U.S. military administration districts, departments, divisions

These entities were sometimes the only governmental authority in the listed areas, although they often co-existed with civil governments in scarcely populated states and territories. * From June 14, 1798 until May 14, 1800, Maj. Gen. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney commanded a district that encompassed Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Brig. Gen. James Wilkinson commanding troops in the remaining states in the north and west. 1800–1813 From May 14, 1800, the army was divided into 11 geographical districts, with an informal alignment into western and eastern departments. On February 15, 1809, the Army was reorganized into Northern, Southern, and Western Military Districts. In June 1810, the Southern and Western Districts were consolidated as the Southern Department, and the Northern District was designated Northern Department. * Defense of the City and Harbor of New York, 1812–13. * 4th Brigade of Detached Militia, 1812–13, * District of Oswego, Sackett's Harbor, and Ogdensburg, 1813 1813–1815 On March 19, 1813, during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

the United States was divided into 9 numbered military districts. They were increased to 10 on July 2, 1814 and reduced to 9 by consolidation of the 4th and 10th Districts in January 1815. * 1st Military District, 1813–15 (New Hampshire and Massachusetts, including current Maine) * 2d Military District, 1814–15 (Rhode Island and Connecticut) * 3d Military District, 1813–15 (New York "from the sea to the highlands," and East Jersey) * 4th Military District, 1813–14 (West Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware) * 4th and 10th Military Districts (consolidated), 1815 * 5th Military District, 1813–15 (Maryland and Virginia) * 6th Military District, 1813–15 (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia) * 7th Military District, 1813–15 (Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi territory) * 8th Military District, 1813-15 (Kentucky, Ohio, territories of Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri) * 9th Military District, 1813-15 (New York north of the highlands, and Vermont) * 9th Military District and Right Wing (1st Division), Northern Army (under unified command), 1814–15 * Left Wing (2d Division), Northern Army, 1814 * 10th Military District, 1814 (Maryland, DC and part of eastern Virginia)Joseph D. Davidson, ''Overcoming the Odds: A Comparison of the U.S. Ninth and Tenth Military Districts During the Final Campaigns of the War of 1812'', Dissertation, SUNY New Paltz, 1990.
/ref> 1815–1821 On May 17, 1815, the military districts were abolished, and superseded by 10 numbered Military Departments, divided equally between the Division of the North with 1st–5th Military Departments and Division of the South with the 6th–10th Military Departments. 1821–37 In May 1821, the Divisions of the North and South and the Military Departments were abolished and the Army reorganized into Eastern and Western Departments. From time to time various departments or Armies appeared in the Western Department. * Western Department, 1821–37 ** Right Wing, Western Department, 1832–37 ** Army of the Frontier, 1832 ** 1st Army Corps, North West Army, 1832 ** Army of the Southwestern Frontier, 1834–37. * Eastern Department, 1821–37 1837–1844 In 1837 the Army returned to a system of Divisions with subordinate numbered Military departments. Between 1842 and 1844, the Divisions were abolished with only the Military Departments in operation. * Eastern Division, 1837–42 ** 7th Military Department, 1837–41 * Western Division, 1837–42 ** 1st Military Department, 1837–42 ** 2nd Military Department, 1837–42 ** 7th Military Department, 1841–42 * 1st Military Department, 1842–43 * 2nd Military Department, 1843–51 * 3rd Military Department, 1842–48 * 4th Military Department, 1842–53 * 5th Military Department, 1842–52 * 8th Military Department, 1842–46 * 9th Military Department, 1842–45 (Florida) 1844–1848 In 1844 the Army renewed the use of the Eastern and Western Divisions during the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

. * Eastern Division, 1844–48 ** 5th Military Department, 1844–48 ** 8th Military Department, 1844–46 * Western Division, 1844–48 ** 2nd Military Department, 1844–48 ** 3rd Military Departments, 1844–48 * 4th Military Department, 1844–53 * 9th Military Department, 1845 (Florida) * 10th Military Department, 1846 – 1853 (California and Oregon to 1848) 1848–1853 Following the Mexican war, the army reorganized to occupy the vast new territory acquired. * Eastern Division, 1848–53 ** 1st Military Department, 1848–53; consolidated 1st and 3d Military Departments, 1849–50 ** 2nd Military Department, 1848–51; consolidated 1st and 2d Military Departments, 1848–49 ** 3rd Military Departments, 1848, 1850–53 ** 4th Military Departments, 1848–53; consolidated 3d and 4th Military Departments, 1848 * Western Division, 1848–53 ** consolidated 5th and 6th Military Departments, 1848 ** 5th Military Department, 1848–52 ** 6th Military Department, 1848–53 ** 7th Military Department, 1848–53 ** 8th Military Department, 1848–49, 1851–53 ** 9th Military Department, 1849–53 (New Mexico) * Pacific Division, 1848–53,(California and Oregon) * 10th Military Department, 1846 – 1853 (California and Oregon to 1848, California only 1848-1850) *

