Department of Oregon

Military outposts in the Pacific Northwest

The Department of Oregon was one of two Army Departments created September 13, 1858, replacing the original Department of the Pacific and was composed of the Territories of Washington and Oregon, except the Rogue River and Umpqua Districts, which were assigned to the Department of California. Its creation was authorized by General Orders, No. 10, of the United States Department of War, Adjutant-General's Office, September 13, 1858. Its Headquarters was at Fort Vancouver, in the Washington Territory.^[1]

Commanders

Its first commander was Brevet Brigadier General William S. Harney, U.S. Army, from 1858 to June 1860. Shortly after he took command he sent troops under Captain George E. Pickett to San Juan Island precipitating the Pig War with Great Britain. Due to these altercations with the British he was recalled in June 1860 by the United States Secretary of War who reassigned Harney to the Department of the West, replacing him with the victor of the Oregon Indian Wars, Colonel George Wright, of the U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment, from June 8, 1860.

The Department of Oregon was merged into the restored Department of the Pacific on January 15, 1861, as the District of Oregon administering the same territories, under Col. Wright.^[2]

Garrisons of the Departments of California and Oregon 1 January 1861

Posts in the Department of Oregon

Washington

• Fort Colville, Washington Territory 1825 - 1870
• Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory 1849 - 1868
• Vancouver Barracks, Washington Territory 1849-1879
• Fort Bellingham, Washington Territory 1855 - 1860
• Fort Cascades, Washington Territory 1855 - 1861
• Fort Townsend, Washington Territory 1856 - 1861
• Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory 1856 - 1911
• Camp Chehalis, Washington Territory 1860 - 1861
• Camp Pickett, Washington Territory 1859-1863

Idaho

• Major Howe's Camp, Washington Territory (Idaho) 1860 ^[3]
• Fort Hall, Washington Territory (Idaho) 1859 - 1860

Oregon

• Fort Dalles, Oregon 1850-1867
• Fort Yamhill, Oregon 1856 - 1866
• Fort Hoskins, Oregon 1857 - 1865
• Siletz Blockhouse, Oregon 1858 - 1866 ^[4]
• Camp Randolph 1859 ^[5]
• Camp Owyhee, Oregon 1860 ^[6]
• Camp Union, Oregon 1860 ^[7]
• Camp Day, Oregon 1860 ^[8]

See also

• Department of California

References

1. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Vol. 50, Part 1, OPERATIONS ON THE PACIFIC COAST JANUARY 1, 1861 - JUNE 30, 1865, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1897. pp. 1, 37-38.
2. The war of the rebellion, Series 1, Vol. 50, Part 1, OPERATIONS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.", pp. 1.
3. A temporary Federal camp located on the Portneuf River, near Chubbuck, Idaho.
4. A two-story blockhouse built to protect the Siletz Indian Agency. It was a subpost of Fort Hoskins. Originally called Yaquina Bay Blockhouse (1856 - 1858) located at the mouth of the Yaquina River near South Beach. It was dismantled and floated upriver in 1858. Located at Siletz, Oregon.
5. A temporary Army post near The Dalles on Three Mile Creek during the Wagon Road Expedition to Salt Lake City, Utah.
6. A temporary Army post at the mouth of the Owyhee River near Owyhee, Oregon. Also called Camp Owyhee River.
7. A temporary Army encampment near Riley, Oregon on Silver Creek about 30 miles northwest of Harney Lake.
8. A temporary Federal camp just west of Keno, Oregon that protected the Klamath Road.