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Military Division of the Missouri facts for kids

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The Military Division of the Missouri was a special part of the United States Army. It helped manage army operations in the western United States during and after the American Civil War. This included the Indian Wars.

The War Department created this division on February 3, 1865. General Ulysses S. Grant wanted it to bring all the army groups west of the Mississippi River under one leader. This made it easier to control troops and respond to problems.

How it Started

Army Organization Before the Division

Before the Civil War, the U.S. Army had a complicated way of working. The Secretary of War and the army's top general were supposed to lead. But in reality, many different army offices reported directly to the Secretary. This meant there wasn't one clear leader for the entire army.

Instead, different parts of the country had their own army "departments." Each department commander made their own decisions. This made it hard to move troops or plan big operations across different areas. Sometimes, problems in one department needed help from another. But without a central leader, it was tough to get that help quickly.

Departments of Missouri and Kansas

During the Civil War, the army created many new departments. One important one was the Department of the Missouri. It was formed in November 1861. This happened after President Abraham Lincoln removed General John C. Frémont. The department covered areas like Missouri, Arkansas, and parts of Illinois and Kentucky. Later, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska were added. From 1862 to 1865, this department mostly fought against Confederate soldiers in Missouri and Arkansas.

The Department of Kansas was created in January 1864. This took some areas away from the Department of the Missouri. The commander of the Kansas department, Major General Samuel Ryan Curtis, had to deal with Indian warfare in Colorado and Nebraska. However, he was very busy fighting Confederates in the Indian Territory and outlaws in Kansas. This meant the Colorado and Nebraska districts often acted on their own. For example, in April 1864, Colorado leaders attacked Cheyenne villages. This started a big conflict known as the Colorado War.

The Division of the Missouri

Creating the Division

In December 1864, the Division of the Missouri was formed. It was created to oversee the operations of several departments. These included the Department of the Missouri, the Department of the Northwest, and the Department of Arkansas. General Grant wanted this division to make it easier to move troops. A single commander could quickly send soldiers where they were needed. This avoided long waits for approval from the War Department.

Major General John Pope took command of the Division of the Missouri on February 3, 1865. His headquarters were first at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, then moved to St. Louis.

At the same time, Major General Grenville M. Dodge took command of the existing Department of the Missouri. This department grew to include the Dakota Territory and Utah. The Department of Kansas also joined it in January 1865.

After the Civil War

After the Civil War ended, the army reorganized. On June 27, 1865, the War Department created five military divisions. The Division of the Missouri was first renamed the Military Division of the Mississippi. Major General William T. Sherman commanded it from St. Louis. This division included the Department of the Missouri, the Department of Arkansas, and the new Department of the Ohio.

Soon after, the division's name changed back to the Military Division of the Missouri. The areas east of the Mississippi River were removed. But it still covered all states and territories west of the Mississippi River. This included areas north of Texas and east of Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona.

In July 1866, Congress made changes to the army for peacetime. The Military Division of the Missouri was reorganized into four departments:

Arkansas was removed from the division in March 1867.

General Sherman continued to command the Division of the Missouri. He stayed in this role until March 4, 1869. Then, Ulysses S. Grant became president, and Sherman was promoted to lead the entire U.S. Army. Philip H. Sheridan then took command of the Division of the Missouri. His headquarters were in Chicago. In 1870, Texas joined the division as the Department of Texas, along with the Indian Territory.

Commanders

Here are the main commanders of the Military Division of the Missouri:

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