Pacific Division (United States Army)

Pacific Division of the U. S. Army was one of its superior administrative organizations that existed during the early 19th century and for a short time in the early 20th century.

Pacific Division 1848–1853 Source:

The first Pacific Division of the U.S. Army was created on 10 October 1848, as the Army reorganized its administration for the new territories acquired during the Mexican–American War. 10th Military Department (California) and 11th Military Department (Oregon Territory) were subordinated to the new Division that had its headquarters at Monterey. In June 1849, the headquarters moved to San Francisco for a month then moved to Benicia and the Benicia Arsenal in July 1849.

On 17 May 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 15 June 1852, Pacific Division headquarters was moved from Benicia to the San Francisco.

On 31 October 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.Durwood Ball, Army Regulars on the Western Frontier, 1848–1861, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 2001.

Commander of the Pacific Division Major General Persifor Frazer Smith 10 October 1848–1849 Brevet Major General Bennet Riley 1849–1851 Brevet Brigadier General Ethan A. Hitchcock 1851–1853

Posts in Military Department 10 Post at Monterey, Monterey, 1847–1852 Monterey Ordnance Depot 1852–1856The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Historic California Posts: Posts at Monterey Sonoma Barracks, Sonoma, 1847–1852.The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Sonoma Barracks (Including El Presidio de Sonoma, El Cuartel de Sonoma, Camp Sonoma, Sonoma Post) Camp Sonoma, near Sonoma, 1847–1851 Sonoma Post, near Sonoma, 1852–1858 Camp San José, San Jose, 1848The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp San Jose Camp Anderson, Sacramento, 1849The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Anderson, (Post near Sacramento City, Post near Sutterville) Camp Stanislaus, Riverbank, California, 1849The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Stanislaus (Miller's Camp) Camp Riley, near Otay, 1849The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Riley Camp Salvation, Calexico, California, 1849Camp Salvation, California State Historic Landmark 808 Camp San Miguel, Mission San Miguel Arcángel, 1849–1851The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp San Miguel Benicia Barracks, Benicia, 1849–1898 Fort Far West, near Marysville, 1849–1852.The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Cantonment Far West (Camp Far West, Fort Far West) Angel Island Military Reservation, Angel Island 1850–1863The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Fort McDowell(Camp Reynolds, Post of Angel Island) Camp Rancho de Chino, Chino, 1850–1852The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Rancho del Chino Post Camp San Luis Rey, San Luis Rey, 1850–1852The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Post at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia (Camp San Luis Rey) Camp Frederica, 7 miles from Durham's Ferry, near San Joaquin City, California, 1850The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Frederica Camp Vallecito, 1850, now Vallecito County ParkThe California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Vallecito Vallecito Depot, 1851–1853 Fort Defiance, near Winterhaven, 1850The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Fort Defiance(Imperial County) Camp Santa Isabel, Santa Ysabel, 1851–1852The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Santa Isabel (Camp Santa Ysabel) Camp McClear, Fresno, 1851The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp McClear New San Diego Depot, 1851–1866The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: San Diego Barracks(Including New San Diego Depot) Fort Miller, 1851–1858The California State Military Museum; Historic Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields: Fort Miller (Including Camp Barbour, Camp Miller) Fort Yuma, 1851–1883 Benicia Arsenal, Benicia, 1852–1964 Camp Crane, Bass Lake, 1852The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Historic California Posts: Camp Crane Camp Fitzgerald, near Winterhaven, California 1852The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Fitzgerald (Imperial County) Camp Rancho del Jurupa, Rubidoux, 1852–1854The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Camp Rancho del Jurupa Fort Reading, Redding, 1852–1856The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts:Fort ReadingFort Reading, California State Historic Landmark 379 Fort Jones, Fort Jones, California, 1852–1858The California State Military Museum; Historic California Posts: Fort Jones (Siskiyou County) Fort Humboldt, 1853–1867

Posts in Military Department 11 Fort Colville, Washington Territory, 1859–1882 Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory, (1849–1868) Fort Dalles, Oregon, 1850–1867 Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory, 1849-1889

Pacific Division, 1904–07 Source:

Several Departments were again organized under new Divisions in 1903. The previous Division of the Pacific (1869-91) was re-established and formally stood up in 1904 as the Pacific Division with subordinate or related commands, including the Department of California (to include the Hawaiian Islands) and the Department of the Columbia. The Pacific Division was headquartered at Fort Mason, San Francisco. By the end of 1907, the War Department, under Secretary of War William Howard Taft from 1 February 1904 – 30 June 1908, had eliminated the echelon of administrative units called Divisions and subsequently the Pacific Division that same year.

Commander of the Pacific Division Major General Arthur MacArthur 1903 - 1907

References