The Department of Kansas was a Union Army command department

Department (United States Army)

Department, is a term used, by the U.S. Army, mostly prior to World War I. In 1920, most of the departments were redesignated as corps areas. However, the Hawaiian, Panama Canal, and Philippine Departments retained their old names...

 in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. This department existed in three different forms during the war.

1861

The first "Department of Kansas" was created on November 9, 1861 from the Western Department. It included Kansas, Nebraska Territory, Colorado Territory, Dakota Territory and the Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma). On March 11, 1862 the department was absorbed into the Department of Mississippi. Brigadier General David Hunter

David Hunter

David Hunter was a Union general in the American Civil War. He achieved fame by his unauthorized 1862 order emancipating slaves in three Southern states and as the president of the military commission trying the conspirators involved with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.-Early...

 was the sole commander during this period.

1862

Two months later the Department of Kansas was reformed out of the Dept. of Mississippi on May 2, 1862. This form of the department included all previous territories except Fort Garland

Fort Garland

Fort Garland , Colorado, USA, was designed to house two companies of soldiers to protect settlers in the San Luis Valley, which was the Territory of New Mexico...

, Colorado. Brigadier General James G. Blunt

James G. Blunt

James Gillpatrick Blunt was a physician and abolitionist who rose to Union major general during the American Civil War.-Early life & career:...

 was appointed commander. On August 16, Blunt created the Army of Kansas which was virtually synonymous with the department. Nebraska and Dakota Territories were detached and transferred to the Department of the Northwest and shortly after on October 11 the Department of Kansas was absorbed into the Department of Missouri.

1864

On January 1, 1864 the third formation of the Department of Kansas was created. It included Kansas, Nebraska Territory, Colorado Territory (except Fort Garland), Indian Territory, and Fort Smith, Arkansas. Major General Samuel R. Curtis was appointed command. Fort Smith and the Indian Territory were transferred to the Department of Arkansas in April. On October 13 Curtis organized the Army of the Border

Army of the Border

The Army of the Border was a Union army during the American Civil War. It was created from units in the Department of Kansas to oppose Sterling Price's Raid in 1864. Samuel R. Curtis was in command of the army throughout its duration.Major General James G...

, composed of troops from his department to confront Price's Missouri Raid. For the first time of the war troops from the Department of Kansas were involved in a major campaign, turning back Price's Confederates at the Battle of Westport

Battle of Westport

The Battle of Westport, sometimes referred to as the "Gettysburg of the West," was fought on October 23, 1864, in modern Kansas City, Missouri, during the American Civil War. Union forces under Major General Samuel R. Curtis decisively defeated an outnumbered Confederate force under Major General...

. The Army of the Border was disbanded on November 9. It was also during this time that Colonel John M. Chivington, commander of the District of Colorado Territory, engaged the Native Americans at the battle of Sand Creek. Shortly after Department of Kansas was merged into the Dept. of Missouri once again.

Sources

• Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.