INFORMATION FROM DYERS COMPENDIUM
1.
DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA: Organized Oct 11, 1861 from the Dept
of the Ohio.
1.A. Railroad District:
Commanded by Brig Gen B.F.Kelley from Oct 11, 1861 to March 11, 1862
1.A.1.
11th WVA Infty: newly organized Oct 1861.Transferred to the Railroad District,
Mountain Dept, March 1862.
2.
MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENT: Created March 11, 1862 from Dept of Western
Virginia. Merged into 1st Corps
Army of Virginia June 26, 1862. Commanded by Brig Gen W.S. Rosecrans
March 11, 1862 to March 29, 1862
then Maj Gen John C. Fremont March 29, 1862 to June 26, 1862.
2.A. Railroad District:
Commanded by Brig Gen B.F. Kelley from March 11, 1862 to June 26, 1862.
2.A.1.
11th WVA Infty: March 1862. Transferred to Railroad District, 8th Corps,
Middle Dept, July 1862.
3.
MIDDLE DEPT, 8TH ARMY CORPS: Created July 22, 1862 from troops in the
Middle Dept. Discontinued Aug 1, 1865. Commanded by Maj Gen John
E. Wool from July 22, 1862 to Dec 22, 1862.
3.A. Railroad District:
Commanded by Brig Gen B.F. Kelley from July 22, 1862 to Sept 20,
1862.
3.A.1. 11th WVA
Infty: July 1862. Transferred to Railroad District, District of West Virginia,
Dept of Ohio, Sept 1862.
4.
ARMY & DEPT OF THE OHIO: Recreated Aug 29, 1862 to consist of the
States of Ohio, Michigan,
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Kentucky east of the Tennessee
River, including Cumberland Gap.
Annexed to Dept of the Cumberland Jan 17, 1865. Commanded by
Maj Gen H.G. Wright from Aug 23,
1862 to March 25, 1863.
4.A. Railroad District,West
Virginia: commanded by Brig Gen B.F. Kelley.
4.A.1. 11th
WVA Infty: Sept 1862.Transferred to Parkersburg, WVa., 8th Corps Jan 1863.
5. MIDDLE DEPARTMENT,
8th CORPS: (see item 3 above)
5.A. Defences,
Upper Potomac: Organized Jan 5, 1863. Discontinued Feb 1863. Commanded
by Brig Gen B.F.Kelley from Jan 5, 1863 to Feb 1863.
5.A.1. Harpers Ferry,Maryland Brigade: Commanded by Brig Gen J.R. Kenly Jan 5, 1863 to Feb 1863.
5.A.1.a. Parkersburg,
WVa.: 11th Wva. Infty Jan 1863. Transferred to 6th Brigade, 1st Division,
8th Corps March 1863.
5.B. 1st
Division: Organized March 1863. Commanded by Brig Gen B. F. Kelley from
March 27, 1863 to June 26, 1863.
5.B.1. 6th Brigade: Commanded by Col N. Wilkinson, 6th WVa. Infty from March 27, 1863 to June 26, 1863.
5.B.1.a. 11th WVA Infty: March 1863.Transferred to Wilkinsons Brigade, Scammons Division, Dept Of Wva. June 1863.
6. DEPARTMENT OF
WEST VIRGINIA: Reorganized June 28, 1863 from 8th Corps, Middle Dept.
Commanded by Brig Gen B.F. Kelley from June 24, 1863 to March 10,
1864; Maj Gen Franz Sigel from March 10, 1864 to May 21, 1864; Maj
Gen David Hunter from May 21, 1864 to August 8, 1864; Brevet Maj
Gen George Crook from August 8, 1864 to February 22, 1865.
6.A. Scammons Division:
commanded by Brig Gen E.P.Scammon.
6.A.1. Wilkinsons Separate Brigade: commanded by Col N.Wilkinson, 6th WVa.Infty.
6.A.1.a. 11th WVA Infty: June 1863.Transferred to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Dept Wva.
6.B. 2nd Division: Commanded by Col J.A. Mulligan, 23rd Illinois Infty from Dec 1863 to April 1864.
6.B.1. 3rd
Brigade: Commanded by Col N. Wilkinson, 6th Wva. Infty from Dec 1863 to
April
1864.
6.B.1.a. 11th WVa Infty: Dec 1863.Transferred to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Dept of Wva. Jan 1864
6.C. 3rd Division: Commanded by Brig Gen E.P. Scammon from Dec 1863 to Feb 11,1864; Brig Gen Geo Crook from Feb 11, 1864 to April 1864.
