District of Middle Tennessee was established in the Department of the Ohio.
12 January 1864: The states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Northern Department.
8 February 1864: Jeffersonville, Indiana, transferred from the Northern Department to the Department of the Ohio.
14 February 1864: The District of Middle Tennessee was discontinued.
4 April 1864: The District of the Clinch was discontinued.
10 April 1864: The District of East Tennessee was established in the Department of the Ohio. The District of Nashville was discontinued, and its territory transferred to the District of Tennessee in the Department of the Cumberland.
25 June 1864: Covington, Kentucky, and the territory surrounding within ten miles transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Northern Department.
10 August 1864: The portion of Kentucky west of the Tennessee River transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Ohio.
17 January 1865: The District of East Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Cumberland. The District of Kentucky transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Cumberland. The Department of the Ohio was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Cumberland.
Department of the Northwest
6 September 1862-27 June 1865
John Pope 6 September 1862-27 November 1862
Washington Lafayette Elliott temporary 28 September 1862-12 February 1863 interim to 27 February 1863
John Pope 13 February 1863-19 February 1865
Samuel Ryan Curtis 30 January 1865-27 June 1865
6 September 1862: The Department of the Northwest was established, comprising the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, and Nebraska Territory, and Dakota Territory. Headquarters were at Madison, and later at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The states of Minnesota and Iowa were detached from the Department of the Mississippi. Wisconsin was taken from the Department of the Ohio. Dakota Territory and Nebraska Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Northwest.
16 September 1862: The District of Wisconsin was established in the Department of the Northwest, comprising the state of Wisconsin.
17 November 1862: The Department of the Northwest was divided into the First District, Second District, Third District, and Fourth District. The First District of the Department of the Northwest was established. It comprised Iowa and the Dakota Territory. The Second District of the Department of the Northwest was established. It comprised the vicinity of Fort Snelling, Minnesota. The Third District of the Department of the Northwest was established. It comprised the vicinity of Fort Ripley, Minnesota. The Fourth District of the Department of the Northwest was established. It comprised the vicinity of Fort Abercrombie, Minnesota.
23 November 1862: The Second District of the Department of the Northwest was discontinued, and renamed the District of Minnesota. The District of Minnesota was established in the Department of the Northwest, from Second District, Third District and Fourth District of the Department of the Northwest, including Fort Snelling, Fort Ridgely, and Fort Abercrombie. The Third District of the Department of the Northwest was discontinued. The Fourth District of the Department of the Northwest was discontinued.
1 June 1863: The District of Dakota was established in the Department of the Northwest, comprising the Dakota Territory. The First District of the Department of the Northwest was discontinued.
8 June 1863: The District of Iowa was established in the Department of the Northwest, comprising the state of Iowa.
4 December 1863: The District of Dakota was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the District of Iowa.
26 May 1864: Montana Territory was attached to the Department of the Northwest.
12 November 1864: The District of Iowa was discontinued.
30 January 1865: The Military Division of the Missouri was established. It included the Department of the Northwest and the Department of the Missouri. The Department of the Northwest was subordinated to the Military Division of the Missouri.
16 February 1865: Montana Territory and the part of Dakota Territory west of 100 degrees longitude transferred from the Department of the Northwest to the Department of the Missouri.
27 June 1865: The District of Wisconsin was discontinued. The District of Minnesota transferred from the Department of the Northwest to the Department of the Missouri. The Department of the Northwest was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Missouri.
Department of the Tennessee
16 October 1862-28 November 1864
Ulysses Simpson Grant 16 October 1862-16 October 1863, interim 16 October 1863-26 October 1863
William Tecumseh Sherman 16 October 1863-11 March 1864 interim 26 March 1864
Joseph Birdseye McPherson 11 March 1864-2 July 1864
John Alexander Logan temporary 2 July 1864-27 July 1864 interim 30 July 1864
Oliver Otis Howard 27 July 1864-28 November 1864
16 October 1862: The Department of the Tennessee was established, comprising the territory around Cairo, Illinois, Forts Henry and Donelson, northern Mississippi, and parts of Kentucky and Tennessee west of the Tennessee River. Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Tennessee. The District of West Tennessee was discontinued, and its territory incorporated into the Department of the Tennessee. The District of Corinth transferred from the District of West Tennessee to the Department of the Tennessee. The District of Jackson was established in the Department of the Tennessee. The Army of West Tennessee was discontinued, and incorporated into the Army of the Tennessee. The Army of the Tennessee was established in the Department of the Tennessee. The Army of the Mississippi transferred from the District of West Tennessee to the Army of the Tennessee.
24 October 1862: The Army of the Mississippi was discontinued, and incorporated into XIII Corps Tennessee.~26 October 1862: The District of Memphis was established in the Department of the Tennessee.
30 October 1862: The District of Columbus was established in the Department of the Tennessee.
4 January 1863: The “Army of the Mississippi” was established unofficially to operate autonomously in the Department of the Tennessee.