11th Military Department 11 (eleven) is the natural number following 10 (number), 10 and preceding 12 (number), 12. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer whose name has three syllables. Name "Eleven" derives from the Old English ', w ...

, 1848 – 1853 (Oregon) 1853–1861 After October 31, 1853 the division echelon was eliminated and the departments in the east became one Department of the East, administering all the territory east of the Mississippi River. The six western departments consolidated into four (Departments of Texas, New Mexico, the West, and the Pacific). The system returned to six departments in 1858 when the Department of Utah was created in January, and the Department of the Pacific split into the Departments of California and Oregon in September. Eastern United States *

Department of the East The Department of the East was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army several times in its history. The first was from 1853 to 1861, the second Department of the East, from 1863 to 1873, and the last from 1877 to 1913. H ...

, 1853 - August 17, 1861 Western United States *

Department of the West The Department of the West, later known as the Western Department, was a major command ( Department) of the United States Army during the 19th century. It oversaw the military affairs in the country west of the Mississippi River to the borders of C ...

, 1853 - July 3, 1861 All U.S. lands between the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

and the Department of the Pacific not included in other Districts or Departments. *

Department of Texas The Department of Texas was a military department of the United States Army that existed from 1850 to 1861, and again from 1865 to 1866, from 1870 to 1913 and during the First World War. It was subordinate to the Military Division of the Missouri. ...

, 1853 - April 22, 1861. * Department of New Mexico, 1853 - June 27, 1865 Pacific area *

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 ...

1853-September 13, 1858; January 15, 1861 - June 27, 1865 Included all U.S. lands between the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

and the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

, not included in the Department of the West. Beginning in 1857, it was separated into the Department of Utah, June 30, 1857 - July 3, 1861, the Department of California, September 13, 1858 - January 15, 1861, and the Department of Oregon, September 13, 1858 - January 15, 1861. 1861–1865 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 ...

the Eastern Department was eliminated, exploding into many Departments, districts and subdistricts of the

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 ...

. * Union Army Divisions, Departments and Districts 1865-1881 Following the end of the Civil War, five

Reconstruction military districts Following the end of the American Civil War, five Reconstruction Military Districts of the U.S. Army were established as temporary military district, administrative units of the United States Department of War, U.S. War Department in the American ...

were created containing the various Confederate states (see below references to First through Fifth Military District). Eastern United States *

Military Division of the Atlantic Military Division of the Atlantic, was one of the military divisions of the U. S. Army created by GENERAL ORDERS No. 118. on June 27, 1865 at the end of the American Civil War. President Andrew Johnson directed that the United States was to be divid ...

, 1865–66 **

, 1865–73; independent 1866-68 ** Middle Military Department, 1866 **

Department of North Carolina The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States during the Civil War. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departme ...

, 1865–66; to Department of the Carolinas **

Department of South Carolina Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, 1865–66; to Department of the Carolinas **

Department of the Carolinas Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, 1866; to

Second Military District The Second Military District of the U.S. Army was one of five temporary administrative units of the U.S. War Department that existed in the American South. The district was stipulated by the Reconstruction Acts during the Reconstruction period fol ...

Department of Virginia The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States during the Civil War. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departme ...

, 1865–66; to

First Military District The First Military District of the U.S. Army was one of five temporary administrative units of the U.S. War Department that existed in the American South. The district was stipulated by the Reconstruction Acts during the Reconstruction period f ...

* Division of the Atlantic, 1868–91 ** Department of the East, 1868–73 ** Department of the Lakes, 1868–73 ** Department of Washington, 1868–69 Southeastern United States * Military Division of the Tennessee, 1865–67 **

Department of the South The Department of the South was a military department of the United States Army that existed in several iterations in the 19th century during and after the American Civil War. 1862–65 After the first 11 months of the American Civil War, startin ...

