Department of the West
The Department of the West, later known as the Western Department, was a major command (
Organization
The Department of the West was created in a reform of army organization nationwide on October 31, 1853, from a consolidation of the existing
Civil War
As the Southern states were seceding, just before the American Civil War began, the department was organized to include the country west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, except for Texas, Utah Territory, and New Mexico Territory, including Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas Territory (the state of Kansas after January 29, 1861), Nebraska Territory, Colorado Territory (after February 28, 1861), Dakota Territory (after March 2, 1861), Indian Territory (later the state of Oklahoma), and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. On June 6, 1861, Missouri was transferred to the Department of the Ohio.
Western Department
On July 31, 1861, the Department of the West was merged into the Western Department of
Command history
Department commanders were:[2]
Department of the West
| Commander | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Newman S. Clarke | ||
| David E. Twiggs | ||
Persifor F. Smith |
||
Brig. Gen. William S. Harney |
November 10, 1860 (assumed November 17) |
April 23, 1861 |
| Captain Nathaniel Lyon (temporary) | April 23, 1861 | April 29, 1861 |
Edmund B. Alexander (temporary) |
April 29, 1861 | May 11, 1861 |
| Brig. Gen. William S. Harney | May 11, 1861 | May 31, 1861 |
| Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon | May 31, 1861 | July 3, 1861 |
Western Department
| Commander | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon | July 3, 1861 | July 25, 1861 |
Maj. Gen. John C. Frémont |
July 3, 1861 (assumed July 25) |
October 24, 1861 |
| Maj. Gen. David Hunter | October 24, 1861 (assumed November 2) |
November 9, 1861 |
See also
References
- Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
- Military History at rootsweb.com