12 January 1863: The unofficial “Army of the Mississippi” was discontinued, and its forces transferred to the Army of the Tennessee.
15 January 1863: The District of West Tennessee was established in the Department of the Tennessee. The District of Columbus was discontinued, and its territory incorporated into the District of West Tennessee. The District of Corinth was discontinued, and its territory incorporated into the District of West Tennessee. The District of Memphis was discontinued, and its territory transferred to the District of West Tennessee.
19 January 1863: Portions of Arkansas transferred temporarily from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of the Tennessee.
14 February 1863: The District of Eastern Arkansas transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of the Tennessee.
11 May 1863: The District of Northeast Louisiana was established in the Department of the Tennessee.
28 May 1863: The District of Jackson was discontinued.
5 June 1863: IX Corps Ohio transferred from the Army of the Ohio to the Department of the Tennessee.
25 August 1863: IX Corps Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Army of the Ohio.
16 October 1863: The Department of the Tennessee was subordinated to the Military Division of the Mississippi.
24 November 1863: Fort Henry and Fort Donelson transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Cumberland.
6 January 1864: The District of Eastern Arkansas transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of Arkansas.
12 January 1864: Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Northern Department.
25 January 1864: Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Northern Department to the District of Cairo in the Department of the Tennessee. The District of Cairo was established in the Department of the Tennessee, comprising the vicinity of Cairo, Illinois.
7 February 1864: The District of Northeast Louisiana was discontinued in the Department of the Tennessee.
20 April 1864: The District of Vicksburg was established in the Department of the Tennessee.
10 August 1864: The portion of Kentucky west of the Tennessee River transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Ohio.
11 September 1864: The District of Western Kentucky was discontinued.
24 November 1864: The Department of the Tennessee was nominally discontinued, and its territory transferred to the Military Division of the Mississippi. The Department was effectively discontinued from 28 November 1864 when its constituent territorial commands transferred to a new Department of the Mississippi.
24 November 1864: Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Northern Department. Fort Henry and Fort Donelson transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Cumberland. The Army of the Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Military Division of the Mississippi. The District of Vicksburg transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Mississippi. The District of West Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Mississippi. The Department of the Tennessee was formally discontinued.
Department of the Cumberland #2
24 October 1862-27 June 1865
William Starke Rosecrans 24 October 1862-17 October 1863 interim 20 October 1863
George Henry Thomas 17 October 1863-27 June 1865
24 October 1862: The Department of the Cumberland was re-established, comprising Tennessee east of the Tennessee River excluding Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, and the territory around Cumberland Gap formerly in the District of the Ohio. The portions of Alabama and Georgia were also added to its territory as they came under military control. The Army of the Cumberland was established in the Department of the Cumberland.
25 September 1863: Hooker’s Command Cumberland was established in the Department of the Cumberland, comprising XI Corps Cumberland and XII Corps Cumberland.
16 October 1863: The Department of the Cumberland was subordinated to the Military Division of the Mississippi.
10 November 1863: The District of Nashville was established in the Department of the Cumberland.
16 November 1863: The territory in eastern Tennessee which was occupied by troops of the Army of the Ohio transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Department of the Ohio.
24 November 1863: Fort Henry and Fort Donelson transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Cumberland.
14 April 1864: Hooker’s Command Cumberland was discontinued, and its components were the reorganised as XX Corps Cumberland.
30 May 1864: The District of Nashville was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Tennessee. The District of Tennessee was established in the Department of the Cumberland.
2 June 1864: The District of Northern Alabama was established in the Department of the Cumberland.
15 June 1864: The District of Etowah was established in the Department of the Cumberland.
17 January 1865: The Department of the Ohio was discontinued, and its territory transferred to the Department of the Cumberland. The District of East Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Cumberland. The District of Kentucky transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Cumberland. The territories of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi controlled by the Army of the Cumberland transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Cumberland.
10 February 1865: The District of Kentucky was discontinued, and its territory incorporated into the Department of Kentucky. The District of West Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Cumberland.
28 February 1865: The District of Tennessee was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Middle Tennessee. The District of Middle Tennessee was established in the Department of the Cumberland.
17 March 1865: The District of East Tennessee was discontinued.
17 May 1865: The parts of Mississippi and Alabama previously occupied by the Army of the Cumberland and temporarily controlled by the Department of the Cumberland transferred to the Department of the Gulf.
25 May 1865: The District of West Tennessee was discontinued.
20 June 1865: The District of Etowah was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Army of the Cumberland transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Military Division of the Mississippi. The District of Northern Alabama transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Department of Alabama. The District of Middle Tennessee was discontinued. The Department of the Cumberland was discontinued.
Department of the East #2
3 January 1863-31 December 1865 and continuing
Vacant 3 January 1863-11 January 1863
John Ellis Wool 12 January 1863-17 July 1863
John Adams Dix 18 July 1863-9 April 1865
John James Peck temporary 10 April 1865-18 April 1865
John Adams Dix 19 April 1865-15 July 1865
Joseph Hooker 15 July 1865-31 December 1865
3 January 1863: The Department of the East was re-established comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut transferred from local control, and New York taken from the discontinued Department of New York.
