kids encyclopedia robot

District of Southern California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
For the United States federal court, see United States District Court for the Southern District of California.
Scene, including a barracks building, from California's Fort Tejon State Park in Grapevine Canyon on the main route between California's central valley and Southern California LCCN2013631331
This picture shows Fort Tejon, a U.S. Army post in Southern California. It was active during the American Civil War.

The District of Southern California was a military area in the 1800s. It was part of the Department of the Pacific, a command of the United States Army. This district was important during the American Civil War for managing military activities in Southern California.

History of the District

The Department of the Pacific was created on January 15, 1861. This happened during the American Civil War. The District of Southern California was officially set up on September 25, 1861.

What Areas Did It Cover?

The district included several counties. These were San Luis Obispo County, Tulare County, Santa Barbara County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County. Back then, these counties were much larger than they are today. For example, Tulare County included parts of what are now Kern County, Inyo County, Kings County, and Fresno County. Santa Barbara County included today's Ventura County. Los Angeles County covered what is now Orange County and parts of Kern and Inyo. San Bernardino County had parts of Inyo and Riverside Counties. San Diego County included most of Riverside County and Imperial County.

Where Was the Headquarters?

The first main office, or headquarters, was at Camp Latham. This camp was located west of Los Angeles. Later, the headquarters moved to Drum Barracks.

On July 27, 1865, a new military group was formed. It was called the Military Division of the Pacific. This new group took the place of the Department of the Pacific. The District of Southern California then became part of a larger area. This new area was called the Department of California. It included the states of California and Nevada. It also covered the territories of New Mexico and Arizona.

Leaders of the District

The District of Southern California had several commanders. These were military leaders in charge of the district.

  • Colonel George Wright: October 4, 1861 - October 14, 1861
  • Colonel James H. Carleton: October 14, 1861 - November 18, 1861
  • Colonel Joseph R. West: January 1862 - February 5, 1862
  • Colonel James H. Carleton: February 5, 1862 - May 15, 1862
  • Colonel Ferris Foreman: May 15, 1862 - May 17, 1862
  • Colonel George W. Bowie: May 17, 1862 - February 7, 1863
  • Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Lee: February 7, 1863 - April 10, 1863
  • Colonel Ferris Forman: April 10, 1863 - June 19, 1863
  • Lieutenant Colonel James F. Curtis: June 19, 1863 - July 27, 1865

Important Events and Activities

The district was involved in various military actions and changes.

1861 Activities

  • September 7, 1861: A small conflict happened near the upper Santa Ana Canyon.
  • September 14, 1861: Colonel George Wright was put in charge of all troops in Southern California.
  • September 25, 1861: The District of Southern California was created. Colonel George Wright was assigned to lead it.
  • October 4, 1861: Colonel George Wright officially took command.
  • October 14, 1861: Colonel Wright handed over command to Colonel James H. Carleton.
  • November 18, 1861: Colonel Carleton was temporarily relieved from his command.
  • November 20–29, 1861: Soldiers chased and captured the Showalter Party at Warner's Ranch.

1862 Activities

  • February 5, 1862: Colonel James H. Carleton returned to command the district.
  • March 19 - April 28, 1862: An expedition traveled from Camp Latham to the Owens River.
  • April 13 - September 20, 1862: A large expedition, known as the California Column, traveled from Southern California. They went through Arizona to Texas and New Mexico.
  • May 15, 1862: Colonel James H. Carleton left his command of the district. He then led the "Column from California."
  • May 17, 1862: Colonel George W. Bowie took over as commander.
  • June 11 - October 8, 1862: Another expedition, led by George S. Evans, went from Camp Latham to Owens River.
  • August 26, 1862: Colonel James H. Carleton was assigned to lead the Department of New Mexico.
  • August 30, 1862: The District of Arizona was formed.
  • September 5, 1862: Major Theodore A. Coult took command of the District of Western Arizona.

1863 Activities

  • February 7, 1863: Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Lee became the new commander.
  • April 10, 1863: Colonel Ferris Forman took command of the district again.
  • April 12–24, 1863: An expedition went from Camp Babbitt to Keysville, California.
  • April 24 - May 26, 1863: Military operations took place in the Owens River and nearby valleys.
  • May 19, 1863: Lieutenant Colonel James F. Curtis was assigned to command the district.

1864 Activities

  • January 2, 1864: Soldiers occupied Santa Catalina Island.
  • July 1, 1864: Major General Irvin McDowell took command of the Department of the Pacific.

1865 Activities

  • July 27, 1865: The Military Division of the Pacific was created. It replaced the Department of the Pacific. The District of Southern California was then included in the new Department of California. This larger department covered California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona. Major General Irvin McDowell was assigned to lead this new Department of California.

Military Posts in the District

Many military posts and camps were located within the District of Southern California. These were places where soldiers lived and worked.

See also

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
District of Southern California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.