6.C.1. 1st
Brigade: Commanded by Col R.B. Hayes, 23rd Ohio Infty from Dec 1863 to
April 1864.
6.C.1.a.
11th WVa Infty: Jan 1864. Transferred to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Dept
of Wva. Apr 1864
6.D. 2nd Division:
Commanded by Brig Gen Geo Crook from April 1864 to July 22, 1864.
6.D.1. 3rd Brigade: Commanded by Col H.G. Sickel, 3rd Penna Reserve Corp from Apr 1864 to Jun 9, 1864; Col J.M. Campbell, 54th Penna Inf from Jun 9, 1864 to Jul 1864.
6.D.1.a.
11th WVa Infty: March 1864. Transferred to 2nd Brig, 3rd Division,
Dept of Wva July 1864
6.E. 3rd Division:
Commanded by Col James A. Muilligan, 23rd Illinois Infty from July 1864
to July 24, 1864 (killed).
6.E.1.
2nd Brigade: Commanded by Lt Col J.P.Linton, 11th WVa
Infty.
6.E.1.a.
11th Wva Infty: July 1864. Transferred to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept
Wva, July 1864.
6.F. 1st Division:
Commanded by Brig Gen Geo Crook from July 3, 1864 to July 22, 1864; Brig
Gen
Jos Thoburn from 22 July 1864 to 19 Oct 1864 (killed); Col T.M.Harris,
10th WVa Infty from 19
Oct 1864 to 24 Dec 1864.
6.F.1. 3rd
Brigade: Commanded by Col J.M. Campbell, 54th Penn Infty from Jul 1864
to Aug
1864; Col T.M.Harris, 10th WVa Infty from Aug 1864 to 19 Oct 1864; Col
Milton Wells, 15th Wva Infty from 19 Oct 1864 to 24 Dec 1864.
6.F.1.a. 11th WVa Infty: July 1864.Transferred to 3rd Brigade, Independent Division, 24th Army Corps Dec 1864.
7. 24TH CORPS, ARMY OF
THE JAMES: Created Dec 3, 1864 by General Order No.297, A.G.O. and
composed of the
white troops of the 10th and 18th Army Corps, Army of the James, Dept of
Va. & North Carolina. Discontinued Aug 1,
1865 by General Order No. 131, A.G.O. Commanders as follows;
Maj Gen E.O.C. Ord from
3 Dec 1864 to 6 Dec 1864
Bvt Maj Gen A.H.Terry
from 6 Dec 1864 to 2 Jan 1865
Brig Gen Chas Devens Jr.
from 2 Jan 1865 to 15 Jan 1865
Maj Gen John Gibbon from
15 Jan 1865 to 27 Apr 1865
Bvt Maj Gen John W.Turner
from 27 Apr 1865 to 17 May 1865
Maj Gen John Gibbon from
17 May 1865 to 8 July 1865
7.A. Independent Division: Joined 24th Corps from Dept of WVa 24 Dec 1864. Comd by Bvt Brig Gen T.M.Harris from 24 Dec 1864 to 25 March 1865; Bvt Maj Gen John W. Turner from 25 March 1865 to 27 April 1865; Bvt Brig Gen T.M. Harris from 27 April 1865 to 10 July 1865.
7.A.1. 3rd Brigade: Commanded by Lt Col M.S. Hall, 10th WVA Infty from 24 Dec 1864 to 25 March 1865; Bvt Brig Gen T.M. Harris from 25 March 1865 to 27 April 1865; Lt Col J.W. Holliday, 15th WVa Infty from 27 April 1865 to 1 June 1865.
7.A.1.a. 11th WVa Infty: Dec 1864. Mustered out June 17, 1865.
DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA from” THE UNION ARMY 1861-1865 ” by Frank J. Welcher.
(page 212)
DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA
was created 19 Sept 1861 from parts of Dept of the East, Dept of the Potomac,
and Dept of the Ohio. Consisted of that part of Virginia west of the Blue
Ridge Mountains. William S. Rosecrans assigned command with headquarters
in thefield. Troops within the department formerly belonged Rosecran’s
Army of Occupation of Western Virginia, Dept of Ohio. Rosecrans assumed
command of the Dept 11 Oct 1861. Dept redefined 9 Nov 1861 to consist
of an area of Virginia originally included in the Dept of Ohio. This area
was bounded on the south by the Great Kanawha River and on the east by
the Greenbrier River and a line from the river to the southwest corner
of Maryland and from there along the western boundary of Maryland to the
Pennsylvania state line and from that point northward to the northeast
corner of McKean County, Pa. Headquarters was established at Wheeling,
11 Dec 1861. In General Orders from Headquarters of the Army dated 23 Jan
1862, Geo B. McClellan noted that the boundaries were incorrectly defined
in theArmy Register for 1862 and should be defined as follows:
On the west- the western boundary
of Virginia.