6 February 1863: The state of New Jersey transferred from the Middle Department to the Department of the East.
14 September 1864: The District of Northern New York was established in the Department of the East, comprising Albany, Sacket’s Harbor, Ogdensburg and Champlain, New York.
27 June 1865: The District of Northern New York was discontinued. The Department of the East transferred to the Military Division of the Atlantic.
14 September 1865: The District of Western New York was re-established in the Department of the East. It comprised Elmira, Rochester, Fort Ontario, Fort Niagara, and Fort Porter counties in New York.
Department of Washington, District of Columbia #2
2 February 1863-31 December 1865 and continuing
Samuel Peter Heintzelman 2 February 1862-13 October 1863
Christopher Columbus Augur 13 October 1863-7 June 1865
John Grubb Parke temporary 7 June 1865-26 June 1865
Christopher Columbus Augur 26 June 1865-31 December 1865
2 February 1863: The Department of Washington was established, comprising the country north of the Potomac River in Maryland from Piscataway Creek to Annapolis Junction, to the mouth of the Monocacy River and south by Goose Creek and the mouth of the Bull Run Mountains to the mouth of the Occoquan Creek, transferred from the Military District of Washington and the Department of the Potomac. XXII Corps Washington was established in the Department of Washington. The District of Alexandria was established in the Department of Washington. The District of Washington was established in the Department of Washington.
21 June 1864: St Mary’s county, Maryland, transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Washington.
21 June 1864: The part of Maryland between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers transferred from the Department of the Potomac to the Department of Washington.
7 July 1864: The District of St Mary’s transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Washington. It comprised the county of St Mary’s in Maryland and the Point Lookout prison camp.
7 August 1864: The Department of Washington was subordinated to the Middle Military Division.
24 April 1865: IX Corps Potomac transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the Department of Washington.
26 April 1865: The District of Patuxent was established in the Department of Washington. The District of the Northern Neck was established in the Department of Washington. The District of Washington was reorganised to include the part of the Department of Washington north of the Potomac River except the city of Washington and the territory between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers south of the Piscataway River.
18 May 1865: The District of the Northern Neck was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of Washington. The District of Patuxent was discontinued.
26 June 1865: XXII Corps Washington was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Department of Washington transferred from the Middle Military Division to the Military Division of the Atlantic. It was redefined to comprise the District of Columbia, Montgomery county, that part of Anne Arundel county south of the Annapolis & Elkridge Railroad including Annapolis and Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles, and St Mary’s counties in Maryland, and Alexandria and Fairfax counties in Virginia. These territories were taken from the Middle Department, the Department of the Potomac, and the Department of Washington. The District of Alexandria was discontinued. IX Corps Washington was discontinued.
2 August 1865: The District of Washington was discontinued.
Department of the Monongahela
9 June 1863-6 April 1864
Thomas Algeo Rowley 27 June 1864-7 August 1864
William Thomas Harbaugh Brooks 9 June 1863-6 April 1864
9 June 1863: The Department of the Monongahela was established, with headquarters at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, comprising Pennsylvania west of Johnstown and the Laurel Hill mountains, the counties of Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio in the West Virginia “panhandle”, and the Ohio counties of Columbiana, Jefferson, and Belmont. These territories transferred from the Middle Department and the Department of the Ohio. Columbiana, Jefferson, and Belmont counties, Ohio, transferred from the District of Ohio in the Department of the Ohio to the Department of the Monongahela.
12 October 1863: Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio counties in West Virginia transferred from the Department of the Monongahela to the Department of West Virginia. The counties of Columbiana, Belmont, and Jefferson in Ohio transferred from the Department of the Monongahela to the Department of West Virginia.
6 April 1864: The Department of the Monongahela was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Susquehanna.
Department of the Susquehanna
9 June 1863-1 December 1864
Darius Nash Couch 9 June 1863-1 December 1864
9 June 1863: The Department of the Susquehanna was established with headquarters at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The territory of authority comprised Pennsylvania east of Johnstown and the Laurel Hill Mountains transferred from the Middle Department.
20 August 1863: Lehigh District was established in the Department of the Susquehanna, comprising the counties of Berks, Lehigh, Schuylkill, Northampton, Carbon, Monroe, Luzerne, and Columbia counties in Pennsylvania.
6 April 1864: The Department of the Monongahela was discontinued, and its territory was allocated to the Department of the Susquehanna.
27 June 1864: The District of the Monongahela was established in the Department of the Susquehanna, comprising the state of Pennsylvania west of Laurel Hill and Columbiana, Belmont, and Jefferson counties in Ohio.31 July 1864: The District of Brandywine was established in the Department of the Susquehanna, comprising the territory between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Susquehanna River and Dauphine, Lancaster, Chester, Delaware, Bucks, Philadelphia, and Montgomery counties of Pennsylvania.
