Pacific Division (United States Army) facts for kids
The Pacific Division was an important part of the U.S. Army at different times. It was like a big office that helped manage army activities in certain areas. This division existed for a few years in the mid-1800s and then again for a short time in the early 1900s.
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The Pacific Division: Early Years (1848-1853)
The first Pacific Division was created on October 10, 1848. This happened because the U.S. Army needed to organize its forces in the new lands it gained after the Mexican–American War. At first, two smaller army groups, the 10th Military Department (in California) and the 11th Military Department (in Oregon Territory), reported to this new Pacific Division.
The main office, or headquarters, of the division was first in Monterey. In June 1849, it moved to San Francisco for a month. Then, in July 1849, it moved to Benicia and the Benicia Arsenal, which is near the San Francisco Bay.
On May 17, 1851, the Army made another change. It combined the 10th and 11th Military Departments directly into the Pacific Division. This meant those two smaller departments stopped existing. The Pacific Division then directly managed army matters in both California and Oregon Territory. On June 15, 1852, the division's headquarters moved back to San Francisco.
However, the Pacific Division didn't last much longer. On October 31, 1853, it was replaced by something called the Department of the Pacific. This change happened because the Army decided to stop using numbered divisions and departments. Instead, they started using departments with descriptive names that reported straight to Army Headquarters.
Leaders of the Early Pacific Division
Here are the generals who led the Pacific Division during its first period:
- Major General Persifor Frazer Smith (October 10, 1848 – 1849)
- Brevet Major General Bennet Riley (1849 – 1851)
- Brevet Brigadier General Ethan A. Hitchcock (1851 – 1853)
The Pacific Division: Later Years (1904-1907)
The idea of organizing army groups into "Divisions" came back in 1903. So, the Division of the Pacific, which had existed before (from 1869-1891), was brought back. It officially started again in 1904 as the Pacific Division.
This new Pacific Division oversaw other army groups, like the Department of California (which included the Hawaiian Islands) and the Department of the Columbia. The main office for this division was at Fort Mason in San Francisco.
By the end of 1907, the War Department decided to remove these "Division" levels of organization. This decision was made under Secretary of War William Howard Taft. Because of this, the Pacific Division was also ended that same year.
Leaders of the Later Pacific Division
- Major General Arthur MacArthur (1903 – 1907)