On the north & East-the
boundaries of Pa. & Md
On the east- the western slope
of the Allegheny Mts
On the south- the Tenn state
line.
The eastern limit of the Dept
was extended 3 Mar 1862 to include the valleys of the South Branch of the
Potomac River, The Cow Pasture Branch of the James River to the Balcony
Falls, The Roanoke River west of the Blue Ridge and the New River, The
eastern boundary was then described as follows:
beginning at the north, the
Flintstone Creek in Md.; and in Va.,the South Branch Mountain or Big Ridge,
the North or Shenandoah Mountain, Purgatory Mountain, and the Blue Ridge
and Allegheny Mountains to theNorth Carolina border.
This added territory was taken
from the Dept of the Potomac. he Dept ofWestern Virginia was merged into
the Mountain Dept 11 March 1862 (ordered 3 March 1862).
(page 213.)
DISTRICT OF GRAFTON, Dept of
Western Va.was organized in the Dept ofthe Ohio consisting of troops guarding
the Baltimore & Ohio and the Northwestern Railroads. Benjamin F. Kelley
was assigned command. In thereorganization of the Dept of Western Va.20
Dec 1861, Kelley wasassigned command of the newly constituted Railroad
District. The princi-iple posts were Parkersburg, Clarksburg, Grafton,
Wheeling & Rowlesburg.
RAILROAD DISTRICT, Dept of WesternVa.
was organized from the District of Grafton 20 Dec 1861 and consisted of
all the railroads of the Dept and all post along the lines. B.F.Kelley
was assigned command. The principle posts were Parkersburg, Clarksburg,
Grafton, Wheeling, and Rowlesburg. No Change in district until the
Dept of Western Va. was merged into the Mountain Dept 11 March 1862.
DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA
from ”WAR OF THE REBELLION OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE
ARMIES”
Series I, Vol 5.
(page 604)
War Dept, Adj Generals Office,
Washington, Sept 19, 1861, General Orders No.80: So much of Virginia as
lies west of the Blue Ridge Mountains will constitute in future a separate
command to be called the Department of Western Virginia, under Brig Gen
Rosecrans, Headquarters in the field...by order.. L.Thomas, Adj General.
(page 616)
Headquarters Dept of Western
Virginia, Camp at Mountain Cove, Va. Oct 31, 1861--General Order No.1:
In accordance....Gen Orders No.80...this department will hereafter be called
the Department of Western Virginia and will comprise so much of Virginia
as lies west of the Blue RidgeMountains.....by command of Brig Gen
Rosecrans.....Geo.L. Hartsuff,Assistant Adj Gen
.(page 647)
Headquarters of the Army, Adj
Generals Office, Washington, Nov 9, 1861, General Orders No. 97: The Dept
of Western Virginia to consist of that portion of Va.*included in the old
Dept of the Ohio to be commanded by Brig Gen Rosecrans, U.S.Army...by order...Julius
P. Garesche, AssistantAdj General.------* part of Va.as lays north of the
Great Kanawha, North & west of the Greenbrier, and west of a line thence
northward to the south west corner of Maryland &c.
(page 706)
Headquarters of the Army, A.G.O.,
Washington, Jan 23, 1862, General Orders No. 6: The boundaries of the Dept
of Western Va. are incorrectly defined in the Army Register for 1862, page
90. They should be as follows—So much of Va. as lies between its
entire boundary on the west,the western slope of the Allegheny Mountains
on the east, the boundaries of Penn and Maryland on the north & northeast,
and of Tenn on the south....by command of Major General McClellan....L.Thomas,
Adj General
(page 733)
Headquarters of the Army, A.G.O.,
Washington, March 3, 1862, Gen Order No.23: The eastern limits of the Dept
of Western Virginia are extended to embrace the valleys of the South Branch
of the Potomac River to the Balcony Falls, the valley of the Roanoke west
of the Blue Ridge, and the New River Valley; the eastern boundary of the
said dept will be then as follows- commencing at the north, the Flintstone
Creek in Maryland; theSouth Branch Mountain, Town Hill Mountain, Branch
Mountain or Big Ridge,the North or Shenandoah Mountain, Purgatory Mountain,
Blue Ridge,Allegheny Mountains to the border of North Carolina...by command
of Major Gen McClellan...L.Thomas, Adj General.