7 August 1864: The Department of the Susquehanna was subordinated to the Middle Military Division.
18 August 1864: The District of Brandywine was discontinued.
6 September 1864: Juniata District was established in the Department of the Susquehanna, comprising the line of the Williamsport & Elmira Railroad, along the Susquehanna River to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Maryland State Line; Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, and York counties and the Laurel Hill mountains extending north to Johnstown.
1 December 1864: The District of the Monongahela transferred from the Department of the Susquehanna to the Department of Pennsylvania. The Juniata District transferred from the Department of the Susquehanna to the Department of Pennsylvania. Lehigh District was discontinued. The Department of the Susquehanna was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the Department of Pennsylvania.
Department of West Virginia
24 June 1863-27 June 1865
Benjamin Franklin Kelley 24 June 1863-29 February 1864 interim 10 March 1864
Franz Sigel 29 February 1864-19 May 1864 interim 24 May 1864
David Hunter 19 May 1864-25 July 1864 interim 7 August 1864-8 August 1864
Julius Stahel interim 8 August 1864-9 August 1864
George Crook 25 July 1864-7 August 1864, temporary 7 August 1864-1 September 1864, 1 September 1864-21 February 1865
John Dunlap Stevenson temporary 21 February 1865-26 February 1865 interim 27 February 1865
Samuel Sprigg Carroll interim 27 February 1865-28 February 1865
Winfield Scott Hancock 26 February 1865-28 February 1865 interim 1 March 1865
Samuel Sprigg Carroll temporary 28 February 1865-7 March 1865
Winfield Scott Hancock 7 March 1865-19 March 1865
George Crook temporary 19 March 1865-22 March 1865
Winfield Scott Hancock 22 March 1865-22 April 1865 interim 24 April 1865
William Hemsley Emory temporary 24 April 1865-27 June 1865
24 June 1863: The Department of West Virginia was established, comprising western Virginia south of Ohio County and west of Hancock, Maryland, including the adjacent counties in Ohio. The Ohio counties south of Belmont and neighbouring western Virginia transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Department of West Virginia.
2 July 1863: The Army of the Kanawha was established in the Department of West Virginia.
3 August 1863: The territory of Maryland west of the Monocacy River and the territory around Harper’s Ferry transferred from the Middle Department and the Department of the Potomac to the Department of West Virginia.
12 October 1863: Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio counties in West Virginia transferred from the Department of the Monongahela to the Department of West Virginia. The counties of Columbiana, Belmont, and Jefferson in Ohio transferred from the Department of the Monongahela to the Department of West Virginia. Alton, Illinois. The counties of Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio in West Virginia transferred from the Department of West Virginia to the Northern Department.
20 May 1864: The District of Harper’s Ferry was established in the Department of West Virginia, comprising the line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from Monocacy to Hancock, Maryland.
21 May 1864: The Army of the Shenandoah was established in the Department of West Virginia.
3 July 1864: The Army of the Shenandoah was discontinued, and parts were incorporated into the Army of the Kanawha.
7 August 1864: The Department of West Virginia transferred to the Middle Military Division.
8 August 1864: The Army of the Kanawha was discontinued, and its forces were transferred to the Army of West Virginia. The Army of West Virginia was established in the Department of West Virginia.
19 December 1864: The Army of West Virginia was discontinued.
25 February 1865: The District of Harper’s Ferry was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Department of West Virginia was discontinued, and its territory was divided between the Middle Department and the Department of the Ohio.
Department of Virginia and North Carolina
15 July 1863-18 January 1865
John Gray Foster 15 July 1863-28 August 1863
Benjamin Franklin Butler 28 August 1863-26 July 1864
Edward Otho Cresap Ord temporary 27 July 1864-26 August 1864, 27 August 1864-4 September
1864
David Bell Birney temporary 5 September 1864-September 1864
Benjamin Franklin Butler 7 September 1864-13 December 1864
Edward Otho Cresap Ord temporary 14 December 1864-23 December 1864
Benjamin Franklin Butler 24 December 1864-18 January 1865
15 July 1863: The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was established with headquarters at Fortress Monroe, comprising the territories formerly under the authority of Department of North Carolina and the Department of Virginia. The Department of North Carolina was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. The Department of Virginia was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. The District of Albemarle transferred from the Department of North Carolina to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. The District of Beaufort North Carolina transferred from the Department of North Carolina to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. The District of the Pamlico transferred from the Department of North Carolina to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. IV Corps Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. VII Corps Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
18 July 1863: The District of Yorktown was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, comprising the vicinity of Yorktown, Virginia.
21 July 1863: The Defences of New Bern was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, comprising the vicinity of New Bern, North Carolina.
