The
Department of the Pacific was a major command (
DepartmentDepartment, is a term used, by the U.S. Army, mostly prior to World War I. In 1920, most of the departments were redesignated as corps areas. However, the Hawaiian, Panama Canal, and Philippine Departments retained their old names...
) of the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
during the 19th century.
The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at
San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
, taking over from the previous
Pacific DivisionPacific Division may refer to:*Pacific Division *Pacific Division *Pac Div a.k.a Pacific Division...
. The department reported directly to the headquarters of the Army in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
It oversaw the military affairs in the country west of the
Rocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at above sea level...
, except for the Territory of Utah and the Territory of New Mexico.
On September 2, 1854, the headquarters was moved to
Benicia BarracksThe Benicia Arsenal was a large military reservation located next to Suisun Bay in Benicia, California. For over 100 years, the arsenal was the primary US Army Ordnance facility for the West Coast of the United States....
, in
Benicia, CaliforniaBenicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,865 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the San...
.
The
Department of the Pacific was a major command (
DepartmentDepartment, is a term used, by the U.S. Army, mostly prior to World War I. In 1920, most of the departments were redesignated as corps areas. However, the Hawaiian, Panama Canal, and Philippine Departments retained their old names...
) of the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
during the 19th century.
Formation
The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at
San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
, taking over from the previous
Pacific DivisionPacific Division may refer to:*Pacific Division *Pacific Division *Pac Div a.k.a Pacific Division...
. The department reported directly to the headquarters of the Army in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
It oversaw the military affairs in the country west of the
Rocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at above sea level...
, except for the Territory of Utah and the Territory of New Mexico.
On September 2, 1854, the headquarters was moved to
Benicia BarracksThe Benicia Arsenal was a large military reservation located next to Suisun Bay in Benicia, California. For over 100 years, the arsenal was the primary US Army Ordnance facility for the West Coast of the United States....
, in
Benicia, CaliforniaBenicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,865 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the San...
. In January 1857, the headquarters again returned to San Francisco.
On January 14, 1858, the Territory of Utah was placed within the Department.
Disbandment
On September 13, 1858, the Department of the Pacific was disbanded, replaced by two new departments: the Department of California and the Department of Oregon. The Department of California included the territory west of the Rockies, the
UmpquaThe Umpqua River on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon coast, it drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west of the Cascade Range and south of the Willamette Valley, from which it is separated by the...
and
Rogue RiverRogue River may refer to:*"Rogue River" , an episode of Jericho and the eponymous place*Rogue River , a river in Michigan, USA*Rogue River , a river in Oregon, USA*Rogue River, Oregon, a city in Oregon, USA...
districts in Oregon, Utah and New Mexico. The Department of Oregon included the Oregon and Washington Territories.
Reborn in the Civil War
During the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
the army again reorganized, and on January 15, 1861, the Department of the Pacific was reconstituted by consolidating the Departments of California and Oregon. The first commander of the new Department of the Pacific was Colonel (
BrevetIn many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being brevetted...
Brigadier General)
Albert Sidney JohnstonAlbert Sidney Johnston was a career United States Army officer, a Texas Army general, and a Confederate States general...
who was later to become a prominent General in the Confederate Army.
From 1863 to 1865 the department had five military districts: District of California (headquarters at San Francisco, co-located with Department of the Pacific), District of Oregon (headquarters at
Fort VancouverFort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
),
District of HumboldtDuring the American Civil War Army reorganization created the new Department of the Pacific on January 15, 1861. On December 12, 1861 the District of Humboldt was created, consisting of the counties of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Trinity, Humboldt, Klamath, and Del Norte, in Northern California...
(headquarters at
Fort HumboldtFort Humboldt State Historic Park, is a California State Park located in the southern portion of the city of Eureka, California, just off U.S. Route 101...
),
District of Southern CaliforniaDuring the American Civil War, the Army has reorganized including the new Department of the Pacific which was created on January 15, 1861. By 1863, the department had five districts including the District of Southern California established on September 25, 1861...
(headquarters at
Drum BarracksThe Drum Barracks, also known as Camp Drum and the Drum Barracks Civil War Museum, is the last remaining original American Civil War era military facility in the Los Angeles area...
), and District of Utah (headquarters at
Fort DouglasCamp Douglas was established in 1862 as a small military garrison about three miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah, for the purpose of protecting the overland mail route and telegraph lines along the Central Overland Route. In 1878, the post was renamed Fort Douglas. The fort was officially closed in...
).
Civil War Commanders
- Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston was a career United States Army officer, a Texas Army general, and a Confederate States general...
, January 1861 - March 1861
- Edwin Vose Sumner
Edwin Vose Sumner was a career United States Army officer who became a Union Army general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American Civil War...
, March 1861 - October 1861
- George Wright
George Wright was an American soldier who served in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
, October 1861 - July 1864
- Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell was a career American army officer, famous for his defeat during the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, July 1864 - July 1865
Reorganized out of existence
In July 1865, the Department of the Pacific was reorganized into the Military Division of the Pacific with two subordinate departments: the Department of California and the Department of the Columbia. The first commander of the new Division of the Pacific was Gen.
Henry Wager HalleckHenry Wager Halleck was a United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory, "Old Brains." He was an important participant in the admission of California as a state and became a successful lawyer and land developer...
.
Remade for the Philippine Expedition
On 30 May 1898, Gen.
Wesley MerrittWesley Merritt was a general in the United States Army during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He is noted for distinguished service in the cavalry.-Early life:...
established in San Francisco the Headquarters, US Expeditionary Forces and Department of the Pacific for the campaign to support Adm. Dewey's forces in the Philippines during the Spanish American War.
At the end of March 1900 the complexities involved in dealing with the guerrillas and governing the islands led to the transformation of what had been the Department of the Pacific into the Division of the Philippines with four geographical departments, each of which was, in turn, divided into military districts. This step brought an end to the
VIII CorpsThe VIII Corps was formed on June 21 1898 to provide a ground contingent to exploit Admiral Dewey's success in defeating the Spanish fleet in Manila harbor...
.
External links