The Department of California was one of two Army Departments created September 13, 1858, replacing the original Department of the Pacific and was composed of the territory of the United States lying west of the Rocky Mountains and south of Oregon and Washington territories, except the Rogue River and Umpqua Districts of southwestern Oregon Territory, which were assigned to the Department of California and excluding the Utah Territory east of the 117th meridian west and New Mexico Territory east of the 110th meridian west. Its creation was authorized by General Orders, No. 10, of the War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, September 13, 1858. Headquarters as before remained at San Francisco.[1]
Contents |
The Department of California was commanded first by Brevet Brigadier General Newman S. Clarke, Colonel U.S. 6th Infantry Regiment, until his death on October 17, 1860. It was next commanded by Lt. Colonel Benjamin L. Beall, U.S. 1st Dragoon Regiment, who had assumed command, by seniority of rank, on the death of General Clarke, on October 17, 1860. It was merged into the restored Department of the Pacific on January 15, 1861, as the District of California administering the same territories, under Brevet Brigadier General Albert Sidney Johnston from January 15, 1861.[2]
When General Edwin Vose Sumner, relieved General Johnston in March 1861 he continued in command of the Department of California now renamed the District of California. His successor in October 1861, Brigadier General George Wright continued in command of the District even after losing command of the Department of the Pacific, on July 1, 1864, to Gen. Irvin McDowell.
In June 1865, Col. Edward McGarry was ordered to succeed Brigadier General George Wright (who was moving to his new command of the Department of the Columbia), in command of the District of California until General McDowell could take command of the District which was again raised to Department status once more under the Military Division of the Pacific, now commanded by Major General Henry W. Halleck.[3]. The territory encompassed by the new Department of California now 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.
The Department of Arizona was established under the Division of the Pacific on April 15, 1870. It consisted of Arizona Territory and California south of a line from the northwest corner of Arizona to Point Conception so as to include most of Southern California.
From December 7, 1871, the one general officer at San Francisco commanded both the Division of the Pacific and the Department of California and the separate staffs were consolidated into one. On July 1, 1878, Division of the Pacific headquarters moved from San Francisco to the Presidio of San Francisco.
The Department of Arizona lost Southern California to the Department of California on February 14, 1883, but regained California south of the 35th parallel on December 15, 1886. The Department of California then consisted of California north of the 35th parallel and Nevada.
The Military Division of the Pacific was discontinued on July 3, 1891. Each of the three subordinate departments of Arizona, California, and the Columbia, then reported directly to the War Department. The Department of California, with its headquarters at San Francisco, consisted of California north of the 35th parallel and Nevada.