14 August 1863: The District of North Carolina was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, comprising the former District of Albemarle, District of the Pamlico, District of Beaufort, and the Defences of New Bern, each of which became a Sub-District of the District of North Carolina. The Sub-District of the Pamlico was established in the District of North Carolina. The Defences of New Bern transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the District of North Carolina. The District of Albemarle was renamed the Sub-District of Albemarle in the District of North Carolina. The District of Beaufort North Carolina was renamed the Sub-District of Beaufort North Carolina in the District of North Carolina.
16 August 1863: The Army of North Carolina was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
21 August 1863: The District of Virginia was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, comprising the territory around Fort Monroe, Camp Hamilton, Newport News, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, and Norfolk. The District of Yorktown was renamed the Sub-District of Yorktown in the District of Virginia.
23 September 1863: The Sub-District of Yorktown was discontinued and renamed the District of Yorktown in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
11 December 1863: The District of Currituck was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, comprising Pungo, Currituck Court House, Coinjack, and Northwest Landing, on the border of Virginia and North Carolina.
21 December 1863: Northampton and Accomac counties of Virginia transferred from the Middle Department to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
25 April 1864: The Army of North Carolina was discontinued, and its field forces transferred to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
28 April 1864: The Army of the James was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
17 May 1864: The District of Yorktown was discontinued.
27 May 1864: The District of Eastern Virginia was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
21 June 1864: St Mary’s county, Maryland, transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Washington.
7 July 1864: The District of St Mary’s transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Washington. It comprised the county of St Mary’s in Maryland and the Point Lookout prison camp.
21 October 1864: The District of North Carolina was discontinued. The Sub-District of New Bern transferred from the District of North Carolina to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina. The Sub-District of Beaufort North Carolina transferred from the District of North Carolina to the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
6 January 1865: Terry’s Provisional Corps was established in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, comprising X Corps Virginia and North Carolina.
18 January 1865: The District of Currituck was discontinued. The District of Eastern Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of Beaufort North Carolina transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia. The state of North Carolina transferred temporarily from the discontinued Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of the South, pending the re-establishment of the Department of North Carolina on 31 January 1865. The Sub-District of New Bern transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia. The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was discontinued, and the territory within 60 miles of Fort Monroe, Northampton, and Accomac counties, Virginia south of the Rappahannock River and east of the Fredericksburg-Richmond-Petersburg-Weldon Railroad transferred to the Department of Virginia.
Department of Kansas #3
1 January 1864-30 January 1865
Samuel Ryan Curtis 1 January 1864-19 April 1864
George Sykes 20 April 1864-30 January 1865
1 January 1864: The Department of Kansas was established, comprising Kansas, Nebraska Territory, Colorado Territory except for Fort Garland, Indian Territory, and Fort Smith in Arkansas, transferred from the Department of the Missouri. The District of Nebraska Territory transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Kansas. It included the Nebraska Territory and Julesburg, Colorado Territory.
16 January 1864.The District of the Border transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Kansas.
6 January 1864: The District of the Frontier Kansas was established after the transfer of part of the District of the Frontier from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Kansas. It comprised Fort Smith and the Indian Territory.
23 February 1864: The District of the Frontier Kansas was discontinued, and incorporated into the District of the Frontier in the Department of Arkansas.
28 February 1864: The District of North Kansas was established in the Department of Kansas. It comprised the territory north of the Kansas River and Sokey Hill Fork, Kansas. The District of South Kansas was established in the Department of Kansas. It comprised Kansas south of the Kansas River and Smoky Hill Fork.
17 April 1864: The Department of Arkansas extended its authority over Fort Smith and the Indian Territory, which had formerly been controlled by the District of the Frontier of the Department of Kansas.
2 August 1864: The District of the Upper Arkansas was established in the Department of Kansas. It comprised the territory westward from Fort Riley, Kansas, to Fort Lyon, Colorado Territory.
15 October 1864: The Army of the Border was established in the Department of Kansas.
8 November 1864: The Army of the Border was discontinued.
30 January 1865: The District of Colorado Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of Nebraska Territory transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of North Kansas transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of South Kansas transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of the Upper Arkansas transferred from the Department of Kansas to the Department of the Missouri. The District of the Border was discontinued. The Department of Kansas was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Missouri.
Department of Arkansas
6 January 1864-1 August 1865
Frederick Steele 6 January 1864-21 March 1864
Nathan Kimball temporary 22 March 1864-21 May 1864
Frederick Steele 22 May 1864-21 December 1864
Joseph Jones Reynolds 22 December 1864-1 August 1865
6 January 1864: The Department of Arkansas was established. It comprised all of Arkansas except Fort Smith which remained part of the Department of Kansas. Its territory was transferred from the Department of the Missouri. The Army of Arkansas transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Arkansas. The District of Eastern Arkansas transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of Arkansas. The District of Northern Arkansas transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Arkansas. The District of the Frontier Arkansas transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Arkansas. It comprised the state of Arkansas west of Dardanelle, except for Fort Smith.
23 February 1864: The District of the Frontier Arkansas was discontinued, and renamed as the District of the Frontier in the Department of Arkansas.
