District of California

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The District of California was a Union Army command department formed during the American Civil War. The district was part of the Department of the Pacific, the commander of the department also being District commander. The district was created as a separate command on July 1, 1864, after Irvin McDowell took command of the Department of the Pacific, relieving General Wright, who then remained as District of California commander. The District comprised the state of California and the areas of the Rogue River and Umpqua River in Southern Oregon. Its headquarters were in San Francisco, co-located with those of the Department of the Pacific. On March 14, 1865, the District of Oregon was extended to include the entire state of Oregon, removing the Rogue River and Umpqua River areas from the District.

District of California commanders[edit]

On July 27, 1865, the Military Division of the Pacific was created under Major General Henry W. Halleck, replacing the Department of the Pacific. It consisted of the Department of the Columbia replacing the District of Oregon and the Department of California. George Wright, now a U. S. Army Brigadier General, was assigned to command the new Department of the Columbia.[2]

Oregon posts in the District of California 1861-1865[edit]

  • Fort Umpqua, 1856–1862
  • Camp Baker, 1862-1865 [3]
  • Fort Klamath 1863-1865 -source is Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, v. 50, pt. 2 semi annual returns beginning December 1863.

Posts in the District of California[edit]

Camp Halleck in 1871

Events, skirmishes, and battles[edit]

1861

  • January 15, 1861. The Departments of California and Oregon merged into the Department of the Pacific. Col. Albert Sidney Johnston, 2nd US Cavalry, Brevet Brigadier General, U. S. Army, assumes command of the Department of the Pacific (including direct command of the District of California).
  • March 23, 1861. Brigadier General Edwin V. Sumner, U. S. Army, assigned to command the Department of the Pacific.
  • April 25, 1861. Brig. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner, U. S. Army, assumes command of tho Department of the Pacific, relieving Col. Albert Sidney Johnston, 2nd US Cavalry, brevet brigadier-general, U. S. Army.
  • August 3–12, 1861. Scout from Fort Crook to Round Valley, California, with skirmish on the 6th in the Upper Pitt River Valley.
  • August 15–22, 1861. Expedition from Fort Crook to tho Pitt River, California, with skirmish on the 19th near Kellogg's Lake, California.
  • Sept. 7,1861. Skirmish near the Santa Ana Canyon, California.
  • Sept. 14, 1861. Col. George Wright, 9th US Infantry, assigned to command all troops serving in Southern California.
  • Sept. 25, 1861. The District of Southern California created, comprising the counties of San Luis Obispo, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and San Diego, and Col. George Wright, assigned to its command.
  • Oct. 11, 1861. Lieut. Col. Albemarle Cady, 7th US Infantry, assigned to command the District of Oregon.
  • Oct. 20,1861. Brig. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner, U. S. Army, relinquishes command of the Department of the Pacific to Col. George Wright.
  • Oct. 26,1861. Col. George Wright, assumes command of tho Department of the Pacific.
  • Nov. 19,1861. Brig. Gen. George Wright, U. S. Army, formally assigned to command the Department of the Pacific.
  • Dec. 12, 1861. Humboldt Military District created to prosecute the Bald Hills War, to consist of the counties of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Trinity, Humboldt, Klamath, and Del Norte, in Northern California, and Col. Francis J. Lippitt, Second California Infantry, assigned to its command.

1862

  • Sept. 21,1862. Affair on the Yreka Road, near Fort Crook, Cal.
  • Nov. 3-29, 1862. Scouts from Fort Crook, Cal., and Fort Churchill, Nev. Ter., to Honey Lake Valley, Cal.

1863

1864

  • July 1, 1864. Brig. Gen. George Wright, U. S. Army, retained command of the District of California but Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell, U. S. Army, relieved him and assumed command of the Department of tho Pacific.

1865

  • Apr. 5–18, 1865. Expedition from Camp Bidwell to Antelope Creek, Cal.
  • June 27, 1865. Military Division of the Pacific created, to consist of the Departments of California and the Columbia. Department of California consisted of the States of California and Nevada and the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona. Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell, U. S. Army, assigned to command the Department of California.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, pg.822
  2. ^ Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, SERIES I--VOLUME XLVI, GENERAL ORDERS No. 118. June 27, 1865, Military Division of the United States After The Civil War
  3. ^ Located in Jackson County, Oregon
  4. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Fort Jones
  5. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Roop's Fort (Fort Defiance, Lassen County)
  6. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Fort Crook
  7. ^ THE HISTORICAL MARKER DATABASE, Fort Crook, Near Fall River Mills in Shasta County, California
  8. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Allen (Alameda County)
  9. ^ The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Cady
  10. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Dragoon Bridge
  11. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Downey
  12. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Halleck
  13. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Fort Moore (Post at Los Angeles, Fort Hill and including Camp Fitzgerald), reprinted with permission from Colonel Herbert M. Hart, USMC (retired), Old Forts of the Far West, published in 1965
  14. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Fort on Pine Creek
  15. ^ The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp San Bernardino
  16. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Lyon (San Francisco)
  17. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp McClellan
  18. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp McDougall (Camp Gilmore)
  19. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Union
  20. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Sigel
  21. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Sumner
  22. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Wright (San Francisco County)
  23. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Alert (San Francisco County) Archived June 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Hot Creek Station
  25. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Hooker
  26. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp at Red Bluff
  27. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Merchant (Camp Merritt)
  28. ^ The California State Military Museum; Historic Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields: Fort Miller (Including Camp Barbour, Camp Miller)
  29. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Stanford
  30. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Johns
  31. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Low
  32. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Pollock
  33. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Susan
  34. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Federal Armory
  35. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Post at Friday's Station
  36. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Colusa Post
  37. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp near Hornitos. Located in Mariposa County.
  38. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Jackson
  39. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Monterey Barracks
  40. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp at Pierson's Ranch
  41. ^ The California State Military Museum, Historic California Posts: Camp Waite