Series I, Vol 10, Part II.
(page 29)
RESEARCH NOT COMPLETED--TO BE
RESEARCHED: Series I, Vol 51, Series II, Vol 2 & 3, Series III,Vol
1 and Atlas.
MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENT from THE
UNION ARMY 1861-1865” by Frank J.Welcher
(page 33)
Created 11 March 1862.
Consisted of those parts of the states ofMichigan, Ohio, Kentucky &
Tennessee that were east of a north-south line passing through Knoxville,
Tennessee; and all of Maryland andVirginia west of a line beginning on
the north on Flintstone Creek Mary-land and running southward in Virginia,
from the Potomac River at a point opposite the mouth of Flintstone Creek,
along South Branch Mountain, Town Hill Mountain, Branch Mountain or Big
Ridge, North or Shenandoah Mountain, Purgatory Mountain, and the Blue Ridge
and Allegheny Mountains to the North Carolina border. Its territory was
taken from the Dept of Western Va. and a part of the Dept of theOhio.
John C. Fremont was assigned command 11 March 1862 by William S.Rosecrans
assumed command 14 March 1862 pending Fremont’s arrival. Fremont assumed
command at Wheeling, 29 March 1862.
MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENT from WAR
OF THE REBELLION - OFFICIAL RECORDS OFTHE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES”
Series I, Vol 8
(page 605)
Telegraph message to Major General
Halleck,St Louis, Mo.: Presidents War Order No.3, Executive Mansion, Washington,
March 11, 1862-----Major Gen McClellan having personally taken the field
at head of the Army of the Potomac....Ordered further the two departments
under command of Generals Halleck and Hunter, together with so much
of that under General Buell...west of a north & south line imperfectly
drawn through Knoxville, Tennessee, be consolidated and designated the
Department of the Mississippi, Major General Halleck to command...Ordered
that the country west of theDepartment of the Potomac and east of the Department
of the Mississippi be a military department ...called the Mountain Department
... commanded by Major General Fremont.....Abraham Lincoln...L. Thomas,
Adj General.
Series I, Vol 11.
(page 1)
Chapter XXIII—The Peninsular
Campaign, Va.- Summary of Events -March 31, 1862, Blenker’s Division ordered
to Mountain (Fremont’s) Dept
Series I, Vol 12, Part 1.
(page 1)
Operations in Northern, Va,
West Va.& Maryland - Summary of PrincipleEvents - March 29, 1862 -
Major Gen John C. Fremont supersedes Brig Gen William S. Rosecrans in command
of the Mountain Dept.
(pages 3 to 35)
Report of Major General
John C. Fremont, U.S.Army, of operations March29 to June 27, 1862,
dated New York, 30 December 1865: Under orders of the President March 11
(1862), I proceeded to designated headquarters of my department, Wheeling,
Va., relieving Brig Gen Rosecrans and assuming command March 29, 1862.
The disposition and numbers of troops upon my arrival within the dept were
reported to me as follows—Within theDistrict of Cumberland, comprising
all east of the Alleghanies and west of the Dept of the Potomac, 3 regiments
of Infantry and one company of cavalry - district commanded by Brig Gen
R.C. Schenck.—Within the Cheat Mountain District, comprising all west of
the Alleghanies, south of the railroad lines, north of the valley of the
Gauley, and east of the Weston & Summerville road, six regiments and
five companies of infantry, four companies of cavalry, and two batteries
of artillery -district commanded by Brig Gen R.H. Milroy.—Within the Railroad
District comprising all north & west of the railroad lines, 34 companies
of infantry of different regiments, 8 companies of cavalry and 3 batteries
of artillery - district commanded by Brig Gen B.F. Kelley.—Within the District
of Kanawha, comprising all the valleys of the Kanawha and Guyandotte Rivers
and mouth of the Big Sandy, 12 regiments and 3 companies of infantry, 15
companies of cavalry, and 2 batteries of artillery.- district commanded
by Brig Gen J.D. Cox.—Within the Districts of Big Sandy and the Gap, commanded
respectively by Colonels Garfield and Carter, were troops estimated in
the total at a fraction over 9000 men.....Total troops as ascertained or
estimated; 35 & 2/10 regiments infantry, 36 companies of cavalry, 9
batteries artillery stood in figures at 34,271 men....Shortly after assuming
command was informed by Secretary of War that the troops in Eastern Kentucky
and SouthwesternVirginia, although included within the limits of my department,
would not be subject to my command or control ... deducted ... estimates
9,195 men.. Adding to these estimates as sick &c and not available
for duty..a decrease of 6,269 men, leaving 18,807, rounded to about
19,000 effective force....With these troop it was necessary to guard a
frontier of 350miles...to guard depots, bridges and tunnels on 300
miles of railroad and over 200 miles of water communication.....Several
partially formed regiments and companies were found waiting at different
localities on my arrival at Wheeling, and asked only to be mustered in
and furnished with arms to do good and loyal service. Recent orders,
however, of the War Department concerning enlistments and the increase
of regiments forbademy acceptance of more than a limited proportion of
these troops, and this proportion only as a remainder upon previous quotas
of the.........While thus occupied in preparing my corps for active service.......I
received from the Secretary of War the Presidents order of June 26, which
place my own and the Corps then with me under the command of Major
General Pope....Having the convection that consistently with a just regard
for the safety of my troops and what was rightfully due to my personal
honor I could not suffer myself to pass under the command of General Pope,
I asked to be relieved from the duty to which I had been assigned under
him. On the 27 of June (1862), having been relieve of my command
by direction of the President, I proceeded to New York to await further
orders.
