Pacific Division (U. S. Army)
Encyclopedia
Pacific Division of the U. S. Army was created on October 10, 1848, as the Army reorganized its administration for the new territories acquired during the Mexican American War. Military Department 10 (California
) and Military Department 11 (Oregon Territory
) were subordinated to the new Division that had its headquarters at Monterey. In June 1849 division headquarters moved to the California
, for a month then moved to Benicia
and the Benicia Arsenal
in the upper San Francisco Bay
in July 1849.
On May 17, 1851, the Army merged Military Departments 10 and 11 into the Pacific Division as the Army again reorganized its administration on the West Coast. Both of those military departments merged into the Pacific Division ceased to exist. Division headquarters directly administered affairs in California and Oregon Territory. On June 15, 1852, Pacific Division headquarters was moved from Benicia to the San Francisco.
On October 31, 1853, the Pacific Division was replaced by the Department of the Pacific
, with headquarters at San Francisco. It was created when the Army abandoned the system of divisions and numbered departments, establishing departments having a descriptive name, and reporting directly to Army Headquarters.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) and Military Department 11 (Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
) were subordinated to the new Division that had its headquarters at Monterey. In June 1849 division headquarters moved to the California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, for a month then moved to Benicia
Benicia, California
Benicia 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 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
and the Benicia Arsenal
Benicia Arsenal
The Benicia Arsenal 1851-1964, and Benicia Barracks 1852-1866, 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 1847 a parcel of land adjoining...
in the upper San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
in July 1849.
On May 17, 1851, the Army merged Military Departments 10 and 11 into the Pacific Division as the Army again reorganized its administration on the West Coast. Both of those military departments merged into the Pacific Division ceased to exist. Division headquarters directly administered affairs in California and Oregon Territory. On June 15, 1852, Pacific Division headquarters was moved from Benicia to the San Francisco.
On October 31, 1853, the Pacific Division was replaced by the Department of the Pacific
Department of the Pacific
The Department of the Pacific was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at San Francisco, California, taking over from the previous Pacific Division. The department reported directly to...
, with headquarters at San Francisco. It was created when the Army abandoned the system of divisions and numbered departments, establishing departments having a descriptive name, and reporting directly to Army Headquarters.
Commander of the Pacific Division
- Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Persifor Frazer Smith October 10, 1848–1849 - BrevetBrevet (military)In 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 except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Major General Bennet RileyBennet RileyBennett C. Riley was the seventh and last military governor of the territory of California before it became a U.S. state. He also served as a general in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War.-Life:Riley entered the U.S. Army at an early age...
1849–1851 - Brevet Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Ethan A. HitchcockEthan A. Hitchcock (general)Ethan Allen Hitchcock was a career United States Army officer and author who had War Department assignments in Washington, D.C., during the American Civil War, in which he served as a major general.-Early life:...
1851–1853
Posts in Military Department 10
- Post at Monterey, Monterey, 1847–1852
- Monterey Ordnance Depot 1852–1856
- Sonoma Barracks, SonomaSonoma, CaliforniaSonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
, 1847–1852. - Camp Sonoma, near Sonoma, 1847–1851
- Sonoma Post, near Sonoma, 1852–1858
- Camp San José, San JoseSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, 1848 - Camp Anderson, Sacramento, 1849
- Camp Stanislaus, Riverbank, CaliforniaRiverbank, CaliforniaRiverbank is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States. The population was 22,678 at the 2010 census, up from 15,826 at the 2000 census...
, 1849 - Camp Riley, near Otay, 1849
- Camp Salvation, CalexicoCalexico, CaliforniaCalexico is a city in Imperial County, California. The population was 38,572 at the 2010 census, up from 27,109 at the 2000 census. Calexico is about east of San Diego and west of Yuma, Arizona...
, 1849 - Camp San Miguel, Mission San Miguel ArcángelMission San Miguel ArcángelMission San Miguel Arcángel was founded on July 25, 1797 by the Franciscan order, on a site chosen specifically due to the large number of Salinan Indians that inhabited the area, whom the Spanish priests wanted to evangelize. It is located at 775 Mission Street, San Miguel, in San Luis Obispo...
, 1849–1851 - Benicia Barracks, Benicia, 1849–1898
- Fort Far West, near MarysvilleMarysville, CaliforniaMarysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
, 1849–1852. - Angel Island Military Reservation, Angel Island 1850–1863
- Camp Rancho de Chino, ChinoChinoChino is a Spanish proper word for "Chinese", also used informally to refer to people with Asian features who may not be actually Asian. Chino, in Spanish can colloquially refer to curly hair....
, 1850–1852 - Camp San Luis Rey, San Luis Rey, 1850–1852
- Camp Frederica, near RipponRippon-People:* Adam Rippon, American figure skater* Angela Rippon, British journalist* Dylan Rippon, British singer-songwriter* John Rippon, English Baptist minister* Geoffrey Rippon, British politician* Ted Rippon, Australian footballer* Todd Rippon, actor...
, 1850 - Camp Vallecito, Vallecito, 1850
- Vallecito Depot, 1851–1853
- Fort Defiance, near Winterhaven, 1850
- Camp Santa Isabel, Santa YsabelSanta Ysabel, CaliforniaSanta Ysabel is an unincorporated community in California, in the east half of San Diego County. It is home to Santa Ysabel Asistencia, a Spanish mission...
, 1851–1852 - Camp McClear, FresnoFresnoFresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
, 1851 - New San Diego Depot, 1851–1866.
- Fort Miller, 1851–1858 .
- Fort YumaFort YumaFort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
, 1851–1883 - Benicia ArsenalBenicia ArsenalThe Benicia Arsenal 1851-1964, and Benicia Barracks 1852-1866, 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 1847 a parcel of land adjoining...
, Benicia, 1852–1964 - Camp Crane, Bass Lake, 1852
- Camp Fitzgerald, near Winterhaven, 1852
- Camp Rancho del Jurupa, Rubidoux, 1852–1854
- Fort Reading, ReddingRedding, CaliforniaRedding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
, 1852–1856 - Fort Jones, Fort Jones, 1852–1858
- Fort Humboldt, 1853–1867
Posts in Military Department 11
- Fort ColvilleFort ColvilleThe trade center Fort Colville was built by the Hudson's Bay Company at Kettle Falls on the Columbia River, a few miles west of the present site of Colville, Washington in 1825, to replace Spokane House as a regional trading center, as the latter was deemed to be too far from the Columbia River...
, Washington Territory, 1825–1870 - Fort SteilacoomFort SteilacoomFor the adjacent park, see Fort Steilacoom ParkFort Steilacoom was founded by the U.S. Army in 1849 near Lake Steilacoom. It was among the first military fortifications built by the U.S. north of the Columbia River in what was to become Washington...
, Washington Territory, (1849–1868) - Fort DallesFort DallesFort Dalles was a United States Army outpost located on the Columbia River at the present site of The Dalles, Oregon, in the United States. Built when Oregon was a territory, the post was used mainly for dealing with wars with Native Americans...
, Oregon, 1850–1867 - Fort VancouverFort 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...
, Washington Territory 1853–1879