Department of the Columbia

The Department of the Columbia was a major command (Department) of the United States Army during the 19th century.

Formation

On July 27, 1865 the Military Division of the Pacific was created under Major General Henry W. Halleck, replacing the Department of the Pacific, consisting of the Department of the Columbia (replacing the District of Oregon) that now consisted of the State of Oregon and the Territories of Washington and Idaho and the expanded Department of California.

On March 18, 1868, the Army established the Department of Alaska under the Division of the Pacific. The Department of Alaska was discontinued on July 1, 1870, and Alaska was absorbed by the Department of the Columbia.

In June 1875, the part of the Territory of Idaho that lay east of the extension of the western boundary of Utah, and including Fort Hall, was detached from the Department of Columbia and added to the Department of the Platte.

When the Military Division of the Pacific was discontinued on July 3, 1891. Each of its three subordinate departments including the Department of the Columbia, then reported directly to the War Department.

Commanders of the Military Department of Columbia

• Brigadier General George Wright, July 27, 1865 – July 30, 1865
• Colonel George Byron Currey, July 27, 1865 – November 20, 1865
• Lt. Colonel John M. Drake, November 20, 1865 – December 22, 1865
• Major General Frederick Steele, December 21, 1865 – December 11, 1866
• Brigadier General George Crook, December 11, 1866 – 1869
• Major General Edward Richard Sprigg Canby, 1869 – 1873
• Colonel Alvan Cullem Gillem, 1873 – 1873
• Colonel Jefferson Columbus Davis, 1873 – 1874
• Brigadier General Oliver Otis Howard, 1874 – 1880
• Brigadier General Nelson A. Miles, 1880 – 1884
• Brigadier General John Gibbon, 1885 – 1891