The District of Oregon was a

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

command department formed during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

History

The District of Oregon was part of the independent

Department of the Pacific The Department of the Pacific or Pacific Department was a major command (Department) of the United States Army from 1853 to 1858. It replaced the Pacific Division, and was itself replaced by the Department of California and the Department of Or ...

reconstituted by consolidating the Departments of California and

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

, which was created on January 15, 1861 when the Army was reorganized. The district was created the same day, and comprised the same territory as the former Department of Oregon, the state of

(except for the areas of the Rogue River and

Umpqua River The Umpqua River ( ) on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast and known for bass and shad, the river drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west ...

in Southern Oregon) and

Washington Territory The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...

, with headquarters at

Fort Vancouver Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading post that was the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department, located in the Pacific Northwest. Named for Captain George Vancouver, the fort was located on the northern bank of th ...

in Washington Territory. On March 3, 1865 the district included Idaho Territory after it was formed from the eastern part of Washington Territory. On March 14, 1865, the District of Oregon was extended to include the entire state of Oregon. On July 27, 1865 the Military Division of the Pacific was created under

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Henry W. Halleck Henry Wager Halleck (January 16, 1815 – January 9, 1872) was a senior 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 par ...

, replacing the Department of the Pacific. It consisted of the

Department of the Columbia The Department of the Columbia was a major command ( Department) of the United States Army during the 19th century. Formation On July 27, 1865 the Military Division of the Pacific was created under Major General Henry W. Halleck, replacing the Dep ...

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.

District of Oregon commanders

* Colonel

George Wright George Wright may refer to: Politics, law and government * George Wright (MP) (died 1557), MP for Bedford and Wallingford * George Wright (governor) (1779–1842), Canadian politician, lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island * George Wright ...

, January 15, 1861 – September 13, 1861. * Colonel Benjamin L. Beall, September 13, 1861 – October 23, 1861. * Lieutenant Colonel Albemarle Cady, October 23, 1861 – May 5, 1862 * Colonel Justus Steinberger May 5, 1862 – July 7, 1862 * Brigadier General Benjamin Alvord, July 7, 1862 – March 23, 1865 * Colonel Reuben F. Maury, March 23, 1865 – June 27, 1865

Posts in the District of Oregon

Fort Colville Fort Colville was a U.S. Army post in the Washington Territory located north of current Colville, Washington. During its existence from 1859 to 1882, it was called "Harney's Depot" and "Colville Depot" during the first two years, and finally " ...

, Washington Territory, 1859–1882 *

Fort Steilacoom ''For the adjacent park, see Fort Steilacoom Park'' Fort 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 the ...

, Washington Territory, (1849–1868) *

Fort Dalles Fort 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. Th ...

, Oregon, 1850–1867 *

, Washington Territory 1853–1879 *

Fort Bellingham Fort Bellingham (1856–1860) was a U.S. Army fort built to prevent attacks by Indians from Canada and from Russian territory, on the bayside villages of Fairhaven, Sehome and Whatcom. The site for the new fort was on a prairie that overlooked ...

, Washington Territory (1855–1860) *

Fort Cascades Fort Cascades was a United States Army fort constructed in 1855 to protect the portage road around the final section of the Cascades Rapids, known as the "lower cascades." It was built on the Washington side of the Columbia River, between the pre ...

, Washington Territory (1855–1861) * Fort Yamhill, Oregon (1856–1866) * Fort Townsend, Washington Territory (1856–1861) *

Fort Walla Walla Fort Walla Walla is a United States Army fort located in Walla Walla, Washington. The first Fort Walla Walla was established July 1856, by Lieutenant Colonel Edward Steptoe, 9th Infantry Regiment. A second Fort Walla Walla was occupied Septem ...

, Washington Territory 1856–1911 * Fort Hoskins, Oregon, 1857–1865 * Siletz Blockhouse, Oregon 1858–1866 * Camp Pickett, Washington Territory (1859–1863) ** Post of San Juan, Washington Territory (1863–1867) *

Camp Chehalis Camp Chehalis, sometimes referred to as Fort Chehalis, was a military establishment at the mouth of the Chehalis River near Hoquiam and Grays Harbor, Washington Territory. It was established in 1860 by Captain Maurice Maloney and a garrison of thr ...

, Washington Territory (1860–1861) * Camp Baker, Oregon 1862–1865, * Camp Barlow, Oregon, 1862 ** Camp Clackamas, Oregon, 1862 * Post at Cape Disappointment, Washington Territory, 1862–1864 ** Fort Cape Disappointment, Washington Territory, 1864–1875 * Camp Lapwai, Idaho Territory, 1862 ** Fort Lapwai, Idaho Territory, 1862–1884 * Fort Boise, Idaho Territory, 1863–1912 * Post at Grand Ronde Indian Agency or ''Fort Lafayette'', Oregon 1863, *

Fort Hall Fort Hall was a fort in the western United States that was built in 1834 as a fur trading post by Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth. It was located on the Snake River in the eastern Oregon Country, now part of present-day Bannock County in southeastern Ida ...

, Idaho Territory, 1863–1865 *

Fort Klamath Fort Klamath was a military outpost near the western end of the Oregon Trail, between Crater Lake National Park and Upper Klamath Lake in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. The Fort Klamath Site, about a mile southeast of the present communi ...

, Oregon, 1863–1890 * Fort at Point Adams, Oregon 1863–? * Camp Alvord, Oregon 1864–1866 * Camp Dalgren, Oregon 1864 * Camp Henderson, Oregon, 1864–1866 * Camp Lincoln, Oregon 1864 * Camp Maury, Oregon 1864 * Camp Russell, Oregon 1864–1865 * Camp Watson, Oregon 1864–1869 * Camp Colfax, Oregon, 1865, 1867 * Camp Currey, Oregon 1865–1866 * Camp Lander, Idaho Territory, 1865–1866 * Camp Logan, Oregon 1865–1868 * Camp Lyon, Idaho 1865–1869 * Camp Polk, Oregon 1865–1866 * Camp Reed, Idaho Territory 1865–1866 * Camp on Silvies River, Oregon ? * Camp Wright, Oregon 1865–1866 * Old Camp Warner, Oregon 1866–1867 * Camp Warner, Oregon 1867–1874Carey, History of Oregon, pg. 671. Located west of Warner Lakes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:District Of Oregon

Oregon, District of Pacific Coast Theater of the American Civil War California in the American Civil War Oregon in the American Civil War Idaho in the American Civil War Washington (state) in the American Civil War 1861 establishments in Oregon

History

District of Oregon commanders

Posts in the District of Oregon

See also

References