17 April 1864: The Department of Arkansas extended its authority over Fort Smith and the Indian Territory, which had formerly been controlled by the District of the Frontier of the Department of Kansas.
7 May 1864: The Department of Arkansas was subordinated to the Military Division of West Mississippi.
11 May 1864: The District of Little Rock was established in the Department of Arkansas.
1 June 1864: The District of Northern Arkansas was discontinued.
1 February 1865: The District of the Frontier was discontinued.
4 February 1865: The District of Little Rock was discontinued.
21 March 1865: The Department of Arkansas transferred from the Military Division of West Mississippi to the Military Division of the Missouri.
22 April 1865: The District of South Kansas transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of Arkansas. It comprised the vicinity of Fort Gibson, Indian Territory.
17 May 1865: The Department of Arkansas transferred from the Military Division of the Missouri to the Military Division of the Southwest.
3 June 1865: The District of South Kansas was discontinued.
5 June 1865: The District of Eastern Arkansas was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Department of Arkansas transferred from the Military Division of the Southwest to the Military Division of the Mississippi.
1 August 1865: The Department of Arkansas was discontinued.
Northern Department
12 January 1864-27 June 1865
Samuel Peter Heintzelman 12 January 1864-28 September 1864 interim 1 October 1864
Joseph Hooker 28 September 1864-27 June 1865
12 January 1864: The Northern Department or Department of the North was established, comprising the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Headquarters were in Columbus, Ohio. The counties of Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio in West Virginia transferred from the Department of West Virginia to the Northern Department. Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Northern Department. The states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Northern Department. The District of Indiana was established in the Northern Department.
25 January 1864: Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Northern Department to the District of Cairo in the Department of the Tennessee.
8 February 1864: Jeffersonville, Indiana, transferred from the Northern Department to the Department of the Ohio.
15 February 1864: Alton, Illinois, transferred back from the Northern Department to the Department of the Missouri.
25 June 1864: Covington, Kentucky, and the territory surrounding within ten miles transferred from the Department of the Ohio to the Northern Department.
13 August 1864: The District of Illinois was established in the Northern Department, comprising the state of Illinois.
1 October 1864: The District of Michigan was established in the Northern Department.
24 November 1864: Cairo, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Northern Department.
10 February 1865: The territory around Covington transferred from the Northern Department to the Department of Kentucky. The territory around Jeffersonville, Indiana, transferred from the Department of the Cumberland to the Northern Department.
27 June 1865: The District of Illinois was discontinued. The District of Indiana was discontinued. The District of Michigan was discontinued. The Northern Department was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Department of the Ohio.
Department of the Mississippi #2
28 November 1864-5 June 1865
Napoleon Jackson Tecumseh Dana 28 November 1864-30 April 1865 interim to 13 May 1865
Gouverneur Kemble Warren 1 May 1865-5 June 1865
28 November 1864: The Department of the Mississippi was established in the Military Division of West Mississippi. It comprised the state of Mississippi and the parts of Tennessee west of the Tennessee River taken from the discontinued Department of the Tennessee. The District of Vicksburg transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Mississippi. The District of West Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Tennessee to the Department of the Mississippi.
3 January 1865: The District of Natchez was established in the Department of the Mississippi, comprising the territories east and west of the Mississippi River north of the Red River and south of the 32 parallel.
17 January 1865: The territories of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi controlled by the Army of the Cumberland transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Cumberland.
10 February 1865: The District of West Tennessee transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Cumberland. It comprised the territory of Tennessee west of the Tennessee River.
17 May 1865: The District of Mississippi was established in the Department of Gulf, comprising the state of Mississippi transferred from the Department of the Mississippi.
3 June 1865: The District of Natchez was discontinued.
5 June 1865: The District of Vicksburg transferred from the Department of the Mississippi to the Department of the Gulf.
5 June 1865: The Department of the Mississippi was discontinued.
Department of Pennsylvania #2
1 December 1864-27 June 1865
George Cadwalader 1 December 1864-27 June 1865
1 December 1864: The Department of Pennsylvania was established in the Middle Military Division, comprising the state of Pennsylvania and the counties of Columbiana, Belmont, and Jefferson counties of Ohio. The District of Philadelphia was established in the Department of Pennsylvania. The District of the Monongahela transferred from the Department of the Susquehanna to the Department of Pennsylvania. The Juniata District transferred from the Department of the Susquehanna to the Department of Pennsylvania.
15 June 1865: The District of Philadelphia was discontinued.
27 June 1865: Juniata District was discontinued. The District of the Monongahela was discontinued. The Department of Pennsylvania was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the Middle Department and the Department of the Ohio.