(page 35)
Mountain Dept, Adj Genl’s Office,
Headquarters in the field, Middletown,Va.June 25, 1862: To Maj Gen John
C. Fremont, Commanding Dept, incompliance with your verbal orders........officers
of headquarters staff....Col.Anselm Albert, Chief of Staff - Col.Albert
Tracy (Capt 10thRegular) acting Assistant Adjutant General - Col John T.Fiala,
Chief of Topographical Engineers, dept Headquarters - Col.W.F. Raynolds
(CaptU.S.Regular Service) Chief of Topographical Engineers in the field
- Col Charles Zagonyi, Chief of Cavalry - Lieut. Col John Pilsen,
Chiefof Artillery - Major R.M. Corwine, Judge Advocate (absent on detachedservice
during campaign) - R.N.Hudson, Provost-Marshall-General in thefield(on
leave from May 23) - Capt. John C. Hopper, Chief of Scouts and Spies -
Captains R.W. Raymond and T.J. Weed, mustering officers - Capt. G.Ward
Nichols, in charge of postal service - Capt .Cyrus Hamlin,acting commissary
of subsistence - Lieut. Col. James W. Savage, Majors Adolf
C.Warberg and Burr Porter, and Captains Nordendorf and Dunka,assistants
to Chief-of Staff - Lieut Col Philip Figyelmesy and Major Leonidas Haskell
assistants of Chief of Cavalry - Capt John R. Howard incharge of telegraphic
correspondence - Col. Gustave P. Cluseret,aid-de-camp, though present,
is not included as a staff officer atheadquarters, he being in command
of light brigade...Albert Tracy,Additional Aide-de-Camp and Acting Asst.Adjt.
Gen.
(pages 541 & 542)
(To) Major Gen N.P. Banks, U.S.Volunteers,
Winchester, Va, - (From) War Dept, A.G.O., Washington, June 8, 1862, General
Orders No.62........The Mountain Department is extended eastward to the
road running from Williamsport to Martinsburg, Winchester, Strasburg, Harrisonburg
and Staunton including that place; thence in the same direction southward
untilit reaches the Blue Ridge chain of mountains; thence with the line
ofthe Blue Ridge to the southern boundary of the State of Virginia.....L.Thomas,
Adjutant General.
(page 169)
Executive Mansion, Washington,
D.C., June 26, 1862: Ordered...forces under Major Gen Fremont, Banks, and
McDowell, including troops under Brig Gen Sturgis at Washington, shall
be consolidated and form.. Army of Virginia ... command of the Army of
Virginia assigned to Major General John Pope. The troops of the Mountain
Dept under Major General Fremont shall constitute the 1st Army Corps under
command of Maj Gen Fremont.....A. Lincoln........ Lorenzo Thomas,
Adjutant General.
Series I, Vol 12, Part II
(page 3)
Operations in Northern Va.,
West Virginia, and Maryland - Summary of the Principle Events - June 26,
1862, the Mountain Dept, Dept of the Rappahannock, and Dept of the Shenandoah
merged into the Army of Virginia.
Series I, Vol 12, Part III
(page 7)
War Dept, Washington City, D.C.,
March 22, 1862: (To) Rosecrans