, 1865–66 ** Department of Alabama, 1865–66; to

Third Military District The Third Military District of the U.S. Army was one of five temporary administrative units of the U.S. War Department that existed in the American South. The district was stipulated by the Reconstruction Acts during the Reconstruction period fo ...

** Department of Georgia, 1865–66; to

** Department of Kentucky, 1865–66 ** Department of Mississippi, 1865–66; to

Fourth Military District The Fourth Military District of the U.S. Army was one of five temporary administrative units of the U.S. War Department that existed in the American South. The district was stipulated by the Reconstruction Acts during the Reconstruction period fo ...

** Department of Tennessee, 1865–66 ** Department of the Cumberland, 1866 ** District of Tennessee, 1866 *** Sub-district of Tennessee, 1866 Western United States *

Military Division of the Missouri The Military Division of the Missouri was an administrative formation of the United States Army that functioned through the end of the American Civil War and the Indian Wars that continued after its conclusion. It was created by the War Departmen ...

(1865–1891). **

Department of Dakota A subdivision of the Division of the Missouri, the Department of Dakota was established by the United States Army on August 11, 1866, to encompass all military activities and forts within Minnesota, Dakota Territory and Montana Territory. The Depa ...

(1866–1911) Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and parts of Idaho, South Dakota and the Yellowstone portion of Wyoming. **

Department of the Missouri The Department of the Missouri was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century and a sub division of the Military Division of the Missouri that functioned through the Indian Wars. History Background Following the successful ...

(1865–1891) Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Indian Territory, and Territory of Oklahoma. **

Department of the Platte The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho. With headquarters in Om ...

(1866–1898) Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory, Wyoming (except Yellowstone), and a portion of Idaho. *

(1865–66), 5th Military District (Reconstruction) 1867–70 and Department of Texas (1870–1913). * Department of New Mexico, (1854–65) in New Mexico Territory; part of the Department of the Pacific and the Department of the West during the Civil war, became the

District of New Mexico The District of New Mexico was a military district of the United States Army in the Territory of New Mexico that existed from 1865 to 1890. The District of Arizona and the District of New Mexico replaced the Department of New Mexico from June 27 ...

(1865–90) under the Military Division of the Pacific in 1865. * Department of Utah, 1858–61; merged again into the Department of the Pacific being made Pacific area * Military Division of the Pacific (1865–1891). ** Department of California (1865–1891) California, Nevada Territory, Arizona Territory, and part of New Mexico Territory. ***

District of Southern California The District of Southern California was a nineteenth century district of Department of the Pacific, a command of the United States Army. History Department of the Pacific was created January 15, 1861, during the American Civil War. The District o ...

, (1865–66) *** District of Humboldt, (1865–69) ***

District of Arizona District of Arizona was a subordinate district of the Department of New Mexico territory created on August 30, 1862 and transferred to the Department of the Pacific in March 1865. District of Arizona (Dept. of New Mexico) commanders Headquarter ...

, (1865–70) became Department of Arizona ***

District of Utah During the American Civil War in the early 1860s, the District of Utah was a subordinate district of the U.S. Army's Department of the Pacific. The district was composed of territorial areas that later became parts of the modern U.S. states of Id ...

1865–66 then merged into the Department of the Platte *** District of Nevada, (1865–70) discontinued **

Department of Alaska Department of Alaska was the designation for the government of Alaska from its purchase by the United States of America in 1867 until its organization as the District of Alaska in 1884. During the department era, Alaska was variously under ...

(1868–1884) became the civilian-ruled District of Alaska. ** Department of Arizona (1870–1891); Arizona Territory; included the District of New Mexico in New Mexico Territory after 1885. **

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 ...

(1865–1913) Oregon, Washington Territory, part of Idaho Territory, and Department of Alaska after 1870.

Overseas regions primarily under U.S. military administration

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

(1898–1902) * American WWII European Occupation Zones ** American Occupation Zone of Austria (1945–1955) ** American Occupation Zone of Germany (1945–1955) *** American Occupation Zone of

West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...

(1945–1990) ** Free Territory of Trieste, Zone A (1947–1954, administered jointly with the

U.K. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

) *

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

(1945–1948) * Pacific Trust Territories, (Micronesia under U.S. administration, 1947–1986) * Ryukyu Islands, Japan (Okinawa, 1945–1972)

References

{{reflist *http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/393.html Military history of the United States Departments and districts of the United States Army

U.S. military administration districts, departments, divisions

Overseas regions primarily under U.S. military administration

See also

References