Department of Virginia #2
18 January 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Edward Otho Cresap Ord 18 January 1865-13 May 1865
Alfred Howe Terry temporary 13 May 1865-14 June 1865, 14 June 1865-31 December 1865
18 January 1865: The Department of Virginia was re-established, comprising the territory within 60 miles of Fort Monroe, Northampton, and Accomac counties, Virginia south of the Rappahannock River and east of the Fredericksburg–Richmond–Petersburg–Weldon Railroad. The District of Eastern Virginia transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of Beaufort North Carolina transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia. The state of North Carolina transferred temporarily from the discontinued Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of the South, pending the re-establishment of the Department of North Carolina on 31 January 1865. The Sub-District of New Bern transferred from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia. The Army of the James transferred interim from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia. Terry’s Provisional Corps transferred interim from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to the Department of Virginia.
31 January 1865: The Sub-District of Beaufort North Carolina transferred from the Department of Virginia to the District of North Carolina. Terry’s Provisional Corps transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of North Carolina. The District of Virginia was established in the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of New Bern was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the District of North Carolina. The Army of the James transferred officially to the Department of Virginia.
25 March 1865: The District of Lynchburg was established in the Department of Virginia. It comprised the counties of Nelson, Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, Appomattox, Pittsylvania, Henry, and Patrick counties of Virginia.
13 April 1865: The District of the Peninsula was established in the Department of Virginia. It comprised the territory between the York and James Rivers.
19 April 1865: The Department of Virginia transferred to the Military Division of the James.
27 April 1865: The District of the Peninsula was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the Sub-District of the Peninsula in the District of Eastern Virginia.
21 May 1865: The District of Fort Monroe was established in the Department of Virginia.
22 May 1865: The District of the Nottoway was established in the Department of Virginia.
25 May 1865: The District of Henrico was established in the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of The Blackwater was established in the District of the Nottoway in the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of Roanoke was established in the District of the Nottoway. The Sub-District of the Appomattox was established in the District of the Nottoway in the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of the Peninsula transferred from the District of Eastern Virginia to the District of Fort Monroe. The Sub-District of the Rappahannock was established in the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of the South Anna was established in the Department of Virginia.
27 June 1865: The Department of Virginia transferred from the Military Division of the James to the Military Division of the Atlantic. It was reorganised to comprise Virginia except for Alexandria, Fairfax, and Loudoun counties and the Shenandoah Valley south of and including Rockingham County, transferred from the Department of the Potomac.
10 July 1865: The District of Northeastern Virginia was established in the Department of Virginia.
13 July 1865: The District of Lynchburg was discontinued. Manchester County, Virginia, was added to the District of Henrico. The District of Southwestern Virginia was established in the Department of Virginia.
16 July 1865: The Sub-District of Roanoke was discontinued. The Sub-District of the Rappahannock was discontinued, and its territory was incorporated into the District of Northeastern Virginia.
1 August 1865: The District of the Nottoway was discontinued. The Sub-District of The Blackwater transferred from the District of the Nottoway to the Department of Virginia. The Sub-District of the Appomattox transferred from the District of the Nottoway to the Department of Virginia. The Army of the James was discontinued.
11 August 1865: The Sub-District of the Appomattox was discontinued.
24 August 1865: The District of Eastern Virginia was discontinued.
29 August 1865: The Sub-District of the Peninsula was discontinued.
19 September 1865: The Sub-District of The Blackwater was discontinued.
Department of North Carolina #2
31 January 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
John Gray Foster interim 31 January 1865-9 February 1865
John McAllister Schofield 9 February 1865-31 March 1865
Jacob Dolson Cox 31 March 1865-17 June 1865
Thomas Howard Ruger temporary 17 June 1865-27 June 1865
Samuel Powhatan Carter temporary 27 June 1865-28 June 1865
Thomas Howard Ruger 28 June 1865-31 December 1865
31 January 1865: The Department of North Carolina was re-established in the Military Division of the Mississippi. The District of North Carolina was established in the Department of North Carolina. The Sub-District of Beaufort North Carolina transferred from the Department of Virginia to the District of North Carolina. Terry’s Provisional Corps transferred from the Department of Virginia to the Department of North Carolina.
2 February 1865: XXIII Corps Ohio transferred from the Military Division of the Mississippi to the Department of North Carolina, and continued to be referred to unofficially as the “Army of the Ohio”.
5 February 1865: The District of Beaufort was established in the Department of North Carolina from the former Sub-District of Beaufort.
1 March 1865: The District of North Carolina was discontinued. The District of Wilmington was established in the Department of North Carolina.
23 March 1865: X Corps North Carolina was established in the Department of North Carolina, comprising forces previously in Terry’s Provisional Corps Virginia.
19 April 1865: The parts of North Carolina not occupied by the armies of the Military Division of the Mississippi transferred from the Department of North Carolina to the Military Division of the James.
27 June 1865: The Department of North Carolina transferred from the Military Division of the Mississippi to the Military Division of the Atlantic.a was discontinued.
6 July 1865: The District of Greensboro was established in the Department of North Carolina. The District of New Bern was established in the Department of North Carolina. The District of Raleigh was established in the Department of North Carolina. The District of West North Carolina was established in the Department of North Carolina.
1 August 1865: X Corps North Carolina was discontinued. XXIII Corps North Carolina was discontinued.
20 September 1865: The District of Wilmington was discontinued.
1 October 1865: The District of West North Carolina was discontinued.
Department of Kentucky #2
10 February 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
John McAuley Palmer 10 February 1865-1 May 1865
Edward Henry Hobson 1 May 1865-31 December 1865
10 February 1865: The Department of Kentucky was established in the Military Division of the Mississippi. It comprised the state of Kentucky transferred from the Department of Cumberland and the Northern Department. The territory around Covington transferred from the Northern Department to the Department of Kentucky. The District of Western Kentucky was established in the Department of Kentucky.
21 May 1865: The District of Western Kentucky was discontinued.
27 June 1865: The Department of Kentucky transferred from the Military Division of the Mississippi to the Military Division of the Tennessee.
Department of Alabama
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Charles Robert Woods 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of Alabama was established and subordinated to the Military Division of the Tennessee, comprising the state of Alabama. The District of Northern Alabama transferred to the Department of Alabama.
Department of California #2
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Irvin McDowell 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of California was established in the Military Division of the Pacific. It included California, Nevada, the Arizona Territory, and the New Mexico Territory transferred from the Department of the Pacific. The District of Arizona transferred from the Department of the Pacific to the Department of California.
21 July 1865: The District of Arizona was discontinued.
Department of the Columbia
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
George Wright 27 June 1865-30 July 1865
George Byron Currey temporary 27 June 1865-13 November 1865
Charles Swain Lovell temporary 13 November 1865-20 November 1865
John Miller Drake interim 20 November 1865-1 December 1865
Charles Swain Lovell 13 November 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of the Columbia was established in the Military Division of the Pacific. It included Oregon, Washington Territory, and Idaho Territory transferred from the Department of the Pacific.
Department of Florida #2
27 June 1865-31 December 1865
John Newton interim 27 June 1865-1 August 1865
John Gray Foster 1 August 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of Florida was established in the Military Division of the Gulf. It included the state of Florida.
Department of Georgia
27 June 1865-31 December 1865
James Blair Steedman 20 June 1865-20 December 1865
James Harrison Wilson 20 December 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of Georgia was established in the Military Division of the Tennessee. It comprised the state of Georgia.
Department of Louisiana
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Edward Richard Sprigg Canby 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of Louisiana was established in the Military Division of the Gulf. The District of Baton Rouge transferred from the Department of the Gulf to the Department of Louisiana. The Western District of Louisiana was established in the Department of Louisiana. The Eastern District of Louisiana was established in the Department of Louisiana.
17 July 1865: The District of Baton Rouge was discontinued.
20 July 1865: The Western District of Louisiana was discontinued.
26 July 1865: The Eastern District of Louisiana was discontinued.
Department of Mississippi
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Henry Warner Slocum 27 June 1865-16 September 1865 interim 18 September 1865
Peter Joseph Osterhaus 16 September 1865-14 November 1865
Thomas John Wood 14 November 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of Mississippi was established in the Military Division of the Gulf. The Northern District of Mississippi was established in the Department of Mississippi.
14 July 1865. The Southern District of Mississippi was established in the Department of Mississippi. The Western District of Mississippi was established in the Department of Mississippi.
7 October 1865: The Department of Mississippi transferred from the Military Division of the Gulf to the Military Division of the Tennessee.
Department of the Ohio #3
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Edward Otho Cresap Ord 27 June 1865-5 July 1865
Orlando Bolivar Willcox 5 July 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of the Ohio was re-established in the Military Division of the Mississippi. It comprised Ohio, Michigan, Illinois except for Alton, and Indiana except for Jeffersonville and New Albany. The Department of Pennsylvania was discontinued, and its territory was transferred to the Middle Department and the Department of the Ohio. Alton, Illinois, transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of the Ohio.
30 October 1865: The state of Wisconsin transferred from the Department of the Missouri to the Department of the Ohio.
Department of South Carolina
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Quincy Adams Gillmore 27 June 1865-10 September 1865
Charles Devens temporary 10 September 1865-16 October 1865
Quincy Adams Gillmore 16 October 1865-9 November 1865 interim 18 November 1865
Daniel Edgar Sickles 9 November 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of South Carolina was established in the Military Division of the Atlantic.
Department of Tennessee
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
George Stoneman 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of Tennessee was established in the Military Division of the Tennessee. It comprised the state of Tennessee.
Department of Texas #2
27 June 1865-31 December 1865 and continuing
Horatio Gouverneur Wright 27 June 1865-31 December 1865
27 June 1865: The Department of Texas was re-established in the Military Division of the Gulf. It comprised the state of Texas. The Central District of Texas was established in the Department of Texas. The Eastern District of Texas was established in the Department of Texas. The Western District of Texas was established in the Department of Texas.
20 July 1865: The Western District of Texas was discontinued. The Central District of Texas was discontinued. The Eastern District of Texas was discontinued.
American Civil War High Command 